LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by Yackemflaber69

Was Olympia canceled?

I don't believe so but it was Chinese backed and is at this point a stale proposal I think.

I personally will always blame the city government at the end of the day.

Yea, I don't live in LA and am not an expert of the local politics (or who is responsible) but any chance this could change at some point in the coming years?

So many cool proposals, so little actual execution.

[caligrad]

^^^ The only way this will change is if people passionate about downtowns revival will pressure city leaders to do something about the long approval process. Not to get political but Garcetti has been MEH/nonexistent at best the last 2-3 years and his time is almost up. This year's election, Rick Caruso (billionaire developer/real estate manager) might be LAs best bet at figuring out how to move downtown forward. Karen sadly will give us more of the same.

IMO

[scania]

What are some of you going through? Have you ever lived in a major metropolis? From NYC to Charlotte, Atlanta to SF, etc…all of these cities have the same type of hurdles to get proposals to come to fruition. We have 3 towers presently being built that are over 500 plus feet. All 3 or residential which would only add to the life, pedestrian activity, and urbanity of our city. Some of us really need a drink and enjoy the weather, views, and simply experience the LIFE that we put fortunate to experience here in LA.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by scania

What are some of you going through? Have you ever lived in a major metropolis? From NYC to Charlotte, Atlanta to SF, etc…all of these cities have the same type of hurdles to get proposals to come to fruition. We have 3 towers presently being built that are over 500 plus feet. All 3 or residential which would only add to the life, pedestrian activity, and urbanity of our city. Some of us really need a drink and enjoy the weather, views, and simply experience the LIFE that we put fortunate to experience here in LA.

There are dozens of proposals that have been waiting on approvals for years. We need to be building 25 to 30 at a time, not 3. It's maddending because even one new building makes a huge difference. A 40 story high rise brings in 600 units / 1000 residents or so along with several retail spaces. Just look at grand between 11th and 12th and how much that has brought to downtown. Olive, hill, hope all have multiple towers proposed that will transform that area and bring in probably 10,000 new residents to a 3 block area that will all be spending money downtown, have eyes on the street etc but we've been stuck with parking lots for 5 years as the city drags it's 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 feet.

We have a massive housing shortage yet the city is worried about nonsense

[citywatch]

the criticisms in some of the postings above & eventual outcomes make me think of this....


• Video Link

meanwhile, dtla will hopefully keep moving onward & upward....

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btw, a few wks ago I read a bit of polling data & I'm not optimistic....Albert Einstein regrettably knew what he was talking about.

Also regrettable is that economic & political trends make it even less likely that ppl like this will still be around to watch dtla reach the next level. Ironically enough, a few yrs ago I heard Frank gehry give his opinions on certain things...things that will affect city govnt....that may end up inadvertently not being in his best interests ...

• Video Link

[a9l8e7n]

Fresh Photo
https://twitter.com/LA_Construct/status/1561743894034886657

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by caligrad

^^^ The only way this will change is if people passionate about downtowns revival will pressure city leaders to do something about the long approval process. Not to get political but Garcetti has been MEH/nonexistent at best the last 2-3 years and his time is almost up. This year's election, Rick Caruso (billionaire developer/real estate manager) might be LAs best bet at figuring out how to move downtown forward. Karen sadly will give us more of the same.

Looks like she's winning in the polls... ugh

You'd think as a Billionaire Caruso could spend more money campaigning

[citywatch]

^ Given your tagline, still posted 2 yrs after late 2020, are you being serious or wishing ill will on dtla?

https://youtu.be/KgHn15HxuHo

what's occurring, however, is happening in major cities up & down the west coast, in large cities of the US & elsewhere. So far, it's a less extreme version of what exists in a country...home of the devlprs of the Oceanwide or olympia proj.... where a lot of devlpt, inc super talls, has occurred. But in ironic ways, the govt there may be less hostile to big time devlpt & major devlprs than what is true here in the US.

Regardless of city govnt or who is or isn't running things, dtla has never been easy for ppl like this....


• Video Link

^ Not sure if a tom gilmore in the future will find LA city govt such an obstacle course, that ppl like him, even though dt is in better shape today than it was yrs ago, will throw in the towel.

