LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0 - Page 448

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**8941** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dachacon

what happened to the 7 grand bar? sorry im alittle behind on new and closing bars/restaurants. walked by there today and said that a new restaurants being built in the space.

the bar is upstairs. i think the new restaurant is in space on the ground floor.

Also, i love chipotle!

Kingofthehill · #**8942** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 5:53 PM**

Guys, check out this video of Bunker Hill, circa 1956:

Video Link

(http://blogdowntown.com/2010/08/5547-a-l...wntown+Los+Angeles+(Stories%2BHeadlines)

sopas ej · #**8943** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 6:59 PM**

Excellent film. I saw that short at the Armand Hammer Museum 2 years ago when they showed a restored copy of the 1961 film "The Exiles." It's also included as an extra on "The Exiles" DVD, which itself is an interesting quasi-documentary about American Indians living on Bunker Hill in the late 1950s. The DVD extras also include cool footage of Angels Flight taken on its last day before it was dismantled in 1969 and a documentary on Angels Flight as well.

Virtual Urban Vision · #**8944** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 7:55 PM**

They seriously ripped out the heart of the city, both figuratively and literally.

BrandonJXN · #**8945** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

Guys, check out this video of Bunker Hill, circa 1956:

Video Link

(http://blogdowntown.com/2010/08/5547-a-l...wntown+Los+Angeles+(Stories%2BHeadlines)

Were you down by LA Live this morning around 11 taking pictures?

Bootstrap Bill · #**8946** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 10:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

Guys, check out this video of Bunker Hill, circa 1956:

Video Link

(http://blogdowntown.com/2010/08/5547-a-l...wntown+Los+Angeles+(Stories%2BHeadlines)

That is amazing. We need places like that here, today. A sense of community in the middle of our big cities.

We lost so much.

Bootstrap Bill · #**8947** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virtual Urban Vision

They seriously ripped out the heart of the city, both figuratively and literally.

Is it too late to recreate communities like we had over half a century ago?

tommaso · #**8948** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 11:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

Guys, check out this video of Bunker Hill, circa 1956:

Video Link

(http://blogdowntown.com/2010/08/5547-a-l...wntown+Los+Angeles+(Stories%2BHeadlines)

This video is beautiful. I nearly cried. I am a young man living in this great country of America that we live in. And oh how I long for those days that resemble the world depicted in this heartfelt short documentary! Perhaps, one could call me an old soul for having this sentiment regarding the Bunker Hill of old. Or perhaps, one may ponder the great world that we left behind and all of the people who made it such a wonderful place to live in. We mustn't forget those days and the people of the old world, for they too walked the path we walk today. Only, the world was a smaller place, a place with a familiar face, a home and a community and perhaps even more importantly, it was a place with a soul. This video should be a reminder to all of us of what it really means to walk the streets of Bunker Hill and how the old world lived.

LosAngelesBeauty · #**8949** Posted **Aug 2, 2010, 11:34 PM**

It's pretty evident from the reaction of this video that Angelenos "long for the good ol' days" because they desire to build stronger and more fulfilling social connections that have been lost as LA continued to sprawl uncontrollably outwards, destroying the public realm, and creating the worst congestion this country has ever seen without the effective mass transit infrastructure to give "lost souls" the alternative they want.

It is incredibly important for LA to continue to revitalize its central urban core which includes not only Downtown LA/City West, but Wilshire Blvd., which is the main artery of this city that cannot be left out in that urban renewal process.

Luckily, Michael Govan at LACMA not only leads the museum to acquire new rare art pieces, but has taken on the extended role as a community binding resource for LA. Since LACMA sits strategically at the center of the city, it is important that the area around the museum continue to enhance the public realm as well.

It's all a concerted effort to bring LA up to a new level of urban maturity. We are all single cells within this organism called "LA" and the conscious decisions we make help pave the road for the future.

AndrewK · #**8950** Posted **Aug 4, 2010, 12:25 AM**

i am with you entirely. i live very close to lacma, near the la brea end of miracle mile, and i see so much undeveloped potential in the area. its amazing that such a major artery like wilshire has so little going on along it. i walk it at least a few blocks every day to get to the rapid stop, and running errands and so forth, and its always a dead zone, excepting a few people walking to/from their cars to get to starbucks or whatever. with such a population density there is no reason that it shouldnt be a thriving neighborhood.

edit: sorry not exactly about downtown, but it felt pertinent to the topic of discussion.

