LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by edluva

which means those buildings were not called for. they were not "due" and were probably financial losses. no developer builds skyscrapers with the purpose of improving a skyline. they do if for profit.

la is not a city which requires much class a office space in downtown. there's no market for it because we are blue collar. frankly speaking, la is not considered profitable for big buildings. whether or not it is "due" is entirely the point. i don't understand why you think that somehow waiting 20 years justifies building a skyscraper at a financial loss. what sort of logic is that?

Yet again...hearing with one ear only gets you half of what is said.
I said...and I quote "Im not all ready to start booking my hotel room, but it is probably one of the most interesting and ambitious proposals for the downtown area in the last 20 years, so in that way, we are overdue. So Im somewhat hopeful."
How you can misconstrue that, I dont really know. I said its the most interesting proposal I have seen in a long time, and HOPEFULLY, by 2011 when they would start and then 2014 when they finish, there might be a market for it.
What sort of logic is it to assume no structure ever can be PLANNED during a financial bust so it can be built for when the market recovers?

[edluva]

^none of what you said explains how it is "overdue". the fact that something is overdue assumes by logic that its arrival was justifiably anticipated or due at some point in the past. you haven't established what factors exactly made this project due to begin with. the fact that it is "interesting and ambitious" alone does not establish that a project was ever scheduled or "due", and nor does having a 20 year drought of office space in conditions which justify that no construction of office space occur. you still have made no indication as to why this proposal was ever "due" or should have gone up in the past during conditions where it was never justified. your post above thus also makes no indication as to why you think this should be considered "overdue"

again, you are making absolutely no sense.

[WonderlandPark]

Lighten up, the term "overdue" is used all the time. The Dodgers are overdue for a World Series. Doesn't mean anything except that the Dodgers should have a title, in my opinion. I think downtown is overdue, doesn't mean I think the economy justifies a tower, just that it has been way freakin' long since a new office tower went up.

[edluva]

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark

Lighten up, the term "overdue" is used all the time. The Dodgers are overdue for a World Series. Doesn't mean anything except that the Dodgers should have a title, in my opinion. I think downtown is overdue, doesn't mean I think the economy justifies a tower, just that it has been way freakin' long since a new office tower went up.

well, i wouldn't be making a point of it if that's the way he meant it. but it's not the way he meant it. he was trying to make some sort of an argument of it so i'm just countering his argument. below he is suggesting that we are "due" for a financially unjustified building on the basis that "it's been too long". it's a ridiculous statement and borders on being juvenile (his statement, that is)

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali
Many times in history, large buildings have been built even without the financial prosperity to support them

[Just-In-Cali]

Im not continuing this nonsense. Ed, really...
My point has been made, and no one but you seems to be having difficulty understanding what I meant.
For the record...YET AGAIN...IN BIG BOLD LETTERS...

"Im not all ready to start booking my hotel room, but it is probably one of the most interesting and ambitious proposals for the downtown area in the last 20 years, so in that way, we are overdue. So Im somewhat hopeful."

All I was saying...is we have been overdue for some really facinating ideas for downtown...all this other stuff your talking about has NOTHING to do with my statement.

"Many times in history, large buildings have been built even without the financial prosperity to support them"

This is a FACT...plain and simple. It has happened, it can happen, and will again.

[edluva]

^you haven't explained a thing. in what way are we "overdue"? in having interesting proposals as opposed to uninteresting ones? or in having proposals at all? and what makes dtla "due" for such things to begin with? the period of absence of such proposals?

so is there a normal timeframe along which were expected to be getting "interesting proposals" which aren't supposed to be built? like are we due for "interesting and ambitious proposals" every 5 years? or are we due for "interesting and ambitious proposals" around 12 year intervals?

don't worry, i get your statement. i'm just being very sarcastic about your comment because it's pretty vapid, like many others you make.

