LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[Kingofthehill]

In the basin and coastal areas, palm trees are damn near ubiquitous. Often times you can't avoid them. Although for me, South LA - particularly the area bounded by Van Ness/Western and Vernon/Slauson - might just take the cake. The rows there, planted for the 1932 Olympics, are often on both sides of the street, and extend for whole blocks at a time; these are where the "iconic" palm tree shots in movies can be found.

Other favorites include Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills, and 5th St. in Hancock Park.

[JDRCRASH]

There are lots in Covina and Glendora.

[Avanine-Commuter]

Don't you all just love how a certain someone pops in with a cynical quip and never responds afterward? It makes me sick to read his comments...

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

In the basin and coastal areas, palm trees are damn near ubiquitous. Often times you can't avoid them. Although for me, South LA - particularly the area bounded by Van Ness/Western and Vernon/Slauson - might just take the cake. The rows there, planted for the 1932 Olympics, are often on both sides of the street, and extend for whole blocks at a time; these are where the "iconic" palm tree shots in movies can be found.

Other favorites include Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills, and 5th St. in Hancock Park.

Neat, palm trees fit LA so well. We have our fair share of palm trees in Houston but they aren't nearly as tall and slender, probably a different species and don't think they fit Houston that well. The palm trees in LA are as tall as our pine trees.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

There are some absolutely beautiful streets (both residential and commercial) lined with palm trees in Pasadena.

[IconRPCV]

Hey there thanks to everyone for their suggestions as to where to live. I am leaning to the Los Feliz, Silverlake areas. Looking forward to my move, I love LA and it vibrancy.

[Kingofthehill]

By "vibrancy," I hope you don't mean pedestrian vibrancy.

LA is the antithesis of NYC, or pretty much any place where you have an accurate crossection of the city - both racially and socioeconomically - walking and catching trains. For the most part, the only places here where you find people walking are in 9-5 office ghettos; a handful of beach places when the weather is good; tourist traps like Hollywood/Highland and the Santa Monica Pier; and Mexican/Salvadorean barrios, the latter of which, more often than not, aren't places I like steering transplants/out-of-towners into

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by Avanine-Commuter

Don't you all just love how a certain someone pops in with a cynical quip and never responds afterward? It makes me sick to read his comments...

Do like the Palm lined streets, as it is the quintessential shot of Los Angeles for film and other media. Very nice!

Oh...and "Quip" implies something amusing, which the person you are referring to is not, but yeah. The trolls just kinda lie in wait, biding their time for when they can say the most negative, mean spirited, (borderline bigoted) comments about LA, anyone within it, anyone associated with it, and anyone that may have a positive observation on it. These trolls probably have a hard time getting an audience for their nonsense anywhere else, so they hold a forum hostage, diving in with their tragic single track minutia when they feel it will stir up the most ire, all the while hoping for a moment of recognition from the group.
A person that spends that much time commenting on something they hate obviously has a complex of some sort.

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

LA is the antithesis of NYC, or pretty much any place where you have an accurate crossection of the city - both racially and socioeconomically - walking and catching trains. For the most part, the only places here where you find people walking are in 9-5 office ghettos; a handful of beach places when the weather is good; tourist traps like Hollywood/Highland and the Santa Monica Pier; and Mexican/Salvadorean barrios, the latter of which, more often than not, aren't places I like steering transplants/out-of-towners into

I may not be from L.A. or have seen it in person, but I find your attitude to be extremely pessimistic and cynical. L.A. may have some issues with quality of urban life, but there are parts of New York that have similar problems, or different problems that are comparable in severity. L.A. is, to me, a work in progress, as any real city perpetually is. ...and just because it and New York seem to sit at opposite ends of the spectrum doesn't mean they don't result in the same end. At long last, they both offer a decidely unique urban experience, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

At least your city is a real city, and not a truly lifeless and hollow midwestern ghost town like Fargo, Wichita or somewhere else like those.

[Kingofthehill]

Originally Posted by StatenIslander237

I may not be from L.A. or have seen it in person, but I find your attitude to be extremely pessimistic and cynical.

Right, because somebody who's done 50+ photo threads of a city on this forum, publishes the *most* LA photo updates. period, has shown numerous forumers around/received many out-of-town guests, received newspaper mentions for my passion and dedication to the city, published inumerable blog posts heaping praise on the city and shining light on its less-known spots, and most of all, has lived here -- voluntarily -- his whole life, deserves to be called pessimistic and cynical? For somebody like me, a person who wears his LA "heart" on his sleeve, for any and everybody to see, I find that deeply offensive and insulting. Just thinking out loud, but for some reason, I don't think those are qualities and attributes that, an "extreme pessimist" would have. The last thing I need is a Staten Islander -- of whom I've never met -- telling me what my attitude towards my city is. I think my actions and efforts for the city of Los Angeles speak louder than words, and more importantly, just about everybody else seems to realize that.

Trying to understand where you are coming from, though: some of my comments could be interpreted as such thanks to my deep, unconditional love for the city. The fact that I appreciate LA so much, and see what a great city it is, I only know how much better it could be if a few things here and there were addressed/improved upon.

Edit: And LA being a real city. Uh, obviously you must not have seen any of my dozens of photo threads on this forum that show just that. Ask of any the LA forumers here, I'm sure they'll be glad to tell you about them. If there's anybody on this forum trying to reach out to others, attempting to showcase the many things LA has to offer (and more importantly, conveying the message that there is alot to see beneath the glitz and glam), it is, without doubt or question, me.

