LOS ANGELES | METRO Project Rundown 2.0 (non-downtown)

[SD_Phil]

^good point but we have pictures of BH that make us regret that decision. Any pictures of that area so we can compare?

[LAofAnaheim]

Originally Posted by pesto

I lived in Wyvernwood. It was low-grade post-war housing at that time and now is simply a slum. Anything to get rid of it would be desirable. It is stunning that Huizar, or any one, would think that leaving it as is rather than upgrading it into decent housing with sufficient parking and modern amenities is a good idea.

This is not eminent domain; it is a single property. As such it is relatvely unusual in an urban area. It can be developed without acquring properties and would be a boost to the entire area (including the old Sears building, which is prime for redevelopment).

Is this "slum preservation"? Park La Brea is analogous and no one complains when it is expanded or redeveloped into higher rise or more modern construction.

Huizar is only defending Wyvernwood because he has been accused of being too comfortable with developers. Secretly, you'd know he's all over this puppy and looking for this development. If Martinez would have been elected, he would have been a serious person to actually prevent this type of development (he hates any progress..any progress...he hated the LA streetcar plan). Huizar is in a tough position. He wants economic progress, but some people in the "bario" are scared of the word "gentrification", so Huizar had to pick the easy side.

[djlx2]

Originally Posted by SD_Phil

^good point but we have pictures of BH that make us regret that decision. Any pictures of that area so we can compare?

I have pictures of two different Bunker Hill eras, though I won't post them, since both are now history. The only relevant ones of era 1 were photographed on rooftops. I don't have as many photos from the second era because I only had a couple of days to photograph it then, but believe me, that Bunker Hill had utterly beautiful things in the landscape, even if the developers coming in just managed to knock a bunch of things around and while they were focusing on a bunch of made-up blueprints. Fortunately I was with an informed landscape architect at the time so I have some images of the incredibly beautiful things there. I would love to go back and photograph that area for a few days without all that detritus in the way cluttering up the frame, obviously, though these days I'm really only concerned with new york Towers.

[SD_Phil]

^Apologies, yes, I've seen historic Bunker Hill photos and know that much was lost there. What I was asking for were pictures of Wyvernwood to see if bulldozing it would be anything like the loss of BH. My guess is not but I'm not familiar with the area.

[colemonkee]

Good news from Curbed LA:


Image Source: Curbed LA

Expo Line Trains Entering Exciting Testing Phase

LOS ANGELES: From Expo Staff, a notice that the trains for Phase 1 of the Expo Line will start moving. Sort of. "Please find enclosed a notice announcing the start of train testing on the Expo Line. Train testing activities are scheduled to start the week of April 4, 2011 and continue for several months along the light rail alignment. Testing schedules are dynamic and updated information will be provided." The notice also warns pedestrians to be careful when walking across the tracks. Go, choo choo train!

[StethJeff]

From the L.A. Times:

Apartments planned near Hollywood & Highland

Champion Real Estate pays $20 million for several parcels of land, saying it will build a $100-million apartment and retail development there.

By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times
April 1, 2011

A Los Angeles developer is planning to build a $100-million apartment and retail development near the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex.

Champion Real Estate Co. paid $20 million for a 2.76-acre collection of parcels, some of which will be redeveloped, President Robert Champion said Thursday. The property was purchased out of receivership.

Champion Real Estate's Hollywood project, which has not been designed, would take at least a year to be approved by city officials and an additional two years to build, Champion said. By 2013, he predicted, there should be demand for new apartments.

"We think that will be perfect timing for the market," he said. Potential renters would be "people geared toward the entertainment industry who want to live in Hollywood and like an urban lifestyle."

Champion Real Estate acquired 17 parcels — most of the property — roughly bounded by Highland, Selma, Hawthorn and Las Palmas avenues. The real estate includes three small office buildings, two apartment buildings, a restaurant building and three parking lots, said receiver Taylor B. Grant, who handled the sale.

Panavision occupies one of the office buildings and recently renewed its lease. Champion intends to raze the two vacant low-rise apartment buildings on Selma.

