LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

So who's going to the 6th Street Viaduct opening this weekend?

I will probably stop by, as I did reserve tickets when they were first available.

Hey Citywatch, wanna come? I'd love to meet you.

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

The LED lights along the pedestrian walkway & bike lane look great, however this lighting of the arches feels like an afterthought. Why not simply run a strip of LEDs facing up underneath the arches? This corner lighting and lighting of the pillars doesn't feel very clean or organized. It shines on areas other than the intended area which cheapens the look in my opinion. I'll reserve final judgment for seeing it in person.

I'm also not a fan of the fact the railing kinda of bends out in some areas which leads to these weird unsymmetrical panels. Why not just line the railing up straight with the edge as it does in the sections directly underneath the arches? Is that extra bit of room in those small areas really that useful? It would look much cleaner to have it go straight the full length of the bridge.

All just minor aesthetic critiques. Overall, the bridge looks great!

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

I'm also not a fan of the fact the railing kinda of bends out in some areas which leads to these weird unsymmetrical panels. Why not just line the railing up straight with the edge as it does in the sections directly underneath the arches? Is that extra bit of room in those small areas really that useful? It would look much cleaner to have it go straight the full length of the bridge.

I noticed that as well. The lower height railing is nice and straight, but the areas where they placed fencing up high (I'm guessing these sections are over roadways to prevent people from jumping?) don't seem quite aligned properly.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

Hey Citywatch, wanna come? I'd love to meet you.

^ thanks, but I'm going to be in san clemente-carlsbad over the weekend....so pls keep us posted about what you see. I hope the bridge isn't more tagged right now than it was a few days ago.

btw, this in in an apt bldg that a devlpr with a notorious reputation for tuscan kitsch has built all over dtla. His newest one, where the old BofA computer ctr used to stand, is going to be completed in the next few months.





As bad as it is, I don't believe many of its units rent for over $2,800, as this one in the largest city on the east coast does. TG for small favors.

https://youtu.be/_ylIsAMWFro?t=207

^ A lot of graffiti & super talls must make certain cities so popular that landlords can commit highway robbery?


EDIT: I've noticed various vids on youtube have small comments or brief opinions posted under them where there may be already over 500, 1,000, 10,000 replies. Not sure if ppl who post them want the video account holder to read them or other vid viewers to see them. But ppl do feel a need to be seen or heard in a large crowd in the world of social media. Sometimes, however, I personally get worthwhile info or a good chuckle out of them....

Old Tape Archive
Tenant: "The basement you showed me...the door is now locked".
Landlord: "No, no...basement not included. I rent basement to my nephew for $1000. By the way, he will need to use shower twice a week".

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by homebucket

I noticed that as well. The lower height railing is nice and straight, but the areas where they placed fencing up high (I'm guessing these sections are over roadways to prevent people from jumping?) don't seem quite aligned properly.

Yeah, I believe its high over the freeway and the train tracks. It bends in the areas where it's lower as well. I guess it could serve two purposes, one being it takes you further to the edge to have a better view, and two, it blocks someone who would skate down the arch. Who knows why they chose to do that exactly. It is what it is at this point!

[citywatch]

A few minutes from the start of this vid it jumps to the NW corner of Olive & 2nd st, across from where the new Colburn Kohl concert hall is supposed to be built....the youtuber gives a nice brief history of what that area once looked like.

• Video Link


^ the tinker toy parking structure that used to be there was one of the biggest gaps & letdowns in dtla...I sure hope the concert hall to the east of it is uc ASAP. Other projs too.

[citywatch]

this is the former nomad hotel on 7th st now becoming the hotel Per la...this is apparently the bldg's sign being changed.



joanmclane/facebook

Hotel Per La will have a soft-open July 11, followed by a grand opening in September. The redeveloped space will retain the signature features of the NoMad Hotel with considerable upgrades.

This is one of the other newer hotels in dtla that I got all mixed up a few days ago...


• Video Link

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

Yeah, it's been tagged already, but I'm very sure that was to be expected. I'm sure any graffiti will be spot painted.

