LOS ANGELES | Politics, Economics, and Business Development

[LA21st]

Sure, but we need more than that. Everything isnt about the homeless. The city could generate ideas to help Broadway, 7th street etc to draw more investment again.

Every other city does. There is zero excuse not to do the same thing. The city acts like downtown is fine. A healthy downtown LA would be amazing. They just have no vision for it. Its crazy.

The same for Hollywood Blvd. Do you know how popular it would be if the city actually cared?

The smallest thing the city could do, is clean up graffiti. For fucks sake at least do that. If you clean it, those idiot taggers would stop doing it because it would be for nothing.

[scania]

Originally Posted by LA21st

Sure, but we need more than that. Everything isnt about the homeless. The city could generate ideas to help Broadway, 7th street etc to draw more investment again.

Every other city does. There is zero excuse not to do the same thing. The city acts like downtown is fine. A healthy downtown LA would be amazing. They just have no vision for it. Its crazy.

The same for Hollywood Blvd. Do you know how popular it would be if the city actually cared?

The smallest thing the city could do, is clean up graffiti. For fucks sake at least do that. If you clean it, those idiot taggers would stop doing it because it would be for nothing.

Wait…I’m definitely not disagreeing with you on most of these points!!! DTLA has a plethora missed opportunities to capitalize on, for the better of DTLA and the positive affect on LA in general. But…let’s not pretend that Bass or any other mayor before over the past 20 years plus have really made a significant dent. We were lucky that the Lakers coming to DTLA, has got things going. Though slowly…but things have trended in the right direction. I’ve no clue how easy it is for someone like Mayor Butts in Inglewood to accomplish what he’s done in a bigger city like LA. The actual big cities like LA, NYC, SF, etc…things seemingly take forever with politics to get things done. And that goes for blue and red equally.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by scania

I totally agree…but the one major thing people have complained about is homelessness. People have to ADMIT, the homeless situation in DTLA is the best it’s been in years!!! Definitely the last decade. And all of their statistics proves this testament.

But admitting something got better would go against the constant, relentless negativity that is the hallmark of this subforum!

[scania]

Originally Posted by craigs

But admitting something got better would go against the constant, relentless negativity that is the hallmark of this subforum!

Well said!

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by scania

Wait…I’m definitely not disagreeing with you on most of these points!!! DTLA has a plethora missed opportunities to capitalize on, for the better of DTLA and the positive affect on LA in general. But…let’s not pretend that Bass or any other mayor before over the past 20 years plus have really made a significant dent. We were lucky that the Lakers coming to DTLA, has got things going. Though slowly…but things have trended in the right direction. I’ve no clue how easy it is for someone like Mayor Butts in Inglewood to accomplish what he’s done in a bigger city like LA. The actual big cities like LA, NYC, SF, etc…things seemingly take forever with politics to get things done. And that goes for blue and red equally.

But NYC and Chicago do recongize certain areas need to be revived.
I dont see our leadership doing that at all.

The Hollywood boulevard "plan" is just ....doing nothing. They're ok with letting that sit for many years probably.
And its frustrating because they the city could decide to improve the city's image and they just dont care.
Tourism is down everywhere but ...ok. Then start helping the tourism areas when things rebound? Like wtf.
And the 2026 and 2028 Olympics are coming. Hiding homeless people for a couple of weeks isn't doing anything.

[LA21st]

With the fires and the civil unrest this year, you'd think the city would TRY to get the city's image back on track to the world.

That shit does matter. It does.

[Illithid Dude]

One thing that would help downtown is to make it it's own city council district, instead of having downtown share a city council district with Boyle Heights and other parts of East LA. We need someone whose full time job is prioritizing DTLA. Say what you will about Jose Huizar, but downtown thrived under his leadership. He cared deeply about DTLA (maybe because he was able to receive more kickbacks that way, but hey, whatever works!) When Jose was removed, downtown started to decline. It's time to institute someone in his place.

[scania]

Meh…Jose did get structures started and built up…but the level of retail and restaurants are much better now. Both statements are undeniable.

[edale]

I don't know why there's a need to constantly police negativity in the DTLA construction thread. Downtown LA has been in a rough patch for a number of years, and the current protests/national guard occupation definitely isn't helping anything. I think it's fair to point out that there's almost nothing under construction downtown right now. For the second largest city in America, that's alarming. New York is building supertalls, Chicago, Philly, Miami, Houston are all building multiple skyscrapers at the moment in their downtowns. LA has...an art school theater and a 5 story affordable housing complex currently under construction downtown. I think some people here just have rose colored glasses on and push back against any critique of DTLA, no matter how deserved it is. How does that help anything?

Among my friends and coworkers, Downtown LA has a very poor perception right now, other than the Arts District. It's frustrating because DTLA has always had amazing potential, and about 10 years ago it seemed like it was on the verge of finally turning the corner and realizing that potential. New skyscrapers were under construction and new proposals were being unveiled seemingly every few weeks. The Broad was new, the Regional Connector was under construction, The Grand was finally under construction after decades of delays, we just built a new tallest skyscraper, etc.

Compare that time to now-- the Oceanwide towers are an abandoned, grafiti covered mess. The Angels Landing project has been scrapped. Nothing has happened with the LA Times building redevelopment with the twin skyscrapers (is that project officially dead)? The park across from City Hall has been scrapped and remains a dusty vacant lot. The Broadway streetcar proposal appears to be officially dead. No one is even talking about the 101 freeway cap anymore. The convention center expansion project is on an indefinite hold. It just seems like everything that was exciting 10 years ago is dead or abandoned.

