LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

For me it's the materials. Stucco just looks so terrible in such a short amount of time. If they clad the building in literally anything different, it would look a lot better.




I always see people outside of Umanicatessen, and they don't seem to mind Broadway. It's so fascinating to me that the gentrification of Broadway is happening from south to north, unlike the rest of the historic core. Anyways, the owners of H. Lorezno, an ultra high end boutique selling conceptual clothing (Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Julius) have opened up a pop up store in the Arts District. Apparently, they want to bring ultra high end fashion downtown. Sounds good to me!

As you've pointed out, S. Broadway has gotten a lot more care, less crowded, and consequently much cleaner. The main area around the theaters though is grimy, crowded, loud, and has next to no upkeep. N. Broadway needs 5-years worth of repairs, paint, and cleaning behind its ears before I'd ever want to dine on a patio, let alone party on a rooftop.

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

It's making headway! Should be completed soon enough. I can't wait for the LED and construction to begin on the other 20+ story tower nextdoor

Agreed. I got a feeling those LEDs are going to be huge game changers because honestly that building looks cheap during the day, especially right next to the Ritz. Hopefully it can at least complement the loudness and lights of LA Live at night.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I don't expect this to do well. Food is one thing- office workers need to eat- but stores rely on street level activity to survive, and FigAt7th is sort of out of the way. The store would do a lot better if it was on Broadway, or 7th.

The article makes reference to more clothing retail coming to FigAt7th. And once the Macy's fortress remake is done, you'll have a lot of shopping in close proximity. I think it's going to do pretty well. Either way, we have a year to armchair quarterback it.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

As you've pointed out, S. Broadway has gotten a lot more care, less crowded, and consequently much cleaner. The main area around the theaters though is grimy, crowded, loud, and has next to no upkeep. N. Broadway needs 5-years worth of repairs, paint, and cleaning behind its ears before I'd ever want to dine on a patio, let alone party on a rooftop.

You should try the patio at Maccheroni Republic at 3rd and Broadway. It's very nice, and the food is awesome.

[alki]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

For me it's the materials. Stucco just looks so terrible in such a short amount of time. If they clad the building in literally anything different, it would look a lot better.

Have you seen the bldg up close.......... I doubt they used stucco. If it is stucco, though, then it will need to be painted periodically. Unfortunately, apt owners don't like having to do that kind of maintenance........and therein lies the problem.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

if i recall correctly, its not stucco and the building actually looks damn good in my opinion. It adds flavor to the otherwise pretty drab area

[Valyrian Steel]

Looks OK to me minus the random colors, an element that seems to be the trend with all these 7 story buildings being built/proposed around the city.

[LA/OCman]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

if i recall correctly, its not stucco and the building actually looks damn good in my opinion. It adds flavor to the otherwise pretty drab area

I drove by it last week and thought it looked great. It is adjacent to this beautifully restored building on Bixel (Bixel House Apartments).

http://lahd.lacity.org/internetprojects/ProjectDetail.aspx?EntryID=185&ptype=c

This area was a dump only a few years ago and it is really looking clean and urban these days.

[alki]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

The height I can deal with. DTLA adjacent communities can handle having plenty of shorter structures. It's the materials, crayola colors, and lack of distinguishing features or identity. It's an uninteresting box that already looks dated IMO.

As individual bldgs, they are pretty meh but when you have them line up on a street, it creates an attractive wall to the street. There is a street here where a lot of 6-7 story bldgs have gone up in the last 5 years and the feel is not unlike a street in Paris........there is a uniformity to the bldgs but taken together they work to create an active street life with lots of pedestrians. I think that may happen in City West.

[alki]

Originally Posted by LA/OCman

I understand the LA Center Studios (where Mad Men has been filmed) is a busy studio with 6 sound stages. This property used to the the Union 76 HQ and is located on 20 acres in City West.

I am looking for the studios to set up divisions DT......like Disney's animation division.........whose employees would get off on the DT atmosphere; not necessarily sound stages. Divisions that suck up office space. The studios could easily absorb a million sq ft. That does not even take into consideration the supporting cos. that want to be close and take up additional space.

Last week in Curbed LA, it was announced that three studios were expanding.........Disney and Universal in the Valley and Glendale, and Paramount on Melrose. Why not DTLA?

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by alki

I am looking for the studios to set up divisions DT......like Disney's animation division.........whose employees would get off on the DT atmosphere; not necessarily sound stages. Divisions that suck up office space. The studios could easily absorb a million sq ft. That does not even take into consideration the supporting cos. that want to be close and take up additional space.

