LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 388

StethJeff · #**7741** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 4:29 AM**

I'm just an armchair architecture fan so maybe I'm missing something here. What's so great about the cladding on the Marriott? People seem to be big fans here and I'm just wondering why. Looks like most suburban chain hotels you'd see near an office park to me.

Illithid Dude · #**7742** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 4:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StethJeff

I'm just an armchair architecture fan so maybe I'm missing something here. What's so great about the cladding on the Marriott? People seem to be big fans here and I'm just wondering why. Looks like most suburban chain hotels you'd see near an office park to me.

I've never seen a suburban chain hotel look that nice. While I can't speak for the others, I personally like the cladding on this building because, for the most part, lower end hotels have bottom-of-the-barrell architecture with as cheap materials as possible. At least this hotel is trying to look nice, and is using generally high quality materials.

Oron Zchut · #**7743** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 5:25 AM**

Some photos from the past weekend:

The Broad:

Grand Ave Tower:

8th and Hope:

Marriot:

Avant

blackcat23 · #**7744** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 2:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Crane parts on site at 9th and Olive

sopas ej · #**7745** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 2:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StethJeff

I'm just an armchair architecture fan so maybe I'm missing something here. What's so great about the cladding on the Marriott? People seem to be big fans here and I'm just wondering why. Looks like most suburban chain hotels you'd see near an office park to me.

I agree with you. It does look Irvine-esque: http://img.travel-coupon-code.com/Califo...ia/Orange_County/Irvine/irvine-hotel.jpg

IconRPCV · #**7746** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterK

I didn't think anyone else would notice such a thing!

They were working on it even today which was nice to see. There is so much potential for this intersection.. If Van Nuys could get retail in their corner spot, and the SB building there could get retail in that massive underused spot, this could be the hottest intersection in downtown.

(BTW, Van Nuys does seem to be adding some sort of business to the right of their front entrance).

Here is a picture taken a couple days ago of the Spring/7th building you mentioned.

I live in SBSpring and can tell you they are never going to redevelop the Majestic Halls as they call them. They are almost constantly rented out for filmings, weddings, and events.

brudy · #**7747** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 12:14 AM**

I have jury duty this week so here's a view from the courthouse down Grand. Pretty nice. Also, a shot of the Broad under construction. I'm really interested in how they were going to form those organic columns on the ground level.

ConstructDTLA · #**7748** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 12:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconRPCV

I live in SBSpring and can tell you they are never going to redevelop the Majestic Halls as they call them. They are almost constantly rented out for filmings, weddings, and events.

Sadly, agreed.

That can be said for every single spot in Downtown though.. Yet slowly we are getting our spaces back from the dead. Acne is going into that Eastern spot that's been used far too often for filming for years now..

There are some spaces that will never feel the need to be truly converted from permanently vacant/film location I fear. The Farmers & Merchants bank at the corner of 4th & Main is certainly one such location. And Herald Examiner.

blackcat23 · #**7749** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 12:48 AM**

Thanks for the pics, Brudy. Nice to see exterior work starting on the Broad Museum. That view down Grand Avenue should be quite a bit different in 5-10 years, as the museum/Parcel M tower wrap up and the Phase I parcel is finally developed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterK

And Herald Examiner.

Hearst had some pretty ambitious adaptive re-use plans for the Herald Examiner Building that were put on hold because of the recession (24 story tower at 11th/Hill, 37 story tower at 12th/Broadway).

Considering the Herald Examiner building will be streetcar adjacent, we might re-development plans come back in a few years.

Here's a project that involves less speculation on my part:

http://cityplanning.lacity.org/staffrpt/mnd/ENV-2012-1666.pdf

Alpine Group LLC has submitted the a Mitigated Negative Declaration study for it's project across the street from Pico Station, known as "Onyx."