Which, when done over and over and over and over and over again looks flat-out ghetto. The problem, as plinko pointed out, is the porosity of concrete. You have to sandblast w/chemicals to get the stubborn stuff out.

But hey, the painting and grafitti removing contractors now have more job security. /s

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by Dilbert

I figured it wouldn't take long for the 6th Street Bridge to be tagged. The only questions are: 1) How long will it take before every inch of the bridge has been tagged; and 2) Will the city ever have the budget or will to keep cleaning it up? Just wait till the park below it opens, and I'm sure we'll see even more.

Honestly in my opinion, the only way to have diverted the obviousness of the tagging, might be tacky but hey, is to have covered the bridge head to toe in city wide street art. Granted after a year or 2 it looks like crap and needs to be repainted but the one thing, I don't want to see is square blotch paint spots all over the bridge, like a patch work of greys and whites.

[citywatch]

Painted over splotches due to graffiti have already occurred....



laist.com


LA could be just like NYC & allow tagging to run wild....vids of ppl walking through hoods like so called gentrified williamsburg across the East river to other trendy areas west of that in manhattan indicate a 'who gives a damn?!!' attitude is now popular in that city. If that can occur in the US's largest city, no reason it won't happen elsewhere. Due to the economy & city govnt, bumpy times up ahead.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by caligrad

Honestly in my opinion, the only way to have diverted the obviousness of the tagging, might be tacky but hey, is to have covered the bridge head to toe in city wide street art. Granted after a year or 2 it looks like crap and needs to be repainted but the one thing, I don't want to see is square blotch paint spots all over the bridge, like a patch work of greys and whites.

To be honest, once the park opens underneath the bridge, I hope murals start sprouting up. One end of the bridge is in Boyle Heights, the other is in the Arts District. Both neighborhoods just SCREAM murals and street/public art. It's LA after all. Creative street art should be encouraged, not some sterile copy of somewhere else.


Gary Leonard

[ocman]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

The LED lights along the pedestrian walkway & bike lane look great, however this lighting of the arches feels like an afterthought. Why not simply run a strip of LEDs facing up underneath the arches? This corner lighting and lighting of the pillars doesn't feel very clean or organized. It shines on areas other than the intended area which cheapens the look in my opinion. I'll reserve final judgment for seeing it in person.

I'm also not a fan of the fact the railing kinda of bends out in some areas which leads to these weird unsymmetrical panels. Why not just line the railing up straight with the edge as it does in the sections directly underneath the arches? Is that extra bit of room in those small areas really that useful? It would look much cleaner to have it go straight the full length of the bridge.

All just minor aesthetic critiques. Overall, the bridge looks great!

Light shining up at the arches can be a great effect. Most modern bridges do it, but it has to be white light otherwise it doesnt illuminate as brilliantly. Certainly not blue and red. We’d have to see it under that color. With led lights, it creates a different effect as if the whole bridge is glowing (if done correctly) but doesnt disperse light as dramatically as shining a spotlight on top of the bridge. Hopefully theyre still fine tuning the process to get the best results.

A criticism of the bridge thats all over twitter is the afterthought of the bike lanes in what was supposed to be a very bike accessible project. The bridge is an overall success but this is a valid criticism. Cars will be racing by at up to 80mph. It makes no sense to have the retaining wall protecting the pedestrians rather than grouping the pedestrians with the cyclists and extending the wall to protect them both. What cyclists are given is something similar to commercial parking space block which any car could fly over. Cyclists will inevitably be hit on this bridge and it didnt need to be this way

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

To be honest, once the park opens underneath the bridge, I hope murals start sprouting up. One end of the bridge is in Boyle Heights, the other is in the Arts District. Both neighborhoods just SCREAM murals and street/public art. It's LA after all. Creative street art should be encouraged, not some sterile copy of somewhere else.

Agreed. This is street/public art and is very cool.



This is graffiti and is very not cool.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by ocman

Light shining up at the arches can be a great effect. Most modern bridges do it, but it has to be white light otherwise it doesnt illuminate as brilliantly. Certainly not blue and red. We’d have to see it under that color. With led lights, it creates a different effect as if the whole bridge is glowing (if done correctly) but doesnt disperse light as dramatically as shining a spotlight on top of the bridge. Hopefully theyre still fine tuning the process to get the best results.

