LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[202_Cyclist]

New football stadium would bring nearly 20,000 cars on game days

David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum
4/5/2012
Los Angeles Times

"A new downtown football stadium and nearby convention center would bring an estimated 19,560 additional cars to the neighborhood during weekend events, according to an environmental impact report released Thursday.

With "unavoidable significant impacts" expected at an array of downtown freeway offramps, stadium developer Anschutz Entertainment Group plans to provide an array of traffic measures, including $10 million to upgrade a light rail station on Pico Boulevard and $2.4 million to help Caltrans add a lane to the 101 Freeway between the four-level interchange and Alvarado Street.

The spike in traffic caused by such events as NFL games, international soccer matches or college football championship games would generate significant and "unavoidable" impacts at 20 intersections in the hour after Sunday events and at 42 intersections after an event on Saturdays..."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/downtown-football-stadium-aeg.html

[BrandonJXN]

From la.curbed.com

Woohoo, it's the big day! Developer AEG has released its draft environmental impact report for the proposed Downtown NFL stadium and Convention Center overhaul. While the report is mandated by California environmental regulations, it's really a big deal because it's everybody's first chance to see all the nitty gritty details of the plan. AEG President Tim Leiweke, union reps, and a big old journalist scrum showed up at City Hall this morning to formally present the 10,000 page document. So how are the plans? Trafficky! Weekend events at the stadium are expected to generate about 19,560 car trips and impact 20 to 42 intersections depending on the weekend day, according to the LA Times, which got a head start on combing through the document. But don't worry about it, AEG is planning to make all kinds of transportation upgrades too. Most notably, they'll spend $2.4 million to add a northbound lane to the 101 Freeway between the four-level interchange and Alvarado Street. They'll also spend $10 million upgrading the Blue/Expo/Silver Line station near Pico.

The Daily News reports that AEG also plans to introduce a smartphone app that will link Metrolink tickets or pre-paid parking spots with game ticket purchases. They also want to widen sidewalks around the stadium, add 250 bike stalls, and widen the westbound 10 Freeway ramp at Los Angeles Street. According to the environmental report, AEG will also build two parking garages west of LA Live Way to replace the Bond Street Parking Lot, the Cherry Street Garage, and parking under the Convention Center's soon-to-be-demolished West Hall--all told, there will be 6,670 parking spaces in the finished project, replacing a current toal of 5,558.

AEG is actually required to keep car trips relatively low--a state bill passed last year just for the project guarantees that any lawsuits brought via the California Environmental Quality Act will be expedited as long as the stadium makes environmental concessions.

The project covers about 68 acres just west of Staples Center, by the 110. The two big components are a new Convention Center hall (the old West Hall will be demolished) that will span Pico Blvd. to join with the South Hall and the "event center," aka Farmers Field. As the DEIR says "The Event Center would primarily function as the home venue for one or possibly two National Football League (NFL) teams, as well as a venue to host a variety of other events, such as conventions, trade shows, exhibitions; concerts; international soccer matches; motor sports; ESPN X games; rodeos/boxing/World Wrestling Entertainment events; other football events; as well as private and miscellaneous events." The stadium would have 72,000 permanent seats, but be able to expand to 76,250 seats.

Public comment on the behemoth DEIR only lasts 45 days, until May 21, so get to reading, public! Coming soon: part two, the signage.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/04/do...etails_revealed_part_one_the_traffic.php

[Illithid Dude]

Big news! The Brockman is finally going to be something! For those who don't know, the Brockman was supposed to be condos until the economy stalled the plans. However, the inside is pretty much complete, and the ground floor is host to Bottega Louie, one of the most popular restaurants in L.A. Now, the building has been sold to a different developer, and is going to be luxury apartments. Yay! This is all, BTW, courtesy of Brigham Yen.

[LosAngelesDreamin]

I Love LA

[montréaliste]

Maybe they should do this kind of a renovation, a complete overhaul like they did to this Montreal building in 1967;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guil3433/7039689485/

from this popular blog series of before and after pictures by Guillaume St Jean.

http://spacingmontreal.ca/

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Maybe they should do this kind of a renovation, a complete overhaul like they did to this Montreal building in 1967;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guil3433/7039689485/

from this popular blog series of before and after pictures by Guillaume St Jean.

http://spacingmontreal.ca/

You're joking, right? Ruin a beautiful building like The Brockman for soulless modernism?

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Maybe they should do this kind of a renovation, a complete overhaul like they did to this Montreal building in 1967;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guil3433/7039689485/

from this popular blog series of before and after pictures by Guillaume St Jean.

http://spacingmontreal.ca/

Wow that's awful.

