Downtown Los Angeles (Ongoing)

[ConstructDTLA]

Skyline - Deloitte sign finishing up on Gas Co Building by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

Gap Outlet Building by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

8th & Grand - Carmel Partners - G8 by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

8th & Grand - Carmel Partners - G8 by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

9th & Olive Podium Onni by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

9th & Olive Onni by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

8th & Grand - Carmel Partners - G8 by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

[Quixote]

Excellent photography as always, Hunter. I love seeing pics of rainy LA.

I'm still crossing my fingers with 8th and Grand, but it appears that we'll be getting the more glassy design based on those balconies facing 8th Street. But, you never know.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Excellent photography as always, Hunter. I love seeing pics of rainy LA.

I'm still crossing my fingers with 8th and Grand, but it appears that we'll be getting the more glassy design based on those balconies facing 8th Street. But, you never know.

Thanks!

I ran out trying to get Downtown in the rain, but like always it ended as soon as I got outside.. So hard to catch it happening.

I'm worried about 8th & Grand, I thought it'd for sure be the glassy option, but seeing that demo stand at 8th & Olive nearly confirms it will be some kind of hybrid.

[ConstructDTLA]

Some pics from today:

Santee Restoration by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

Deloitte sign on Gas Co complete by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

Tower Theatre New 8th St Retail by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

Tower Theatre New 8th St Retail by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

Olympic Theatre Vacant by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

8th & Grand - Carmel Partners - G& by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

[destroycreate]

I feel like what DTLA really needs is some new street landscaping. It feels very cement and concrete...if they planted some more trees, or even put landscaping in the middle of the ultra-wide streets, it would feel a lot more inviting. The area has no doubt come a really long way, but I think it's going to truly lack that "neighborhood" vibe until they make the pedestrian experience a little less gritty and more aesthetically pleasing.

Thoughts?

[Quixote]

It's about time something interesting filled the ground floor space of the Tower Theater. FARAGO and The Tiny Flagship Store look like cool additions to the Historic Core.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

I feel like what DTLA really needs is some new street landscaping. It feels very cement and concrete...if they planted some more trees, or even put landscaping in the middle of the ultra-wide streets, it would feel a lot more inviting. The area has no doubt come a really long way, but I think it's going to truly lack that "neighborhood" vibe until they make the pedestrian experience a little less gritty and more aesthetically pleasing.

Thoughts?

I agree and its happening in South Park and with new developments. Its all part of the downtown specific plan, but if i recall correctly, the only time these things get implemented are after new construction. It must be funding issue of course

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Quixote

It's about time something interesting filled the ground floor space of the Tower Theater. FARAGO and The Tiny Flagship Store look like cool additions to the Historic Core.

I agree. i like both. My only gripes with the Tower are the horrible looking jewelry store on the prime corner and the shitty look of the entrance and the side exit on 8th. I would kick out the jeweler and redo the front entrance with a small tavern / coffee bar on the corner. Oh, and redo the marquee

[Quixote]

Grand Avenue between 11th and 12 Streets should be the template for all sidewalks in Downtown. It's not just the landscaping but the bulbous corners with dual curb cuts that make for an enjoyable pedestrian experience. Luma also has a nicely designed sidewalk with great landscaping and a multitude of storefronts -- something that's critical to quality urbanism that you're not seeing in most of the new developments. Too many blank walls and driveways.

Take a page out of Portland's urban design textbook.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

I agree and its happening in South Park and with new developments. Its all part of the downtown specific plan, but if i recall correctly, the only time these things get implemented are after new construction. It must be funding issue of course

Downtown is a clearly defined geographic entity (bounded by three freeways and the LA River), so adopting a set of urban design codes shouldn't be too difficult. It's annoying how there's no consistency in terms of lighting and landscaping. Find something that's successful and stick to it. Geez.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Downtown is a clearly defined geographic entity (bounded by three freeways and the LA River), so adopting a set of urban design codes shouldn't be too difficult. It's annoying how there's no consistency in terms of lighting and landscaping. Find something that's successful and stick to it. Geez.

Well the consistency is in all the new developments sidewalks. The city will never spend the $$ on redoing sHitstoric Core sidewalks by themselves, and unfortunately they can't demand such upgrades from the slumlords.

Grand between 11th & 12th, and now Hill between 9th & Olympic are some of the most pleasant stretches to walk down thanks to the new landscaping.

I used to live at 11th & Grand and loved the ample sidewalk space. Then I moved to Spring Street where I constantly have to walk in the street since the sidewalks (with patios, light poles, and trees) get down to just a couple feet in places. Really an unpleasant place to walk (I didn't even go on about the homeless & dog shit did I?).

[Eightball]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

I feel like what DTLA really needs is some new street landscaping. It feels very cement and concrete...if they planted some more trees, or even put landscaping in the middle of the ultra-wide streets, it would feel a lot more inviting. The area has no doubt come a really long way, but I think it's going to truly lack that "neighborhood" vibe until they make the pedestrian experience a little less gritty and more aesthetically pleasing.

Thoughts?

Don't forget all the very wide one way streets DT. They really kill the vibe at times and people speed ridiculous on them. Dallas recently got rid of theirs, not sure what the hold up here is.

[ConstructDTLA]

Wilshire Grand 12/18/14 by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

[ConstructDTLA]

From today:

Metropolis by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

South Park (Fig Central) by HunterKerhart.com, on Flickr

[MisterLee21]

Hi, I'm pretty new to this thread and I'd like to ask a few questions about LA.
It seems like some parts of LA still look pretty dead and sleepy... I thought people are saying pedestrian traffic is improving vastly? Is LA busy even at night?
And the amount of enormous parking lots in prime downtown real estate is depressing, judging by these (awesome) pictures, are there plans for any of them?
How is the LA metro holding up in construction? Is it going along well? Is the LA metro always busy?
And it is still pretty hard to look past the sprawl of LA since its really obvious, even though I've read numerous pieces about how dense LA actually is, well, all that traffic proves it right?

