LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by The North One

Has Oceanwide restarted construction? Any updates? I have seen zero news or any kind of media attention about if for years. Which is frankly bizarre considering the size and location of the project and the amount of time it's been on hold for.

Also, Conrad is great hotel to have in DTLA. Hoping we get one of those over here.

Boston Properties has emerged as a serious contender as a buyer for the San Francisco project. Not sure about this LA one.

[LAsam]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Boston Properties has emerged as a serious contender as a buyer for the San Francisco project. Not sure about this LA one.

I vaguely recalling hearing at one point that Oceanwide's plan was to sell their project in SF, and use the proceeds to finish off their LA project. Hopefully that's what happens.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by ThebiteofSuarez

here are some pics from Friday.

thanks for the pics. The trees on the upper levels give the proj a distinctive look since I don't know of many bldgs that have a similar format....or where plants stand out from a distance. There are plants & trees on the roof of the bldg at 5th st & Hill where the perch restaurant is located...but somehow they don't seem as noticeable.

I wonder what type of engineering is required for such large living objects several floors up? Tree roots are known to become invasive & break through concrete. The trees in planters on the plaza of the music ctr (sitting above a parking garage) were taken out a few yrs ago, but mainly for an overall renovation. But several yrs ago I believe the trees had grown too large & were totally removed & replaced with smaller ones.

across the street from the grand ave proj, there was another technical problem over 15 yrs ago, one caused by too much sunlight....I recall reading about it, but the time & effort needed to resolve the problem is interesting to me.


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[nmkef]

Originally Posted by The North One

Has Oceanwide restarted construction? Any updates? I have seen zero news or any kind of media attention about if for years. Which is frankly bizarre considering the size and location of the project and the amount of time it's been on hold for.

Also, Conrad is great hotel to have in DTLA. Hoping we get one of those over here.

lol my window faces Oceanwide so I watch it every day, there's been no progress at all besides removal of one of the three cranes last year. Every once in a while somebody shows up to move the cranes from side to side, maybe some sort of maintenance/safety reason.

Like others said, there have been rumors and whispers about financing just being "months" away for, well, months. I suppose there hasn't been media coverage because the private companies involved just give no comment (or nobody has asked) and there haven't been any public transactions or filings to report on. It was reasonably well reported prior to covid that the developer came across financial troubles, probably nothing there has changed...



I don't have any pics from The Grand, but you can also now see the plaza/mall area really forming up if you stand directly in front. Gives me the same sort of vibe as the open plaza of Santa Monica Place actually.

[ThebiteofSuarez]

Originally Posted by citywatch

thanks for the pics. The trees on the upper levels give the proj a distinctive look since I don't know of many bldgs that have a similar format....or where plants stand out from a distance. There are plants & trees on the roof of the bldg at 5th st & Hill where the perch restaurant is located...but somehow they don't seem as noticeable.

I wonder what type of engineering is required for such large living objects several floors up? Tree roots are known to become invasive & break through concrete. The trees in planters on the plaza of the music ctr (sitting above a parking garage) were taken out a few yrs ago, but mainly for an overall renovation. But several yrs ago I believe the trees had grown too large & were totally removed & replaced with smaller ones.

across the street from the grand ave proj, there was another technical problem over 15 yrs ago, one caused by too much sunlight....I recall reading about it, but the time & effort needed to resolve the problem is interesting to me.

Thank you! There should be separate planter boxes made out of either concrete or metal installed for the trees/landscape. Usually trees are not placed directly on the structural concrete. At least Architecturally we try to avoid trees on structural floor/roof slab. As for sidewalk, that's Civil's responsibility and I dunno what their rules are.

[IMBY]

I wish, wish, wish I could find one compliment for The Grand! If it only had a curve or 2 to the building! If it were just all glass! Or, if they had attached some balconies!

You can't change my mind, it looks like an office building!

[Illithid Dude]

I hate when I'm right about bad developments. The Grand looks absolutely awful in person. An embarrassment to Gehry and an embarrassment to the city.

[Yackemflaber69]

The city deserves to be embarrassed, they're the ones who dumbed down the design. If anyone can find the renderings for the original design they should post them here it was really nice, but to preserve bullshit views of city hall they ruined something that could've been awesome. Typical LA nonsense 5/10

[SC_00_05]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I hate when I'm right about bad developments. The Grand looks absolutely awful in person. An embarrassment to Gehry and an embarrassment to the city.

