LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Good architecture has nothing to do with a flat topped skyscraper versus one with a spire. There are plenty of butt ugly buildings that have spires/pitched roofs. Look at the pyramid shaped hotel in North Korea, or the giant clock tower/hotel in Saudi Arabia.

Didn't say there weren't. But actually, I think a lot of people on this forum like the look of the Abraj Al-Bait. My point is that doesn't HAVE to be flat. We have plenty of those.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by RuFFy

Making it worse, Los Angeles, like most 'other cities', didn't have much of a downtown population to begin with.

That's pretty much the point I was making....that cities with traditionally weak or mediocre downtowns fell apart far more greatly than those cities with traditionally nicely put together centers. It's tougher for a city to compete with outlying burbs or other cities when it historically has been iffy & not very appealing to begin with.

But he's got some excellent points and hes not stuck on any single point.

oh, please. the only point I ever see him make...or I rarely see him say anything else....is that LA is junk, it's a joke, it's an embarrassment compared with other cities, & its people are cretins. Yea, uh huh, he's not stuck on any single point. You merely confirm why I don't trust the way you describe & judge other people, or at least forumers.

anyway, the purpose of this thread isn't about trolls or defender of trolls. So here's some potentially good news, posted at ladowntownnews.com.......

Downtowners this year welcomed the announcement that a $400 million federal courthouse will be built on a notorious Civic Center blight spot.

Officials with the General Services Administration, the federal agency responsible for the project, have stated that the courthouse requires no further government approvals. They also say that the funding is in place and the plans are moving forward for the plot on the southwest corner of First Street and Broadway.

Kevin Richards, the GSA’s acting regional commissioner for the Pacific Rim region, restated that position at the hearing. He said construction will begin in October. “We feel we have the authorization and appropriation to go ahead with this project,” Richards said at the hearing.

^ I'm still unsure whether that person really means that groundbreaking is going to begin as early as only about 2 months from now....assuming he wasn't misquoted & actually meant october 2013. I'm hopeful he's correct, but also skeptical since I thought the original plans had to be tossed out & a totally brand new architectural firm needed to be brought in....which would presumably delay groundbreaking due to a lack of finalized blueprints.

[colemonkee]

This thread has gotten so far off topic and convoluted that I missed a great photo update by Mojeda (thanks for that!). I have deleted a shit ton of posts and will hand out several suspensions to forumers when I get home and have more time to do so.

I'm tired of warning and babysitting you guys & girls. If you log in later tonight and are suspended, you know you did something wrong.

[pesto]

Wasn't there recently an article saying that the courthouse might not be needed due to greater efficiency of judges and other staffing? Or was that just a stray comment? I have no problem with a courthouse if needed but if it isn't it would nice to get something else on that spot such as hotel or residential.

Hotel seems doubtful since the South Park area seems to be more central now but who knows.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by pesto

Wasn't there recently an article saying that the courthouse might not be needed due to greater efficiency of judges and other staffing? Or was that just a stray comment? I have no problem with a courthouse if needed but if it isn't it would nice to get something else on that spot such as hotel or residential.

Hotel seems doubtful since the South Park area seems to be more central now but who knows.

there was an article quoting a windbag tea bagger who thinks that judges should share courtrooms.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

This thread has gotten so far off topic and convoluted that I missed a great photo update by Mojeda (thanks for that!).

No problem. I'll do my best to keep you guys up to date on the tower.

[Illithid Dude]

Interesting article from LA Downtown News about how the the requirements for a building to be affordable housing are soon going to be up for many complexes throughout Downtown, and that some developers may not wish to renew said requirements and convert their complexes to market rate. I personally view this as good, and as an opportunity to spread super-affordable housing throughout the city, instead of clumping it all downtown. However, there are many many people who disagree with me. Either way, it's an interesting subject. http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/hundr...853c1fe-ee46-11e1-9333-001a4bcf887a.html

In other news...



The car was across the street from L.A. Live has sold! And for a wopping 25 million, making it the most expensive DT land sale per foot this year! The guy who bought it wants to make a mixed use hotel with a residential component. Sources close to the project say expect something along the lines of a W, or a Kimpton hotel. This is very very very good news! http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/08/so...e_will_probably_birth_mixeduse_hotel.php



Lower Historic Core is blowing up! Terroni was already building out their large italian restaurant, but now comes news that a new challenger has joined the fray. Peking Kitchen will be a Chinese gastropub (whatever that is) and will open sometime in the first half of 2013. This is on Spring between 8th and 9th, BTW. http://brighamyen.com/2012/08/27/downtow...n-coming-soon-to-join-terroni-and-crane/

Also, I don't think anyone has posted the renderings for the parklets going in on Spring Street. So.... here they are. Pictures from Curbed LA.