[LosAngelesDreamin]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Maybe they should do this kind of a renovation, a complete overhaul like they did to this Montreal building in 1967;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guil3433/7039689485/

from this popular blog series of before and after pictures by Guillaume St Jean.

http://spacingmontreal.ca/

Renovation of the Brockman building???? oh noooooo no no no no NO... why would u wanna destroy the beautiful and historic architecture... once you destroy it, it's never coming back just like the city's mistake and great sin of demolishing the richfield tower... which was a REAL BEAUTY.

Imagine a building like this in downtown LA

http://juniperandyork.blogspot.com/2012/01/black-gold.html

[DistrictDirt]

Yuck. Reminds me of the cladding they put on the Haas building.

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Maybe they should do this kind of a renovation, a complete overhaul like they did to this Montreal building in 1967;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guil3433/7039689485/

from this popular blog series of before and after pictures by Guillaume St Jean.

http://spacingmontreal.ca/

[213]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

New football stadium would bring nearly 20,000 cars on game days

David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum
4/5/2012
Los Angeles Times

"A new downtown football stadium and nearby convention center would bring an estimated 19,560 additional cars to the neighborhood during weekend events, according to an environmental impact report released Thursday.

With "unavoidable significant impacts" expected at an array of downtown freeway offramps, stadium developer Anschutz Entertainment Group plans to provide an array of traffic measures, including $10 million to upgrade a light rail station on Pico Boulevard and $2.4 million to help Caltrans add a lane to the 101 Freeway between the four-level interchange and Alvarado Street.

The spike in traffic caused by such events as NFL games, international soccer matches or college football championship games would generate significant and "unavoidable" impacts at 20 intersections in the hour after Sunday events and at 42 intersections after an event on Saturdays..."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/downtown-football-stadium-aeg.html

In short, street and freeway access to downtown would be uck-fayed on event days and there's little beyond the token obvious that AEG is willing/able to do apart from recommending that attendees not drive. Concert fans from Riverside, Orange County and Santa Clarita are certain to take that on good advisement.

And I've little doubt the report gives studied consideration to the affect that "unavoidable significant impacts" would have on every other downtown business/institution/attraction as Angelenos become conditioned to forego those things on game days...

[Mojeda101]

^ That's the question I have. What will they do for parking when Football games are held?

[OneMetropolis]

Was in LA for spring break, it was pretty awesome!!!!!




Took with my iPad so it kinda sucks, but in person this shot is awesome.

I wanted to see Venice, and Santa Monica, but my freakin friends were all tired from walking because they stayed up all last night and drained they're energy and wanted to go home. I only got to see Hollywood and Long Beach. It was still fun though

[yeah215]

I looked a bit at the plans for Pico Station in the AEG's EIR. I think they look pretty week. The basic idea is to add a second platform that is parallel to the current one, cutting into Flower. That may increase the capacity of the station, but does little to build urban fabric, and spur new economic development. AEG has already pledge 10 million for Pico station upgrades.

I think there could be nice three or four way partnership between the developers of Figueroa Central and South parcels, AEG, and Metro to rebuild the Pico station under one of the new projects between Fig and Flower (Maybe at 11th street or so? The station could have multiple portals with quick access to the front of the Convention Center, across from LA Live, and even back to Flower and 12th. There will need to be huge excavation already for those projects, so the idea of building a station doesn't seem crazy. This would have a ton more capacity and more directly connect to the new attractions.

A lot of transit is about perception. Even if the station is that much closer, a station under Fig Central project with a walkway and portal that lets out at 11th and Fig would feel much closer to LA Live, the Convention Center, and Farmers Field and Staples. Making it feel like the station is right across the street will help convince people to take transit. When we start getting into explaining that it is a couple blocks away (even small ones), I think people tune out and think they can drive. Why take transit a couple blocks away if I can just park a couple of blocks away?

The train is already under ground till 11th. I don't think it would be that hard to keep it underground with a station and then surface again after Pico. This plan would also be safer for pedestrians and drivers. Light rail operating in shared a shared right-of-way in in a very congested area is never a great idea.

[montréaliste]

Only kidding you guys. That was such a surprise to me, I had no idea this old building had been neutered by the kind hand of modernists. The egg crate type of tower was pretty prevalent back then. We lost a lot of interesting midrises in Montreal in the sixties. Let's keep the gems we all have.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by OneMetropolis

Do you even live in LA, like do you really live there? Cause if you have to always refer to google maps to help you figure out how LA looks all the time, is kinda suspicious. I can say for one, that google maps dosent give LA any justice. LA is something you just to experience in person because its way better looking in person.

Yes, i do live in LA, & I think it's one of the most interesting cities in the US & world. in some ways it can't be compared with other places----for either better or worse----cuz it is "sui generis". And, yes, various parts of LA do look & feel better----much better imho----in person than as seen from a distance.

otoh, when ppl also say that LA is a city that takes a few yrs to love, as was mentioned in an article about the director of the hammer museum when she first moved to LA from NY---which I posted a snippet here of a few months ago----I ask: why is that? Why don't most ppl quickly & easily warm up to this town? Why isn't that reaction there from the very beginning?

