LOS ANGELES | Central City Project Rundown 5.0

[delts145]

Made my power walk down Broadway early this morning, and was very excited to see the extensions of the sidewalks and curbs. Broadway is one of my favorite streets for gazing and daydreaming of the possibilities.

I'm still feeling that inevitable Los Angeles tug to "Go West Young Man, Go West!" However, after seeing the movement on Broadway, maybe there's still hope for me to remain Downtown.

I don't know though. I get kind of discouraged walking through Pico Union and the other surrounding neighborhoods. The trash is so overwhelming sometimes. I would like to see if we could institute some kind of ticketing, making the landowners responsible for their own curb cleanliness. If they allow trash to accumulate, then they will be fined. The street sweepers once a week are just not even beginning to deal with the issue properly.

[blackcat23]

Regional Connector is getting closer and closer. Looks like the Senor Fish building is about to bite the dust, making way for the new Little Tokyo Station.


http://buildinglosangeles.blogspot.com/2014/06/former-atomic-cafe-making-way-for.html

[alki]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

Some pics from earlier today.

Cliftons by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Cliftons 2 by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

I had never looked closely at the Clifton facade before. You all probably know this but its not original. The two stories of wood were added by Clifton in the 1930s. He was trying to make it look like a lodge in the mts he would visit back in the day. The plastic plants were a very nice touch of authenticity.........I can feel the alpine breezes on my skin as I look at them.

In any case, it looks like Mieran, the new owner, has run out of money and the bldg may look like this for a while.

[WonderlandPark]

Originally Posted by alki

In any case, it looks like Mieran, the new owner, has run out of money and the bldg may look like this for a while.

aaah. that explains the pause. hope they get this back on track soon.

[alki]

Originally Posted by delts145

Made my power walk down Broadway early this morning, and was very excited to see the extensions of the sidewalks and curbs. Broadway is one of my favorite streets for gazing and daydreaming of the possibilities.

I'm still feeling that inevitable Los Angeles tug to "Go West Young Man, Go West!" However, after seeing the movement on Broadway, maybe there's still hope for me to remain Downtown.

I don't know though. I get kind of discouraged walking through Pico Union and the other surrounding neighborhoods. The trash is so overwhelming sometimes. I would like to see if we could institute some kind of ticketing, making the landowners responsible for their own curb cleanliness. If they allow trash to accumulate, then they will be fined. The street sweepers once a week are just not even beginning to deal with the issue properly.

What are the specific reasons you would move to West LA? You mention trash up above. Are there others?

[alki]

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark

aaah. that explains the pause. hope they get this back on track soon.

Yeah, its been nearly 4 years since he bought the bldg..........it doesn't take 4 years to rehab a 4 story bldg...........and this one doesn't look any where near completion.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by alki

I
In any case, it looks like Mieran, the new owner, has run out of money and the bldg may look like this for a while.

Where'd you hear that? Not doubting you, but I recently heard he was shooting for a fall opening.

[c1tyguy]

I haven't seen it mentioned here before, but DTLA is getting its first "official" gay bar at Broadway & 4th. The building is currently under renovation and it appears that the second story windows will open fully on to Broadway and 4th, increasing the presence of activity and eyes on the street. This establishment is sure to liven up this dead intersection.

From OutTravler "Hip downtown Los Angeles crosses the gentrification threshold with the first brick-and-mortar gay bar opening this summer on Broadway and Fourth in the Historic Core, Frontiers reports." http://www.outtraveler.com/destination-g...ying-downtown-la-getting-its-own-gay-bar

[delts145]

Originally Posted by alki

What are the specific reasons you would move to West LA? You mention trash up above. Are there others?

Really, trash would be the only reason. Much of Downtown itself is actually not so bad as far as street trash goes. Of course there's still the homeless issue, which in certain blocks can be over the top. However, there is so much progress being made downtown, and it is changing so quickly for the better, that you can really feel the tangible hope.

I probably am talking more specifically the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown. I love the architecture of areas like Pico Union and also much of the central neighborhoods between Western and Figueroa like West Adams, etc. I just get overwhelmed by the trash at times. We really need our land/property owners to take responsibility. Handing out tickets to pedestrian littering is just a pipe dream. Make the property owners responsible, and start sending out litter maids as zealously as meter maids, and we'd see a whole new and cleaner central city.

[alki]

Originally Posted by brudy

Where'd you hear that? Not doubting you, but I recently heard he was shooting for a fall opening.

Speculation on my part...........that bldg doesn't look 3 mos away from opening. It seems he gives out a new opening date every six months. He needs to sell it to someone who has the capital to do the rehab.

