LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[BrandonJXN]

Awesome pics/info. Thanks.

Btw..that's some camera lens you have there.

[towersla]

Jan Perry was exceptionally gracious in taking time to shed light on development downtown. Here are a few highlights:

LA Live
-Confirmation that Nokia will indeed open in November.
-At a recent job fair, over 3,500 people applied for on-site positions.

Grand Avenue Project
-Ground breaking for the park is on track to take place in October.
-County was not originally interested in razing the county owned buildings. However, they appear to have had a change of heart. New money has been "located" which would enable construction of new office building on one of the Bunker Hill parking lots.
-The city is still working to resolve the suit brought forth by the owner of Bonaventure Hotel so that the Mandarin Oriental/Phase I can move forward as planned.
-Photos and renderings seen by the public do not do justice to Gehry's vision. The model, is a more concrete representation of clear pedestrian connections to 2nd as well as Olive.

Park 5th
-Money from the developers will be used to pull down the walls surrounding Pershing Square while adding more greenery to an otherwise isolated, underutilized, public space.
-There is indeed a long interest list for the units but the specific number of sign ups has not yet been made public.

South Park
-Most of the for sale lots all the way down to the 10 freeway have been sold to developers.

Taxicabs
-City is working with cab companies to implement point to point service within the downtown area so that residents will not need to rely on cars to go short distances. This should also help facilitate a more pedestrian friendly environment.

Ralphs
-Earnings are well ahead of projections. Expected a soft opening gain of $300,000 but pulled in over $625,000 the first week.
-Service deli alone is pulling in $100,000 a week.
-Wines brought in $75,000 last week
-50% of patrons walk or take public transit to this market.
-Success of the store has made national news and has full attention of Kroger executives back in Ohio.


Thank you for your questions. I hope the information shared helps to answer your inquiries as well as to provide exciting news about downtown Los Angeles.

[WonderlandPark]

All I have to say is sweeet. Hope the progress continues despite the mortgage and credit mess.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by k3d

I was just at the LA Live presentation at Staples Center.
LA Central (she called it Fig Central) will break ground in 3 weeks.
LA Central is talking to Whole Foods and Gelson's.
Starwood talking to LA Central or second choice the building across from Ritz Carlton.
Ritz Carlton has 170 of 224 units reserved.

Whoa! Thanks for the news & pics. Didn't even know there was a meeting on LA Live today. I even thought the meeting towersla mentioned earlier today was scheduled for tomorrow. So I expected the forum to be quiet tonight. Sure glad it isn't, cuz now there's confirmation on LA Central, & a hint about a possible new grocery store & hotel in the hood. And if early response to the Ritz carlton condos can be sustained in upcoming months:

[LAofAnaheim]

Originally Posted by fridayinla

By the way, I noticed the new Orchid Hotel's facade on Flower/8th is nearly complete. Looks great on that block.

I pass by that place a lot....what is going on there? You mean the place that has "O" emblazed on the wall, right? (next to the Millner hotel?).

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by towersla

Grand Avenue Project
-Ground breaking for the park is on track to take place in October.
-County was not originally interested in razing the county owned buildings. However, they appear to have had a change of heart.

New money has been "located" which would enable construction of new office building on one of the Bunker Hill parking lots.

-The city is still working to resolve the suit brought forth by the owner of Bonaventure Hotel so that the Mandarin Oriental/Phase I can move forward as planned.
-Photos and renderings seen by the public do not do justice to Gehry's vision.

Park 5th
-Money from the developers will be used to pull down the walls surrounding Pershing Square while adding more greenery to an otherwise isolated, underutilized, public space.
-There is indeed a long interest list for the units but the specific number of sign ups has not yet been made public.

Ralphs
-Earnings are well ahead of projections. Expected a soft opening gain of $300,000 but pulled in over $625,000 the first week.
-Service deli alone is pulling in $100,000 a week.
-Wines brought in $75,000 last week
-50% of patrons walk or take public transit to this market.
-Success of the store has made national news and has full attention of Kroger executives back in Ohio.

If more posts were like yours, it would pay to subscribe to SSP!

The news on how sales are doing at Ralphs is esp interesting & welcome.

I thought the lawsuit with Peter zen had been settled some time ago----hope that doesn't slow down pace of the Grand ave proj, certainly the part involving the hotel.

Very curious about the details of a possible new office bldg on Bunker hill. So far, almost all new devlpt in the hood has involved anything BUT office space.

I hope the ambitious goals that devlprs of Parkfifth have towards redoing Pershing Sq almost guarantees their proj will move forward, & in a reasonable amt of time.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by fridayinla

I need to get out with my camera this weekend.

There can never be too many photos of ongoing work on various projs in the hood! Considering the range of areas & sites that are undergoing change, from crown hill to little tokyo, from south pk to the OBD, from Bunker hill to the FinDist, there's more than enough to go around. Almost too much!

[k3d]

Originally Posted by citywatch

[/b]
Whoa! Thanks for the news & pics. Didn't even know there was a meeting on LA Live today. I even thought the meeting towersla mentioned earlier today was scheduled for tomorrow. So I expected the forum to be quiet tonight. Sure glad it isn't, cuz now there's confirmation on LA Central, & a hint about a possible new grocery store & hotel in the hood. And if early response to the Ritz carlton condos can be sustained in upcoming months:

Oh I forgot! The presenter said:

AEG is attempting to fund the trolley project.

