LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[Wilcal]

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

From the flyer:

Thank you for your correction. I did not see that, I must have been flash-blinded when I initially looked at the "art" in the posted photo. At least the [B]widened[B] sidewalk will allow the pedestrian to quickly move across a very barren and uninviting bridge. Also, they will be able to easily walk around LA's Triforium II

[Wilcal]

Thank you for your correction. I did not see that, I must have been flash-blinded when I initially looked at the "art" in the posted photo. At least the [B]widened[B] sidewalk will allow the pedestrian to quickly move across a very barren and uninviting bridge. Also, they will be able to easily walk around LA's Triforium II

[brudy]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

Exactly! I am not convinced there is a shortage of land downtown but if there is, all of these 7-8 story wood buildings would encourage development of marginal land downtown (such as next to the rail yards around Union Station). It will also encourage development throughout LA- Hollywood, Century City, Koreatown. This should be LA's strategy, encourage development downtown, while also developing all of the other regional nodes which LA is known for.

You think the city should encourage throw away construction in a high density, transit accessible neighborhood?

[brudy]

Originally Posted by inSaeculaSaeculorum

LA's population and economic dispersion doesn't warrant much beyond stucco boxes anywhere. The trick is to being transit to density nodes rather than trying to bring everyone to DTLA

Yes, because we all know trains get built faster and cheaper than buildings and that the money all comes from the source.

What's in the water this weekend? Sheesh...

[blackcat23]

Originally Posted by inSaeculaSaeculorum

LA's population and economic dispersion doesn't warrant much beyond stucco boxes anywhere. The trick is to being transit to density nodes rather than trying to bring everyone to DTLA

Originally Posted by inSaeculaSaeculorum

there is literally no reason to build in downtown los angeles other than to build a glorified shopping mall. LA's population growth has stagnated and it's financial base is diffused throughout the region, as opposed to most traditional urban centers where its concertrated in one area. i'm not sure that resonates in the heads of all the nerds here but LA's urban dream field rests on developing areas OUTSIDE of DTLA and bringing transit to places OUTSIDE of DTLA. DTLA will become a glorified Grove so there is no incentive to build high or big, wooden stucco boxes make economic sense for this neighborhood and thats what we'll get for the short term AND the long term. get used to it, guys. The LA Metro construction thread is way more important than the DTLA construction thread. It's no coincidence that all the better designed projects are happening outside of DTLA. I feel sorry for the nerds here that get excited over terrible retail like Acne or a crappy highrise like 9th and olive via massive desperation. but this menatlity is poisonous too. the focus on DTLA is hurting the city as a whole. We'll never be a world class city if we keep focusing on DTLA. Sorry simcity nerds, this isn't how life works

Not sure why you bothered editing your post, since three other forumers had already quoted you. If you're going to throw rocks, don't run and hide afterwards.

[RuFFy]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

This should be LA's strategy, encourage development downtown, while also developing all of the other regional nodes which LA is known for.

This has been the natural growth pattern of the Greater LA Area for the past 100 years. I don't see why it would change anytime soon.

[alki]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Not sure why you bothered editing your post, since three other forumers had already quoted you. If you're going to throw rocks, don't run and hide afterwards.

I think he realized how silly he sounded. DTLA may be smaller than one might expect when the overall city is the second largest in the country. However, it is still a very significant node with over 200K working DT and nearly 50K living there. I personally believe DTLA is reclaiming its rightful position in the hierarchal scheme of things in LA.

[Mojeda101]

Found someone on instagram who works on the Courtyard Marriott. They should be testing out the LED lights by September. I didn't expect to see it so early. IMO he's probably mistaken considering it won't be open until 2014. I haven't heard anything on the next-door Renaissance. It's mid 2013, and considering the pace of how the Courtyard went up(started in early 2011, to be opened in summer of 2014), if the renaissance wants to open up in early 2016, it should have started prep work by now. It's alright past mid 2013 ffs.

[Valyrian Steel]

^ The Courtyard Marriott began work on the May, 2012.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Using San Francisco's Union Square as a model for LA's Pershing Square future redesign efforts?






http://brighamyen.com/2013/08/26/ideas-d...-model-la-pershing-square-redevelopment/

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by eclipse

^ The Courtyard Marriott began work on the May, 2012.

That link lied to me >.<

[blackcat23]

Uh oh?

http://buildinglosangeles.blogspot.com/2013/08/is-gh-palmer-bringing-more-residential.html

We may be in store for yet another Tuscan themed apartment building in City West. The "Under Development," section of G.H. Palmer Associates' website was recently updated to include a 9.6 acre property at 1000 W. Temple Street. The website currently provides no information on the number of units planned or a completion date.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Uh oh?

http://buildinglosangeles.blogspot.com/2013/08/is-gh-palmer-bringing-more-residential.html

Seriously? The city cannot allow him to keep building all that crap. Why the hell do they all need to look the same? The dude is a one trick pony. And the ugliest freakin pony in the world at that.

