LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Well, as I was reading Brigham Yen's blog (for it is awesome) I found an article he wrote. Apparently, on 7th Street, a clothing retailer has signed on. Not just some cheepo clothing retailer. We're talking a retailer that will be carrying the same high-end stuff Bloomingdales would be carrying.

regarding brigham's blog, the post from it that you're referring to has the kind of specificity that I'm always on the outlook for. It says alot about dt. Just a few sentences from it give a better sense of what's going on below the radar in DT than hundreds of sentences that are so vague & generalized, they really do fall into the "we get it, we get it---next topic!" category.

this info is quite unexpected & surprising to me, but in a good way. It's very reassuring & may change my estimates of how much potential exists in dt. But I'm also assuming the owner of the store wasn't just talking a good game or laying it on thick.

However, when I've read that the ralphs mkt on 9th St does better than most of its sister stores, or that the new regal theaters at LA Live are doing better than many of its sister theaters, or that the Daily grill & wockano locations in DT are doing better than many of their sister restaurants, maybe it's time to go:

Yang is no stranger to Downtown LA as he currently runs OneOne77, another clothing boutique on Wilshire Blvd just over the 110 freeway in City West (a stone’s throw from the Financial District). He started OneOne77 about 2 years ago, opening the store on the ground floor of the upscale 1010 Wilshire corporate apartment rentals.

At first, Yang told me that they didn’t expect much foot traffic or that it would be a lot tougher to carve out a niche in what was a very “experimental” market. To Yang and his business partner’s surprise, the foot traffic was “better than anticipated” and “downtown women” (those who lived and worked here) found their way to OneOne77, happy that they didn’t have to go to the “Beverly Center or Melrose” (basically the Westside) to find fashionable clothing. In other words, business was good enough to start thinking about expansion.

[colemonkee]

This is great news. Awesome, even.

From our friends at BlogDowntown:


(Image Source: BlogDowntown.com)

Supervisors Approve Hall of Justice Renovation
By ERIC RICHARDSON
Published: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at 08:00AM

County Supervisors on Tuesday approved a key contract in the $231 million renovation of the Hall of Justice, a 1925 landmark that has stood empty since being damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://blogdowntown.com/2011/07/6314-supervisors-approve-hall-of-justice-renovation

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by citywatch

regarding brigham's blog, the post from it that you're referring to has the kind of specificity that I'm always on the outlook for. It says alot about dt. Just a few sentences from it give a better sense of what's going on below the radar in DT than hundreds of sentences that are so vague & generalized, they really do fall into the "we get it, we get it---next topic!" category.

this info is quite unexpected & surprising to me, but in a good way. It's very reassuring & may change my estimates of how much potential exists in dt. But I'm also assuming the owner of the store wasn't just talking a good game or laying it on thick.

However, when I've read that the ralphs mkt on 9th St does better than most of its sister stores, or that the new regal theaters at LA Live are doing better than many of its sister theaters, or that the Daily grill & wockano locations in DT are doing better than many of their sister restaurants, maybe it's time to go:

Brigham's blog is the best for Downtown news. BlogDowntown and ladowntownnews.com also have interesting tidbids now and then. You can also glean a lot from the DTLA Facebook group where openings of new bars, restaurants, nightclubs, boutiques usually get announced.

That boutique opening on 7th is not an outlier, but rather part of a constant wave of new businesses opening. There's dozens and dozens of businesses that have recently opened, and dozens and dozens more that will open in the next 6 months. Its amazing to watch.

[pesto]

Foothill extension is more defensible the shorter it gets. But even the Union Station-Pasadena link is not all that successful so it's hard to see why going from Azusa or Ontario to DT is going to attract many riders. It's over an hour from Ontario to Union Station and then you have to connect to where you're really going, so commuting seems like a small part of the picture. Local travel within the SGV is going to have to carry the load but given the lack of regional centers on the Foothill, I would think that local bus service would serve the local downtowns very adequately.

The one exception is shopping or nightlife in Pasadena; but since Foothill goes mostly through upscale 'hoods, I think of this as yuppies pushing their convenience rather than any general improvement of traffic in the SGV.

The ELA extension is some warning that even short lines through fairly dense areas may not be successful quite yet. Better to spend where the demand is obvious.

