LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[bjornson]

I wish everyday were like Irvine.

[SDCAL]

As a resident of DTSD, I wanted to respond to give a perspective of someone who actually lives here:

Gaslamp: I agree that it seems a bit touristy and there are alot of bars and clubs that cater to college-aged people, but this is one part of downtown, and downtown SD is expanding, especially in the East Village/Ballpark area

While I don't enjoy the yuppie playground spots, the money infused by these areas was needed to foster a more genuine and organic urban development which is starting to take place in the areas surrounding the Gaslamp. Like others have mentioned, you go to Manhattan and you see hip clubs drawing college kids and a starbucks on every corner, so this is not unique to SD. A vibrant downtown is about diversity and this includes organic urban areas as well as trendy places for tourists to come pour money in.

Another reason dtsd has expanded quicker than dtla id the location. We are a waterfront downtown, and views and harbour access bring the Miami-type million dollar condos that may be harder to draw to dtla

I have also seen the arts make a huge appearance in SD, far more than were seen here 10 years ago.

Basically, whether you like it or not, downtown SD is becoming "San Diego" with a distinct style. I think it's funny how people try to categorize it by saying, well it's like Irvine with a little hermosa beach, but more historic buildings, etc, etc. It is not really like either (thank goodness, I loath Orange County).

Now that the money has been infused in SD, there is a higher focus on bringing affordable housing. There is also talk about revitalizing the bay and giving residents parks and civic areas that are not simply playgrounds for rich tourists. Basically, it's improving rapidly here and even though I agree that the yuppie playground thing is a fake type of urbanism, it was needed to put dtsd on the map and to foster more genuine urban renewal projects which are becoming more and more common

[BrandonJXN]

You can also say that Petco Park was a HUGE blessing to DTSD. I don't think that half of the projects in ALL of DTSD would be under construction if it wasn't for Petco. The same can be said for Staples Center and to an extent, the Disney Center. Even though both are a bit older and it took a bit longer for devlopement to appear around those two.

[JDRCRASH]

Wow, I had no idea that Chinatown was originally Little Italy!

I believe that a mix of race, whether poor or wealthy, is important to making a cultural center for Downtown Los Angeles.
Isn't that what the Grand Avenue Project is aiming to accomplish?

[JDRCRASH]

It appears that they're pouring the first layer of concrete for the base of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at the bottom of the pit.

[colemonkee]

^ I noticed that too. It seems like a weird construction method - at least not one I've seen. I don't recall seeing any rebar or footings being laid down. Just all of the sudden there's a huge concrete pour. Of course, it's hard to tell exactly what's going on from the angle of the camera, even if you zoom in.

[Quixote]

There's exactly one month left until the Nokia opens on October 18!

[logandankr]

Did anyone else go to the downtown residents' AEG talk/kings game last night?

I thought AEG did a really good job proving they really care about the area and residents- despite unimpressive resident attendance, AEG president Tim Leiweke spoke, Luc Robitaille, King's coach...

Tim Leiweke said in additional to LA Live they are working on 4 condo towers we would be hearing more about soon. Anyone know what he's talking about? Are these condo towers on land they've sold off (LA Central…), or could he be talking about new projects? It sounded like projects AEG has their hands on, or are invested in. Or maybe I just misheard?

Anyone??

[fridayinla]

^It's hard to say - could be new projects. Jan Perry did say that most of the vacant lots (for sale) between South Park and the 10 have been purchased by developers. It makes a lot of sense for AEG to continue investing and nurturing the community to their benefit, like CIM is doing with Hollywood Boulevard. After all, it's a no-brainer now that LA Live is coming online more and more people will discover downtown and want to move here.

Also, rumor has it that AEG is interested in possibly funding the trolley project for downtown. If that's true, they really do care about the area and us residents. We need more companies like them and South Group.

[fridayinla]

Colemonkee, I was looking at the first page. Aren't Metropolis phase I and 1027 Wilshire approved? Also, GLO has had residents for month+ now. GLO phase II won't get C of O until Oct. 1, but the building is complete. I should take a more recent photo this evening.

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Not sure if this was answered completely

L.A. LoftsGroundbreaking on a 25-story, 250-unit condominium tower in South Park has been pushed back to early next year, a spokesperson for developer Venice Investments said. The 250,000-square-foot, ground-up project on Hope Street between 11th Street and Olympic Boulevard


Originally posted by citywatch:
[/b]Wasn't this the proj that caused some dissing among forumers in another thread cuz at least one person worried about losing his view? Looks like his sightline will remain the same for a bit longer. Still don't know why the view of a parking lot is a whole lot better.

