LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[JerellO]

Originally Posted by black_crow

Seriously???

Why do you need a two way route for a few miles?
That project is very important for Downtown and it will break ground.

We were in contact with the people in charge and they were just waiting for Measure M.
One of the reasons I never see anything of Downtown is the missing streetcar.
I don't drive my car or drive the bus once I am in Downtown and I know many people that think the same way.

Give people options.

PS:

That one will ge build fast once they break ground.

One way streetcar is great but a two way streetcarnis better... because say I wanna go to grand central market or north broadway but I'm too tired or my feet hurt... so i decide to take the street car cause it's convenient.. but now I have to go through the whole loop because it's one way, whereas if it were two way all I have to do is ride up broadway.

I mean I guess they can always add another loop?

[Peaks]

Originally Posted by JerellO

One way streetcar is great but a two way streetcarnis better... because say I wanna go to grand central market or north broadway but I'm too tired or my feet hurt... so i decide to take the street car cause it's convenient.. but now I have to go through the whole loop because it's one way, whereas if it were two way all I have to do is ride up broadway.

I mean I guess they can always add another loop?

The loop is only a short block away between Broadway and Hill, the rest of the loop is a further walk but since the StreetCar will hit Staples Center, Nokia Theater etc. etc. it will have good ridership numbers.

My Figueroa street plan incorporated the StreetCar into it's plans....so no big deal.

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by JerellO

One way streetcar is great but a two way streetcarnis better... because say I wanna go to grand central market or north broadway but I'm too tired or my feet hurt... so i decide to take the street car cause it's convenient.. but now I have to go through the whole loop because it's one way, whereas if it were two way all I have to do is ride up broadway.

I mean I guess they can always add another loop?

I get your point, but I doubt that they build another loop soon. They might extend that one at one point, but you never know.

Everything is possible. To see some light rail in Downtown is just awesome and it's important for South Park.
Finally some big city flair in Downtown.

[Valyrian Steel]

Originally Posted by black_crow

I get your point, but I doubt that they build another loop soon. They might extend that one at one point, but you never know.

Everything is possible. To see some light rail in Downtown is just awesome and it's important for South Park.
Finally some big city flair in Downtown.

Is a streetcar actually considered light rail? And there is already light rail downtown (blue/expo, gold).

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

Is a streetcar actually considered light rail?

Call it whatever you want, streetcar or light rail.
We won't blame you.

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

And there is already light rail downtown (blue/expo, gold).

That was a good one, but yes Sir.

You are a master of words, but I am pretty sure you know that the streetcar has a different task.

[SLO]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I feel the same way, not just about the towers on Bunker Hill but with Union Bank and Bonaventure as well. They're all practically screaming to have their cancerous, appendage-like bases cut off.

But the one that frustrates me the most BY FAR is Citi Bank. Good god that tower could not have been placed any worse on its lot.

Its sad they placed the towers like that. Kind of like placing a house on a residential lot. Its less than urban, not sure they can or will do anything now....

[JerellO]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

Is a streetcar actually considered light rail? And there is already light rail downtown (blue/expo, gold).

Again it's nice to have options, mainly I love the streetcar because it gives that visual appeal and charm... like San Francisco, Portland and San Diego. And also because the streetcar will serve areas where the light rail doesn't reach like Broadway, down 7th or 9th, and Olympic blvd

[Resident]

The intial streetcar will have 3 different "Loops" when it starts. You will have two cars that take the full lap around. You will also have two cars that go from fig to 7th to broadway to 11th to fig on repeat. You will have another two cars going 2nd to broadway to 7th to hill on repeat.


This is idiot proof transportation. There are plenty of people who visit DTLA for conventions or tourists and would never take a bus or subway but would take a streetcar. This will allow people to get around easily without getting lost. It will also serve a ton of area that doesn't have easy connections now. It will literally connected the entire main DTLA with public transportation.

[Eightball]

^^^ exactly it doesn't make sense to go in to the subway to go a short distance downtown. And the streetcar will be 5x more pleasant and easier to use than the bus. It will be a big hit imo

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

Is a streetcar actually considered light rail? And there is already light rail downtown (blue/expo, gold).

• Video Link

[DTLA-Joe]

Love the idea of a streetcar, but dislike the one way route being implemented, totally useless if your at 11th and Broadway and want to go North on Broadway. Wish it was two way travel, or get rid of the big loop in south park.
Better idea IMHO, two way travel the length of Broadway with a two way cut over to Pico station.

