LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[dktshb]

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

The only thing "dead" was that many office towers were not at full capacity with employees due to the holiday week. In all my years here (4 years), I have never seen sooooo many tourists roaming the streets during the Holiday break, especiallly New Years weekend. I knew it was going to be a busy few days leading up to New Years Day as you heard that Disneyland SOLD OUT for 2 consecutive days. How often you hear that story? So, there was a general spike in interest for tourism for all of southern California. Also, as I do spend quite a bit of time volunteering at Union Station, I met tons and tons of Cheeseheads and Horned Frogs just interested in seeing the city and most were looking forward to downtown above hollywood. I pointed them all to Olvera street, Cathedral of our Lady of Angels, Walt Disney Hall, Angels Flight (totally bragged about how it's the shortest railway in the world and the 1 cent fare on Friday), Grand Central Market and the Bradbury building. I gave this advice to at least 150 people on Friday morning, which, on a good day is usually 50 during my 4 hour shifts.

Also, generally more people from the universities who come for the Rose Bowl tend to stay in downtown over Pasadena as there is more capacity in this area. Pasadena doesn't have the amount of hotels to compete with downtown LA. Additionaly, both the Cheeseheads and Horned Frogs had rallys at LA Live! on Friday evening which made downtown LA more convenient. Nearly everybody was interested and looking forward to taking the Gold Line to the game. A lot of people were staying in hotels in Little Tokyo and I directed them to their Little Tokyo/Arts District station. I think downtown LA really shined these last few days and I'm sure made new fans from our visitors from Wisconsin and Texas. I was very proud to see how the city has grown over the last four years. It was a joy seeing tons of red and purple (significantly more red I might add) these last few days.

Good to hear...Hollywood has been crazy too, it generally is for the Rose Bowl but this year even more so... I guess it helps when USC isn't playing.

[tujunga]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

Yep, no city versus city here...no Sir-ree!

la always wants to be a west coast version of new york - it has to have a fashion center, a times square, a skyline, etc. so self concsious. la is soenamored with the image of another city, it fails to be what it is.


I was saying LA is a little bit of a wannabe NY

I cant wait to hear the excuse you'll make this time.

Oh yeah, and YAWN

LA can have a bit of New York, if it wants to and some people in LA do (transplanted east coasters) but New York can never have a bit of LA. LA is so vast it can be many things to many people.

[Kingofthehill]

Originally Posted by tujunga

LA can have a bit of New York, if it wants to and some people in LA do (transplanted east coasters) but New York can never have a bit of LA. LA is so vast it can be many things to many people.

LA can be anywhere, but nowhere can be LA.

[Illithid Dude]

So, I went to the Old Bank District for lunch today, and a few comments/question. First off, I was surprised by how nice it was. I haven't really gone to the historic districts, so I was surprised by how not slummy the Historic Direct one. Emboldened by that discovery, I decided to drive down Broadway to see if it had changed for the better. It had not. I saw a series of buildings that all looked relatively clean, but all closed. One of these was a hotel (Burkman? Bankman?). I forget the name. They were adjacent to the Old Bank District, and across the street for Medallion (I think). Oh, and just throwing this out there, but I visited Medallion and found it to be spectacularly ugly. The park was nice, though.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

So, I went to the Old Bank District for lunch today, and a few comments/question. First off, I was surprised by how nice it was. I haven't really gone to the historic districts, so I was surprised by how not slummy the Historic Direct one. Emboldened by that discovery, I decided to drive down Broadway to see if it had changed for the better. It had not. I saw a series of buildings that all looked relatively clean, but all closed. One of these was a hotel (Burkman? Bankman?). I forget the name. They were adjacent to the Old Bank District, and across the street for Medallion (I think). Oh, and just throwing this out there, but I visited Medallion and found it to be spectacularly ugly. The park was nice, though.

Medallion isn't that bad.

