LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

That project will be an island if they don't rezone the surrounding parcels. That area is completely dead once the sun goes down and quite frankly unsafe. Better lighting would be a start.

Agreed, seems like a completely isolated project that won't interact much with the rest of DTLA's continuously active core. Then again, good luck getting anyone to disagree with ANY redevelopment of that area. Someone could propose a 4-story phallus for the Toy District and we'd all be jumping for joy that DTLA is getting a new project.

[JDRCRASH]

But what if that's the whole point of this project being isolated, though?

In the same way AEG decided to build Staples in a once completely dead area of downtown, what if this group of property owners is trying to start "planting the seeds" for another somewhat new zone of activity that would one day, perhaps 10 years from now, connect with all the rest of downtown, or more specifically, Broadway to the North, South Park to the Northwest, and eventually the Arts District to the East??

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

8th and grand has started work! Lot is closed and asphalt is being stripped

[ziggy331]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

8th and grand has started work! Lot is closed and asphalt is being stripped

You beat me to it but I can confirm! I just walked by the site and they are removing light poles and stripping asphalt.

[JDRCRASH]

^Page 1 updated.

I'm gonna take a wild guess at the height of City Market and say that the new towers look to be about 35 and 30 stories each. What do you guys think?

EDIT: Also, there appears to be a spire of some sort on top of the taller building.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by HunterK

I can not wait until Bottega Louie customers have to park just a smidge further than theyre used to.

It will be interesting to see what happens as easy parking slowly disappears. In most large, dense cities there's no expectation of easy parking. The mentality here is that easy parking is the norm - will people just go elsewhere rather than deal with it (even though in my mind it will still pretty easy to park here for years)?

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by brudy

It will be interesting to see what happens as easy parking slowly disappears. In most large, dense cities there's no expectation of easy parking. The mentality here is that easy parking is the norm - will people just go elsewhere rather than deal with it (even though in my mind it will still pretty easy to park here for years)?

There's a ton of valet though. People that don't mind walking a block or two will do so, and others will just valet.

Its funny, as a former east coaster, I never have any expectation of lot parking, and it frequently works against me. I'll circle for 5-10 minutes looking for a street space to parallel park in, only to realize that there was a dedicated lot in the back. Gets me every time.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Are there really that many vacant retail spots? It seems to me that all of the main shopping areas are fully booked.

And I feel like the benefit of new towers going up is not so much new retail, but more people living downtown.

Oh yes. All over CORE downtown theres vacant retail after vacant retail after underutilized crappy art gallery. Its really aggravating.

Just off the top of my head look at Evo, Luma, and Elleven in south park. Ground floor on all these buildings is basically vacant except for Starbucks and a hair salon. Luma has that big corner spot at 11th & Hope that could be so much...But wont be.

[BrandonJXN]

So because something isn't at Luma means that nothing will ever be at Luma's retail space?

You need to not get so worked up. You tend to say things that you really shouldn't.

[BOYCOTT 90210]

You guys stop arguing and go take a pic of 8th & Grand from today's "ground breaking", plz. Thanks.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by HunterK

Oh yes. All over CORE downtown theres vacant retail after vacant retail after underutilized crappy art gallery. Its really aggravating.

As someone with a passing interest in art, I like the galleries. There's some really cool stuff in them.

Though speaking of being dour about retail, did anyone else notice that (sub)Urban went out of business?

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

So because something isn't at Luma means that nothing will ever be at Luma's retail space?

You need to not get so worked up. You tend to say things that you really shouldn't.

6 years later and still nothing at a corner intersection?

They get a couple film shoots a month which more than pays for the space.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by HunterK

6 years later and still nothing at a corner intersection?

They get a couple film shoots a month which more than pays for the space.

There could be a myriad of reasons why there isn't anything at that intersection but there are far more important and positive things going on downtown that far outweigh there not being any sort of retail at 11th and Hope.

Take this for example:

From Bringhamyen.com


http://brighamyen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/photo.jpg

Better late than never right? What was supposed to be a “Dec 1, 2012″ groundbreaking for Vancouver-based Onni Group’s 32-story apartment tower at 9th and Olive has been delayed until now, almost two months later. A reader sends in this photo from today that shows construction activity has now finally begun in earnest for the 888 Olive tower. Fencing has been put up around the perimeter and construction equipment and crews were spotted on site performing pre-construction work.