The only project that makes me excited for downtown is the D line expansion. Having a fast, direct rail connection between downtown and the West Side is going to be huge. Just wish there was more to be excited about right now.

[scania]

Complaining on here accomplishes absolutely nothing. Lol Like seriously…there is definitely a lot of room of improvement in DTLA. LA in general has never been technically a skyscraper city. And it’s still vastly better than most cities here in America. Obviously that’s a topic up for debate. But there are some who only want to highlight every thing they can find that in their heads is negative. We just had 3 extremely nice high rise residential buildings that have been completed. Those people never mention how awesome that is for DTLA. Even the new restaurants that have moved an opened in DTLA…Maestro’s, Niku X, Javier’s, etc. Those are major wins for DTLA. Never mentioning how successful the Apple Store has been in DTLA. Does that mean we could see more come to fruition as far as other buildings and businesses??? No obviously there are a lot of bs politics that hinder progress. But that is not the entire picture of the pros and cons of DTLA.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by edale

The only project that makes me excited for downtown is the D line expansion.

Yeah, until it opens. Then it's open season.

I've got $50 on this guy shifting to an obsessive laser focus on only the most negative aspects of the D Line expansion as soon as it opens.

A homeless man exists on the train! The trains don't run 24/7 every two seconds! There aren't 150-story towers above the stations! Oh, won't someone just nuke Los Angeles so we don't have to suffer living in the most horrible, rotten, awful, hideous place on Earth? A radioactive glass desert would be infinitely better than this most putrid place!

[scania]

Sad but true.

[citywatch]

commercialobserver.com

Downtown Los Angeles was facing impossible odds. But like some kind of civic Rocky, it has come battling back from the brink. Homelessness and crime is still prevalent compared to other urban centers across the country. Yet, for many who work, live or own space downtown, momentum is beginning to shift toward what feels an awful lot like hope— or at least a light at the end of the recovery tunnel.

Much of the recent activity has come from the sale or disposition of Brookfield’s distressed and debt-laden office towers — albeit for big discounts. A Chinese investor last July paid $120 million for Brookfield’s 52-story 777 Tower; L.A. County in December paid $200 million for the 52-story Gas Company Tower; Carolwood was recently in escrow to purchase the 41-story EY Plaza for $130 million; and Uncommon Developers just last month acquired Brookfield’s 52-story Figueroa at Wilshire tower for $210 million. Exact plans for many of those towers are still up in the air. Yet, landlords spending time and money on meaningful improvements will be a tide that lifts all boats, said Ryan Hekmat, Uncommon’s co-founder and co-managing partner.

While many assets across downtown are aging, conventional or otherwise unsuited to draw tenants back, Hekmat said Brookfield’s former towers are largely well positioned. Uncommon is therefore planning upgrades to Figueroa at Wilshire’s amenities and overall vibe to entice office tenants — such as adding a comprehensive gym facility, hosting social events and installing a “custom scents” ala luxury hotels — rather than overhauls to the building’s floor plates or façade. Extensive upgrades are happening at other downtown offices, however. JLL in March opened its redesigned digs at CalPERS and CommonWealth Pacific Capital’s City National Plaza, and Silverstein Properties in 2023 completed its $60 million renovation of U.S. Bank Tower, which it purchased during the height of the pandemic at a significant discount for $430 million. A big rise in office leasing activity in the first quarter of this year, upward of 600,000 square feet of positive absorption, is another encouraging sign, said Harlan Strader, vice president of leasing for Silverstein.

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[bobbyv]

Proposed ballot measure could force a citywide vote on L.A. 2028 Olympic venues

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/proposed-ballot-measure-could-force-100000399.html

What's everyone's thoughts on this?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

This fucking union is hell bent on killing LA

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

This fucking union is hell bent on killing LA

Who is really behind this Union? It can't just be some regular union anymore.

[Illithid Dude]

So far the union hasn't even started collecting signatures for the ballot measure. As of now this is basically an empty threat.

[SoCalKid]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

This fucking union is hell bent on killing LA

They actively work to kill new development (not just hotels!) in LA. They believe that the harder it is to develop, the easier it is to extort developers. If you've ever interacted with them, you know they operate like a mafia (including threatening workers who dissent). They are the enemy.

[LA21st]

Doesnt the CEQA thing going away kill some of their goals? Why can't their be an investigation into their extortion? Theres gotta be some kind of paper trail or phone calls or something.
Just arrest some of them. Arrest them all, who cares. Get rid of them.

[SoCalKid]

Originally Posted by LA21st

Doesnt the CEQA thing going away kill some of their goals? Why can't their be an investigation into their extortion? Theres gotta be some kind of paper trail or phone calls or something.
Just arrest some of them. Arrest them all, who cares. Get rid of them.

Haha as much as I would love to see them vanquished, I don't think they overtly break the law. The extortion they practice is generally legal. And I don't think we should be arresting political opponents unless the law was clearly broken. We SHOULD change the approval process to make everything that follows zoning rules by-right and non-discretionary though, which would take power away from these bad actors.

CEQA going away only applies to infill housing unfortunately, not hotels/office/retail etc. Even then, they have a plant on City Council (Hugo Soto-Martinez) that does their bidding. He's a longtime member and organizer for Unite Here 11.