[blackcat23]

Renderings revealed for 12-story Arts District development

[ChargerCarl]

I like how the video admits that they're doing this for the land value and that its nothing more than an expensive bus.

[Doctorboffin]

^^Holy Heck, that is a good looking building.

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by scania

To me, that hill to get up there isn't pedestrian friendly. If you are talking about making the hill more ped-friendly with housing of some sort...I think that would be a start.

..... I'm talking about a total transformation of the entire area. Adding density, adding residents, getting rid of the plazas and pushing the buildings to the street somehow.... I gave an example of what I would do with Cal Plaza and its god awful layered plaza. I get that the steep sides of Bunker Hill makes it odd and completely kills pedestrian activity, but at the same time...when we see cities like SF, Seattle and others doing it beautifully, at this point in time, we're just giving excuses as to why something cant get done and get done properly.

Gut the bases of the buildings that anchor the sides of the hill to add retail to continue the pedestrian flow. Add residents to make it a 24hr environment, that section of 4th street between fig and grand could easily be turned into a cap park, give office workers a reason to flood onto the streets of Downtown, bunker hill specifically, rather than the current drive in at 9 and drive out at 5.

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I feel the same way, not just about the towers on Bunker Hill but with Union Bank and Bonaventure as well. They're all practically screaming to have their cancerous, appendage-like bases cut off.

But the one that frustrates me the most BY FAR is Citi Bank. Good god that tower could not have been placed any worse on its lot.

I totally agree. I get that the Bonaventure is somewhat of a landmark now, but I've always considered it the grandfather of what's wrong with downtown and bunker hill. Between its Monolithic/Fortress like base, pedestrian brides and weird homage to suburbanites with its lack of street facing retail but tons of empty inward facing retail like a mall, it just screams WRONG.

Originally Posted by King Kill 'em

They need to fix 4th street.

I say get rid of the odd on/off ramps and cover 4th with a cap park between fig and grand.

[bzcat]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

Is a streetcar actually considered light rail? And there is already light rail downtown (blue/expo, gold).

All modern streetcars are light rail but not all light rails are streetcars.

Lightrail generally refers to the conduction technology - i.e. overhead wires and hangers. (as opposed to heavy rail, which is powered by 3rd rail and not overhead wires and hangers)

Streetcars generally refers to lightrail that travel in mixed traffic mode.

Think of it as a sliding scale... on one extreme is streetcars that doesn't have its own exclusive lane (i.e. streetcars that travel in lanes shared by other vehicles like the old LA streetcars), and the other extreme is light rail that is completely grade separated in exclusive guideways (i.e. Green line). In the middle is LA Streetcars (exclusive lane in mixed traffic) and Expo/Blue/Gold line (exclusive lane in mixed traffic + some exclusive guideways)

Originally Posted by Resident

The intial streetcar will have 3 different "Loops" when it starts. You will have two cars that take the full lap around. You will also have two cars that go from fig to 7th to broadway to 11th to fig on repeat. You will have another two cars going 2nd to broadway to 7th to hill on repeat.

Is this really the approved operational mode? I thought the 7th street track was a service track to position the streetcars. I don't recall reading that they plan to operate 3 separate loops.

This is idiot proof transportation. There are plenty of people who visit DTLA for conventions or tourists and would never take a bus or subway but would take a streetcar. This will allow people to get around easily without getting lost. It will also serve a ton of area that doesn't have easy connections now. It will literally connected the entire main DTLA with public transportation.

Agree 100%

Never mind tourists... lots of locals will never take the DASH but will gladly take the streetcars.

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by Resident

This is idiot proof transportation. There are plenty of people who visit DTLA for conventions or tourists and would never take a bus or subway but would take a streetcar.

As DTLA grows as a tourist destination the streetcar will certainly make it more visitor friendly. But it needs to be extended to other areas like Little Tokyo, Union Station/Olvera St, and Chinatown.

Re: Earl of Sandwich. Odd choice of location. Probably a lot of lunch traffic but not sure about later on in the evenings. I would have thought they'd choose some place in South Park near LA Live.

[Suffice]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Renderings revealed for 12-story Arts District development

This is okay, but the buildings currently occupying that block will be missed. They truly represent the spirit of the Arts District like few other parts of the neighborhood do.

[King Kill 'em]

^It has kind of a Houston vibe to it.

[Doctorboffin]

I guess I am crazy, but I like the new base more then the old one. I think the top could use a little work, some meshing or continuing the the black beams from that one story area. Heck it would be perfect in my book if they just made the whole building like that black middle, kind of like the dream hotel in Hollywood.