[dweebo2220]

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN

I'm alone in this but I quite like Ava. It's absolutely not as bad as people make it out to be. It fits perfect with Little Tokyo and will add quite a bit into that node.

If they just removed the godawful (and contrasting color palate) colored balcony glass and painted the "sticky-outy" angle square things to a matching grey, this wouldn't be terrible. The problem is all the disjointed baubles that have been added on. If you're going to have more than two colors on your building, you'd better be really skilled in employing them.

All in all, I think this building can relatively easily and cheaply be fixed a couple years from now after enough people make a mockery of it.

Palmer's projects, on the other hand...

[brudy]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

Some pics from earlier today.
AVA
Ava Little Tokyo 10 by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Look at the orange siding on the bottom in this shot - it looks incredibly cheap and even worse in real life. It's like they're trying to hide the cheapness of the materials by blinding people with 6 or 7 different colors. But you're right, it's potentially fixable.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by brudy

Look at the orange siding on the bottom in this shot - it looks incredibly cheap and even worse in real life. It's like they're trying to hide the cheapness of the materials by blinding people with 6 or 7 different colors. But you're right, it's potentially fixable.

When all those colors inevitably fade in the Socal sun its going to look even better.

[BrianMojo]

Originally Posted by c1tyguy

I haven't seen it mentioned here before, but DTLA is getting its first "official" gay bar at Broadway & 4th. The building is currently under renovation and it appears that the second story windows will open fully on to Broadway and 4th, increasing the presence of activity and eyes on the street. This establishment is sure to liven up this dead intersection.

From OutTravler "Hip downtown Los Angeles crosses the gentrification threshold with the first brick-and-mortar gay bar opening this summer on Broadway and Fourth in the Historic Core, Frontiers reports." http://www.outtraveler.com/destination-g...ying-downtown-la-getting-its-own-gay-bar

Oh man, this is awesome! I don't really care at all who the tenant is -- and there are a lot of gay men in this area, hopefully it will do really well! -- but having this building activated & renovated will be great. This corner seriously needs some love. The muraled building in the right of the rendering has already been lovingly renovated, this will be a great addition. I honestly didn't think that we'd see this much action at 4th and Broadway so soon!

Now if we could just get someone to buy and tear down that burnt out building on the NE corner...

[BrandonJXN]

Could've sworn Jalisco was a gay bar...

[BrianMojo]

Originally Posted by alki

Speculation on my part...........that bldg doesn't look 3 mos away from opening. It seems he gives out a new opening date every six months. He needs to sell it to someone who has the capital to do the rehab.

I'm really worried that he did run out of money. But honestly, he seems like the type to do things right if The Edison is any indication. So I imagine even if he opens with a less-than-perfect facade, he'd go back and fix it up later.

[BrianMojo]

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN

Could've sworn Jalisco was a gay bar...

Yeah I'm not sure how they can claim to be the 1st gay bar in downtown. That's just no accurate. But hey, the more the merrier

[ThomJames]

Originally Posted by alki

Yeah, its been nearly 4 years since he bought the bldg..........it doesn't take 4 years to rehab a 4 story bldg...........and this one doesn't look any where near completion.

Um...FYI, it took Bottega Louie almost 3 1/2 years to complete construction and that is in a one story unit. He is trying to put 3 or 4 concepts all under one roof which involve food production.

You shouldn't make such dumb and authoritative comments when you have no clue as to what you're talking about.

You're just another annoying armchair quarterback on this blog, that is negative about almost everything with obviously no development experience.

No Trolls

[brudy]

Originally Posted by BrianMojo

Oh man, this is awesome! I don't really care at all who the tenant is -- and there are a lot of gay men in this area, hopefully it will do really well! -- but having this building activated & renovated will be great. This corner seriously needs some love. The muraled building in the right of the rendering has already been lovingly renovated, this will be a great addition. I honestly didn't think that we'd see this much action at 4th and Broadway so soon!

Now if we could just get someone to buy and tear down that burnt out building on the NE corner...

There have been plans floated for the NE and SE corners of 4th and Broadway. Both towers.

[alki]

Originally Posted by ThomJames

Um...FYI, it took Bottega Louie almost 3 1/2 years to complete construction and that is in a one story unit. He is trying to put 3 or 4 concepts all under one roof which involve food production.

You shouldn't make such dumb and authoritative comments when you have no clue as to what you're talking about.

You're just another annoying armchair quarterback on this blog, that is negative about almost everything with obviously no development experience.

No Trolls

Excuse me but rehabbing bldgs is what I did for a living. It doesn't take 3 1/2 years to do a Bottega Louie and it doesn't take 4 years to do a 4 story bldg. He's stretched too thin financially........I don't have to see his bank statement to know that.........so, please, stop with the troll comments.