[DowntownGymRat]

If Grand Ave. Project can't get off the ground, then there's no way these new buildings are getting built in the Wilshire Grand's footprint any time soon. Assuming the plan doesn't get scrapped, I'd say you're looking at a 2015 groundbreaking at the earliest. I also agree with everyone about building on an already empty lot. I understand that Korean Air owns the discussed property, but why not buy the empty lot next to 777 Tower from Maguire Properties and build a mix-use highrise with a skybridge connecting directly to the newly renovated Wilshire Grand? I've stayed at the Wilshire Grand many times and think it's a great hotel....no need to demolish it.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by edluva

^

don't worry, i get your statement. i'm just being very sarcastic about your comment because it's pretty vapid, like many others you make.

Oh ed! You know how to make me...and many others...laugh.
You get worked up over the most confounded things. We should grab drinks somewhere and you can tell me more about this 'wacky' world you live in...must be a facinating place!
Oh and your sarcasm is about as thin as your logic. Fun to listen to though, like those guys that carry the "the end is near" signs around on Wilshire. If I give you a dollar, will you calm down?...it works for them.

[Downtown Los Angeles]

oh whoa whoa whoa, i shouldnt have ever used the word "overdue" in the previous page. i guess i meant its about time la should get another highrise. but i still agree that we are over due because los angeles is eventually gonna have more highrises built for sure so wheather or not this 60 storey highrise gets built, we are due for a new highrise.

[colemonkee]

I don't know if I'm a moderator or a babysitter, but I do know that this is oddly entertaining to watch. ed and just-in-cali, you guys need to agree to disagree and call it that. Or I will make you both sit in the corner for a couple of days.

[Just-In-Cali]

He started it...
Okay okay, Im over it.

[RuFFy]

Anyway overdue boys, here's that building we have no need for you guys were talking about! While I was doing my daily stroll through an assortment of online papers I found this story http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/amid-slump-one-part-of-downtown-remains-hot.html

I'd like to draw attention to a particular part of the story where they are talking of a new tower being proposed, see for yourselves and if anyone knows anything please advise:

A proposed 43-story downtown skyscraper -- the second such project disclosed in as many weeks -- is scheduled to be considered for key approvals by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission on Thursday.

The condominium and retail complex is being proposed for a site between Figueroa and Flower streets near the Convention Center by CA Human Technologies, a South Korean joint venture, project spokeswoman Veronica Becerra said.

[Steve2726]

I believe it's listed on the first page of the thread and here are the corresponding renders-

[JDRCRASH]

^ Thats an old (and crappy) rendering:

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by edluva

no developer builds skyscrapers with the purpose of improving a skyline. they do if for profit.

I have to disagree....(hope i'm not going too off-topic here, Colemonkee)

1 Kilometer high.....

[Just-In-Cali]

Anyway overdue boys, here's that building we have no need for you guys were talking about!

I'll try not to take that personally Ruffy...

This was another proposal that I really liked...just because its so completely different than anything downtown now.
Dont know if condos are the way to go, but its still cool looking. I really think many of these condo projects in South Park should go hotel, or rentals. They will recover faster than high end condo sales.
(waits for the usual suspects to rain on everyones parade)

[SD_Phil]

I'm taking my usual "wait and see and cross fingers" approach. If even half of these proposals make it I will be a happy boy.

[petescafe]

Greetings Programs

Some photos before the rain set in tonight.




The foundation for the lap pool is taking shape.



END OF LINE

[QuarterMileSidewalk]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I have to disagree....(hope i'm not going too off-topic here, Colemonkee)

1 Kilometer high.....

... actually about dirt-high. Cool tower, but I don't think they're ever really gonna actually get to build it, and even if they do, it would still only be practical if Nakheel can figure out how to make a PILE of money from it.

The skyline of the city has never been the purpose of construction, only an aesthetically appealing result of religious symbolism (the lofty, heaven-referencing spires of medieval cathedrals), and economics (a skyscraper is, most basically, "a machine to make the land pay," either because there is demand, or speculation on future demand). Yes, the architects and developers can choose the shape of the building, or maybe stick a spire on it, but I feel that the primary concern is to make sure the individual building is functional and beautiful, not the entire city. The overall skyline will take shape over the course of time, but not in a puposeful way. Buildings have purposes, and "interesting shape on the horizon" is not one of them.

[edluva]

^thank you for that badly needed dose of reality, quartermile. lots of kids here don't like the reality.