LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[k3d]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

I love these vintage pics of DT. Sometimes I feel as though DT back then looked more futuristic than now, dont know why though.

My guess on the year of pics
Pic 1 '83 or '84
Pic 2 & 3: '86/'87
Pic 4 '83
Pic 5 '84 or '85
Pic 6 '82 or '83
Pic 7 '79 or '80

I noticed at L.A. County assessor's website that the building I live in, Skylofts was built 1985/1991. I had heard the building was completed in 1988. You can see skylofts in pics 2 and 3.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by djerniepearl

Anyone heard what's going on with The Pan American Lofts? They've been ready for months now and everytime I pass by it it looks finished but eerie-ly empty. Even the banners advertising the lofts look faded. At night the whole building is dark.

I've been wondering the same thing. It's literally been 4 or 5 months since this project looked finished and ready for move-ins. However, I do see construction workers in the ground floor parking area every morning on my way to work. So some kind of interior work is ongoing.

[Sodha]

Does anybody know what's going on at the corner of 9th & Hope? There is a sign out front saying the parking lot is permanently closed. As I was walking past, there was an earthmover removing the asphalt and some digging by crew workers. Are the people who completed Market Lofts beginning work on another bldg? Are they testing the ground?

BTW, one of my neighbors at the Skyline is moving into Luma this week, he said move-in's started last week. Awesome!

I walked by the Pantry on 9th & Fig last Saturday and saw a Public Notice sign that Riordan's Pub will be opening up next to the Pantry. It'll be awesome to have a neighborhood pub next to the Pantry.

[Sodha]

Does anybody know what's going on at the corner of 9th & Hope? There is a sign out front saying the parking lot is permanently closed. As I was walking past, there was an earthmover removing the asphalt and some digging by crew workers. Are the people who completed Market Lofts beginning work on another bldg? Are they testing the ground?

BTW, one of my neighbors at the Skyline is moving into Luma this week, he said move-in's started last week. Awesome!

I walked by the Pantry on 9th & Fig last Saturday and saw a Public Notice sign that Riordan's Pub will be opening up next to the Pantry. It'll be awesome to have a neighborhood pub next to the Pantry.

[fridayinla]

Originally Posted by djerniepearl

Anyone heard what's going on with The Pan American Lofts? They've been ready for months now and everytime I pass by it it looks finished but eerie-ly empty. Even the banners advertising the lofts look faded. At night the whole building is dark.

They may have delays in getting their Certificate of Occupancy. That seems to happen frequently. Vero's opening was delayed for a month b/c a fire subcontractor had installed the wrong sprinkler heads in the entire 197-unit building. I'm sure there are countless other things that could hold up people moving in.

[k3d]

Originally Posted by Sodha

Does anybody know what's going on at the corner of 9th & Hope? There is a sign out front saying the parking lot is permanently closed. As I was walking past, there was an earthmover removing the asphalt and some digging by crew workers. Are the people who completed Market Lofts beginning work on another bldg? Are they testing the ground?

No, they are just repaving it as a temporary additional parking lot for Ralph's/Market lofts which is said to open July 6th or so. If I remember right I read here that there will eventually be a parking structure built at 8th/Hope for the Ralph's/Market lofts overflow and the proposed condo project (iHope I think).

[hughfb3]

I got wind of some news and I wouldn't be surprised if Astani is teaming up with one of the developers from South Group; seeing as both developers' mission statements are very similar in creating livable eco friendly neighborhoods. I have little doubt about concerto finishing. It may be delayed, but will be finished

[Sodha]

That's unfortunate about the parking lot next to Market Lofts. Do people not understand urban living is about walking and not driving. I think one thing that we need to promote in dt is curb parking. We have a pathetic amount of street parking available compared to larger cities. And, for only 1 hour at most places??? This totally discourages street parking. And, what's this bs about "anti-gridlock zoning" <-- who started that? It discourages street pedestrian activity and promotes commuting ONLY. I would be okay with it if it was for bus only lanes, but not the layout we have today. To deal w/ this, LA creates hundreds of parking garages, some as tall as buildings. Look at the Live Above LA bldg, how many floors of above ground parking do we have? Like 20? Our parking garages is as big as the bldgs in Phoenix, Alburquerquee, Oklahoma City, etc.... If we allowed 24/7 on-street parking w/ time restrictions of 2 - 3 hours during the day, it would help create a vibrant 24/7 community. We don't need commuting lanes, that's for freeways.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

I got wind of some news and I wouldn't be surprised if Astani is teaming up with one of the developers from South Group; seeing as both developers' mission statements are very similar in creating livable eco friendly neighborhoods. I have little doubt about concerto finishing. It may be delayed, but will be finished

That's interesting. Can you divulge any more info or are you sworn to secrecy?

I also got wind of some news on Tom Gilmore's proposed 41-story Vibiana Tower. Apparently it's been completely redesigned and resubmitted to the city. The overall program is still the same (300 units, 41 stories), but the aesthetics and the podium have been changed considerably, with a large curved glass feature on the podium. I haven't seen any renders, but it sounds cool.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

That's interesting. Can you divulge any more info or are you sworn to secrecy?

I also got wind of some news on Tom Gilmore's proposed 41-story Vibiana Tower. Apparently it's been completely redesigned and resubmitted to the city. The overall program is still the same (300 units, 41 stories), but the aesthetics and the podium have been changed considerably, with a large curved glass feature on the podium. I haven't seen any renders, but it sounds cool.

Can't wait to see it. Gilmore's a serious player, isn't he ?

[BrandonJXN]

Must be a windy day.

I went to the South sales office today (after eating lunch at Cal Plaza today..such a beautiful place) and chatted with one of the sales reps. He said that Jardin (pronounced Jar-deen btw) is having some money problems so don't expect it to rise until early 2008.