[DistrictDirt]

Hey guys, remember once upon a time there was an active LA Metro (non-Downtown) forum? What happened? I know there's projects happening outside of Downtown.

[bobcat]

New developments on the Dodgers ownership/stadium situation

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/exclusive-mlb-wants-aeg-la-downtown-ballpark-29783

That factual backdrop explains why in the past 48 hours multiple sources have confirmed to me that MLB has reached out to AEG to inquire about the possibility of the company assisting the league - and the next permanent owner of the team - in building a downtown ballpark for the Dodgers.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by bobcat

New developments on the Dodgers ownership/stadium situation

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/exclusive-mlb-wants-aeg-la-downtown-ballpark-29783

This must be one of those rare times when our mindless wishing has actually come into fruition. Heh.

[pesto]

And where exactly would this new ballpark go assuming that AEG is serious about football at the Convention Center?

Dodger Stadium would presumably be torn down and become condo's with views, resort amenities and performance spaces; sort of a Silver Lake version of the Marina. Two car garages but one car must be electric.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by pesto

And where exactly would this new ballpark go assuming that AEG is serious about football at the Convention Center?

Dodger Stadium would presumably be torn down and become condo's with views, resort amenities and performance spaces; sort of a Silver Lake version of the Marina. Two car garages but one car must be electric.

I would like to see the stadium torn down, the pavement torn up, and the area annexed into Elysian park. We can't turn back time and give homes back to those that were forced out of Chavez Ravine, but we can do the next best thing- make it a beautiful public space for the whole city to enjoy.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

agreed 100%

[JDRCRASH]

You could conceivably integrate a new baseball stadium with the Piggyback Yards proposal, moving the train yard underground like Millenium park in Chicago.

Originally Posted by pesto

Foothill extension is more defensible the shorter it gets. But even the Union Station-Pasadena link is not all that successful so it's hard to see why going from Azusa or Ontario to DT is going to attract many riders.

The Union Station-Pasadena link isn't a disappointment because of density...

Again, how does the failure of Phase I determine the success of Phase II, when the latter's terminus will be TEN TIMES better than Sierra Madre Villa?

How many times do I have to tell you that bus ridership as well as certain huge destinations will make the extension to Azusa worthwhile? You can ignore this comment all you want, but at the end of the day your judgement is flawed.

[LAofAnaheim]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

You could conceivably integrate a new baseball stadium with the Piggyback Yards proposal, moving the train yard underground like Millenium park in Chicago.



The Union Station-Pasadena link isn't a disappointment because of density...

Again, how does the failure of Phase I determine the success of Phase II, when the latter's terminus will be TEN TIMES better than Sierra Madre Villa?

How many times do I have to tell you that bus ridership as well as certain huge destinations will make the extension to Azusa worthwhile? You can ignore this comment all you want, but at the end of the day your judgement is flawed.

Why do you keep saying the terminus be TEN TIMES better than Sierra Madre? Okay, the terminus will be at a destination (a university), but, really..10 times better? I cannot expect 10 times more ridership at the last station than Sierra Madre.

Again, the fact is, Metro did not want to submit the Foothill Extension to the federal government as the ridership projection was so poor (probably 5,000 extra a day) that it could jeopardize other projects. Heck, even Metro knows that when the Connector is built the new Blue Line will only stop at Sierra Madre and it may be a shuttle train to Asuza.

[alki]

Originally posted by citywatch

btw, I read that the largest bloomingdales on the west coast was built in SF, around Union Sq, not too long ago. And a nordstrom's was built not too far from that store several yrs ago. So cities like SF never lost all their residents with $$, daytimers & tourists in the first place. I believe dt Seattle also didn't fall apart as much as LA did. And, of course, other cities like chicago & NYC never lost so much, or any, of their original wealth to begin with.

My view........there are some geographic and cultural differences between SF and Seattle and LA.

Both SF and Seattle are built on hills right up against the water. Those hills have always constrained growth and encouraged density. Additionally, the settings for DT SF and Seattle were much more attractive than the one for DTLA. Everyone loves a water feature....the SF and Seattle bays. Finally, SF and Seattle people tend to be more urbancentric and valued their downtowns and inner neighborhoods more strongly.....although clearly that's changing in LA.