I believe the project above is this:



Photo credit: KFarchitects

And the project that caused some dissing in another thread (from a Luma resident), which started as concern that LA Live would block their view, then they were told LA Central was closer. But in fact it was this that could end up across Hope.



Photo credit: unknown

The same project the Flower Street Loft residents are protesting. You can see the Flower Street Lofts in the picture.


But on this map
http://dcbid.cartifactmaps.com/
the tower appears south of Luma.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by fridayinla

Colemonkee, I was looking at the first page. Aren't Metropolis phase I and 1027 Wilshire approved? Also, GLO has had residents for month+ now. GLO phase II won't get C of O until Oct. 1, but the building is complete. I should take a more recent photo this evening.

I know Metropolis submitted an EIR, but I wasn't aware that it had been approved. As for 1027 Wilshire, I have no clue. The "approved" category is a little nefarious, to be honest. We don't always get official notice on "approved" status for every project, so I'm sure some projects will slip through the cracks and go from "proposed" directly to "under construction". But if you saw it reported somewhere that these two projects were approved, I'll move them.

Good call on Glo. I hadn't been around there in a while. I'll move it to "completed", and I'll replace the old picture once you post a new one.

[colemonkee]

Moved Glo to "completed" on the first page.

DowntownCharlieBrown, that second tower you posted, on Hope Street, is the Kurtzman. It won't go directly across the street from Luma - it will be just to the south. The people in Luma most directly effected view-wise will be those with a southwest corner unit - the ones with the killer balconies. Of course, it won't kill their views entirely - they'll still have views directly west and directly south - but it will take away the panoramic nature of their current views. But anyone who bought downtown with the assumption that they would have protected panoramic views forever, well, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell them...

For the people in the Flower Street lofts facing east, I do sympathize with them because this building, no matter how far they set it back, will take away a good portion of their light. But these people have to realize that they bought a unit in low rise building facing an alley. Something is eventually going to be built there. And even a 5-10 story building will significantly reduce the light hitting their units. So arguing against a 30-story building for that reason doesn't hold a lot of weight. Personally, I think the Kurtzman would be great for that neighborhood for a lot of reasons. Hopefully it gets built. But fortunately for the NIMBY's in that area, it will probably take some time, given the current market.

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

But anyone who bought downtown with the assumption that they would have protected panoramic views forever, well, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell them...

Bingo - that's hitting the nail on the head.
Oh,and thanks, but not in the market for a bridge. LOL

[LAofAnaheim]

I feel like TP'ing the Westin Bonaventure. Anybody down? http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-briefs20sep20,1,5923537.story

They're claim that Grand Avenue will have too many units is utterly f***ingly ridiculous. What's wrong with building dense projects when the Red Line Civic Center station is right there???

[RuFFy]

Hey everyone. I've been following this thread for quite some time and thought it was probably time I left a comment expressing my personal opinions of downtown. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and I remember my first time in one of LA's skyscrapers. I was about 7 or 8 and my mom took me along with her to see an attorney somewhere in the AON building. Back then I think it was the First Interstate Bank Building (1987-88), however, I might be mistaken. I remember being amazed by such a tall building especially since I had not yet seen any taller. About a year later I remember visiting my aunt as the US Bank Tower rose (She lives in City West). I spent most of my time in the SGV until about 2002 when I went to work at the Wells Fargo Center. Since then I worked in the City National Plaza and the California Plaza as well. I saw the Walt Disney Concert Hall being built, the Colburn expansion, etc. To say the least, over the period of a few years I became aware of the many projects being proposed and have always been interested in what would follow. From the River project (which I think is totally awesome) to the theater restorations, etc. I, perhaps, might put my foot in my mouth by saying this, but I envision an LA similar to what you guys do, a place people not only work, but live and dine and shop as well. There is so much talk about what LA might become, but I think it's important to see what LA already is and has been. I now live in New York. I used to hate it thinking this city was crusty and falling apart. I have been here for just short of a year now and I have learned to appreciate the old buildings and what they do to the fabric of this city. I think the same could be said about downtown Los Angeles. The historic core has beautiful buildings that are waiting for someone to not only see them, but bring them back to their glory. I know that many developers have placed their attention in downtown and I think that as density rises, so will it's existing districts like Broadway and the Historic Core. The wonderful new projects in downtown will serve to bring the attention to the forgotten, a once thriving and bustling downtown. In time, as people move in, downtown will return even greater than it once was. I am excited to see how new ground up projects will add to the existing beauty of downtown. Well, that's enough for today but keep up the good work fellas. It's always great to see people who are excited and care about their community. Cheers!

