LOS ANGELES | Central City Project Rundown 5.0

[colemonkee]

Great shots, denizen! I shutter to say this, but could Olympic and Hill possibly be uglier than Ava Little Tokyo? I mean, that baby diarrhea yellow-brown has to win some sort of architectural Razzie Award.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

Great shots, denizen! I shutter to say this, but could Olympic and Hill possibly be uglier than Ava Little Tokyo? I mean, that baby diarrhea yellow-brown has to win some sort of architectural Razzie Award.

I think it is certainly uglier, but everyone seems to disagree with me.

[SimonLA]

New permitting process could shave months off construction timelines: http://www.latimes.com/business/realesta...permits-construction-20141120-story.html

[Muji]

Originally Posted by 112597jorge

why cant they just rebuild it the same way as 1939, with same landscaping and trees. I cant even understand why they would destroy such a nicely landscaped and true urban square.

Odd as it may seem, by the 1940s Pershing Square's trees were seen as a major nuisance, blamed for providing hiding spots for thieves and harboring a rat infestation. Not unlike today, the park was also a popular gathering spot for the city's down and out, and back then the place was packed with benches. This is basically why fewer seats and reduced plant cover were the high priorities during the 1950s redesign.

Pershing Square today definitely has its design flaws, but I suspect that the city's never-ending complaints about the park's near-constant redesigns have always been about a class-based conflict over who should use the park. We've avoided thinking about that question altogether for the past century, so we keep convincing ourselves that we can redesign and build our way out of the problem.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

I think it is certainly uglier, but everyone seems to disagree with me.

dtladenizen, they may not disagree with you as much as they may not be paying really close attention to such things to begin with. If so, they're probably too distracted by all the areas throughout dt that still desperately need infill devlpt, or enough new devlpt to give dtla a complete, satisfactory feeling.

Your many pics.....which are the next best thing to actually being in dt.....capture that in a way that's easy to overlook unless a person is actually on the scene, standing there, live & breathing with eyes looking at all the nooks & crannies throughout the hood.

I'm going to take the liberty of posting one of your pics today from your thread in the city photos section since it's a great overview of the plot of land where gh palmer's 2nd phase apt bldgs on broadway is going to go up.



North on Main by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr


^ that's one of many parking lots in very visible parts of dt. To replace most of them with something better means at least 20 to 30 yrs worth of new devlpt is required. That timeline might be sped up if an unforeseen tragedy occurs in, for example, SF & forces ppl.....& businesses....up north to have to relocate en mass to LA, or if a similar thing happens to ppl & businesses based in cities like NYC, boston or dallas.

[SimonLA]

Originally Posted by citywatch

^ that's one of many parking lots in very visible parts of dt. To replace most of them with something better means at least 20 to 30 yrs worth of new devlpt is required. That timeline might be sped up if an unforeseen tragedy occurs in, for example, SF & forces ppl.....& businesses....up north to have to relocate en mass to LA, or if a similar thing happens to ppl & businesses based in cities like NYC, boston or dallas.

That tragedy part is really bizarre and unnecessary. Who needs development that bad? Uh, moving on...

Wilshire Grand FB has new construction pics!

[alki]

Originally Posted by Muji

Odd as it may seem, by the 1940s Pershing Square's trees were seen as a major nuisance, blamed for providing hiding spots for thieves and harboring a rat infestation. Not unlike today, the park was also a popular gathering spot for the city's down and out, and back then the place was packed with benches. This is basically why fewer seats and reduced plant cover were the high priorities during the 1950s redesign.

Do you or anyone else know if the small trees with the large fronds closest to the plaza are bananas? They give PS a very tropical feel.

Pershing Square today definitely has its design flaws, but I suspect that the city's never-ending complaints about the park's near-constant redesigns have always been about a class-based conflict over who should use the park. We've avoided thinking about that question altogether for the past century, so we keep convincing ourselves that we can redesign and build our way out of the problem.

You raise a good point. The homeless are always going to congregate in urban locations.........esp in small parks and squares. Its not something that's ever going to go away....esp in LA with its warm climate. I don't think any redesign will stop that from happening.

[alki]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

^ Unless we have to go back to wearing those funny hats.

Yeah, and no jeans and shorts would be a problem too.