The new tower when completed will have 283 units for rent (potentially more than 400 new residents added to the downtown population) and a whopping 11,000 square feet of commercial retail space on the ground floor that could help activate the intersection substantially, while also helping to connect the southern part of the Historic Core to South Park and the Financial District.

If construction continues forward as projected, 888 Olive will be completed in late 2015/early 2016.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Speaking of 9th and Olive..... It's now under construction. Bulldozers working and fencing up!

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Speaking of 9th and Olive..... It's now under construction. Bulldozers working and fencing up!

Damn! Now that's what I call an eventful week, and its only been one day!

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

There could be a myriad of reasons why there isn't anything at that intersection but there are far more important and positive things going on downtown that far outweigh there not being any sort of retail at 11th and Hope.

Take this for example:

I'm not denying that there are some good things going on in downtown. I follow them all closely, and know whats going on in the actual core better than most since I'm out here watching every single day. The Luma spot was just an example. I could do a photoseries on vacant retail but it would only depress us all.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by ziggy331

I just walked by the site and they are removing light poles and stripping asphalt.

TG!! LASF's theory that the owner was waiting for monthly parking passes to expire sounded plausible. So I imagined several more days of hearing: "sorry, there are still cars parked on the lot". what a relief that won't be the case.

the big expanse of parking at 8th & grand has been among the worst in dt....quite bad as parking lots go....chintzy makeshift light poles, no landscaping to speak of, & when I last parked there, plenty of potholes.

at least the lot at 9th & olive, next to the old chase bldg, has a nice landscaped berm & decorative fence around it, & large trees on the adjacent sidewalks. If a parking lot has to hang around for awhile, that one I can live with....although not for too long. It's now the remaining site where new devlpt is supposed....supposed....to begin shortly.

We await word on that one.

after that, I hope final, formal news....of course, good news....will come out about the stadium proj at LA live.

I can't think of any other major totally new proj to break ground beyond the ones that are occurring right now, or that will begin shortly. So it's now a matter of watching smaller projs to be completed & open, mainly new restaurants, stores....esp at 7th/fig....& renovation work on bldgs like the clark, embassy & old UA theater.

To avoid this post being a big wall of text, I'll lazily grab someone elses pics & insert them here, these being newer photos posted to the blog of the apt tower at 8th & hope st....


altabywood.wordpress.com


altabywood.wordpress.com


btw, I guess since most of you sspers are guys, you don't seem to understand that for just about all retail...meaning stores....to survive & thrive....& that aren't like swapmeets on broadway or the grungefest around santee alley....they depend on lots & lots of female customers, esp with $$, milling about. they can be women living in dt, working in dt, visiting dt from the burbs or other cities. wherever they're from, there has to lots of them to lure shops to the hood & to help keep them open. so far, dtla needs lot more of that particular demographic.

take it from someone whose own daughter went when looking over the rundown shops on broadway over 2 yrs ago, & my friend visiting LA from noCal last yr who didn't exactly want to walk around dtla, compared with the way she & I happily walked around SF several yrs ago....in the tradition of girls out on the town. That's why I often stress the importance of getting rid of all the gaps & sections throughout dtla. they tend to deter ppl from wanting to walk around, esp women who already are nervous about the idea of running into rambunctious homeless ppl & panhandlers, or muggers.

that's why putting eyes & ears 24/7 around currently lonely streets like Grand ave between 7th & 8th st at night....where the Carmel proj is now going up....will be a great boost.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Speaking of 9th and Olive..... It's now under construction. Bulldozers working and fencing up!

I spent so much time composing my silly post, your & threehundred's updates didn't even show up til I refreshed the page right now....

My previous post already is outdated.



this moment, this period of time is.....all good.

[Chef Boyardee]

Originally Posted by HunterK

I'm not denying that there are some good things going on in downtown. I follow them all closely, and know whats going on in the actual core better than most since I'm out here watching every single day. The Luma spot was just an example. I could do a photoseries on vacant retail but it would only depress us all.

Ah yes, the "i'm the only one who cares out here" routine again.

[Mojeda101]

My next trip will be incredibly eventful =]
This saturday!!