LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[ChelseaFC]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

Really? What about it is a disappointment to you?

People are always going to have conflicting opinions, on literally every project. It's not worth an extensive debate or getting worked up over.

[38 Geary]

^ Great shots. I think overall it came together very nicely. The towers have good street presence and are visually interesting. I actually like the shorter 28-story hotel tower more than the taller 39-story one. The height of the podium is perfect, as it matches the height of the Colburn building next door and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, allowing for a cohesive street wall.

The only real criticism here is the materials used for the podium of the buildings. I think if they went with large scale limestone cladding it'd make it feel more premium with a subtle hint of texture. Or perhaps if they used the same brushed aluminum material they used for concert hall. Right now the painted cast concrete looks a little too artificial.

The layout of the interior courtyard uses nice materials, and while it does feel a bit messy and disorganized, it interplays exceptionally well with the angles and cuts and curves of the Concert Hall.

The views from the towers are also amazing. This one in particular caught my eye because it shows how vast the Basin is.



https://la.urbanize.city/post/urbanize-goes-inside-grand

[citywatch]

^ that window with the lock attached to it looks like a door....that you open it, walk out and....timber below! lol. For ppl with acrophobia...like me....floor to ceiling windows are a bit nerve wracking. But for tenants who like a total view, they can't be beat.

Over the past few days, I've looked at walking or driving street view vids of other cities, such as Boston, Seattle & Denver, posted to YT. While they don't seem to have as many gaps as dtla has, they also don't seem to have certain interesting features either.

Beyond the borders of this pool area at the Hotel figueroa there are parking lots or bldgs like the Salvation Army or a DWP equipment station. To the left of the pic is where the Olympia proj has been proposed to rise. Those are the deadzones that need to be filled in. As dtla evolves, the schizoid nature of things like that should diminish. Then LA will be where it should have always been.

Tanveer Badal


When you think of visiting the City of Angels, downtown L.A.—despite its world-class museums, live music venues, and globally inspired cuisine—may not be the first neighborhood to come to mind. But long before West Hollywood and Santa Monica became the Los Angeles destinations of choice for many Southern California travelers, the city’s burgeoning creatives congregated downtown.

The result was a rich collection of buildings erected during the Roaring Twenties. A century later, the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance—a preservation tool establised in 1999 that makes it easier to convert historic buildings into houses and hotels—has prompted the area’s gradual resurgence. Consequently, downtown L.A. is in the midst of a renaissance, spearheaded in large part by the beautiful art deco buildings that first brought the area into prominence nearly a century ago.

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by ChelseaFC

People are always going to have conflicting opinions, on literally every project. It's not worth an extensive debate or getting worked up over.

It only takes one reply for him to say what he doesn’t like about the project, it doesn’t require extensive debate. I’m also not worked up over it- lol

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by citywatch

Over the past few days, I've looked at walking or driving street view vids of other cities, such as Boston, Seattle & Denver, posted to YT. While they don't seem to have as many gaps as dtla has, they also don't seem to have certain interesting features either.

Beyond the borders of this pool area at the Hotel figueroa there are parking lots or bldgs like the Salvation Army or a DWP equipment station. To the left of the pic is where the Olympia proj has been proposed to rise. Those are the deadzones that need to be filled in. As dtla evolves, the schizoid nature of things like that should diminish. Then LA will be where it should have always been.

Citywatch, I am not trying to be rude here, but I swear you express the same sentiments a dozen different ways. What is with the constant off topic critiques and comparisons to other cities? Trying to extrapolate this or that from other cities is useful in what way exactly? This is forum about DTLA. I mean, the whole point is to discuss new development / renovations, rehabilitations, restorations, new infrastructure, new businesses, and any other applicable information/opinion.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

What is with the constant off topic critiques and comparisons to other cities? Trying to extrapolate this or that from other cities is useful in what way exactly?

Ppl can't understand what dtla needs or doesn't need without seeing what exists elsewhere. You can't get a sense of what its streets & sidewalks are all about by merely talking about new projs & whether they're tall enough, are designed a certain way or have a lot of parking or very little. Or ground floor stores or parking podiums.

The same is true of other cities, such as NYC or SF. Because of vids like this of not just dtla but of other places too, throughout the world, I have a better idea of what makes a city tick...


• Video Link

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by citywatch

Ppl can't understand what dtla needs or doesn't need without seeing what exists elsewhere.

Judging by your posts you seem to be the only one who lacks that perspective.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Judging by your posts you seem to be the only one who lacks that perspective.

How so? Almost any new proj in dtla causes various LA sspers to go, I sure wish it were taller...why can't it have more floors?...I wish it weren't such a stumpie.

Based on that, you'd think dtla's future is dependent on the number of new bldgs that are over 60, 70, 80 stories.

The vids of dt I see posted to YT show me scenes where I almost never go, why can't more bldgs around there be taller! That lines up with the reaction I almost always have when I'm in dt myself.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by citywatch

How so? Almost any new proj in dtla causes various LA sspers to go, I sure wish it were taller...why can't it have more floors?...I wish it weren't such a stumpie.

Based on that, you'd think dtla's future is dependent on the number of new bldgs that are over 60, 70, 80 stories.

I think most forumers here are more focused on the quality of the buildings, not necessarily the quantity (height). Obviously more height is always nice, but I'm personally more interested in how the building fits into the surroundings and what it adds to neighborhood.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by citywatch

How so? Almost any new proj in dtla causes various LA sspers to go, I sure wish it were taller...why can't it have more floors?...I wish it weren't such a stumpie.

Based on that, you'd think dtla's future is dependent on the number of new bldgs that are over 60, 70, 80 stories.

