LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0 - Page 26

Sodha · #**501** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 5:59 AM**

I saw a huge parking lot next to Ralphs being paved today. We can't build urban projects w/o suburban lots, eh? I don't mind a small size lot (like for 20 cars), but a huge lot meant for 100s is NOT URBAN DEVELOPMENT. People should be encouraged to walk, not drive.

On the flip side, I was in the DASH this morning and they are proposing to re-route Dash C to serve Hope between 8th & 11th due to the "expanding residential buildings and Ralphs". Glad to know about the proposed re-route. Now, we just need DASH to operate longer hours and provide a convenient South Park to Historic Core via 7th street schedule. This would be awesome.

edluva · #**502** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 7:07 AM**

hehe, glo...get it?

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**503** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 7:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodha

I saw a huge parking lot next to Ralphs being paved today. We can't build urban projects w/o suburban lots, eh? I don't mind a small size lot (like for 20 cars), but a huge lot meant for 100s is NOT URBAN DEVELOPMENT. People should be encouraged to walk, not drive.

On the flip side, I was in the DASH this morning and they are proposing to re-route Dash C to serve Hope between 8th & 11th due to the "expanding residential buildings and Ralphs". Glad to know about the proposed re-route. Now, we just need DASH to operate longer hours and provide a convenient South Park to Historic Core via 7th street schedule. This would be awesome.

dont worry about that lot, its slated for a project,from the same developers as the market lofts. i just hope its sooner than later.

colemonkee · #**504** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 4:13 PM**

Glo may not be pretty, but I hear she's got a great personality.

At least it will bring more people to the area, even though they may be of questionable tastes, aesthetically speaking.

logandankr · #**505** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 6:45 PM**

Park Fifth has begun taking reservations. Apparently 20 units so far have put down the 10k deposit. 5% due spring of next year.

colemonkee · #**506** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 8:35 PM**

Curbed LA posted an link to an amazing set of pictures of LA Live taken by Scott Trimble. Here's a link to his picture set. Some awesome stuff in there.

fridayinla · #**507** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 8:43 PM**

^I'll just post them all here for ease:

I think these were taken on Sunday 6/24/2007.
Source: Go For Locations

Hotel Tower Site:

Inside Nokia Theater

Nokia Theater Rooftop

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**508** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 9:26 PM**

very cool. the inside of the Nokia looks good.

colemonkee · #**509** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 9:42 PM**

Anyone notice there are two tunnels under Georgia that go to the Theater/Convention parcel? There's one just south of Olympic (already documented), and another one near the back of the Nokia Theater.

k3d · #**510** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 4:04 AM**

The fences are down around Ralph's/Market Lofts. The building looks great I walked around the front and Ralphs looks almost finished inside. Same for CoffeeBean. None of the other retail has anything going on yet. The parking lot is getting a new chain link fence to go with the new stripes. Someone here said it will be soon enough that the CIM Group will be putting up Park Tower but it seems to me if they were going to put up Park Tower first they would have made the lot behind Ralphs the temp parking lot instead (approx same size). I thought I had heard here that CIM would build the parking garage first (8th/Hope) for iHope to share with Market, then build iHope above that. Anyone?

Someone at the SkyscraperCity forum pointed out that the LALive photos showed the Hanover crane was coming down today. I didn't see any sign of that when I shot this tonight.

KarLarRec1 · #**511** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 4:20 AM**

For the record, the Ralphs sign was going up today when I drove by. Causing a bit of traffic, too.

citywatch · #**512** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 4:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3d

I thought I had heard here that CIM would build the parking garage first (8th/Hope) for iHope to share with Market, then build iHope above that. Anyone?

This is from an article in the DTnews about the Mktlofts proj. Given how many projs apparently are being slowed down right now, take it for what it's worth:

Quote:

While it's the last project in Lee Homes' queue for Downtown, new neighbors are coming. Across the street, developer Richard Meruelo is building a nearly 40-story tower with 214 units, while CIM Group will soon begin a project at Eighth and Hope streets that will add another 290 units to the area.