[alki]

Originally posted by Brigham Yen

The entire ugly ass thing needs to be completely ripped apart and start over!

I can remember when the sucker opened after the renovation and people were raving about the purple monolith. I took one walk around and wondered WTH were they thinking!

[alki]

Originally posted by JDR

Granted, it will NEVER dominate it's metro area like how Manhattan or The Loop does. But if Measure R's projects as well as theoretical ones like a "Regional Connector II" (Washington station to Little Tokyo station via Alameda) are all built, it wouldn't surprise me if we start to see some mid-rises sprouting just outside downtown's borders (10, 110, and 101 freeways) not long after.

I would like to see them cover those freeways either with parkland or buildings. Of course, it won't be cost effective until most of the vacant land in DTLA has been eaten up with development..........but it will happen eventually.

[alki]

Originally posted by LA Dreamin.....

But nope, I wanna do it BIG in Los Angeles

I bet you do!

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

Why do you keep saying the terminus be TEN TIMES better than Sierra Madre? Okay, the terminus will be at a destination (a university), but, really..10 times better? I cannot expect 10 times more ridership at the last station than Sierra Madre.

Of course I was exaggerating. besides I wasn't talking about ridership; though it will be much higher thanks to it's 2 (APU) universities.

I was mainly referring to the area's high potential, particularly in the form of TODs.

And as even you've said again and again, stations in the middle of freeways tend to do poorer compared to ROW-dedicated stations anyway.

Again, the fact is, Metro did not want to submit the Foothill Extension to the federal government as the ridership projection was so poor (probably 5,000 extra a day) that it could jeopardize other projects.

How does Metro determine projected ridership?

Heck, even Metro knows that when the Connector is built the new Blue Line will only stop at Sierra Madre and it may be a shuttle train to Asuza.

Really? As I recall on the Transit Coalition website, it was stated that this was a possibility, not the plan. Where are you getting this information from?

[alki]

The latest in the verbal exchange between Zooey Deschanel, the actress, and Pat Morrison, the journalist, both of who are adamantly defending DTLA. Shocking stuff for this LA ex-pat!

Let me be clear: the quote from USA TODAY that you used as the foundation of your piece was taken completely out of context. I NEVER said that Downtown LA was “the worst of LA”. I did make a reference to a parking lot adjacent to the theater that had a lot of trash in it in an attempt to be humorous. I simply said, “It’s funny they brought royalty here, there is a parking lot with trash around the corner.” It wasn’t an opinion. It was true. There was indeed a parking lot with trash around the corner. I thought that the juxtaposition of British Royalty and trash was amusing in a high-brow + low brow sort of way, but I never said that I, personally, didn’t like downtown, the Royals, or even trash.

I LOVE DOWNTOWN LA and I relish any opportunity to spend time there. I have pride in my city, that’s the reason why I thought it was kind of funny that they didn’t clean up the immediate surroundings before the Royals came through. In the end, of course, it didn’t actually matter since those two crazy kids were flown in by helicopter anyway. Silly me. Regardless, I don’t even think I need to defend my love of Los Angeles. I am a native Angelino, and had you done any research at all, you would have found that I have been quoted in the press on numerous occasions talking about how much I love Downtown.

http://hellogiggles.com/an-open-letter-to-los-angeles-times-writer-patt-morrisson

[all of the trash]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I was mainly referring to the area's high potential, particularly in the form of TODs.

And as even you've said again and again, stations in the middle of freeways tend to do poorer compared to ROW-dedicated stations anyway.

Even if this is true, why would you give precedence to a foothill extension in a climate of limited resources? Would you put this project before a Crenshaw line, westside purple line extension, silver line, pink line, vermont HRT, etc? Thats why everyone here thinks foothill extension is a joke. Not because it might produce TODs in the SGV, but because its the last thing we need as far as rail that we need in LA city proper. Your passion for SGV rail just seems frivilous in contrast to the lines in LA we actually need. Thats the contention here.

[pesto]

You could conceivably integrate a new baseball stadium with the Piggyback Yards proposal, moving the train yard underground like Millenium park in Chicago.

This makes some sense; but why not put the football stadium over there and New Dodger Stadium at LA Live? This spreads out the public facilities while expanding the area of development within DT.