LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Bwin517]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Hey guys, i'll be updating the front page shortly. Take one last glance at it because I fear we might not have that many projects rising at once for awhile.

Can you add CityWest/Chinatown projects too? They are considered part of downtown

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by CaliNative

Would love to see at least one more supertall (ideally over 1200') before this boom winds down (hopefully it won't wind down). L.A.'s Empire State Building (but mixed use residential/office/hotel/retail). At Angel Knolls, on top of Bunker Hill, fronting Pershing Square or So. Fig. The 975 footer on So. Fig. almost qualifies as a super--maybe they can add a spire to get it well over 1000'? Is that approved & funded, or just a proposal?

It's proposed at this point. Might break ground in 2019 if I remember.

Also: What is LA's Empire State Building? What does that mean?

[blackcat23]

Groundbreaking next month for 4th/Broadway

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN

It's proposed at this point. Might break ground in 2019 if I remember.

Also: What is LA's Empire State Building? What does that mean?

I mean a building in L.A. that is as beloved, iconic, memorable, grand, architecturally significant and identifiable with LA as the ESB is for NYC or the Eiffel Tower is for Paris.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Groundbreaking next month for 4th/Broadway

This is a wonderful design. Like the way the base blends in with the older buildings. Nice.

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by CaliNative

I mean a building in L.A. that is as beloved, iconic, memorable, grand, architecturally significant and identifiable with LA as the ESB is for NYC or the Eiffel Tower is for Paris.

Most cities will never have an Empire State Building no matter what they build or how beautiful. This was a feat when skyscrapers were in their dawn and it took several decades before the Eiffel Tower was beloved. The French wanted to tear it down after the expo because they thought it was ugly. We are in the age where everyone and their grandma can throw up a new tallest building in the world and it is no longer a special thing. The ESB was built when this was a special thing and it reigned for almost 40 years as the tallest in the world and has decades of legacy and symbolism. Nowadays the world gets a new tallest every 5 years it seems.

It takes time to establish a legacy like ESB. I would venture to say that we already have our "ESB" and it's the Library Tower/US Bank. It's been in countless movies and is seen all over the world. I mean come on... it was the first building to get blown up in Independence Day. The best example I can think of is SF. I bet at the end of the day, new towers will take over the prime spots in San Francisco, but the Transamerica will still be what SF is known for because of its decades of legacy and it will be what tourists will want to see when they go there... not the Salesforce or whatever comes next. Our LA ESB is and will probably always be the Hollywood sign

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Most cities will never have an Empire State Building no matter what they build or how beautiful. This was a feat when skyscrapers were in their dawn and it took several decades before the Eiffel Tower was beloved. The French wanted to tear it down after the expo because they thought it was ugly. We are in the age where everyone and their grandma can throw up a new tallest building in the world and it is no longer a special thing. The ESB was built when this was a special thing and it reigned for almost 40 years as the tallest in the world and has decades of legacy and symbolism. Nowadays the world gets a new tallest every 5 years it seems.

It takes time to establish a legacy like ESB. I would venture to say that we already have our "ESB" and it's the Library Tower/US Bank. It's been in countless movies and is seen all over the world. I mean come on... it was the first building to get blown up in Independence Day. The best example I can think of is SF. I bet at the end of the day, new towers will take over the prime spots in San Francisco, but the Transamerica will still be what SF is known for because of its decades of legacy and it will be what tourists will want to see when they go there... not the Salesforce or whatever comes next. Our LA ESB is and will probably always be the Hollywood sign

Besides the Hollywood sign, also semi-iconic (not to the extent or height of ESB) are the Capital Records Building and City Hall, the "Daily Planet" in the old Superman TV show. City Hall (completed in late 1920s) is actually a very nice & dignified building, LA's 1st skyscraper. Love the Mayan pyramid crown. I think most people could identify it as an LA building. I would venture to say that LA City Hall is perhaps the most recognizable city hall in the U.S. Another LA icon is the Griffith Observatory. Love that place. An old LA area icon was the Mt. Lowe incline railroad, and the hotel at the top of the mountain. That was a huge tourist attraction in the early 20th century. Sadly, it fell into disrepair in the Great Depression, and was abandoned.

[Blesha13]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Groundbreaking next month for 4th/Broadway

4 years of construction is ridiculous and it only took Wilshire Grand 3 1/2 years for construction.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by Blesha13

4 years of construction is ridiculous and it only took Wilshire Grand 3 1/2 years for construction.

Yeah and it took a year to knock down the old Wilshire Grand.

[caligrad]

^^^ Right but this time there isn't anything to knock down. 4 years does seem a little ridiculous. Especially seeing how they wont be digging down tooo deep since this will be sitting on a parking podium. The best DAM* parking podium in the city.

In regards to LA having an ESB. Probably will never happen. We will get taller and taller buildings of course but I think, design/esthetics wise, US Bank tower will be our ESB as time goes on. As new, glass covered basic towers spring up and the downtown loop fills in, the US bank tower will stand out even more.

[blackcat23]

Raising the glass - video feature inside Oceanwide Plaza

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Raising the glass - video feature inside Oceanwide Plaza

It looks better than I expected.

[user2468]

Huge photo update below. Photos are in the order that I took them. I'll also be posting these in each project's respective thread. Enjoy!

