LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[JDRCRASH]

Restrict billboards to Hollywood Blvd (between La Brea and Gower), and in South Park (in an area bounded by 9th, Flower, Venice, and Cherry). These billboard districts actually already exist, but encompass a larger area; they just need to be smaller. Then tax the billboard districts, and use the funds for arts programs and other community projects, like what's done in Toronto. Then ban the billboards everywhere else and fine the billboard companies after a certain amount of time when the ban is enacted, for each billboard they fail to take down that is outside the signage districts. In turn, well over 90% of the city would be ad-free.

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

That's why "they" gotta design them well!!! If it's designed well, it won't look bad! LA has had such horrible design standards for so long it's easy to fall into the idea that whatever "we" do, it'll come out looking bad. lol However, we also need to take a chance again and envision a new part of Downtown LA to look tremendously different.

Yeah, i'm hoping that this "architectural lighting" ends up being something like what's done with the Empire State Building.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Amidst all of our architectural lighting talk comes renders of what the architectural lighting will look like, courtesy of Curbed LA.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/03/wi..._rendering_of_architectural_lighting.php

Note that the design isn't final, but the basic idea is. I, personally, like it. It looks like a mixture of Ginza and Blade Runner. Also mentioned in the article is that the hotel portion will cost around 365 million to build.

I love the lighting on the top! And funny enough, the developer was quoted that Ginza's Chanel flagship store is where their inspiration comes from for the ground floor lighting. It looks like it may be a tasteful design afterall????


Chanel animated store front in Ginza, Tokyo

Flickr glowingstar

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

I love the lighting on the top! And funny enough, the developer was quoted that Ginza's Chanel flagship store is where their inspiration comes from for the ground floor lighting. It looks like it may be a tasteful design afterall????

I know, it's like the developers were reading our conversation, noted the interest and the favorable references we made, and were all like, "Yeah, let's release the renders, say some stuff, and add more fuel to the fire".

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i really like the lighting thats been proposed. its not tacky and it adds value to the skyline.

Also, i think if this project gets approved and breaks ground, it will bring even more korean development to downtown LA. i hope it opens the floodgates for projects like this.

[pesto]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

i really like the lighting thats been proposed. its not tacky and it adds value to the skyline.

Also, i think if this project gets approved and breaks ground, it will bring even more korean development to downtown LA. i hope it opens the floodgates for projects like this.

I agree that these particular lights are quite nice; hopefully reality is something near this.

I am curious about the Korean effect as well: will this start some kind of a run on showing your corporate "flag" in LA. Seoul (and Korea generally) is very over-crowded and LA is a sort of "2nd city" for Koreans; hopefully it will soon be unthinkable for the major companies not to have an LA high-rise.

[edluva]

off topic but does anyone know if the entirety of the ginza store is occupied by chanel? i can't imagine what they would do with all that space.

what la needs is streetwalls of unbroken development such as that pic of ginza, not more skyscraper islands broken up by driveways, lest we become another more sprawly low-density version of sao paulo

[Chef Boyardee]

The thing to take away from that la times article and specifically the report itself is that the developer doesn't have nearly the financing that is needed. And even if the tax will be waived, the only thing that will be built is the 40 storey hotel. The office building that got everybody excited about this project in the first place probably won't ever be built.

[Steve2726]

While not a groundbreaking proposal, I think most people agree that this is the best of the finalists, here's the unofficial announcement-

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0325-nfl-stadium-20110325,0,4619561.story

Gensler selected by AEG to design proposed $1 billion football stadium





And an interesting side note-

One interesting aspect of the proposal is AEG is not only looking into the possibility of a retractable roof, but also of a less expensive fixed one.

Romani said the preference is still to go with a retractable roof but, "We're just going to study both to see what the opportunities and constraints are."

Turner said one possibility that will be considered is a translucent roof made of a material that can change any color when light is shot through it, raising the possibility the stadium could be lit different colors depending on the occasion.

[DistrictDirt]

After reading the Curbed article I'm a little less worried about the lighting on the Wilshire Grand project. The actual LCD billboards only take the first 2 stories, and it seems that the rest of it really will be true architectural lighting. I don't know why I was thinking the billboards would be 10 stories.

Also, the new renderings look pretty good!

