LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[LongBeachUrbanist]

I want to clarify something about the photos.

There were two models: one is of the "base plan" (which can be built with the existing $56 million), and the other is of the "extended plan" (which can only built with additional $$$, actual price tag unknown).

The photos posted above include pictures of both models. In general, the base plan has less stuff than the extended plan. For instance, the extended plan has a bridge over Broadway.

[POLA]

Well, let's hope they don't get much funding, because that park is suffering from too many "expensive" ideas. That bridge overbroadway would be terrible! and that water feature... WTF?

[RAlossi]

I went to the meeting last night, and I've got to say, I'm happy with the plan as presented with possible future extensions (by way of more funding). The park JPA has applied for $30 million in park bond funding, so we may see the enhanced version sooner rather than later.

My main issue is the Court of Flags. Since that's the portal to the park from the Civic Center Station, it should be nicer and greener. Way too much concrete for my liking.

There will be a lot of green in this park, though the area around the fountain and the Court of Flags should have more greenery included. I also hope that they make the State Office Building portion of the park a priority.

Otherwise, I can't wait to see what's in store!

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

That park is way too open to allow for an intimate expierence for park patrons. People will feel way too out in the open.

Are you being sarcastic saying people don't want to feel out in the open when they are in a park?

If you're not, I do know what you are saying. I see you are from Arkansas. You'll have to read up on our Pershing Square park. It went for intimate and failed miserably. I'm sure the designers of this new park had that on their minds.


Thanks Westside for posting all those pics! And Rich for taking them!

[DJM19]

I wouldn't mind if the funding for the bridge never came through either. Screw the bridge. People can cross the crosswalk, and cars can stop for them. Not to mention, even though its a massing, the bridge looks pretty complicated, like some damn free way interchange.

But those latest pictures posted do make the park grow on me a little. More grass would make it even better. I do want a nice fountain feature, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Something classy. I like the walk way with the colorful awnings. Even if thats not how it ends up, I always like the idea of walkways with creative covers that affect how the ground looks.

I guess I would give this park more leeway if Pershing square wasn't so lame. Hopefully the park fifth people might still invest in the park (is that still on the table?) .

And we still have the cornfield park, which is also suppose to be a grand, community park.

[ladowntowner]

The angles of the last model pics posted did help improve my perception/opinion of the concept as presented, but there is still much left to be desired...

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE?
That is a serious question. What would you do if you could sit at your lil desk and take a sharpie and go to town, hm?

Hmmm...

OK. First, I'd use the grade changes to my advantage. Streets traversing the park would go below grade, and the grade changes could be used to minimize the depth to which they might have to be dug, whilst the park above would not have to rise over the street much, if at all, keeping sight lines and sense of continuity intact. No ugly pedestrian bridge and crosswalks required.

A water feature starting as a "spring" with the appearance of natural stream going from west to east using the grade to carry it to a pond at it's terminus.

I'd have a small, peaceful and contemplative zen garden in one of the quieter corners of the park. An additional xeriscaped garden elsewhere. Most/all of the plant life would be native to the region throughout the park.

No fugly 60's googie architectural elements for shade providing structures. What's wrong with trees for shade? Sheesh... Less cement/hardscape! Whatever few structures should take a cue from the classic lines of City Hall for stylistic elements.

For a start...

[ladowntowner]

Dodger's Stadium is roughly under the downtown sphere of influence, so I'll post this article here. Props to the Dodgers/Dodgers owner for remaining committed to the city of which the team derives a portion of it's name:The LOS ANGELES Dodgers, unlike that other league who shall remain nameless but whose initials are N F L. Greedy bastards. Another impressive fact is the Dodgers Stadium will soon be the 3rd oldest baseball stadium nationally still in use by next year. Pretty good for a city not known for historical preservation. From the L.A. Times:

Dodgers to unveil plans for restaurant, shops at stadium


Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times

The Dodgers plan to unveil their most extensive stadium renovation yet Thursday, a project that would transform the area behind the outfield into an entrance promenade featuring restaurants, shops and a Dodgers museum.


Renovation project is attempt to offer options to fans who come early or stay late. In a letter, McCourts say they are committed to Dodger Stadium 'for the long haul' but such amenities are needed.

By Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
April 24, 2008

The Dodgers plan to unveil their most extensive stadium renovation yet Thursday, a project that would transform the area behind the outfield into an entrance promenade featuring restaurants, shops and a Dodgers museum.

In a letter sent today to season-ticket holders, owner Frank McCourt and President Jamie McCourt said the improvements would "give the stadium a chance to remain viable and perhaps see its 100th birthday."