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Neat, palm trees fit LA so well. We have our fair share of palm trees in Houston but they aren't nearly as tall and slender, probably a different species and don't think they fit Houston that well. The palm trees in LA are as tall as our pine trees.

It's the species: Washingtonia filifera. They don't tolerate humidity well so don't grow outside the southwest deserts and nearby areas.

[NYC2ATX]

Well alright King, obviously I don't know your credentials and wasn't presuming to, so you don't need to throw them at me. You may well be totally right that your complaints come out of love for the city. Believe me, though, I know where you're coming from, probably more than you realize. Don't write me off, because Staten Island's problems have a lot more in common with L.A.'s than with the other four boroughs of New York, but I embrace them as a part of my borough. Sorry if I came off wrong, but I really like L.A. a lot from a distance and would love to visit/study it and understand its dynamic in person (everything from the glitz and glam to everything underneath - urban studies is my passion). I have nothing againt you or your city, really just about how that sounded, and obviously I misunderstood, so don't sweat it.

[citywatch]

Is there any other city in the world, but certainly in the US, where there are so many tall, skinny trunk palm trees? Perhaps some city in south America has a similar type of landscaping? Or somewhere in the middle East? Maybe hoods in Guam?

I ask cuz I've long wondered about that peculiar feature of LA, which I've never seen mimiced---at least based on pics---in any other city. It's oddly unique, but just how unique those trees are I'm not sure.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by petescafe

Here are some photos looking down into the inner courtyard of the Medallion.

thanks for the pics, petescafe. I like the bldg on the eastern side of the medallion better than the one sitting at 4th & Main. I guess the bolder paint job makes the east side bldg look less like a medical bldg. However, I don't care for the vertical faded looking orange stripes on the side of the parking structure. You'd think supposedly professional architects would have a better sense of what colors to use or not use.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

Philanthropist Details Plans for a $100 Million Grand Avenue Art Museum

The Broad Foundation would spend about $80 million to develop the structure on a current parking lot bounded by lower Grand Avenue, Gen. Thaddeus Kosciuszko Way, Hope and Second streets, just south of Walt Disney Concert Hall. Broad would also lend about $23 million to the CRA to fund a three-level, 293-space parking garage. The loan would be paid back over 11 years with a low interest rate, Broad said.

Is $80 million enough to do much more than a basic, no nonsense bldg? Even with the lower cost of construction & materials today, I'd still think an impressive new bldg would require at least $100 million or even way more.

I've read that even the simple remodeling or expansion of museums or other cultural bldgs can cost from $200 million & up.

Broad already has set aside over the past yr or so millions for a new art museum for his alma mater in Michigan. Even though he's a billionaire, I get the feeling he's using up his funds very quickly. I'm sure the decline of the stock market hasn't helped his portfolio.

I hope he's not spreading himself (& his $$) too thin. All the more reason I hope his proposed museum next to Disney hall is on a fast timetable.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by citywatch

Is there any other city in the world, but certainly in the US, where there are so many tall, skinny trunk palm trees? Perhaps some city in south America has a similar type of landscaping? Or somewhere in the middle East? Maybe hoods in Guam?

I ask cuz I've long wondered about that peculiar feature of LA, which I've never seen mimiced---at least based on pics---in any other city. It's oddly unique, but just how unique those trees are I'm not sure.

I don't mean to throw this thread off topic for a bit but Riverside's nickname is 'The City of Trees.' Palm trees are *everywhere*. Along with lots of pine, oak, maple, and olive trees.


dagnorth1


astark2009


mikefett


Josh LeClair

I miss it so.

[edluva]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

It's the species: Washingtonia filifera. They don't tolerate humidity well so don't grow outside the southwest deserts and nearby areas.

i think he may be referring to the closely related washingtonia robusta which, according to wikipedia, doesn't grow well in the gulf states due to ease of uprooting in tropical storms and hurricanes.

i love these trees. the silhouette of hundreds soaring gracefully over tangled powerlines, rotting signage, and multi-story apartment ghettos have become the emblematic skyline for los angeles that gleaming skycrapers and water tanks have for new york; the symbol that downtown los angeles failed to become despite all the political emotion wasted

la should embrace its grit. it's really quite beautiful.


credit: kemp (laist.com)


credit: photomural (photomural.worldpress.com)

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by edluva

i think he may be referring to the closely related washingtonia robusta which, according to wikipedia, doesn't grow well in the gulf states due to ease of uprooting in tropical storms and hurricanes.

i love these trees. the silhouette of hundreds soaring gracefully over tangled powerlines, rotting signage, and multi-story apartment ghettos have become the emblematic skyline for los angeles that gleaming skycrapers and water tanks have for new york; the symbol that downtown los angeles failed to become despite all the political emotion wasted

la should embrace its grit. it's really quite beautiful.

That to me is Los Angeles to a t. Nothing says LA to me like it's grit. LA grit can produce some of the most beautiful images.

[JDRCRASH]

Finally tried out the Gold Line Eastside extension yesterday. Faster than I thought it would be.

[pesto]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't think that the non-LA comments were particularly negative or off-base. I think some of the responses treated these comments as more negative than they actually were.

The LA crowd (myself included) tend to talk about the negatives a lot but that makes sense since there is no point addressing action toward things that are going well. For sure, other very large cities taken as a whole (not just their DT administrative centers, but their working class neighborhoods, slums and older districts in general) are in much worse shape than LA, taken as a whole. But that doesn't help LA, so why talk about it or worry about it. Keep the focus on making things better here.