[colemonkee]

Well said, RuFFy. Welcome to the forum.

[Echo Park]

Welcome to the board, Ruffy. I think a lot of us who have grown up in the LA area have similar memories to yours. One of my first downtown experiences was a 5th grade field trip the historic core, little tokyo and bunker hill. We even took the subway. I loved the tall buildings and the energy of the city and stick to me to this days. Of course they seemed a lot taller back then but downtown is a better place now. So its great to find a messageboard like this. The guys here do a good job at keeping up with the latest developments downtown and their enthusiasm is much appreciated And although we don't always agree on things, in fact more than often we seem to be at each other's throats on how downtown SHOULD be, but in the end I think we all want the same thing--a beautiful, energetic, diverse and liveable city--and thats what probably should matter the most.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by Echo Park

Welcome to the board, Ruffy. I think a lot of us who have grown up in the LA area have similar memories to yours. One of my first downtown experiences was a 5th grade field trip the historic core, little tokyo and bunker hill. We even took the subway. I loved the tall buildings and the energy of the city and stick to me to this days. Of course they seemed a lot taller back then but downtown is a better place now. So its great to find a messageboard like this. The guys here do a good job at keeping up with the latest developments downtown and their enthusiasm is much appreciated And although we don't always agree on things, in fact more than often we seem to be at each other's throats on how downtown SHOULD be, but in the end I think we all want the same thing--a beautiful, energetic, diverse and liveable city--and thats what probably should matter the most.

Well said!

Greetings RuFFy!

[latennisguy]

Here's some news regarding Grand Avenue Project (nothing really new):

Grand Avenue project EIR, zone changes win approval
BY RICK ORLOV, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 09/19/2007 09:44:37 PM PDT


Clearing the final hurdle for construction to start, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday routinely approved an environmental report and zone changes for the $2.5 billion Grand Avenue redevelopment project.

"As long as I've been in Los Angeles, people have been talking about how there is no heart to downtown, no center," said Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents the area where the project is to be built.

"This will change all that. This will be a redefinition of downtown and I want us to do it right."

Perry said the project is expected to create thousands of well-paying jobs.

"There was a time when we had people in these jobs who were able to afford to live in Los Angeles," Perry said. "That's what we want to create again. And I am also hopeful about bringing in a mix of housing where we have people of all different incomes living here."

Plans call for the Frank Gehry-designed project on the site across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall to become a massive commercial-residential complex that includes a four-star hotel.

The city is contributing to the project by waiving $60.5 million in future hotel-bed taxes as well as kicking in $5.5 million in parking taxes. The city's Community Redevelopment Agency has pledged $24 million and the county is contributing $4.6 million.
The city and county also will provide other investments totaling $29 million, including $10 million for affordable housing, $12 million for on-site public improvements, $5 million for off-site improvements and $2 million for street improvements.

A 16-acre park is planned between City Hall and Grand Avenue as part of the project, which also includes more than 2,600 residential units.

Plans also call for a 50-story glass tower that would contain the hotel, 250 condominiums, a rooftop pool, a bar and a spa. Also included are plans for open-terraced restaurants and a garden-like atmosphere featuring outdoor art.

The project was first conceived by billionaire Eli Broad, who wanted to see a Los Angeles version of New York's Central Park.

In 2003, the city and county created a joint-powers authority to develop the final plans, which have doubled in cost since the original estimates. The only major objection to the project has been from the owners of the Bonaventure Hotel, who have argued that the bed-tax waiver gives the proposed hotel a competitive advantage.

Perry said the next step for the project will be to prepare final plans. Work is scheduled to begin on the site later this year.

[email protected]

(213) 978-0390


I don't like that last part..."the next step for the project will be to prepare final plans."?!?!?! wtf? it's supposed to start construction by the end of the year and there still aren't final plans? What are they waiting for?