Metropolis #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

Metropolis #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

888 S. Hope Street #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

Metropolis #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

900 S. Figueroa Street (Apex II) #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

888 S. Hope Street #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

900 S. Figueroa Street (Apex II) #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

888 S. Hope Street #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

820 S. Olive Street #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

820 S. Olive Street #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

801 S. Broadway (Broadway Trade Center) - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

820 S. Olive Street #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

732 S. Spring Street #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

751 S. Spring Street #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

732 S. Spring Street #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

732 S. Spring Street #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

751 S. Spring Street #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

888 S. Hope Street #4- 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

888 S. Hope Street #5 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

900 S. Figueroa Street (Apex II) #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #1 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #2 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1133 S. Hope Street [Foreground] & 1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) [Background] - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1212 S. Flower Street #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1120 S. Grand Avenue #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1120 S. Grand Avenue #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #2 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1212 S. Flower Street #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

Pico Station - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1200 S. Figueroa Street (Circa) #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #3 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1200 S. Figueroa Street (Circa) #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1200 S. Figueroa Street (Circa) #3 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #4 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #5 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #6 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) #7 - 6/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) & 1200 S. Figueroa Street (Circa) #1 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

1101 S. Flower Street (Oceanwide Plaza) & 1200 S. Figueroa Street (Circa) #2 - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by user2468

Huge photo update below. Photos are in the order that I took them. I'll also be posting these in each project's respective thread. Enjoy!

Like always a great job.

Thank you for updating all the other threads.

[Eightball]

Originally Posted by Blesha13

4 years of construction is ridiculous and it only took Wilshire Grand 3 1/2 years for construction.

Under promise, over deliver

[SoCalKid]

Excellent update!

The other day I was walking around South Park, and was struck by how much a freeway Olympic still feels like despite all the development occurring along it. It's too wide through all of Downtown, and is 7 lanes wide (seven!!) as it passes LA Live, which is supposed to be a major pedestrian center. That is completely unacceptable. I think we as a group need to push for a road diet there. Anyone who lives in Downtown should write to Councilman Huizar, and maybe Josh Albrektson can make a push for this on his FB page (I'm not sure who he is on here). That has become an excellent center of political organizing.

On that note, I also really believe that Chick Hearn Ct should be permanently closed to cars between Georgia and Figueroa. The LA Live area is becoming a world class entertainment district, and it deserves a large pedestrian plaza. Closing that stretch would immediately create an excellent (albeit touristy and Time Square-y) such space. Why do this only when there are events? If it were permanent, AEG could set up landscaping, chairs, tables, etc that would make it a much more inviting space.

[scania]

Originally Posted by SoCalKid

Excellent update!

The other day I was walking around South Park, and was struck by how much a freeway Olympic still feels like despite all the development occurring along it. It's too wide through all of Downtown, and is 7 lanes wide (seven!!) as it passes LA Live, which is supposed to be a major pedestrian center. That is completely unacceptable. I think we as a group need to push for a road diet there. Anyone who lives in Downtown should write to Councilman Huizar, and maybe Josh Albrektson can make a push for this on his FB page (I'm not sure who he is on here). That has become an excellent center of political organizing.

On that note, I also really believe that Chick Hearn Ct should be permanently closed to cars between Georgia and Figueroa. The LA Live area is becoming a world class entertainment district, and it deserves a large pedestrian plaza. Closing that stretch would immediately create an excellent (albeit touristy and Time Square-y) such space. Why do this only when there are events? If it were permanent, AEG could set up landscaping, chairs, tables, etc that would make it a much more inviting space.

I totally agree. Olympic is simply too wide. It takes away from the pedestrian experience and makes it feel as if it's not connected to DTLA.

[Bwin517]

Originally Posted by scania

I totally agree. Olympic is simply too wide. It takes away from the pedestrian experience and makes it feel as if it's not connected to DTLA.

The city should get rid of all street parking along Olympic near the LA Live area. Should widen sidewalks, add bike lanes, plant trees, add outdoor seating for restaurants, etc

[Valyrian Steel]

Great update, user2468!

Originally Posted by user2468

Pico Station - 8/24/2017 by Juan Gomez, on Flickr

Amazing how much the view has changed at Pico Station - can no longer see anything west of Flower st. I took this pic in late '15:


Downtown Los Angeles by Alex, on Flickr

Originally Posted by Bwin517

The city should get rid of all street parking along Olympic near the LA Live area. Should widen sidewalks, add bike lanes, plant trees, add outdoor seating for restaurants, etc

I've always thought it'd be nice to reduce lanes on Olympic by building some kind of park or plaza in the middle.

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by SoCalKid

Excellent update!

The other day I was walking around South Park, and was struck by how much a freeway Olympic still feels like despite all the development occurring along it. It's too wide through all of Downtown, and is 7 lanes wide (seven!!) as it passes LA Live, which is supposed to be a major pedestrian center. That is completely unacceptable. I think we as a group need to push for a road diet there. Anyone who lives in Downtown should write to Councilman Huizar, and maybe Josh Albrektson can make a push for this on his FB page (I'm not sure who he is on here). That has become an excellent center of political organizing.

On that note, I also really believe that Chick Hearn Ct should be permanently closed to cars between Georgia and Figueroa. The LA Live area is becoming a world class entertainment district, and it deserves a large pedestrian plaza. Closing that stretch would immediately create an excellent (albeit touristy and Time Square-y) such space. Why do this only when there are events? If it were permanent, AEG could set up landscaping, chairs, tables, etc that would make it a much more inviting space.

Closing the road between Georgia and Figueroa is an amazing idea. Totally need to make this happen!