LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0 - Page 193

Steve2726 · #**3841** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 7:25 PM**

Gensler has updated their website and has some slick new renders of L.A. Live. The first one in particular is pretty cool with the skyline in the background. They are flash player so I need someone else to post for me. They can be found here:

http://www.gensler.com/#projects/73

Sorry if this is a repost.

JDRCRASH · #**3842** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 7:29 PM**

Nice!

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**3843** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 7:48 PM**

Obviously, LA Central, The Grand and Park Fifth are the most important factors in Downtown LA Development right now, and if we get them all it will change the face of DT LA forever. In my opinion, all three are needed, for a few reasons. 1) because they all eliminate massive parking lot dead zones, with retail, hotels and condos, just think of all the tax benefits for LA from that alone, 2) they create additional buzz that will bring more development and give outsiders that Downtown is finally here, 3) they will alter the skylines tremendously and stretch it out, with 50 plus story buildings, 4) more convention business and tourism. I would also add Metropolis and The Grand, but those are a while away. Once these are all built, there will be only 5 or so dead zones left to fill in the immediate downtown LA core and that will be very important to creating a cohesive downtown LA.

JDRCRASH · #**3844** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 7:54 PM**

^
"I'm the Yin to Citywatch's Yang"?

Anyways, I just read something fascinating from curbedla about the Ritz's progress.

Quote:

With Nokia Theater now hosting cutting-edge acts like The Wiggles and The Moody Blues, it's time to turn our attention to the next phase of construction of at LA Live. Next up: The ESPN studios and ESPN Zone restaurant/arcade complex; more restaurants; The Grammy Museum; Club Nokia; another outpost of Lucky Strike bowling alley; and The Conga Room. A press rep dedicated reader emails the latest construction photos (taken by architecture firm Gensler) of the steel frame going up. According to the rep, these pictures are of the 54-story building that will house the Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels and the Ritz condos. She writes: "There are 340 tons of steel per floor. We are installing more than a floor-plus each week for a total of 18,500 tons (54 floors) by the end of the year."

Pretty fast, eh?

BrandonJXN · #**3845** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:06 PM**

Not surprising. Steel rises at a much rapid rate than concrete. With concrete, you have to place rebar, then pump the concrete, THEN smooth it out, THEN wait for it to cure (dry). Steel you just weld in place.

Anyway, here are the renderings.

Looking at it, I now wish LA Live had the same style as the hotel and notsomuch the baby Staples look.

Steve2726 · #**3846** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:21 PM**

Thanks for posting for me ThreeHundred. I like how the alternating color of the glass gives the buildings a kinetic energy that makes it mimic the cars on the freeway, similar to the neon installation at the Caltrans building.

BigDan35 · #**3847** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

I seriously think that both Grand Ave, Park Fifth, as well as LA Central will break ground this year. If only those break ground, I would consider that a banner year for LA devlopment not seen since the late 80's and early 90's.

2009 I think will really be the year that downtown will take off.

That's interesting because I've heard a lot of people saying next year (2009) will probably be a very inactive year. In what way do you think it will take off? New projects being proposed? More ground-breakings?...?

BrandonJXN · #**3848** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:26 PM**

The whole facade treatment and the orentation of the hotel envokes the freeway which I think is a really awesome and a unique form of artistic expression. Art is everywhere in this city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDan35

That's interesting because I've heard a lot of people saying next year (2009) will probably be a very inactive year. In what way do you think it will take off? New projects being proposed? More ground-breakings?...?

Downtown has always been very 'word of mouth.' By that I mean alot of people go by what other people say about downtown.

'Downtown is shitty.'

'Eww..I don't want to go there.'

By 2009, it will be impossible to ignore the goings on here. The businesses that started off in 2007 and 2008 will have a group of regulars. Those regulars will call their friends and say, 'Downtown is awesome. Come and see.' Then the cycle will continue. People will want to explore this place, realize it's gritty charm, and want to raise a family here. We have schools, jobs, the libary, sources of entertainment, and connections to other parts of the city. Even now, the raido says Nokia Plaza @ LA Live. It's not even complete and it's being mentioned. Downtown will be in a bit of a downturn now but it'll recover.

BigDan35 · #**3849** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:30 PM**

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is this extension of the Ritz/Marriot going to consist of?

BigDan35 · #**3850** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:32 PM**

And one more thing...every picture of the Ritz/Marriot hotel that I've seen has that alternating blue/clear glass. I assume the building will look like this, since the renderrings do. Are they going to have to alternate each individual piece of glass during installation or how does that work?

BrandonJXN · #**3851** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 8:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDan35

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is this extension of the Ritz/Marriot going to consist of?

I think that's where the movie theatres will be.

DJM19 · #**3852** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 9:03 PM**

Isnt that the ball rooms and other such meeting space?

The movie theater is its own complex last I saw.

Echo Park · #**3853** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 9:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Not surprising. Steel rises at a much rapid rate than concrete. With concrete, you have to place rebar, then pump the concrete, THEN smooth it out, THEN wait for it to cure (dry). Steel you just weld in place.

Anyway, here are the renderings.

So what's going on at the corner of Cherry and Chick Hearn? Looks like some kind of structure. I thought this was going to be surface lot for the time being.

DJM19 · #**3854** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 10:04 PM**

looks like its mostly surface lot...

k3d · #**3855** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 10:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM19

looks like its mostly surface lot...

It's not a surface lot. There is already a new parking structure there. The walkway will connect to the back of the theater in front of the parking structure. You can see the parking structure here in the last camera 2 pic from oct26 07 in the camera2 archive. If they build the ballrooms addition they will be built above this parking structure.

http://clarkconstruction.oxblue.com/lalive/

DJM19 · #**3856** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 10:56 PM**

Im confused..., the layout includes the ballroom extension, the cinema complex, and a surface lot (with parking below) that would eventually be covered by a convention center expansion.

k3d · #**3857** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 11:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM19

Im confused..., the layout includes the ballroom extension, the cinema complex, and a surface lot (with parking below) that would eventually be covered by a convention center expansion.

My point is that there is not a surface lot on that corner. It is at least a two story structure with parking on top and parking entrances that lead to underground parking. It may be that the modern glass structure at the rear of the theater complex is the ballroom portion. I do recall now at an AEG presentation that it was the Convention expansion that would be built above parking structure if they went forward with it. You can see in the photo the ramp that leads to the top of the parking structure.

Echo Park · #**3858** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 11:10 PM**

ah yeah. my eyesight must be getting weak. does that mean the convention center expansion is a no-go?

k3d · #**3859** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 11:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echo Park

ah yeah. my eyesight must be getting weak. does that mean the convention center expansion is a no-go?

If I recall correctly, The spokesperson at one of the AEG presentations said the convention expansion was not currently part of the LA Live three phases.

LAofAnaheim · #**3860** Posted **Feb 27, 2008, 1:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDan35

That's interesting because I've heard a lot of people saying next year (2009) will probably be a very inactive year. In what way do you think it will take off? New projects being proposed? More ground-breakings?...?

2009 is a big year for downtown. For Metro, the Goldline Eastside extension opens, giving Metro rail access for the residents of the Arts District & Little Tokyo. 717 Ninth, Concerto, Medallion are all significant new developments under construction today that will open next year. And, I'm sure there'll be countless of additional conversions. Hopefully taxis will be allowed to stop in the anti-gridlock zone (ideally, I would love to see a repeal of anti-gridlock zone in downtown).