[pesto]

Chef: You may be right but a little too pessimistic I think. Given the large Korean presence and the importance of public image I think the 2nd will eventually get built. But this may happen more quickly if another Korean company enters the market.

[JDRCRASH]

Thanks for posting the article Steve!

Regarding AEG's choice of architecture firm, Gensler simply was a no-brainer.
HNTB was okay, but it's barn-style, along with the name "Farmers Field" seemed like too much of a coincidence. I mean people might wonder, "oh, no wonder the name is Farmers Field!".
Don't even get me started with HKS's proposal... complete garbage.

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

The thing to take away from that la times article and specifically the report itself is that the developer doesn't have nearly the financing that is needed. And even if the tax will be waived, the only thing that will be built is the 40 storey hotel. The office building that got everybody excited about this project in the first place probably won't ever be built.

Well, I think there's a GOOD chance that the smaller building will be built soon (as in a year or two). I do think the office building will get built as well, but obviously not until this real estate downturn is over.

[Quixote]

It's been two weeks since the announcement that there would be an announcement within two weeks on which hotel(s) would come to the Olympic North site. Still no news.

[colemonkee]

^ Ha! I was about to post the same thing. Yesterday was supposed to be the day, but looks like the stadium choice stole the limelight.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

The thing to take away from that la times article and specifically the report itself is that the developer doesn't have nearly the financing that is needed. And even if the tax will be waived, the only thing that will be built is the 40 storey hotel. The office building that got everybody excited about this project in the first place probably won't ever be built.

And I've heard that all the financing WAS, in fact, in place, and that they are simply waiting for tenants to built the office portion. On account of someone saying that Korean companies coming to Los Angeles would fill the office tower, you are right on the money. I know that Korea Air has a big stake in this, and that tower might be a good place for their U.S. headquarters...

[milquetoast]

Originally Posted by Steve2726

Turner said one possibility that will be considered is a translucent roof made of a material that can change any color when light is shot through it, raising the possibility the stadium could be lit different colors depending on the occasion.

This is where we find out how this is going to end-

and a very troubling comment at that.

Not only will there be no retractible roof,

but that the roof we get will be made of translucent plastic- a tent!

Why are we building tents in this city?

We almost had one from Koolhaas installed at The County.

[StethJeff]

The renders of the Korean Air buildings are certainly quite nice. My worry though is that it'll look nothing like that in reality and will be incredibly tacky. Our fine city is certainly known for tackiness so I wouldn't be surprised.

[DJM19]

Well, apparently the PLUM committee said it could not be advertisements on the tower portions of the development so the most tacky idea is not happening. I think the lighting will end up changing through the night. Maybe even incorporate motion. It could be very cool.

[gurbie]

Originally Posted by DJM19

Well, apparently the PLUM committee said it could not be advertisements on the tower portions of the development so the most tacky idea is not happening. I think the lighting will end up changing through the night. Maybe even incorporate motion. It could be very cool.

I flew into LAX at night, and was amazed at the effect of L.A. Live from the air. Planes on approach from the east pass just south of DT. The view from the starboard side is startling- I can imagine the positive effect it has on visitors.

It will be even more impressive, to see a huge skyscraper lit up with some kind of multi-colored, dynamic display. This building will become world-famous.

[bobcat]

Apparently the stadium/events facility is generating interest in South Park.


L.A. football stadium plan has firms scoping out the neighborhood

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stadium-downtown-20110327,0,3375777.story?page=1

"Retailers we would normally only find on the Westside, New York and Beverly Hills are looking downtown, and they named the likelihood of a stadium as what brought them," said CB Richard Ellis broker Derrick Moore, who connects retailers and landlords. "Without the stadium, they would not be looking at downtown L.A."

Chain stores prospecting for new downtown locations include CVS and Walgreens drugstores and various large clothing stores, said Moore, who doesn't represent AEG. Sprouts Farmers Market and Fresh & Easy, two grocery chains, are also scanning the area.

At least four major hotel chains are contemplating a spot downtown, with their sights set on a spot near L.A. Live and the convention center, according to real estate brokers. AEG executives say they expect an announcement in April about a hotel to be built just north of L.A. Live.

[202_Cyclist]

According to the article, AEG will make an announcement in April about the hotels.