LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[DtlaCuriousity]

I just came back from DTLA. I was surprised to see so much activity on Spring Street and about a block or two radius from the two coffee shops (Spring for coffee and Coffee bar, I believe). Also, the type of activity - a lot of dog walking and hanging out - really reflects the demographic change. I stopped by Babycakes and it really made me wonder how far and fast this revitalization can encroach on Skid Row. I reckon displacement won't be an answer since the area is so dependent on the services there - I think the social structure and organization will be too difficult to deal with by pure development.

Also, one a side note - I was taking pictures of the Hall of Justice building (what a beauty) and some security guard starting harassing me about making sure I didn't take any pictures of the federal building across the street. I looked it up on google, and it seems as if this is a common practice but it is in fact, not illegal. Anyone know this to be true?

[Just-In-Cali]

Thanks Bringham! (saw your blog BTW, pretty cool). I did A little research and hopefully we will get some renders soon to give us an idea.

[colemonkee]

Man, I take one weekend off to go snowboarding and this thread devolves into a city vs city circular argument. I had to delete 2 1/2 pages of pure off-topic drivel.

This is a thread about downtown development projects. Period. If you can't make a clear connection to a specific project in downtown, whether current, planned, or recently completed, DON'T POST IT.

Post any city vs. city comments in a thread in City Discussions. Posting them here will get you suspended.

citywatch, if you post another image of power lines in this thread, even for the sake of comparison, you will be suspended.

I feel like a parent who has come home to find his teenage children have thrashed the house, only to realize they didn't even have a good party in doing so.

[jamesinclair]

Originally Posted by DtlaCuriousity

Also, one a side note - I was taking pictures of the Hall of Justice building (what a beauty) and some security guard starting harassing me about making sure I didn't take any pictures of the federal building across the street. I looked it up on google, and it seems as if this is a common practice but it is in fact, not illegal. Anyone know this to be true?

Complete BS.

While standing on PUBLIC land, like a sidewalk, you can take as many pictures of anything you want, even of "private" stuff, like a building. If it can be seen from a public space, it's fair game.

You can NOT however, set up a tripod and obstruct passage.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

Man, I take one weekend off to go snowboarding and this thread devolves into a city vs city circular argument. I had to delete 2 1/2 pages of pure off-topic drivel.

colemonkee, I do admit that my raising the subj of the capital city of mexico did enter the realm of city vs city, & that I apologize for. however, to consider all or any postings here as OT & TOS unless they pertain to specific projs or new devlpt means this thread not only has often strayed all over the place in the past, but that to follow that limitation in the future means there won't be anything on topic---& acceptable----for days or wks on end to discuss & post here.

as for various pics I've posted recently, I accept their being OT based on the idea they didn't involve specific, exact locations of new projs or devlpt. But they did indirectly affect new projs----iow, are in a proposed new proj's sphere of influence----or are quite close to certain new devlpts & therefore have some relevance to the overall setting of such new projs.

The most recent pic I posted shows an intersection that is directly across the street from one of the newest apt projs built in the hood over the past 2 yrs. One of the other ones is just to the south of a site where a new devlpt has been planned involving the sci arch school.

the fact such pics also include what you pinpoint as "image of power lines" is merely a fact of life in the city's environment. iow, you might just as well say that any pic that also shows sidewalks, parking lots, empty lots & creeky old bldgs also will represent a TOS offense. That becomes a strange restriction in the context of LA cuz the following pic, which I posted not long ago, involves the site where one of the new hotels just announced is supposed to go up, &, yes, it includes all the things I just listed.....



^ while this may be a bit more relevant to the thread since it does pertain to the site of a proposed new devlpt, it really isn't way more appropriate to this forum, assuming it's supposed to be a good place to figure out the pros & cons----& likelihood or low odds---of new projs moving past the discussion phase.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say such pics are a visual explanation of why the hood is or isn't having an easier time in attracting new businesses, new shops & new ppl. Which, in turn, can help explain why various projs still in the planning stage may or may not get to the actual groundbreaking stage.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

Thanks Bringham! (saw your blog BTW, pretty cool). I did A little research and hopefully we will get some renders soon to give us an idea.

Thanks JIC! What renders are we talking about here? The proposed hotels north of LA LIVE?