What is worse is the butt-ass ugly parking podium at Watermarke at 9th/Flower. Or that older mixed-use building in Chinatown where the new grocery store is going into at Grand and Cesar Chavez. Or even Glo.

All those are worse than Medallion.

Medallion will be fine once the retail spaces are filled in.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Medallion isn't that bad.

What is worse is the butt-ass ugly parking podium at Watermarke at 9th/Flower. Or that older mixed-use building in Chinatown where the new grocery store is going into at Grand and Cesar Chavez. Or even Glo.

All those are worse than Medallion.

Medallion will be fine once the retail spaces are filled in.

Maybe. It's just a bummer seeing it next to al of those other, pre-war, and gorgeous buildings.

And concerning the hotel, I forgot to ask my question. Is anything going on with them?

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

Also, generally more people from the universities who come for the Rose Bowl tend to stay in downtown over Pasadena as there is more capacity in this area. Pasadena doesn't have the amount of hotels to compete with downtown LA.

Just for reference, these are the actual "real" hotels in Pasadena (not counting the numerous motels along Colorado Blvd.) and DTLA has about 4 times more capacity than Pasadena. Obviously, many people attending the Rose Parade/Bowl will stay at the numerous motels along Colorado (Vagabond, Best Western, Days Inn, etc.), but I am NOT going to calculate all those up!

Pasadena

Courtyard Marriott - 314 rooms

Westin - 350 rooms

Sheraton - 317 rooms

Hilton - 296 rooms

Langham - 380 rooms


Total = 1657



Downtown LA

Ritz-Carlton/JW Marriott - 1001 rooms

Westin Bonaventure - 1345 rooms

Luxe City Center - 195 rooms

Figueroa Hotel - 290 rooms

Wilshire Grand - 896 rooms

Biltmore - 683 rooms

Marriott - 400 rooms

Sheraton - 485 rooms

Standard Hotel - 205 rooms

Kawada Hotel - 116 rooms

Kyoto Grand - 434 rooms

Miyako Hotel - 174 rooms

Omni Hotel - 453 rooms


Total = 6677

[RAlossi]

Two Bits Market on 5th between Spring and Broadway just opened. Small selection now while they're beginning to stock perishables, but not bad. Deli foods coming soon, according to the owners. I'm excited to be able to do more of my shopping in DTLA since I try to avoid Ralphs as much as possible.

Yes, some on here might complain that this is a small project and why is LA not getting skyscrapers left and right blah blah blah... but this is the kind of thing that makes a neighborhood. It's especially relevant since it took so long for them to open due to bureaucracy at the Health and Planning departments. They wanted them to install grease traps and all this stuff. Yikes.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Speaking of markets in DTLA, I was pleasantly surprised to see the new Woori Market in the Little Tokyo Shopping Center so active this past week. From what I recall, it seems to have a bit more people shopping there now as opposed to the former Mitsuwa market it replaced. It also went through an obvious remodeling at some point during the handover, as there are new laminate hardwood floors and signage and a general "clean and well organized" vibe about the place similar to other Korean markets in Ktown.

This is DEFINITELY a bona fide grocery store selling everything and I am always confused why more DTLA residents don't shop here as well (in addition to Ralphs).

Here are some pics I took of the market. The ramen is so cheap and pretty good there as well!


Fresh produce




And meat




Drinks




Delicious food stalls




?




Really cheap ramen




...and really good ramen >_<




2 hours free parking




Website: http://www.littletokyogalleria.net/

[northbay]

some hot ramen sounds good right about now... nice japanese market

[LAofAnaheim]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Downtown LA

Ritz-Carlton/JW Marriott - 1001 rooms

Westin Bonaventure - 1345 rooms

Luxe City Center - 195 rooms

Figueroa Hotel - 290 rooms

Wilshire Grand - 896 rooms

Marriott - 400 rooms

Sheraton - 485 rooms

Standard Hotel - 205 rooms

Kawada Hotel - 116 rooms

Kyoto Grand - 434 rooms

Miyako Hotel - 174 rooms

Omni Hotel - 453 rooms


Total = 5994

Interesting..and even that is missing the mega huge Millenium Biltmore hotel with 683 rooms.