Last week in Curbed LA, it was announced that three studios were expanding.........Disney and Universal in the Valley and Glendale, and Paramount on Melrose. Why not DTLA?

Because it makes more sense to expand than relocate.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

Because it makes more sense to expand than relocate.

Agreed. Though it would be nice, studios downtown is a pipe dream - not something thats going to happen in our lifetime.

The focus of the thread should honestly be on stopping Delijani from turning historic core into a club district. This would genuinely ruin downtown for a generation.

[dweebo2220]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

Should we start taking bets on when Glo gets repainted?

Oh my god I have spent way too much time in my life imagining a white, de-ass-hatted Glo.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by HunterK

The focus of the thread should honestly be on stopping Delijani from turning historic core into a club district. This would genuinely ruin downtown for a generation.

Why? Clubbing is part of L.A. culture. I see no issue with it.

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by HunterK

Agreed. Though it would be nice, studios downtown is a pipe dream - not something thats going to happen in our lifetime.

The focus of the thread should honestly be on stopping Delijani from turning historic core into a club district. This would genuinely ruin downtown for a generation.

Streetcar or no streetcar, there is no 'Bringing Back Broadway' if the theaters aren't somehow involved. We're probably never gonna get a row of movie theaters or comedy clubs or live performance venues like we all dream about. If Delijani preserves the facades, seating, and stages to these four theaters, this plan may be our best bet.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by alki

Major coup. That will set the tone for the rest of the shops in Figat7th and gives what Rakovich does with Macy's even more potential. Exciting stuff. DT is turning a corner. Now if one of the studios would step up to the plate......

that's hopeful news, & I really want them to lure enough shoppers to keep the momentum going.

when the owner of the fig at 7th a few yrs ago released renderings of what their revamped shopping ctr would look like upon completion, there were modified names of generally more expensive stores inked in, like 'neiman narcus' . I at the time hoped that wasn't just artistic license & too much of a pipe dream.


timeout.com

for such shops to do well, they'll need to be in locations where lots & lots, & lots, of serious women customers are milling about, while the upcoming sports chalet will depend on lots of ppl in general who have enough $$ in their purses or wallets.

mojeda's recent comments about a regrettable problem he had with a break in....even though that happens in all parts of town....still is the type of crime that in the minds of some of those potential serious shoppers is closely associated with dtla. so there has long been a built in resistance by various women in particular to treat the hood as a comfortable place to spend time in. That will be somewhat changed if more of the grime & intimidating deadzones all over dt are eliminated, but it has been a stumbling block til now.

I'm very curious....& also hopeful...about the current effort to upgrade the grand central mkt, which even more than fig at 7th is going through unchartered waters right now.



la.eater.com

Grand Central Market downtown is about to get a little bit sweeter with the onset of Valerie at Grand Central Market, a new bakery and cafe from Valerie Gordon (Valerie Confections), opening on May 31. Located in the center of the open-air market, Valerie at GCM materializes as a modern take on the classic lunch/coffee shop counter, serving up dishes like The Brown Derby Cobb Salad, a Club Special, a Diet Plate, chili and hot dogs from Let's Be Frank.

btw, your quote line from a forumer's post included a dig at me that, in light of its author giving back rubs to a notorious troll & flame baiter, makes me want to say: consider the source.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by brudy

You should try the patio at Maccheroni Republic at 3rd and Broadway. It's very nice, and the food is awesome.

brudy, you beat me to the punch. Maccheroni Republic is quite nice, especially at night. I've eaten there many times and will be back many times again.

1111 Wilshire is most definitely stucco. I watched them apply it.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by HunterK

Agreed. Though it would be nice, studios downtown is a pipe dream - not something thats going to happen in our lifetime.

The focus of the thread should honestly be on stopping Delijani from turning historic core into a club district. This would genuinely ruin downtown for a generation.

I disagree with this. I'm 29 now. I've been going to clubs and raves since I was 14. There are people in the world who come to LA just to go to the clubs here. Look at all the clubs in Hollywood that are known the world over: LAX, Area, The Roxy, Avalon just to name a few. Look at the success of EDC when it was here. HARD Summer has been going strong for a few years now and only getting bigger.

I would love to see a nice club district in DTLA.

[RuFFy]

Originally Posted by citywatch

btw, your quote line from a forumer's post included a dig at me that, in light of its author giving back rubs to a notorious troll & flame baiter, makes me want to say: consider the source.

The source was the LA Times, and you're still being childish.

[blackcat23]

Could you guys take the fight elsewhere?