I came across this photo from meekorouse & seanyoda, which I believe was taken a few wks ago, showing a bit of the inside of the new mkt, as shot from the front entrance. You can see the freezer aisles & the checkout stand markers:

Incidentally, I was reading a story 2 days ago about how the Whole foods mkt in NYC---I believe the newer one at Time warner ctr (built by the same devlpr doing the Grand Ave proj)----gets so busy that in order to handle customers efficiently, they're all lined up in one big queue, & then have to walk over to the first register that opens up. Or sort of the way ppl have to line up at the check out stands at stores like Best Buy.

It will be a very reassuring sign if any new grocery store in DTLA, inc the new Ralphs, sees at least a fraction as much business as the ones in manhattan.

As for that parking lot east of Mkt lofts, directly west of what was supposed to have become the Gansevoort hotel, I guess if a deadzone has to remain there, better it at least be newly paved & somewhat organized looking. However, too bad they couldn't at least have put some trees & hedges around its perimeter, as was done to the former parking lot where the new metlofts bldg now is located.

citywatch · #**513** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 4:47 AM**

I'm definitely not a fan of parking lots, but in the case of all the land north of Olympic, across from LA Live & in particular the entrance of the future new Marriott & Ritz hotels/condos, I'd rather there be nothing but blacktop there instead of all those scroungy small bldgs. Some of them make the green/yellow tire store & that 3 or 4 story white office bldg look almost nice:

citywatch · #**514** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 4:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodha

I saw a huge parking lot next to Ralphs being paved today. We can't build urban projects w/o suburban lots, eh?

The immediate question is how much business will the new ralphs be doing once it opens? Grocery stores have a lot of perishable items, so if there aren't enough customers per day, a store's bottom line is gonna get thrashed.

If Ralph's discovers its profit margin isn't high enough at their DT store, they may wanna set up an exclusive road that goes straight from that parking lot at 9th & Hope to the front door & garageway of every hood in LA where potential customers live.

fridayinla · #**515** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 5:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by citywatch

[/b]
The immediate question is how much business will the new ralphs be doing once it opens? Grocery stores have a lot of perishable items, so if there aren't enough customers per day, a store's bottom line is gonna get thrashed.

If Ralph's discovers its profit margin isn't high enough at their DT store, they may wanna set up an exclusive road that goes straight from that parking lot at 9th & Hope to the front door & garageway of every hood in LA where potential customers live.

I have no doubt the new Ralphs is going to be a massive success. Everyone I talk to at Vero and my office at Fig & 8th (including me) are counting the days until it opens. I'm thinking not only of downtown's resident population, but all of day-time office workers who will be stopping by throughout the day and after work to grab groceries before heading back to other parts of the city. I'm almost afraid to go once it opens to avoid all of the long lines!

Tanster · #**516** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 5:25 AM**

when exactly does it open??

colemonkee · #**517** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 2:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanster

when exactly does it open??

All the recent reports I've read say they're targeting July 6th. I drove by it last night and that date looks entirely attainable. At a quick glance, the store looks like it could open within a couple of days.

citywatch, you are a trip. Do you really think this Ralph's won't do well? Where have you been for the last 3 years?

k3d, nice pics. I think you're right: iHope will probably be the next building built by CIM in South Park, with Park Tower following sometime after. I wonder what the timing will be on the garage portion, though. I would hope they start it fairly soon, for the sake of the Market Loft residents.

LosAngelesBeauty · #**518** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logandankr

Park Fifth has begun taking reservations. Apparently 20 units so far have put down the 10k deposit. 5% due spring of next year.

Where is your source from?

logandankr · #**519** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 9:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Where is your source from?

An sales person. 20 units reserved doesn't sounds impressive enough for it to be a lie. I don't think they'll have much trouble getting these initial reservations- anyone with 10k to plunk down gets a refundable 8 month test-drive of the downtown housing market.

MapGoulet · #**520** Posted **Jun 28, 2007, 5:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logandankr

An sales person. 20 units reserved doesn't sounds impressive enough for it to be a lie. I don't think they'll have much trouble getting these initial reservations- anyone with 10k to plunk down gets a refundable 8 month test-drive of the downtown housing market.

Hey guys, Map is back. I heard the same thing from a sales person at the downtown Housing Summit. In fact, this particular sales agent told me she reserved a unit herself! Granted, one of the lower floors, but maybe she's double-incomming it or something.

By the way, Park Fifth promises to have the largest patios I've ever seen ... anywhere in LA.