[colemonkee]

You may post pictures of downtown LA, citywatch, but when you start posting pictures of Alhambra, you're getting off topic. I don't care if they're for comparison. Stop posting them here. That's why there is a City Discussions forum. Use it for City Discussions. This thread is for Downtown LA Projects, and if it gets slow in here, fine. If there's no news for a couple of days, that's perfectly natural.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

Thanks JIC! What renders are we talking about here? The proposed hotels north of LA LIVE?

Quite welcome! And yes. The proposed hotel or hotels are for the parcel north of LA Live. I think there was an early rendering of something there a couple years ago when they were just getting started on the Ritz. I'll see if I can find any.

Colemonkee is right,(I apologize for my part) again, anytime there is a lull in development news, this forum becomes unhinged. But it seems to be a common thing. I was in the forum for One World Trade Center, and it devolved into a political fight for two pages. We need to endevour to stay on topic, even when others seem hell bent on stirring up problems.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

Quite welcome! And yes. The proposed hotel or hotels are for the parcel north of LA Live. I think there was an early rendering of something there a couple years ago when they were just getting started on the Ritz. I'll see if I can find any.

Colemonkee is right,(I apologize for my part) again, anytime there is a lull in development news, this forum becomes unhinged. But it seems to be a common thing. I was in the forum for One World Trade Center, and it devolved into a political fight for two pages. We need to endevour to stay on topic, even when others seem hell bent on stirring up problems.

Oh yes I do remember the early renderings of LA Live with another building across the street where the proposed hotel(s) will be. It was a lot shorter than the Ritz Carlton of course. It was like blue-green geometric shapes, very rough sketches.

[Just-In-Cali]

Here is one I found. Obviously this is dated and may not reflect any aspect of what will be put on the parcel, but it is an idea of what was visioned there. As you can see the Ritz looks a bit different as well in this picture. Hopefully they will give us an idea of what the hotel tower and the street level development will look like, as it would be a nice infill to more connect LA Live to the Figuroa Corridor.


The smaller building to the left is the one in question for anyone not knowing what Im talking about. (grins)

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

Here is one I found. Obviously this is dated and may not reflect any aspect of what will be put on the parcel, but it is an idea of what was visioned there. As you can see the Ritz looks a bit different as well in this picture. Hopefully they will give us an idea of what the hotel tower and the street level development will look like, as it would be a nice infill to more connect LA Live to the Figuroa Corridor.


The smaller building to the left is the one in question for anyone not knowing what Im talking about. (grins)

Yes that's the one I remember too! The new hotel looks almost like just a shorter version of the Ritz/JW combo. It looks like if two hotels go in this new hotel complex, it will be set up somewhat similarly. The taller tower I assume will be Hard Rock Hotel and the shorter one could be Andaz or The Edition?

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

Yes that's the one I remember too! The new hotel looks almost like just a shorter version of the Ritz/JW combo. It looks like if two hotels go in this new hotel complex, it will be set up somewhat similarly. The taller tower I assume will be Hard Rock Hotel and the shorter one could be Andaz or The Edition?

Yep! I did read that it will be a "two in one" like the Ritz/Marriott, so I assume its going to be basically a "Little Brother" hotel to the Ritz.

In other news, Im not sure it was talked about earlier, but here is a bit of news I read. Looks like after all the back and forth on the issue of "architectual lighting" on the Wilshire Grand, the Planning commission finally made a decision. An article from CurbedLA.

"Get out your sunglasses because the AC Martin-designed Wilshire Grand office and hotel project—and the downtown skyline—just got brighter. Rejecting the sign-lite recommendation made by the Planning Commission late last year, today the Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved architectural lighting on the 45-story and 65-story towers of the building, and approved larger digital signs on the bottom of the project.

The move by the Committee restores some of digital signage originally sought by Thomas Properties/Hanjin International, which is developing the project at Wilshire Boulevard and Figueroa Street, replacing the existing hotel with this new office and hotel development."
Thoughts?

[Illithid Dude]

On the topic of the new hotel, the building is now taller, at about 350 feet. I hope that somehow, magically, it gets taller then that (500+) but I don't expect that to happen.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

On the topic of the new hotel, the building is now taller, at about 350 feet. I hope that somehow, magically, it gets taller then that (500+) but I don't expect that to happen.