The vids of dt I see posted to YT show me scenes where I almost never go, why can't more bldgs around there be taller! That lines up with the reaction I almost always have when I'm in dt myself.

I have no idea what you're blabbing about here.

[Just-In-Cali]

Dont stress over comments by the Contrarian and the Broken Record.
They have been doing this FOR YEARS. This forum had many more participants a decade ago before the usual suspects ran most of them off. Dont let them annoy you off too. Ignore list is a blessing.
Just enjoy DTLA development. ������������

[Lovely1993me]

New here. But I have a real question. Does Citywatch live in LA? It seems like they get a lot of their impressions of downtown from videos on YouTube. In my opinion this videos don’t always give the correct impressions all the time. For them to say “People in LA live in their car and it will always be this way” is a bit ignorant. I work Downtown and I’ve definitely seen an uptick in pedestrian activity lately.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by homebucket

I think most forumers here are more focused on the quality of the buildings, not necessarily the quantity (height). Obviously more height is always nice, but I'm personally more interested in how the building fits into the surroundings and what it adds to neighborhood.

I probably focus less on that since dtla still hasn't gotten much beyond the basics of city building. Unless new devlpt is very poorly designed, I focus on what I personally consider far more critical issues.

When I see a vid like this, I feel embarrassed when ppl in LA are complaining about a new proj not being taller or lacking better architecture. Even the criticism of the ground level color of the Grand Ave proj, which I can understand, fades into the background when dtla still has parking lots, rundown bldgs, grimy sidewalks, etc, in too many parts of it....


https://youtu.be/3ttEmDVGfgU


I also watched a vid a few wks ago of Sao Paulo's version of dtla's Little Tokyo. I was impressed by just how large and busy it was.

I've also seen a vid on Buenos Aire's version of dtla's Grand Central Mkt & was amazed by how crowded it was too....also that city's demographics appear less diverse than LA is. More of European descent, which I didn't realize was true of Argentina in general. However, another major city in South America, Sao Paolo, has the largest number of ppl of Japanese descent living outside of Japan.

Then I look at what's going on in a variety of hoods nearer to dtla, hoods that surround it extending for over 50 miles. Not knowing what's going on elsewhere makes it more difficult in guessing what dtla needs or doesn't need.

[badrunner]

I thought city vs city trolling wasn't allowed here.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Lovely1993me

For them to say “People in LA live in their car and it will always be this way” is a bit ignorant. I work Downtown and I’ve definitely seen an uptick in pedestrian activity lately.

My experiences are based on the many times I've gone to dt, been stuck in traffic on jammed fwys all around dt, then enter dt itself & notice a lot less congestion, or even a lack of it. That contradiction has long puzzled me. I always wonder how many ppl on those crowded fwys wouldn't be clogging them if they lived in dtla itself. I wonder how many ppl are driving around there because they're headed to another part of LA? Or do they live way beyond dt because they can't afford or don't care to live there?

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

This forum had many more participants a decade ago before the usual suspects ran most of them off.

I don't recall this page having any more or any fewer visitors yrs ago. If ppl aren't dropping by any longer, I bet it's mainly because they've lost interest in the subj of dtla. Same thing with how a trend or fad will have a buzz around it for a few yrs than ppl move onto something else.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by citywatch

I don't recall this page having any more or any fewer visitors yrs ago. If ppl aren't dropping by any longer, I bet it's mainly because they've lost interest in the subj of dtla. Same thing with how a trend or fad will have a buzz around it for a few yrs than ppl move onto something else.

You're an obvious troll. You turned this into a troll thread. Of course people would leave and go elsewhere.

[citywatch]

I'm getting flashbacks to the time when a poster called edluva was in the DTLA forum. Now that was a troll.

[caligrad]

Edulva......My Nemesis..... the DTLA thread was waaaay more active during its "slow" years when everybody rambled on about Watermarke, Concerto and Park Fifth....Compared to now which is odd. Once the Wilshire Grand topped out, people tapped out.

ANYWAY. I was downtown Saturday, Went to go check out OVO, Meh, it was ok for a cirque show. We parked on Olympic. Leaving the Microsoft theater and walking towards Olympic, The Canyon-ism of all the new buildings that have gone up makes down there feel like a totally different city. I was pleasantly surprised and it was majorly busy pedestrian wise. Just gives me hope that Oceanwide will add more to the vibe.

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by citywatch

When I see a vid like this, I feel embarrassed when ppl in LA are complaining about a new proj not being taller or lacking better architecture. Even the criticism of the ground level color of the Grand Ave proj, which I can understand, fades into the background when dtla still has parking lots, rundown bldgs, grimy sidewalks, etc, in too many parts of it....


https://youtu.be/3ttEmDVGfgU


I also watched a vid a few wks ago of Sao Paulo's version of dtla's Little Tokyo. I was impressed by just how large and busy it was.

I've also seen a vid on Buenos Aire's version of dtla's Grand Central Mkt & was amazed by how crowded it was too....also that city's demographics appear less diverse than LA is. More of European descent, which I didn't realize was true of Argentina in general. However, another major city in South America, Sao Paolo, has the largest number of ppl of Japanese descent living outside of Japan.

Then I look at what's going on in a variety of hoods nearer to dtla, hoods that surround it extending for over 50 miles. Not knowing what's going on elsewhere makes it more difficult in guessing what dtla needs or doesn't need.

You can still criticize rather inconsequential aspects of a project or downtown in particular without pushing other issues to the side as if they are not as important. As for your continuation of bringing up other cities, who cares? DTLA will never be another city, and it doesn't have to be. Let's live in reality, and focus on what currently is, what's under construction and what is being proposed. Stop the comparisons, they contribute nothing of value. It's not a DTLA wishlist blog.