Quote:

The Project has 2 separate sites with 2 separate buildings, totaling 419 apartments and 42,000 sq. ft. of retail/commercial spaces on 1.86 acres. Site A would consist of removal of the existing surface parking lot and construction of a 7-story, 88-ft. 10-in. tall building (with architectural elements up to 91-ft.), which would contain 250 apartments and 29,200 sq. ft. of commercial space. Site B would consist of removal of 2, one-story commercial buildings and a surface parking lot and construction of a 7-story, 88-ft. 10-in. tall building (with architectural elements up to 91-ft.), which would contain 169 apartments and 12,800 sq. ft. of commercial space. Site A would provide 261 residential parking spaces (including 154 covenanted parking spaces) and Site B would provide 67 residential parking spaces. Site A would provide 25 commercial parking spaces and Site B would provide 25 commercial parking spaces. Site A parking would be located in the rear at-grade and within 2-subterranean parking levels and Site B parking would be located in the rear at-grade and within 1-subterranean level. Vehicular access to parking areas would be provided from the alley (Cameron Lane). The residential and pedestrian access would be provided on Pico Blvd.

The developers have submitted this project as a transit oriented development, and are thus requesting a variance allowing for what amounts to a 54% reduction in on-site parking.

This will also be kitty corner from the future Convention Center hotel that the city recently received bids for.

citywatch · #**7750** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 1:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by brudy

I have jury duty this week so here's a view from the courthouse down Grand.

that's a nice pic. however, when I see the

tinker toy parking structure still sitting across from disney, yrs & yrs & yrs since it was first built.....I think going all the way back to the early 1970s....that is very exasperating. I wonder why change to such parts of dt has been so slow. Then I read things like this & have to go.....

Quote:

Overall vacancy in what are considered "class A" office buildings in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties averaged 18% in the first quarter, a mild improvement from 19% a year earlier, according to real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield. Vacancy dropped a bit more on the Westside, where thriving technology and entertainment companies have been leading the growth, brokers said. In Orange County, landlords in its button-down corporate office market signed several leases last quarter, said Joe Vargas, regional manager of Cushman & Wakefield. "They are just having good job growth," he said. "Orange County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in California." ....Tech firm Google Inc. agreed to lease 80,000 square feet that will be constructed next to its current offices in Irvine.

Meanwhile, many office landlords in downtown Los Angeles continue to struggle even though their neighborhood is experiencing new vitality in housing, entertainment and shopping.

"Downtown is becoming a great place to be. It's vibrant at night," Vargas said. "We're just not seeing any real job growth."

Downtown office vacancy was about 21% in the first quarter, up 2 percentage points from the same quarter last year. Part of the reason for the decline in occupancy, Mumper said, is that when firms move or renew their leases, they tend to rent less space than they occupied before.

gerryberry · #**7751** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by citywatch

that's a nice pic. however, when I see the

tinker toy parking structure still sitting across from disney, yrs & yrs & yrs since it was first built.....I think going all the way back to the early 1970s....that is very exasperating. I wonder why change to such parts of dt has been so slow. Then I read things like this & have to go.....

i think it´s mostly because those industries growing right now and looking for office space, are more likely to settle on the westside. if downtown gets more of the high-end creative office space , those company´s will come!
but there´s some good news as well

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2013/04/08/287531.htm

ConstructDTLA · #**7752** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 8:23 PM**

Some pics of the building being renovated on Spring between 7th & 8th. It's going to be a restaurant. Very excited to see what comes of this.. So much potential! Let's hope they dont Figaro it up.

LA/OCman · #**7753** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 9:45 PM**

240 more apartments coming to Chinatown. Groundbreaking is next month! Yes, it is Blossom Plaza, finally.

http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/bloss...2d22052-a86c-11e2-9752-0019bb2963f4.html

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**7754** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 10:37 PM**

Yes! i drove by today and i was hoping to hear news soon! game changer for the area

alki · #**7755** Posted **Apr 19, 2013, 5:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark

wow. small world. Neil was my neighbor growing up. Used to play at his house and use his pool growing up. lol. Need to look him uo, last saw him at Grace a couple of years ago.

LOL. Should be good for the best seats in his new restaurant.

alki · #**7756** Posted **Apr 19, 2013, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterK

I didn't think anyone else would notice such a thing!

I think its this attention to detail and the small things that make DTs exciting. Whether this bldg turns out to be retail or a restaurant, I think it will be an interesting find as you walk along the street.

alki · #**7757** Posted **Apr 19, 2013, 6:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by brudy

I have jury duty this week so here's a view from the courthouse down Grand. Pretty nice. Also, a shot of the Broad under construction. I'm really interested in how they were going to form those organic columns on the ground level.

Grand needs a road diet.