[citywatch]

^

Money problems?! Oh, for crying out loud. So is that one more warning sign---one more caution sign----right next to the ones raised by the devlpr of the Concerto, the devlpr of the Hanover, the devlpr of the Medallion, the devlpr of the glass Tower, which now has shot past, by around 2 months, its projected start up date of april?

If so, just one more reason I become crazed at all the debates over highrise vs lowrise, & ppl often asking "how come we get all these short wood framed bldgs instead of more tall, sleek towers?!!? Projs like the mura & orsini should be built in the burbs, not DT!! — is that all about???!!!"

While I admire ppl for thinking & wishing big, everyone ultimately has gotta live in the real world.

meanwhile, a press release from the south group yesterday said:

The final dozen residences of Luma are now selling, along with the second phase of Evo’s new luxury condominiums.

12 units isn't bad, or actually seems pretty good to me, for a bldg that's just now being completed. But have sales possibly slowed down enough at the neighboring Evo that the devlpr is getting gunshy & pushing forward start of work on their 4th condo highrise?

As for one of the original, if not THE first, highrise loft projs in the hood, although it was a conversion & not a totally new from the ground up bldg, the devlpr is claiming they're at 90% sold. I believe the skylofts have been available for sale for over a yr now (or almost a yr now?), so 90% is ok, but not a case of selling like hotcakes.

[fridayinla]

Originally Posted by DominicanLou

Here's some excerpts:

"We are currently redeveloping the former headquarters of Union Bank, an historic building originally built in 1928, into 92 loft-style units and approximately 11,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The property is located at the corner of Hill and Eighth Streets in downtown Los Angeles. While each of the units will be a separate legal condominium unit and are being renovated to a for-sale standard of quality, our business plan calls for them to be initially leased as rental apartment units."


"Southpark Towers will be a two building complex located on most of a city block between Olive Street and Grand Avenue and 11th and 12th Streets in the Southpark section of downtown Los Angeles. The first building of the complex, with the address of 1150 Grand Avenue, will be the larger of the two buildings and will contain three hundred and seventy four high rise residential units in a forty three story high rise tower. A seven story parking garage will be constructed adjacent to the building, with the top floor of the garage dedicated to tenant amenities such as a swimming pool, a tenant health club, common meeting rooms, concierge service and a common media center. The ground floor of this building will contain approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space. While each of the units will be a separate condominium unit and are being constructed to a high for-sale standard of quality, our business plan calls for them to be initially leased as rental apartment units. 1150 Grand Avenue is in the schematic design stages in advance of receiving a building permit. The second building of the complex, with the address of 336 W. 11th Street is in the conceptual design phase. We anticipate receiving our excavation permit in the third quarter of 2007 and commencing excavation work in the fourth quarter of 2007. Kajima Construction has been selected as the general contractor for this project."

Here's the link to the entire paper with pictures and info about other projects
http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/20/203/203469/items/245950/objectives.pdf

1150 Grand Avenue building of the Southpark Towers project

[fridayinla]

Colemonkee, in case you'd like to swap the rendering out on the first page:

717 Flower Rendering

[BigDan35]

^^ How tall is 1150 Grand Avenue supposed to be?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Very Nice! good find my friend. i love the pace that Meruelo is working!

This is separate than the Grand Towers right?

Cole, cant wait for more details on the 41 story St. Vibianas.

[Quixote]

The South Park Towers and the Grand Towers are the same project.

[bjornson]

The South Park Tower is slick. The one thing that bothers me is the podium. So many of them all over South Park.

[edkao]

Originally Posted by fridayinla

They may have delays in getting their Certificate of Occupancy. That seems to happen frequently. Vero's opening was delayed for a month b/c a fire subcontractor had installed the wrong sprinkler heads in the entire 197-unit building. I'm sure there are countless other things that could hold up people moving in.

That's exactly what's going on with Pan American. The CoO. Don't know what's holding it up.

A friend bought a unit in the building, since the delay, she was put up by the developer to stay in the Los Angeles Athletic Club, (LAAC), for 2 months now. She's not complaining... much.

The developer has also been paying people's rent and outstanding mortgage payments caused by this delay.

[edkao]

Originally Posted by fridayinla

"Southpark Towers will be a two building complex located on most of a city block between Olive Street and Grand Avenue and 11th and 12th Streets in the Southpark section of downtown Los Angeles. The first building of the complex, with the address of 1150 Grand Avenue, will be the larger of the two buildings and will contain three hundred and seventy four high rise residential units in a forty three story high rise tower. A seven story parking garage will be constructed adjacent to the building, with the top floor of the garage dedicated to tenant amenities such as a swimming pool, a tenant health club, common meeting rooms, concierge service and a common media center. The ground floor of this building will contain approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space. While each of the units will be a separate condominium unit and are being constructed to a high for-sale standard of quality, our business plan calls for them to be initially leased as rental apartment units. 1150 Grand Avenue is in the schematic design stages in advance of receiving a building permit. The second building of the complex, with the address of 336 W. 11th Street is in the conceptual design phase. We anticipate receiving our excavation permit in the third quarter of 2007 and commencing excavation work in the fourth quarter of 2007. Kajima Construction has been selected as the general contractor for this project."

I wonder if this parking structure will reach all the way to Grand Lofts? Or will it end at the chain link fence where Grand Loft residents currently park.

From the drawing it looks very long, and if it is that length. I has to take up the current parking spaces for Grand Loft. I wonder where those people will park?

***

336 W. 11th St?

I thought that parcel for SouthPark Towers included 336 W. 12th St. not 11th St.

336 W. 11th St. is where Olive Loft is/was planned?