[Wilcal]

Hey Hunter,
two questions for you: 1) Concerning the construction of the Wilshire/Grand, how tall will the concrete core go until the other portion of the building's main skeleton is in place? 2) do you think that the city's emphasis on retail that is to be included with every residential project is needless and counter productive overkill? My sense is yes, I believe that every retail space included in a project tends to rob the retail potential for Broadway, 7th, Hill, and other downtown streets closer in the core and that have a greater potential to thrive. As far as the concept of street activation and elimination of dead space, I think attractively decorated walls and plantings can do wonders to enhance the pedestrian experience. In other words "wall to wall retail" is not always necessary. I presented this opinion a while back on either SSP or SCC and someone snottily shot it down (you know how some forumers get).

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by MisterLee21

Hi, I'm pretty new to this thread and I'd like to ask a few questions about LA.
It seems like some parts of LA still look pretty dead and sleepy... I thought people are saying pedestrian traffic is improving vastly? Is LA busy even at night?
And the amount of enormous parking lots in prime downtown real estate is depressing, judging by these (awesome) pictures, are there plans for any of them?
How is the LA metro holding up in construction? Is it going along well? Is the LA metro always busy?
And it is still pretty hard to look past the sprawl of LA since its really obvious, even though I've read numerous pieces about how dense LA actually is, well, all that traffic proves it right?

Well LA is an enormous city, it will never all be walkable. If you are referring to Downtown LA, yes pedestrian traffic has improved drastically in the last 10 years, but its nothing on the scale of even San Francisco. Downtown LA is a pretty large area itself, but on any given moment there are more people walking in the (comparatively) tiny Grove shopping center than all of DTLA.

A lot of the parking lots have been spoken for at this point, there are a few absentee owners (8th & Fig, 9th & Grand) who unfortunately aren't paying attention to whats happening Downtown.

Is the metro busy? It all depends on what metros you've ridden. Definitely not busy by east coast / overseas standards. Doing pretty well by west coast standards though.

Originally Posted by Wilcal

Hey Hunter,
two questions for you: 1) Concerning the construction of the Wilshire/Grand, how tall will the concrete core go until the other portion of the building's main skeleton is in place? 2) do you think that the city's emphasis on retail that is to be included with every residential project is needless and counter productive overkill? My sense is yes, I believe that every retail space included in a project tends to rob the retail potential for Broadway, 7th, Hill, and other downtown streets closer in the core and that have a greater potential to thrive. As far as the concept of street activation and elimination of dead space, I think attractively decorated walls and plantings can do wonders to enhance the pedestrian experience. In other words "wall to wall retail" is not always necessary. I presented this opinion a while back on either SSP or SCC and someone snottily shot it down (you know how some forumers get).

I'm not sure on the Wilshire Grand construction process, though I believe I saw a timeline with specifics somewhere before... There are others on the City Compilations thread that know far more about construction than I do.

The retail question is tricky. I think the city is right to demand retail of every new project. Historic Core has serious potential in the 10-20 year run, but serious retailers have no interest in being there at the moment. Broadway is turning into an Outlet Row, what Hill will become is unknown... There are difficulties in every historic space that many retailers don't want to deal with, thats not even mentioning the increasing amount of homeless that plague Historic Core. Even if all the developments get built, and they all have retail, there are still enough in-demand stores and restaurants to fill them all. Downtown essentially is 110 - Los Angeles, and Pico - 101. Its not that large a potential retail area when you take away Civic Center, Bunker Hill, Staples/Convention, and nearly everything east of Olive being essentially discount.

[upward 2000]

Originally Posted by Wilcal

Hey Hunter,
two questions for you: 1) Concerning the construction of the Wilshire/Grand, how tall will the concrete core go until the other portion of the building's main skeleton is in place? 2) do you think that the city's emphasis on retail that is to be included with every residential project is needless and counter productive overkill? My sense is yes, I believe that every retail space included in a project tends to rob the retail potential for Broadway, 7th, Hill, and other downtown streets closer in the core and that have a greater potential to thrive. As far as the concept of street activation and elimination of dead space, I think attractively decorated walls and plantings can do wonders to enhance the pedestrian experience. In other words "wall to wall retail" is not always necessary. I presented this opinion a while back on either SSP or SCC and someone snottily shot it down (you know how some forumers get).

I might be able to answer the Wilshire Grand question. This week was the beginning of deliveries for the steel columns.They are installing some now on the top of the core and the steel should start to rise at lobby level soon.

[MisterLee21]

Ah I see, I can always see that SF is almost a 24 hour city, almost anywhere!
Personally, I have not personally been to the US, hopefully in 2016, but that's a long way off, hence the questions, I hope you don't mind.
So is street traffic growing still then? Or has it hit a wall of sorts?
The streets look pretty clean, albeit a bit gritty, well at least in Kuala Lumpur standards. Is it always like that?
I've read the news that the DTLA restaurant scene is pretty remarkable, haven't heard much about retail, except for FIG@t7th, and a few high end retail stores, can you verify this?
Is LA liveable without a car? Or is it still very much a car dependant city?

[202_Cyclist]

MisterLee21:

Is LA liveable without a car? Or is it still very much a car dependant city?

It depends where you live and work. LA is building an extensive light rail and subway system and innovations like Uber will make it easier to live without a car. We visited LA for five days two years ago and only rented a car one day for the trip. If you live and work near transit and are willing to use the bus, Uber, and bike, I think you can certainly live in some neighborhoods like Hollywood or downtown without a car. You could always rent a car for the couple of times when you might need one on the weekends.