A criticism of the bridge thats all over twitter is the afterthought of the bike lanes in what was supposed to be a very bike accessible project. The bridge is an overall success but this is a valid criticism. Cars will be racing by at up to 80mph. It makes no sense to have the retaining wall protecting the pedestrians rather than grouping the pedestrians with the cyclists and extending the wall to protect them both. What cyclists are given is something similar to commercial parking space block which any car could fly over. Cyclists will inevitably be hit on this bridge and it didnt need to be this way

I really don't think people will be driving that fast on this bridge; nobody did on the old bridge, and with the views and arches, I think people will drive a reasonable speed.

LA Times pics by Genaro Molina:

[sopas ej]

I must say, I like the way the roadway and sidewalks are lit by the white LED lighting from the concrete barriers; lamp posts would have cluttered up the look of the bridge. This way, the architecture of the bridge can be better appreciated.


Gary Leonard

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by ocman

A criticism of the bridge thats all over twitter is the afterthought of the bike lanes in what was supposed to be a very bike accessible project. The bridge is an overall success but this is a valid criticism. Cars will be racing by at up to 80mph. It makes no sense to have the retaining wall protecting the pedestrians rather than grouping the pedestrians with the cyclists and extending the wall to protect them both. What cyclists are given is something similar to commercial parking space block which any car could fly over. Cyclists will inevitably be hit on this bridge and it didnt need to be this way

Now that you mention it, I have to agree. It's a pretty wide roadway, 2 lanes in each direction, with no stop signs or traffic lights. I could definitely see people speeding. On the other hand, people may be driving slow, but distracted, to take in the views. That's also dangerous, as they could wander into the bike lane.

I agree that if they were going to add a concrete wall, they might as well have moved it over to protect the bike lane as well, and then put the plastic bollards in between the bike lane and pedestrians.

[bhunsberger]

They mentioned in a news article the reason the bike lane is not protected is to let emergency vehicles use the bike lane if needed.

[ocman]

Originally Posted by caligrad

Honestly in my opinion, the only way to have diverted the obviousness of the tagging, might be tacky but hey, is to have covered the bridge head to toe in city wide street art. Granted after a year or 2 it looks like crap and needs to be repainted but the one thing, I don't want to see is square blotch paint spots all over the bridge, like a patch work of greys and whites.

Better solution. Plants foliage/trees to cover the area. One good thing about taking out the walkable arches is that it'll be tagged less.

[ocman]

Originally Posted by bhunsberger

They mentioned in a news article the reason the bike lane is not protected is to let emergency vehicles use the bike lane if needed.

How would that work? It's not even wide enough for a Prius.

Edit: Just realized those are plastic light poles that can be driven over. Had a little hope that I was happily proven wrong about bike safety when I saw those thinking they might be concrete poles.

Notice the strong curve in the road? That's ominous. Right lane drivers are going to veer into the bike lane. If you drive on any freeway bridge in LA, you notice people can't drive straight because the retaining walls are covered in bumper/sideswipe marks especially at curving areas. We suck at driving and don't listen to the city to tell us what speed to go. We decide that ourselves.


The bike path on the Golden Gate Bridge is shared with pedestrians and is not any wider than the pedestrian walkway of the viaduct. There's at least that. Cyclists could probably choose to share the pedestrian pathway unless LA pushes some archaic law to prevent that. You can also lower the speed limit (But LA drivers tend to drive by road "feel" than limits.) or even take one whole side of the bridge and give it to the bike lane, the other side to pedestrians. Either way, seems like the city needs to take some extra action.

Anyway, there's projected to be 15,000 people for the opening of the bridge. That number should be a sign to the city how important and monumental this space could be and to get the park and landscaping right as a public space.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by homebucket

This is graffiti and is very not cool.

Yup. This is the scary kind of graffiti, too, total gang graffiti. Some people's tags have been X'd out, meaning they were either killed or are gonna be soon.

I actually wouldn't mind a bit of message graffiti, like "FUCK THE KARDASHIANS" or "FUCK YOUR INSTAGRAM."