LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 60

dktshb · #**1181** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Der Blut

Picture of the New Genesis progress from my place.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/707/img3010do.jpg/

Nice to see even the little infill projects filling in parking lots. Is this a residential project?

dktshb · #**1182** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 4:31 PM**

I guess I will post this in Downtown even though it is City West:

Quote:

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, Holland Partners will hold its official groundbreaking for 1111 Wilshire, a 210-unit residential project just a few blocks west of the 110 freeway.

Holland is no stranger to the City West neighborhood, roughly bounded by the 110, Witmer, 2nd and 9th. The developer opened Glo at 1050 Wilshire in 2007 and bought the 1111 Wilshire site from Good Samaritan Hospital that same year for $45 million.

The economic downturn put a serious crimp in plans for the project, and the seven-story structure that Holland now breaks ground on doesn't bear much resemblance to the 397 units—265 of them in a 30-story tower—that it first proposed.

Here for full article and rendering:
http://blogdowntown.com/2011/06/6264-scaled-back-1111-wilshire-breaks-ground-in

alki · #**1183** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 7:15 PM**

From the photos, this redo looks like a good one:

AC Martin rethinks one of downtown LA's open spaces

More photos in article:

http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=5419

RAlossi · #**1184** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 7:31 PM**

^ I work in the Citigroup Center a lot, and I have to say, the plaza redesign is pretty amazing. It went from being a relatively uninteresting but not-bad plaza to "wow" over the past year. Plazas can be functional, providing seating and outdoor dining to patrons of nearby restaurants, and shade and greenery. The redesign has accomplished all of that. I really hope more building owners will take a cue from this project.

LA/OCman · #**1185** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 9:06 PM**

BTW, Today construction continues on the New Genesis project on Main St. It has NOT stalled.

Illithid Dude · #**1186** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 3:37 AM**

Today, I was downtown for E3, decided I was in the mood to be depressed, and went down Broadway. I saw this building, grimy, decayed, but still completely beautiful, and was wondering what it was, and if there were any plans to gentrify it. The building was sort of a standard lovely historic building, but then has a little tower that pushes it up past the 150 foot mark. The tower almost looked like a castle touret, and was blackened with soot and grime. It was a little farther south than the Eastern Columbia building, I think on the next block south. Anybody know what building I am talking about?

alki · #**1187** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 4:23 AM**

Original Post by RAlossi^

Quote:

I work in the Citigroup Center a lot, and I have to say, the plaza redesign is pretty amazing. It went from being a relatively uninteresting but not-bad plaza to "wow" over the past year. Plazas can be functional, providing seating and outdoor dining to patrons of nearby restaurants, and shade and greenery. The redesign has accomplished all of that. I really hope more building owners will take a cue from this project.

Yes, it shows very strong attention to detail.....esp. with the plant material.......that can really make an open space. I liked it right away.

mdiederi · #**1188** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 4:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Today, I was downtown for E3, decided I was in the mood to be depressed, and went down Broadway. I saw this building, grimy, decayed, but still completely beautiful, and was wondering what it was, and if there were any plans to gentrify it. The building was sort of a standard lovely historic building, but then has a little tower that pushes it up past the 150 foot mark. The tower almost looked like a castle touret, and was blackened with soot and grime. It was a little farther south than the Eastern Columbia building, I think on the next block south. Anybody know what building I am talking about?

You mean the United Artists theater building? It opened in 1927. C. Howard Crane designed the theatre, Walker and Eisen were the building architects. Since 1990 the theater and building were owned and used by a church. In December 2009 the church listed the building for sale with an asking price of $15 million. As of mid 2010 it was down to $12 million

Illithid Dude · #**1189** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 6:19 AM**

Thank you good mdied... something or another. Sorry, you have quite the complex name. Anyways, it seems I have developed a minor obsession with Broadway. What is happening with the Walgreens going in? Has it started? If so, pictures? The building that it is entering is one of the few that have not had the bottom floor re-did. Moreover, can someone post pictures of the sidewalk reconstruction? Are they planting trees, tambien?

SD_Phil · #**1190** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 6:54 AM**

^Broadway could easily be the best single street in the city if the rehabs continue and if the classic theaters are brought back to life. I always try to make it to as many of the Last Remaining Seats showings as I can. Next week I'll be at the Los Angeles theater (an extremely gorgeous, decadent, masterpiece) to see the original King Kong.

I <3 Broadway.

RAlossi · #**1191** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 3:37 PM**

If you think Broadway is depressing these days, you obviously didn't see it in the early 2000s. That was probably the low point. My mom used to take us shopping for school clothes down there when I was a kid in the early 90s. It wasn't even as bad then. These days a whole lot is looking up.

BTW, there's a historic theater operator that wants to lease the UA Theater from a new buyer. At least there's a plan for that beautiful building.
http://blogdowntown.com/2010/08/5605-the-historic-theatre-dream-on-broadway

pesto · #**1192** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 5:55 PM**

There is no good reason that Bunker Hill and other areas couldn't have the mixture of charm and elegance that Barcelona or Madrid have. Shade trees, benches, cafes, fountains, a human dimension at ground level. As the article notes, high modernism killed that when the monoliths went up, but the area between them can include plants, wood, brick, wrought iron and other touches that break it up. Same for Union Station, Grand Ave, Little Tokyo, etc.

mdiederi: the UA theater wasn't just a church, it was Dr. Gene Scott's church. If you missed him, look him up. A classic LA character.

SD_Phil · #**1193** Posted **Jun 9, 2011, 7:34 PM**

Don't get me wrong, I remember the old broadway, even the old fashion district. It is far improved but still has a ways to go.

Illithid Dude · #**1194** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 4:26 AM**

Also, I was downtown tonight, and Spring Street was PACKED. What was the reason? I don't think it was Art Walk, but I could have been.

DistrictDirt · #**1195** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 7:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Also, I was downtown tonight, and Spring Street was PACKED. What was the reason? I don't think it was Art Walk, but I could have been.

Yup, it was Artwalk.

Kingofthehill · #**1196** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 7:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Also, I was downtown tonight, and Spring Street was PACKED. What was the reason? I don't think it was Art Walk, but I could have been.

what rock have you been hiding under, man?

Illithid Dude · #**1197** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 8:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

what rock have you been hiding under, man?

A big one, apparently.

DtlaCuriousity · #**1198** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by alki

From the photos, this redo looks like a good one:

AC Martin rethinks one of downtown LA's open spaces

More photos in article:

http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=5419

Definitely a fan of this. It pulls you in, allows for good use of public space while you hang around in the area, and directs you to another pleasant area near the Library Tower.

LAofAnaheim · #**1199** Posted **Jun 10, 2011, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

A big one, apparently.

Remember...2nd Thursday night of the month is the Artwalk.

Der Blut · #**1200** Posted **Jun 11, 2011, 1:08 AM**

It was Artwalk night but I didn't see any art really. Food trucks and people going to bars, but no art.