I did mention LA Live thing in an earlier post. Invitaions were available in our lobby a few weeks ago. RSVP. Many South Group residents were there.

On the way I noticed how nice this building was looking. As I passed by I noticed the interior was under construction and it was all one large space. Then I saw the notice so maybe we are getting another restaurant?

[colemonkee]

k3d and towersla, you are the man, er, men. Great updates, both verbal (kint) and visual.

I'll add to the good news. I got home tonight around 11:00pm, and there was a giant mobile crane rising up along Spring St next to the LAPD HQ building. The kind that I have only seen either assembling or taking down tower cranes. I fully expect a tower crane to be erected at the LAPD site when I walk to my car tomorrow morning.

I'll verify or deny my own rumor tomorrow.

[LAMetroGuy]

Great news about the following (this is 'uge):

County buildings will be taken down... and relocated in a new office tower!!!
Grand Ave will break ground in October
La Central will break ground in September
Downtown Trolly funding in sight
Gelsons or Whole Foods... decisions decisions...
Starwood W Hotel coming to South Park!!!
Ralphs $ exceeding expectations and making headlines!

Man, the snow ball keeps getting bigger. The only thing missing is a Donald Trump Signature LA tower and a Trader Joes.... keep the good news coming!!!

I hope the South Park Towers, Zen, and Park Fifth, iHope and Park Tower all break ground soon!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

what a wonderful surprise! great news. thanks everyone. Cant wait to see all these projects UC. Grand, LA Live, LA Central, Park Fifth, jesus, overload!

[k3d]

[SD_Phil]

^Awesome updates. I can't say much more that others haven't already said but

When was the last time we got this much good news in one day? We need a 'gasm smiley

<- close enough

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Possible funding secured for BOTH removing the County Buildings AND building the Downtown Trolley system?????? This is INCREDIBLE news!!!!

And looking at the Starwood website, there could only be three possibilities for a hotel in LA Central: 1) W Hotel 2) Le Meridien (one in BH closed recently) 3) St. Regis. Being that LA Central is going to be totally entertainment oriented, everything leans toward a W Hotel!

I hope LA Central gets the Whole Foods and Grand Avenue Project gets the Gelsons.

Now we just have to wait for the announcement of the new 5-star hotel that will be part of Park Fifth! Anyone have any guesses about this? I hear it's going to be something possibly connected with Asia. Perhaps a Peninsula? Raffles? What else could it be?

[LAMetroGuy]

Would Hilton's The Waldorf=Astoria Collection be considered 5 star?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2006-01-17-waldorf-main-usat_x.htm

Since they were originally going to be the convention center hotel, maybe they still want in???

[k3d]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Being that LA Central is going to be totally entertainment oriented, everything leans toward a W Hotel!

It's all coming back to me now. I have to get a recorder for theses things:

She did comment that LA Live was entertainment / restaurant oriented where LA Central was more a retail location.

The Nokia plaza is being marketed for summer concerts and a farmers market.

In addition to the 2000 seat arena inside Club Nokia, the Grammy Museum will have a small, 200 seat theater for small engagements.

You all know about the Lucky Strike bowling alley going in the Club Nokia building, right?

Someone asked about the Oscars for Nokia but she said they had a 10 year
lease at Kodak so even if they don't, it looks like they don't think they will get them.

Wait, I just woke up, did I dream all this last night?

[BrandonJXN]

This is just sensory overload. A flood of information. Funding for a possible trolly, possible removal of the county buildings, LA Central breaking ground in 3 weeks, Grand Ave in October, among others..too much.

[fridayinla]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Now we just have to wait for the announcement of the new 5-star hotel that will be part of Park Fifth! Anyone have any guesses about this? I hear it's going to be something possibly connected with Asia. Perhaps a Peninsula? Raffles? What else could it be?

If Asian connected, it could be a Shangri-La Hotel. They're a large 5-star hotel chain, first North American location was Vancouver (it may still be u/c). Now they're planning to open locations in Chicago, NYC, Vegas and Miami. A location in LA makes a lot of sense.

http://www.shangri-la.com/
Locations

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ Could be! From what I heard, an Asian 5-star hotel was being sought after at the time because Park Fifth will also be marketing its condos to buyers in Asia (particularly China). So the Asian hotel would be the connection between LA, and who knows, maybe Shanghai?

[fridayinla]

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

I pass by that place a lot....what is going on there? You mean the place that has "O" emblazed on the wall, right? (next to the Millner hotel?).

Yeah, that's the one. They may now just be calling it the O Hotel. I went by there today and the door was open so I went in to talk to the manager. First of all, that place is SWANK! Hip space and the restaurant will be in the lobby.... reminds me of the Mercer Hotel in SoHo. The interior looks complete and the manager says they'll be fully open by the end of August. This place is a great addition to downtown and I think it will be popular. I also saw a breakfast menu and according to the website, they'll serve it from 6:30am-10:30am, along with lunch and dinner! Nice. Website: http://www.ohotelgroup.com/

Here are some photos I found flickr:

Flickr Photos credit: orchidla

Lobby



Oh! Restaurant



Reception Desk


Rooms




Health Spa