[LosAngelesDreamin]

Originally Posted by caligrad

Eh.... In terms of Pershing square I think we all have to agree that for the most part every one wants something different or their own version of a "city Square".... Just for the hell of it I googled what an actual city square should look like and googled the worlds most famous city squares and I think everyone on here might be surprised to see

1. No trees
2. lots of concrete
3. lots of cars surrounding it
4. parking built underneath sometimes

Sounds like I described Pershing square but that's actually what "city squares look like in every other city in the world"

I think in regards to Pershing square we are expecting to much from a space not even the size of a full city block. People are saying it shouldn't be a park but a city square....well city squares are full of concrete and we don't want that either, we want trees and gardens.....well that's a park... well we don't want a park....well that's a city square.... well we don't want concrete....... well that's a park...... well we don't want a kids play area...well that's a city square...........

Its like some people are trying to cram central park into the area the size of half a city block. Its not going to happen.

Keep the underground parking. reconfigure the ramps. Add some trees, some grass, some flowers, a fountain and call it a day. Doesn't need an event stage, doesn't need a kids play area....yet...... and doesn't need pink furniture.

Union Square, SF
Times Square, NYC
Herald Square, NYC

[LosAngelesDreamin]

Originally Posted by 112597jorge

why cant they just rebuild it the same way as 1939, with same landscaping and trees. I cant even understand why they would destroy such a nicely landscaped and true urban square.

i completely agree 100%

[112597jorge]

Originally Posted by alki

Do you or anyone else know if the small trees with the large fronds closest to the plaza are bananas? They give PS a very tropical feel.



You raise a good point. The homeless are always going to congregate in urban locations.........esp in small parks and squares. Its not something that's ever going to go away....esp in LA with its warm climate. I don't think any redesign will stop that from happening.

yes they are Bananas. I really wish the city would include them in the redesign, i would.

[alki]

A coup I hope happens to DTLA sometime going forward.

Viacom's West Coast Operations Moving Into Columbia Square

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/11/viacoms_west_coast_operations_moving_into_columbia_square.php

[Flavius Josephus]

Originally Posted by 112597jorge

yes they are Bananas. I really wish the city would include them in the redesign, i would.

Only if they're in pajamas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1iu2uGtlBw

[alki]

Originally Posted by 112597jorge

yes they are Bananas. I really wish the city would include them in the redesign, i would.

After I made that post, I remembered that in S CA, bananas can require a lot of oversight when growing them, esp in the public domain:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/problems-growing-bananas-42557.html

http://papayatreenursery.com/banana-planting-care/

@FJ..........LOL.

[kelbeen]

About a day ago

Little Tokyo
Ava Phase 2? Finally rising




Wilshire Grand

[alki]

Another lot getting filled.

Tucked-Away Little Tokyo Lot to Become Low-Rise Mixed-User




http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/11/tuckedaway_little_tokyo_parking_lot_to_become_mixeduser.php


Great photos.............denizen, Simon and Kelbeen.

[Kingofthehill]

Good to see those lots disappear one-by-one!

[blackcat23]

Latest restaurant to give the 8th/Fig intersection a try:

New Rendering: Fogo de Chão Opening Early 2015 in Downtown LA



_______________________________________________________________

http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/long-...97a35a2-711d-11e4-a656-9fa128ed06cf.html



The Central Area Planning Commission has rejected United HERE Local 11's appeals against the Chetrit Group's two hotel projects. The Clark is now scheduled to open in four months, followed by the Embassy Hotel in eight months. As always with the Chetrit Group, the proof will be in the pudding.

[Gram3000]

Best news ever since we first learned both properties would become boutique hotels like 30 years back!! Happy friday!!

[citywatch]

That's a relief! And with the hourly pay for workers at all hotels in LA soon to at a required level of $15.37 or more, the union has even less to complain about now.

however, I don't see how the clark hotel can possibly open in a few months....at least if the owner wants it to be taken seriously....given the appearance of most of its first floor. It's still nothing but mainly iron gated openings & looks about as inviting as a storage locker place or, worse, a prison. otoh, the ground level of the embassy looks quite nice.

the chetrit group has to be among the most puzzling property owners out there, since they're both very secretive & also take yrs & yrs to finish work on bldgs like the clark or embassy.

btw, all the talk about pershing sq needs to take into consideration that the original site was excavated in the 1950s & a large underground parking lot was installed. That's a big reason why the landscaping now & in the future can no longer be as nice & lush as it was over 80 yrs ago. Problems with drifters in dt....or at least in PS....even over 60 yrs ago is due in part to the hood never being home 24/7 to successful residents of LA, since very few nice apts or homes have ever existed in dtla, even back when it was more of the center of the city. that's a big difference between dtla & the traditionally urban parts of cities like SF, including the area around Union Sq.

that's why I think a major piece of the puzzle to enhancing PS depends as much not just on redesigning the square but also on things like filling in the corner of 5th & olive with nice new devlpt. The more ppl with $$ that are living in dt...or the more visitors wanting to spend their time there....the better it will be for areas like PS.