[MAC123]

^Man you love to see yourself talk

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by MAC123

Man you love to see yourself talk

So what do you have to say about dtla?....care to add something?

As for me, I've just fully watched that vid of tom gilmore & it occurs to me that dtla in the not too distant past was one of the most abandoned urban ctrs of any major city in the US and world. When the burbs totally swamped the original core of LA, dt would have been seen as an embarrassment even by ppl in the old soviet union, venezuela, mexico, argentina, much less ppl in a Paris or london, Tokyo

I've watched interviews where both tom gilmore & frank gehry describe themselves as progressives. I don't know if they're examples of: be careful what you wish for, you may get it.

EDIT: not sure how much of a domino effect will or will not occur based on issues like not just who is or isn't in LA city hall, but also how real estate funders, devlprs & everyone else muddle on through during the next few yrs.

I've complained about the moat & water fountains around the dwp bldg & grand pk being switched off. But that's nothing compared with another place also affected by drought, a land where real estate firms involved for the past several yrs with several major projs in dtla have come from...that includes the metropolis, the unfinished oceanwide & the proposed Olympia devlpts....

https://youtu.be/J7ANcTgo9ZU

^ however, the apt tower proposed for the corner of 3rd & Hill st by equity residential involves a company based in chicago, but that proj also never went through.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

There are dozens of proposals that have been waiting on approvals for years. We need to be building 25 to 30 at a time, not 3. It's maddending because even one new building makes a huge difference. A 40 story high rise brings in 600 units / 1000 residents or so along with several retail spaces. Just look at grand between 11th and 12th and how much that has brought to downtown. Olive, hill, hope all have multiple towers proposed that will transform that area and bring in probably 10,000 new residents to a 3 block area that will all be spending money downtown, have eyes on the street etc but we've been stuck with parking lots for 5 years as the city drags it's 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 feet.

We have a massive housing shortage yet the city is worried about nonsense

100 percent this. We have a shortage on all fronts. Rentals, Condos & hotel rooms. There's demand in all 3 yet we're dealing with scraps. I thought the Olympics would've surely accelerated this and it still very will might, but cities like Toronto have something like 100+ highrises currently under construction with 300 more proposed. That's insane demand and we aren't each scratching 10 percent of that. We dont even have 600 highrises in all of LA.

[Lovely1993me]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

Looks like she's winning in the polls... ugh

You'd think as a Billionaire Caruso could spend more money campaigning

I use to think Rick Caruso was the man for the job, until I heard him spoke on how he would cancel all upcoming rail projects if he became mayor. When you look closely, his vision for LA is archaic. “Going back to the good old days” and while I do think he can clean up LA, that cleaning up might involve sanitizing the city in a way that could set us back even further. We need someone who has a vision for the city as the mega city it is!

[caligrad]

^^^ He doesn't have much to cancel so I really wouldn't worry about it. Metro has no clear vision currently but to "somehow get the purple line to the sea", Sepulveda line and the WSAB. All of which are still 10-15 years away from even seeing shovels in the ground lol. Another city department allowed to drain funds with little to no results. But with Karen, it will be 100% the same train we're already riding. Also has no clear vision for what's next for a big A$$ city like LA.

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

There are dozens of proposals that have been waiting on approvals for years. We need to be building 25 to 30 at a time, not 3. It's maddending because even one new building makes a huge difference. A 40 story high rise brings in 600 units / 1000 residents or so along with several retail spaces. Just look at grand between 11th and 12th and how much that has brought to downtown. Olive, hill, hope all have multiple towers proposed that will transform that area and bring in probably 10,000 new residents to a 3 block area that will all be spending money downtown, have eyes on the street etc but we've been stuck with parking lots for 5 years as the city drags it's 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 feet.

We have a massive housing shortage yet the city is worried about nonsense

1000%.

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by scania

What are some of you going through? Have you ever lived in a major metropolis? From NYC to Charlotte, Atlanta to SF, etc…all of these cities have the same type of hurdles to get proposals to come to fruition. We have 3 towers presently being built that are over 500 plus feet. All 3 or residential which would only add to the life, pedestrian activity, and urbanity of our city. Some of us really need a drink and enjoy the weather, views, and simply experience the LIFE that we put fortunate to experience here in LA.