The letter did not detail the renovations, but the plan would enact a vision Frank McCourt made when he bought the team in 2004 -- to transform at least part of the Dodger Stadium parking lot into an area offering dining and shopping for fans who arrive early and stay late, avoiding pregame and postgame traffic. The Dodgers would generate additional revenue as well.

Dodgers officials could not immediately be reached Wednesday afternoon to discuss the project or its cost. But representatives of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is scheduled to appear with the Dodgers officials Thursday to discuss the project, described it as a "$500-million renovation and modernization."

The "plans include building a new entrance beyond center field, a new plaza inside the stadium gates, a 'Top of the Park' outdoor deck area, a modern promenade, restaurants and new Dodger history museum," said an e-mail sent by the mayor's office announcing the event.

In the letter, the McCourts said they were committed to Dodger Stadium "for the long haul" but made clear the stadium could not survive deep into the new century without such amenities.

"This is a project that will green the area around Dodger Stadium and reduce its carbon footprint while spreading out the traffic impact on the neighborhood," said City Council President Eric Garcetti, whose district has many of the streets used to enter and exit Dodger Stadium.

Dodger Stadium opened in 1962.

"The viability of a 50-year-old ballpark comes into question when you realize that, come next year, Dodger Stadium will be the third oldest in baseball," the McCourts' letter read.

Once the two New York teams move into new stadiums next year, the only older ballparks in use will be Boston's Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, and Chicago's Wrigley Field, which opened in 1914.

The Dodgers also plan to enlarge the outdated and cramped home clubhouse this winter.

[JRinSoCal]

So have they decided yet if those ugly county buildings are to be demolished or not?

[citywatch]

The best thing about the proposed park is that it will result in the removal of the parking lot directly to the west of city hall. That's been one of the major gaps of the civic ctr mall area for yrs & yrs & yrs.

Next best thing would be the elimination of the site of the former state bldg west of the parking lot, & whose foundation has been left to crumble away & collect trash for yrs & yrs & yrs.

Beyond that, I'm not sure if ppl are exaggerating the importance of a big new park to DT, esp if its not huge, naturalistic & rustic like Griffith, not surrounded by crowded urban hoods like Central in NY, or not connected to a dt that city folks have been walking around in & enjoying for a loong time, like Millenium in chicago. I say that cuz DTLA still can be surprisingly quiet many hrs of the day, or certainly on the weekend.

A park along 1st St from Grand Ave to Spring St will have a bigger role to play when the hood has a much larger population of residents & tourists, if not workers too. I'm sure govt employees in particular will appreciate an improved civic ctr park.

However, to me the far bigger change for the better will occur when alot more new housing, & the ppl that go with it, is added to DT. Til then, a new park on the north side of DT runs the risk of symbolizing the phrase of "wonder if they held a party & no one showed up?"

The fact one of the 2 major bldgs of the 1st phase of the Grand ave proj will be as small as it is, probably cuz anything bigger wouldn't pencil out----& won't contain the largest number possible of residents or others----means the time when there are enough ppl in the hood to make a big park come into its own is open to question.

BTW, I drove by the tinker toy parking structure yesterday & still no signs of demolition. And, as I've noticed for yrs, there weren't a whole lot of ppl walking around & enjoying that part of DT. So, again, I'm more curious about projs like parkfifth or the proposed federal court house than I am about the new civic ctr park.

But if they do get around to finally improving the civic ctr mall, at least do it right. The hood doesn't need another underused or poorly used open area that went through a makeover like Pershing Sq.

[DJM19]

^I like it (the dodger stadium thing)! These owners have really grown on me. They have shown a commitment to the fans and the city. They do constant renovations it seems without compromising much of the historical integrity (in fact the seat changing was bringing back the past). And they had an awesome opening day game ceremony I heard.

The only problem I can see with these plans is that it could possible only be viable to customers on a day when there is a game. Dodgers stadium is perched up there relatively isolated from the surrounding area and with expensive parking.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by ladowntowner

The Dodgers plan to unveil their most extensive stadium renovation yet Thursday, a project that would transform the area behind the outfield into an entrance promenade featuring restaurants, shops and a Dodgers museum.

Sounds good & long overdue. I've always wondered why so little effort was made to create a nicer environment even a few feet beyond the perimeter of the stadium. So for yrs there's been only the backside of the rear bleachers & then, at most, a narrow row of landscaping, inc a few palms, & then, after that, nothing but acres & acres of blacktop.