[Valyrian Steel]

Palmer is building his own little Tuscan-themed town by the freeways.

[alki]

Originally Posted by eclipse

Palmer is building his own little Tuscan-themed town by the freeways.

Its called New Firenza.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Jia Apartments


Untitled by mojeda101, on Flickr

8th and Grand


Untitled by mojeda101, on Flickr

I generally don't make a big issue of new devlpt that isn't architecturally ideal or wonderful to me. But I have to say that the jia apt bldgs do look like they've been overly value engineered to me. I know that the large stucco walls of the proj as viewed from the side along broadway are not too inspiring. however, I still think the average person....& not fanboys (or fangirls) of big highrises or sleek urban design....is more likely to grade LA negatively due to really rundown or deadzone parts of hoods like dt, & not cuz of newer devlpt like jia.

as for 8th & grand, it seems like they've been doing nothing but moving dirt around for wks & wks & wks. If I didn't know better, I'd think that proj is actually going to be the world's biggest swimming pool

mojeda, your pics always help keep me tuned into what's going on in dt.

[StethJeff]

At this point, as long as we keep it clean and classy within the freeways, I could care less about another Palmeroni. If the infinite dead space of outer LA had these buildings instead of the one-story stucco dump that's pretty much everywhere, it'd be an improvement. DTLA proper has plenty of prime open space for towers. Not worth getting worked up over freeway-adjacent infill IMO.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

Using San Francisco's Union Square as a model for LA's Pershing Square future redesign efforts?

brigham, I think I'm less impressed by the design of union sq than you or others are, &, in turn, I'm less underwhelmed by pershing sq. So I'm not sure if another redesign of another redesign of another redesign of pershing sq will be the magic answer.....or that it will be as much of a cure as some think it may be.

I'd say the bigger problem are things like the huge gap where the parkfifth proj was supposed to go up, & the fact that dtla still doesn't have all the locals, residents & visitors with $$ the way that SF does....& that help keeps union sq from being empty or unpopular, & where the ratio of homeless to other ppl isn't as topsy turvy as it is in dtla.

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Uh oh?

that's a bit of unexpected news, esp since that location is where a huge computer center for BofA was built over 20 yrs ago. I'd thought such a large bldg would mean it was less likely that GH palmer would want to buy that property & presumably eventually tear it down.

In a way that's sad cuz it shows how such places of employment no longer serve a purpose in dtla. But it also means that a now lightly used part of the hood may be given a new life in the future.

I hope it means the devlpr also is so confident in dt, that not only is he willing to buy another piece of land before working on what he already owns, but that his other property in the hood....the sites on broadway....is even more likely to see construction underway sooner rather than later. And it doesn't appear that those bldgs will be more cloned fake tuscans.

I'd be more towards GH palmer if his bldgs were not just tacky but cheap too. While they may look or seem low budget to some ppl in terms of tastes & design, all the fake bric a brac & heavy landscaping probably run up the costs. However, why he keeps xeroxing his bldgs is puzzling & does seem to show laziness on his part.

[Munchitup]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

At this point, as long as we keep it clean and classy within the freeways, I could care less about another Palmeroni. If the infinite dead space of outer LA had these buildings instead of the one-story stucco dump that's pretty much everywhere, it'd be an improvement. DTLA proper has plenty of prime open space for towers. Not worth getting worked up over freeway-adjacent infill IMO.

While I too dislike most of Palmer's work, I have to agree with you on this. Especially considering what that area looks like now: http://goo.gl/maps/yA6y3

Temple really does look like a freeway here. If there is even the slightest amount of street-interaction (basically the level of his other buildings) with the new buildings it will be a big improvement over what is currently there.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by Munchitup

While I too dislike most of Palmer's work, I have to agree with you on this. Especially considering what that area looks like now: http://goo.gl/maps/yA6y3

Temple really does look like a freeway here. If there is even the slightest amount of street-interaction (basically the level of his other buildings) with the new buildings it will be a big improvement over what is currently there.

It will be right next to the Canvas LA building, which isn't bad. There's not much to walk to with the school across the street, but you're only a hill climb away from Music Center, WDCH, Bunker Hill. Definitely still outskirts at the moment, but it doesn't have remain that way, especially as the rest of the Related stuff gets built. I think this area could be highly desirable. Walkable, yet not in the sometimes craziness of the historic core.

That immediate area of Echo Park will turn over in 5-10 years and those single family houses will shoot through the roof. You can't get closer to downtown and get single family home.