[RAlossi]

By the way, LAB, the Woori Market is new. It replaced the Little Tokyo Galleria Market, which was the market that remodeled the former Mitsuwa space. I think Woori just took over everything as-is. They have the name recognition to get people into the market, though, as your pictures show. Awesome. I'll have to go there again soon.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

Interesting..and even that is missing the mega huge Millenium Biltmore hotel with 683 rooms.

Thanks I updated the figure at 6677 rooms! To put things into perspective, all of DTLA combined is a little less than the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas with over 7000 rooms. But hey, we have 5 more hotels on the horizon right?

I have a feeling they'll be:

Hard Rock Hotel
W Hotel
Four Seasons
Hilton
Hotel AKA


Doesn't Anaheim have like close to 10,000 rooms? I remember reading something about the convention center attracting a lot of business because there were more hotel rooms in Anaheim than DTLA?

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Thanks I updated the figure at 6677 rooms! To put things into perspective, all of DTLA combined is a little less than the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas with over 7000 rooms. But hey, we have 5 more hotels on the horizon right?

I have a feeling they'll be:

Hard Rock Hotel
W Hotel
Four Seasons
Hilton
Hotel AKA

We have five more hotels coming? Since when? How tall will they be? Where are they going? How come I didn't know of this?

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

We have five more hotels coming? Since when? How tall will they be? Where are they going? How come I didn't know of this?

Well..there is 'The Edition' which will go across the street from The Ritz at some point.

[QuarterMileSidewalk]

My favorite food in Downtown is from Mr. Ramen, on E. 1st Street, across from the Miyako Hotel. The ramen itself you may or may not like, but I think that their pork fried rice is to die for.

Hey, if the impending Wilshire Grand tear-down and new skyscrapers project goes as planned, that's a pretty good chunk of Downtown's hotel capacity gone for a few years... How will that affect the market? Supply down, demand up, prices up? Or will the other new hotels coming online soon be enough to make up the difference, or even increase the supply?

[pesto]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

We have five more hotels coming? Since when? How tall will they be? Where are they going? How come I didn't know of this?

I think the 5 hotels referenced are the ones AEG predicts will follow the new football stadium and general growth in South Park. Still a little unclear when they are coming along.

Taking out the Grand will cause some problems but I suspect most of the year it ran well below capacity. I could usually find discounted rooms.

That LV stat is astonishing. I know DT is only part of LA, but one LV hotel equalling all the upmarket hotels in DT is amazing.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Well..there is 'The Edition' which will go across the street from The Ritz at some point.

I forgot about The Edition! Yeah, that's a possibility too I hope. Imagine this in DTLA in the next ten years?

I am hoping that DTLA will start to attract more higher end businesses and so we can start benefiting from the tax dollars generated from luxury goods (and compete with Beverly Hills).


The Edition website


Going on a tangent here:


So what I'm understanding right now is that IF the NFL stadium project is approved and will go through, the Convention Center's West Hall will be relocated to Pico. If that's the case, will the new convention space be built on the land that was originally intended for "Fig South" (aka Jardin)?

I am not necessary against that since it brings in infill density regardless, but just wanted to understand where the new convention space would be built...

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

no, its my understanding that it will be built adjacent to the current convention center OVER pico.

[RAlossi]

Originally Posted by pesto

Taking out the Grand will cause some problems but I suspect most of the year it ran well below capacity. I could usually find discounted rooms.

Yes, most of the large hotels have been running at low occupancy for years. I talked to someone at the Biltmore who said they were at 20% occupancy (I made sure to clarify occupancy vs. vacancy) during their summer months about two years ago. Insane. That was during the bottom of the recession, so hopefully things have improved. That's why I'm not worried about the Wilshire Grand as far as demand goes, since there's a lot of other rooms nearby.