Nice. Where did you find that info? Even at 350', it would still be a nice addition to the area, as getting that critical mass in South Park is what will make the loftier projects more attainable and feasable. The parcel just south of where the mythic LA Central project is now listed as "In contract" (I assume that means something) No outline for it has been given, but it was where the Jardin project was to be built. Hopefully that will also be planned for something substantial.

[JDRCRASH]

Just-In-Cali, yes I believe we did discuss the recent Wilshire Grand news. I'm actually interested in what this "architectural lighting" will look like.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

Nice. Where did you find that info? Even at 350', it would still be a nice addition to the area, as getting that critical mass in South Park is what will make the loftier projects more attainable and feasable. The parcel just south of where the mythic LA Central project is now listed as "In contract" (I assume that means something) No outline for it has been given, but it was where the Jardin project was to be built. Hopefully that will also be planned for something substantial.

http://blogdowntown.com/2009/09/4710-aeg-asking-city-for-permission-to-build-bigger

Actually, 325, but that's pretty much the same thing.

[Quixote]

^ That's the proposal for the Olympic North site. The bolded part implies that the two hotels are part of a separate project:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Two new hotels coming soon to South Park! Ya AEG!

AEG Set to Announce New Hotel Next to L.A. Live
By Eric Richardson
Published: Friday, March 11, 2011, at 03:41PM
AEG Eric Richardson [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Officials with AEG have been consistent in saying that their proposed $1.4 billion NFL stadium and events center would stimulate new developments in Downtown's hotel industry.

The company appears set to back that talk up by kicking off development of an entitled hotel site it owns just north of L.A. Live.

On Wednesday morning, Ted Tanner told the members of the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Authority that the company is under contract with a hotel developer and plans to announce the development deal within the next two weeks.

Tanner, who heads up real estate development for the company, said the 375-room development would include "two brands," but did not specify what they would be.

The project could be the first of several to get announced for South Park.

"Every major brand is interested in being Downtown right now," Tanner said.

While much of that interest is being driven by the stadium project and the promise of a renewed Convention Center, the first year performance of the 1,001 rooms in the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hasn't exactly hurt. AEG projected first year occupancy rates in the two hotels to be 56%, but hit 64% instead. Room rates are similarly 10% higher than the company had projected.

The soon-to-be-announced hotel could get company on AEG's Olympic North parcel, which sits north of Olympic between Francisco and Georgia. The site is currently entitled for 600,000 square feet of office and broadcast studio space, but Tanner said that AEG may look to change some of that to hotel rooms. Since AEG first applied for the broadcast entitlement in 2009, Comcast purchased NBC Universal, giving the Comcast Entertainment Group a more natural home in the Universal City development.

http://blogdowntown.com/2011/03/6175-aeg-set-to-announce-new-hotel-next-to-la

[Illithid Dude]

600,000 square feet of office space? That can't be right. That's HUGE. I mean, supertall huge. If we are getting a building over 1000 feet, I would cry. Well, maybe not. But I would be excited.

EDIT: Well, maybe not supertall huge. The AON Center is 1,000,000 square feet. 600,000,000 is easily 600 feet, though, which is very exciting in its own right.

[northbay]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

600,000 square feet of office space? That can't be right. That's HUGE. I mean, supertall huge. If we are getting a building over 1000 feet, I would cry. Well, maybe not. But I would be excited.

EDIT: Well, maybe not supertall huge. The AON Center is 1,000,000 square feet. 600,000,000 is easily 600 feet, though, which is very exciting in its own right.

600 million square feet!? now THAT'S huge.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

600,000 square feet of office space? That can't be right. That's HUGE. I mean, supertall huge. If we are getting a building over 1000 feet, I would cry. Well, maybe not. But I would be excited.

EDIT: Well, maybe not supertall huge. The AON Center is 1,000,000 square feet. 600,000,000 is easily 600 feet, though, which is very exciting in its own right.

LOL, I think it says 600,000 square feet, and depending on how thats laid out, it could equal a 30 story building...or a 5 story podium that happens to cover most of the parcel. 600 million square feet would be monsterous, as there is not that much square footage in most of downtown LA. LOL. No worries...just a typo.

As for the part above with WestSideLife, Yeah, i had posted about the Wilshire Grand as well as the Parcel north of LA Live, and thats what the bold part was in reference to.