You know I agree with you 90% of the time. BUT, its ok to critique the city we call home and the snails currently running the show, as long as we don't sound like a broken record rambling on about dry fountains, taco stands and other cities that have nothing to do with us. It's not always Roses and sunshine here and its ok to admit that.

I take peaks at other city pages from time to time and have seen buildings get proposed in January and break ground in December. I've seen buildings get proposed in March, to break ground in May the following year. There's no reason why the permitting process in LA should take 3+ years, no other city moves this slow.

3 Towers being built in a city with a metro population of 13 million people is worrying. It should be 10 times that amount. Not because "LA is the second largest city in the country and needs more tall buildings" but simply for the fact that we're in a severe housing crisis and literally have zero room to keep sprawling out. The city should be greenlighting any proposal deemed safe to build and BEGGING developers to build here.

A denser population also means higher tax income for the city in a smaller footprint. Not sure why anyone in city hall has thought of this point.

[Radio5]

[QUOTE=caligrad;9710394]^^^ He doesn't have much to cancel so I really wouldn't worry about it. Metro has no clear vision currently but to "somehow get the purple line to the sea", Sepulveda line and the WSAB. All of which are still 10-15 years away from even seeing shovels in the ground lol. Another city department allowed to drain funds with little to no results. But with Karen, it will be 100% the same train we're already riding. Also has no clear vision for what's next for a big A$$ city like LA.



Yeah, but he's not as pro development as you think. He's fighting development near the Grove. He's not about density. He's about creating little retail disneylands. I thought he was the guy as well, but not anymore.

[caligrad]

^^^ I'd say he's anti competition when it deals specifically to properties hes helped developed/build. He did something similar to a proposal near The Grove which is to be expected from any business owner. If I owned a coffee shop and somebody planned to open one across the street, I'd immediately grab a pitchfork.

We only have 2 options in November.

More of the sluggish same with no vision for what's next

A wild card who might surprise everyone (good or bad)

ANYBODY who will help downtown and the homeless issue.

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by LAisthePlace

Hopefully someone can post the full article, but some exciting updates coming to Staples Center (I still can't call it that godawful new name)...

including most exciting to me (finally!) closing Chick Hearn Court to traffic (or better said, opening it up to pedestrians) and providing true connectivity between the arena and LA LIVE.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-08-22/a-look-at-crypto-com-renovation-arena-upgrades

To get back on track, i don't want to derail into Politics and speculation, am I the only that loves that Chick Hearn is finally getting closed to cars BUT hate this design?? it's not good, it's another Pershing square that we'll all hate for years to come. I'm not saying turn it into a full-on park BUT all of that lifeless concrete isn't needed.....

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by caligrad

BUT all of that lifeless concrete isn't needed.....

although I don't like vast expanses of urban hardscapes, I've noticed that some major famous plazas in the world are nothing but that. I also noticed that many streets in cities like paris, nyc or london are wall to wall bldgs separated by nothing but paved over streets & sidewalks...no greenery for blocks around.

In some ways, dtla actually has a bit more plant life, inc trees & spaces for ground cover, than certain other cities do.

As to which type of streetscape is preferable to Karen Bass or rick Caruso? I imagine the former won't be too interested & the latter will wonder how it affects his grove or americana...or shopping ctr up in calabasas. I do hope that Bass at least doesn't do to LA...to dtla....what certain mayors are doing to chicago, seattle, nyc, sf, portland.

Old saying: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.



romesite.com


planetware.com


architectural-review.com

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by caligrad

To get back on track, i don't want to derail into Politics and speculation, am I the only that loves that Chick Hearn is finally getting closed to cars BUT hate this design?? it's not good, it's another Pershing square that we'll all hate for years to come. I'm not saying turn it into a full-on park BUT all of that lifeless concrete isn't needed.....

Is absolutely a horrible design, much like the rest of LA live (sterile, boring and dry) but probably needs to be very basic because of all the use it gets from events and gatherings

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by caligrad

To get back on track, i don't want to derail into Politics and speculation, am I the only that loves that Chick Hearn is finally getting closed to cars BUT hate this design?? it's not good, it's another Pershing square that we'll all hate for years to come. I'm not saying turn it into a full-on park BUT all of that lifeless concrete isn't needed.....

Agreed. They should add a few water fountains and taco stands.