An embarrassment to the city? Hahahahaha

There are scenes straight out of The Walking Dead all over the city (especially downtown) and you think this should embarrass the city?

[citywatch]

If the Grand ave proj really were an embarrassment...or if it were the only so called embarrassment....dtla would be in fairly great shape. The entire city of LA too.


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^ this real embarrassment has not only not gotten better over the past 25 yrs, it has grown worse & worse.

Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

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[LosAngelesSportsFan]

To each their own. I think the grand looks petty decent. Only thing I would change from this design are the beige panels on the first couple of floors. Would much rather have stone

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I hate when I'm right about bad developments. The Grand looks absolutely awful in person. An embarrassment to Gehry and an embarrassment to the city.

I think I'll with hold full judgement until the base and retail sections are completed. While the towers aren't particularly special or well done, if it can activate the street level from a pedestrian standpoint, along with the much needed housing units, it'll be a successful project.

[scania]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

To each their own. I think the grand looks petty decent. Only thing I would change from this design are the beige panels on the first couple of floors. Would much rather have stone

I agree…it looks pretty cool in person. That one dude simply hates on everything that’s in DTLA. I’m sure he’s not happy at home. Lol

[dktshb]

Originally Posted by homebucket

I think I'll with hold full judgement until the base and retail sections are completed. While the towers aren't particularly special or well done, if it can activate the street level from a pedestrian standpoint, along with the much needed housing units, it'll be a successful project.

I thought I was going to like it since it looks good in photos but in person it looked cheap and dated. The yellow orange color really doesn't match and really clashes with the glass and other materials. If that stucco or whatever it is were multi colored it may add a bit of interest to an otherwise cheap looking project. Hopefully when it is all done and occupied it will feel and look different to me.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by scania

I agree…it looks pretty cool in person. That one dude simply hates on everything that’s in DTLA. I’m sure he’s not happy at home. Lol

Having seen it in person...it looks fine. Im sure not everyone's taste, but it is eye catching and different. I think it fits on that stretch of beautifully oddball structures.
Lets also acknowledge that some like being overly dramatic and critical on internet message boards because its a way to get validation. 😏

[LAisthePlace]

I'm another in "I like it" camp"

Think it looks excellent in person more-so in the architecture than the materials, but the materials aren't bad IMO like people are making them to be. Would love the stucco to be stone, but by no means does that make it a bad looking project even aesthetically.

The angled design from ground level is truly striking and I once it is open with stores, restaurants, and a hotel I think it will truly add so much to the vibrancy of that part of Downtown LA.

I can't wait.

[nmkef]

I also think it's fine. Would have been nicer with some fancy expensive stone on the bottom sure, but it will also look nicer as they fill in the planters and commercial spaces. It looks artificially bland now due to its unfinished state. Agree, the angled design really does look sleek and a cool, unique building in downtown. Luckily the regional connector line right behind the Broad should be open around the same time The Grand is supposed to "open", meaning us residents wont have to hike up that steep ass hill on Grand Ave anymore!!

[colemonkee]

I'm 97.8% sure it's pre-cast concrete, and not stucco, at the base.

[citywatch]

I have a vague recollection of one of the sspers unhappy about today's grand ave proj several yrs ago implying that bunker hill shouldn't have been cleared out....not totally sure about that, however. But I've seen ppl through the yrs voice that opinion, yet also be really picky about some new devlpt in LA not being architecturally to their liking.

regardless, the fact that bunker hill started off not much better or major league than this did hold it back for decades....



messynessychic.com


my biggest gripe with the bunker hill proj is that it took over 40 yrs to finally fill in the block where it's located....& that the block to the east of that remains a bleak parking lot. The colburn school was planning to build 2 theaters there, but they've since cancelled their proposal....so more yrs & yrs & yrs of that block at the SW corner of 1st & Hill remaining a major gap is likely.



messynessychic.com


As for critics, I recall when disney hall opened in 2003, a radio interview took place with a music writer from London. He was really negative about the bldg....he was intentionally pissing in the punch bowl, maybe out of envy or because of an argument he had earlier with some person associated with disney hall....or whatever. The interviewer sounded a bit embarrassed, & she quickly segued to another person to talk with.

[CaliNative]

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