LosAngelesBeauty · #**8951** Posted **Aug 4, 2010, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewK

i am with you entirely. i live very close to lacma, near the la brea end of miracle mile, and i see so much undeveloped potential in the area. its amazing that such a major artery like wilshire has so little going on along it. i walk it at least a few blocks every day to get to the rapid stop, and running errands and so forth, and its always a dead zone, excepting a few people walking to/from their cars to get to starbucks or whatever. with such a population density there is no reason that it shouldnt be a thriving neighborhood.

edit: sorry not exactly about downtown, but it felt pertinent to the topic of discussion.

Haven't you ever heard that Wilshire Blvd. is the "elongated downtown" of LA?

Essentially it plays the role of that since 33% of all the office space in the entire Southern California region lies within the sphere of Wilshire Blvd.

I am actually surprised there isn't a "Miracle Mile BID" already that helps clean, market, and provide security there. I can see a Miracle Mile BID along Wilshire Blvd. from San Vicente (BH border) to Highland (Hancock Park border).

Blueseattle · #**8952** Posted **Aug 4, 2010, 8:09 PM**

Can't wait to hopefully see some redevelopment in Westlake!

LosAngelesBeauty · #**8953** Posted **Aug 4, 2010, 11:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueseattle

Can't wait to hopefully see some redevelopment in Westlake!

There are actually two projects in the works by the subway station.

One already broke ground a few months ago and one is supposed to rehab the historic Westlake Theatre and add more housing as well.

Hopefully Westlake is the next area to be gentrified!

If Echo Park and Highland Park can see some gentrification, I have no doubt that Westlake will have a similar fate in the future.

Kingofthehill · #**8954** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 2:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

If Echo Park and Highland Park can see some gentrification, I have no doubt that Westlake will have a similar fate in the future.

It's only a matter of time. DTLA/"City West" lofties and yuppies to its east; Silverlake/Echo Park hipsters pushing south of the 101; and Ktown high-rollers expanding Ktown's boundaries by building 7-story condos, billiards halls, mega churches and Korean BBQ restaurants. Its proximity to DTLA, stellar housing stock, relatively large park and subway access should only sweeten the deal.

Greetings from TransMilenio-ville:

LAsam · #**8955** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 5:29 PM**

More rumblings about the Wilshire Grand project on CurbedLA... there's discussion of potential Blade Runner-esque digital signage on the buildings as well. The article mention construction is supposed to commence in 2011 with occupancy in 2020.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/08/wi...ect_may_really_up_the_sign_ante.php#more

OneMetropolis · #**8956** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 5:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAsam

More rumblings about the Wilshire Grand project on CurbedLA... there's discussion of potential Blade Runner-esque digital signage on the buildings as well. The article mention construction is supposed to commence in 2011 with occupancy in 2020.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/08/wi...ect_may_really_up_the_sign_ante.php#more

Wow when this gets built LA's skyline would be considered the best on the west coast.

Also do any of you know what happen to the LA street car thing? Did they win that money grant?

LosAngelesBeauty · #**8957** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 7:31 PM**

9 years to building a couple of skyscrapers? Are they serious???

It should take no more than 3-5 at most.

LosAngelesBeauty · #**8958** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 7:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMetropolis

Wow when this gets built LA's skyline would be considered the best on the west coast.

Also do any of you know what happen to the LA street car thing? Did they win that money grant?

It's still going. I went to a presentation where the executive director, Dennis Allen, gave us an update. He said we were not ready to be competitive enough to get the grant money this time around.

He hopes that everything goes well, we could be riding the streetcar 5 years from now so like in 2016.

LAsam · #**8959** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 7:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

9 years to building a couple of skyscrapers? Are they serious???

It should take no more than 3-5 at most.

I'm guessing they are being optimistic with the start date, and realistic with the completion date.

BrandonJXN · #**8960** Posted **Aug 5, 2010, 8:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

9 years to building a couple of skyscrapers? Are they serious???

It should take no more than 3-5 at most.

It makes sense. 2 years (roughly) to destroy the Wilshire Grand (unless they blow it up which I doubt). A year's worth of cleaning the rubble and construction the foundation. 3 years for construction of the towers. A year to install all the electrical nonsense.