[Blueseattle]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

The car was across the street from L.A. Live has sold! And for a wopping 25 million, making it the most expensive DT land sale per foot this year! The guy who bought it wants to make a mixed use hotel with a residential component. Sources close to the project say expect something along the lines of a W, or a Kimpton hotel. This is very very very good news! http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/08/so...e_will_probably_birth_mixeduse_hotel.php

It actually hasn't sold yet, but the seller is looking into three main buyers. It's great news though.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

In other news...



The car was across the street from L.A. Live has sold! And for a wopping 25 million, making it the most expensive DT land sale per foot this year! The guy who bought it wants to make a mixed use hotel with a residential component. Sources close to the project say expect something along the lines of a W, or a Kimpton hotel. This is very very very good news! http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/08/so...e_will_probably_birth_mixeduse_hotel.php

Could be good news or bad. Whatever is placed there is going to block the signature Hotel Figueroa advertising! Although it's another building. It's bittersweet if you ask me. Could it be tall?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

With the price they will pay, the odd shape of the land and the intended use, I would be shocked if it's anything less than 500 feet tall

[blackcat23]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Could be good news or bad. Whatever is placed there is going to block the signature Hotel Figueroa advertising! Although it's another building. It's bittersweet if you ask me. Could it be tall?

The preliminary plans for the hotel on the lot is 476,000 square feet, but it's hard to say what that will translate into vertically without having an idea of how the hypothetical building might actually look.

I also hope they find a way to not completely block the view of the Hotel Figueroa.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

The preliminary plans for the hotel on the lot is 476,000 square feet, but it's hard to say what that will translate into vertically without having an idea of how the hypothetical building might actually look.

I also hope they find a way to not completely block the view of the Hotel Figueroa.

500,000 square feet on a lot that small can easily be 40+ stories. I didn't know it was going to be that big. I'm now excited.

[Valyrian Steel]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

With the price they will pay, the odd shape of the land and the intended use, I would be shocked if it's anything less than 500 feet tall

The lot is on a corner, and right across from freakin' LA Live.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Could be good news or bad. Whatever is placed there is going to block the signature Hotel Figueroa advertising! Although it's another building. It's bittersweet if you ask me. Could it be tall?

That's actually one piece of signage i wouldn't mind seeing go if needed.

The Fig Hotel is one of those buildings that, I think, would look good if those "gaps" in the building were "closed up" and renovated into little parks for the residents there.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Pink Floyd

The lot is on a corner, and right across from freakin' LA Live.

ok, i know that. the lot is pretty narrow and its long thats why i think its slightly "odd shaped"

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

That's actually one piece of signage i wouldn't mind seeing go if needed.

The Fig Hotel is one of those buildings that, I think, would look good if those "gaps" in the building were "closed up" and renovated into little parks for the residents there.

no

[Mojeda101]

Isn't that big of a lot if you ask me. He did pay a hefty price but a 500 footer? Hard to believe in such a narrow lot. Whatever is put there, I hope is for the best.




West Olympic is practically blowing up with activity. Hope the lots between this and the Courtyard get filled pretty soon.

[colemonkee]

That lot is roughly 22,000 - 26,000 sq. ft. (it's larger than you would think), so if they built up directly from the lot line, you're only looking at 20-25 stories. If they go with some sort of smaller tower on a podium - a likelier scenario - you might get to 35, 40 stories max. If parking doesn't count towards the total square footage, and they construct an above ground parking structure, that could push it higher. But I wouldn't look at anything too much higher than 500 ft here.

Now, what could be interesting is if they're able to take advantage of future helipad requirements and have some sort of a cool crown feature that boosts the height another 50-75 ft, and gives it some design flair. The near triangular shape of the site could really produce an exciting and thin design.

I'm interested to see this develop further.

[blackcat23]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

That's actually one piece of signage i wouldn't mind seeing go if needed.

The Fig Hotel is one of those buildings that, I think, would look good if those "gaps" in the building were "closed up" and renovated into little parks for the residents there.

It really just doesn't look right without the signage. Pretty bland.



The Figueroa Hotel has a nice little niche in Downtown LA. It works perfectly as boutique hotel/billboard. It's always there, but looks completely different each time you see it. Constant presence for events at Staples Center during the past 13 years, even though the LA Live fortress obscures it now.

I hope they find a way to not completely block the view, although it's hard to see how they could manage that.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

That's actually one piece of signage i wouldn't mind seeing go if needed.

The Fig Hotel is one of those buildings that, I think, would look good if those "gaps" in the building were "closed up" and renovated into little parks for the residents there.

To be honest, LA Live shouldn't have any park space. Not in the traditional sense.