Is the same thing true of the great cities of the US, europe & asia? Do many ppl say that new residents or visitors to those places take a few yrs to finally wanna do this: ?

I had some friends in town yesterday who were attending a funeral of one of their relatives. As we were driving through LA, we started talking about where I live & where they live, up around san jose. There was an uneasiness about their attitude towards LA. It reminded me of the embarrassed edginess I've noticed in ppl when they're talking about a family member who has some skeletons in his closet. Or has a bad case of BO. or like when two women at a party suddenly notice they're both wearing the exact same dress.

Why LA isn't an immediately huggable city sometimes is over analyzed. Some experts say it's cuz we don't have good transit, we don't have a great dt, we have too many centers, too many fwys, we sprawl all over the place, we don't have enough friendly sidewalks. while those things don't help, I think it's also mainly due to too many parts of LA in person making a person wanna go instead of .

yes, ymmv, but I think most ppl---not ALL ppl, but MOST ppl----will be more uneasy about or more by one of these 2 views than the other...


sopas ej



^ And that's one of the major gateways to dtla, so I don't think this post is becoming too OT.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

Big news! The Brockman is finally going to be something!

I'm also very anxious to see construction begin on the parking lot directly behind the brockman. That's where sonny astani, the devlpr of the Concerto, is planning to put up a large new apt bldg. The current huge parking lot north of 8th between Grand & Olive is one of the biggest gaps in the hood. so the full completion of a reactivated brockman bldg, & then start of work on its new neighbor should give a huge lift to dt. The only bad thing is there won't be as much easy access parking for ppl who live miles outside of dt who are stopping by bottega louie.

[Kingofthehill]

Good news about the Brockman. It is, without question, one of my favorite buildings Downtown.

How is Los Angeles Street looking these days?

[alki]

Originally Posted by citywatch

Yes, i do live in LA, & I think it's one of the most interesting cities in the US & world. in some ways it can't be compared with other places----for either better or worse----cuz it is "sui generis". And, yes, various parts of LA do look & feel better----much better imho----in person than as seen from a distance.

otoh, when ppl also say that LA is a city that takes a few yrs to love, as was mentioned in an article about the director of the hammer museum when she first moved to LA from NY---which I posted a snippet here of a few months ago----I ask: why is that? Why don't most ppl quickly & easily warm up to this town? Why isn't that reaction there from the very beginning?

Is the same thing true of the great cities of the US, europe & asia? Do many ppl say that new residents or visitors to those places take a few yrs to finally wanna do this: ?

I had some friends in town yesterday who were attending a funeral of one of their relatives. As we were driving through LA, we started talking about where I live & where they live, up around san jose. There was an uneasiness about their attitude towards LA. It reminded me of the embarrassed edginess I've noticed in ppl when they're talking about a family member who has some skeletons in his closet. Or has a bad case of BO. or like when two women at a party suddenly notice they're both wearing the exact same dress.

Why LA isn't an immediately huggable city sometimes is over analyzed. Some experts say it's cuz we don't have good transit, we don't have a great dt, we have too many centers, too many fwys, we sprawl all over the place, we don't have enough friendly sidewalks. while those things don't help, I think it's also mainly due to too many parts of LA in person making a person wanna go instead of .

You consistently set up this dynamic where you play devil's advocate when it comes to LA's lovability. Its surprising because I don't think you are new to the city but you seem oblivious to the notion that LA has never been universally loved like a SF or Vancouver or Portland or Paris or Prague. I knew that when I moved there. LA is more like Tokyo or the way NYC was perceived in the 90s. Some people love it a lot and others........not so much.

Its not a traditional city and as you aptly point out over and over and over again, some parts are beautiful and some are very ugly. At times it seems very facile and shallow......without substance. And that makes sense......its most famous industry is all about glitter and surface beauty. It takes a while to overcome that image and drill down to what is real..........to learn that the city is more substantive than its image. And it looks to me like its always going to be that way.

As for your friends, it could be they hate the city......after all they are from N. CA.....or it could be they just don't care. Most people don't have a lot of strong opinions about particular cities like we do. They probably do get that its important to you so they probably were being careful not to upset you.

But getting back to you.........what is about the city that makes you ambivalent. I may be wrong but you seem to be having a hard time accepting LA for what it is. While LA can improve, its not about to change dramatically from what you see today. Can you make peace with that?

[BrandonJXN]

^ Or at least stop posting pictures of power lines and comparing them to the downfall of urban society.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

^ Or at least stop posting pictures of power lines and comparing them to the downfall of urban society.

^This. There are a lot of blocks in LA that are surface parking lots or have aerial power lines. Got it. It doesn't necessitate you posting Google Street View photos to illustrate the obvious over, and over, and over...