There were 19 offers on the property, according to Grant's Newport Beach-based Real Estate Receiverships. The property had an assessed value of $34 million.

Champion said his company paid about 60% of what the last owners did. Those investors, headed by Connecticut-based Commonfund, intended to build a hotel but never started development.

"A hotel made sense in 2006 but not in 2011," Champion said.

Champion Real Estate specializes in mixed-use developments in urban neighborhoods. Past projects include the Burbank Collection in Glendale, the Pasadena Collection in Pasadena and Gaslamp CitySquare in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.

[pesto]

A interesting area with problems and potential. The block itself is not that interesting but immediatlely north is the old Max Factor complex with some protected buildings and some real losers. To the south you get to older small homes and apartments which need work (one of them was converted to Cafe des Artistes, a great little bistro, with a nice patio in back). There is also small theater on Las Palmas and Catalina Jazz Club on Sunset.

Development of this block should take into account at least the 2 or 3 surrounding blocks and what is viable there. Over the longer term, the smaller sfh's don't seem very appropriate, except if converted into small businesses (pubs, cafes). I hope that generic metal, plastic and glass don't dominate the whole thing. This is Hollywood so show some style.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

The Hollywood project is very exciting because it pushes activity further south from Hollywood Blvd toward Sunset Blvd, making Hollywood more and more of a 3-dimensional walking grid (instead of the usual linear commercial model that most Sunbelt cities have).

If Highland Ave can become as vibrant as Vine St, then Hollywood is going to be that much more interesting and dynamic.

Hollywood is pushing forward becoming the second largest urban district after Downtown LA.

[RST500]

Originally Posted by DowntownCharlieBrown

Welcome to the Los Angeles Metro thread covering the developments outside of downtown.



Ametron Tower
?-story - Office
Hollywood


ArchNew.com

Wow that tower is awsome. remindes me of the NY Hearst building. Whats its status?

[djlx2]

Originally Posted by RST500

Wow that tower is awsome. remindes me of the NY Hearst building. Whats its status?

I think that construction initially began but then the architects briefly put it on hold to try to figure out if there are particular elements that are missing/needed in the approved design.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by RST500

Wow that tower is awsome. remindes me of the NY Hearst building. Whats its status?

That angle is a little misleading. It makes it look like a tower when really its more of a box:


archpaper.com

[Hubris]

Expo Line testing today:




More at http://transittalk.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=expoline&action=display&thread=66&page=138

[djlx2]

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

That angle is a little misleading. It makes it look like a tower when really its more of a box:


archpaper.com

Yeah, what's up with that? Where are they going on that angle?

[Illithid Dude]

I actually love that building no matter the angle. Was this actually under construction at one point? And isn't stalled forever? Could someone explain further what is up with this building?

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I actually love that building no matter the angle. Was this actually under construction at one point? And isn't stalled forever? Could someone explain further what is up with this building?

Like most projects, it is probably looking for funding.

[djlx2]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I actually love that building no matter the angle. Was this actually under construction at one point? And isn't stalled forever? Could someone explain further what is up with this building?

My impression is that likely they're putting these photos up right now from varying angles to show as many sides of it as possible in order to get a clearer idea on the thoughts/wishes of the public it's being built for before it's built. It is definitely scheduled to go up as an actual building, but I think they want to make it awesome, so basically the images are up right now as part of a conversation.

[djlx2]

Also expect there will be some kind of info going along with those photos, probably in the near future as the planners do research.

[milquetoast]

This is Joey Shimoda's attempt at being as relevant as the design,

and how it relates to the hardware of music reproduction,

of The Capital Records building.

I think it's a "hodge podge."

.

The only thing I like about it is the ivy working itself up the walls.

[milquetoast]

I actually like the color scheme on the Breda model.

Makes the 50's looking design look updated to me

It's so quiet!!

.

• Video Link

[pesto]

I remember that place. It was supposed to make references to microphones, radios, electronics, etc., as an "homage" to the music industry. A bit pretentious but at least with some interest in the history of its location.

All in all, I'm afraid I'm not that excited.