[colemonkee]

Man, I go away for a day and a half and this forum explodes. In good and bad ways. I deleted a bunch of posts a few pages back. Please, people, cut it out with the personal attacks.

As for the park design, I think it's a decent start, but it needs some work. Personally, I'd like to see a lot more green space and a lot less hardscape. LA is a city that gets a lot of sunshine and a lot of heat. A park should be an escape from the city, not a reminder that you're in it. The colorful shade structures don't bother me, as long as they're well-executed.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by DowntownCharlieBrown

Keep studying, kid. Massing models are not going to show you trash cans, drinking fountains, and benches. But you have my curiosity. Tell us more about this "glass wall". Where does it start, where does it end, and how does it help improve the park design?

Improving the park design? Well obviously an enclosed elevated pedestrian isn't what people had in mind; so clearly a wooden floor wouldn't be good either(it would rot over time during rainy season:runaway)

And a Metal surface just doesn't seem right to me, especially with the Walt Disney Concert Hall nearby(which i've been told reflects the sunlight too much).

But some sort of Granite or other stone floor would look better.

What do you guys think?:



Hmm, decisions, decisions.


As for the glass walls on side of walkways themselves, they should be about 4 ft tall(just to give those who walk on it, especially children and elderly, extra safety!).

And they should start to shorten in height as the walkway lowers to ground level.

[vodila]

Passed by the convention center hotel today, snapped a picture. I assume it's the ballroom(s) in the foreground. What I don't get is why the beams are angled. I don't see anything like that in the renderings. Is there a render of that side of the building?

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

And here are some photos of the Grand Avenue project model...


From Flickr, by alossix

WOW!!!!! Its alot taller than I previosly thought!

Actually, at under 50 stories, it looks like it could very well be taller than Park Fifth. Does that mean its floors and ceilings will be thinner?

Heheheh, I have a feeling Aluminum is going to love these "boxy" designs for the towers.

[DJM19]

yeah that would be the ballrooms. Dunno why its angled, but that might add an interesting bit of difference.

[JDRCRASH]

Nice Photos Vodila! Yeah, I just noticed that. Same with the Ritz, it's angled, but why? I dont' remember any renderings showing that.

[JDRCRASH]

1138 Wilshire: City West Can Use Some Office Space

Wednesday, April 23, 2008, by Rich Alossi

Say hello to 1138 Wilshire, a new-construction Downtown office project from West Edge Architects. Located in the City West district, the seven-story, 86,844 square-foot commercial/retail development is set to go before Downtown's Planning & Land Use Committee tonight. The building, near 1100 Wilshire, will replace a surface parking lot and will have a "fine-dining" restaurant and corner cafe downstairs with Class A offices upstairs. Yes, this project bucks the trend of downtown office buildings converting to upscale housing. No word yet whether the developer is considering doing any adaptive reuse at this time.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ I looked that address up on Google and there isn't any surface parking lot on the even number side of the street? The only surface lot is ACROSS the street from 1100 Wilshire, but that would be odd numbers wouldn't it? :confused:

[milquetoast]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

I will pose the question to all the would be architects in this forum.
WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE?
That is a serious question. What would you do if you could sit at your lil desk and take a sharpie and go to town, hm?

I've said this before; All you have to do is first: Get rid of those two County buildings.

They choke the whole project from the start. Replace those two buildings at the locations of their eastern most part of their foundations.

That means erecting two buildings that are verticle in nature, of course, and match the style reminiscent of the period when the City Hall was constructed. Both structures would be white in color and be between 30 and 40 stories tall to replace the County offices. One building would occupy the corner of Temple and North Hill and the other building, North Hill and Tom Bradley. Both structures would be art deco in nature and frame City Hall from the vantage point of the plaza at the Music Center, which sits above it all.

Simple.

All of that space bordered by Temple, Grand, Tom Bradley and N. Hill, would be opened up. Big trees would be placed appropriately at the perimeter so that sight lines from a huge circular reflecting pond with fountain (Located between the new County towers) would be unobstructed. 16 acres would seem larger and more impressive with the Cathedral, the Music Center, Disney Hall and even The Grand Avenue project visible, and poking above it.

The way it is now is plain shit!

Oh yeah, the reflecting pond is 150 feet in diameter and is frozen over in the winter, for skating- and the fountain becomes a massive podium for a lit tree during the Holidays. Imagine that sight at night from the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion! The rest, just grass and trees.

(Keep in mind this plan of mine doesn't include the other properties eastward toward City Hall.)