LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 270

112597jorge · #**5381** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

BTW the "Park Fifth" project is growing legs again!

The back story behind it is they wanted to shrink it down to 6-7 stories, wood frame, stucco possibly.

However, after submitting the plans to the City, Jose Huizar apparently pressured the developer to go "higher."

So from my understanding now, "Park Fifth" (which will have a new name obviously) will be about 22 stories tall instead of 6.

Kudos to Jose Huizar for not allowing that to happen in Pershing Square.

More details later as I find out more.

so its been shrunk from 76 stories to 22 stories, is that right

Quixote · #**5382** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 12:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

We dont know much about it, so i will reserve judgement. However, a 22 story building is not small. Filling those lots with a 22 story tower brings in more residents, connects the area better and will have retail on the ground floor. all positives. who know, maybe the park revamp is still part of the project.

I understand. It's just a little difficult to get over this:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTJGeAcs0u8/To..._firm+-+Park_Fifth_Pershing_Square_3.jpg

Kohn Pedersen Fox are the guys who designed the Shanghai World Financial Center.

Mark my words, the new design is going to suck badly. It's not going to take advantage of the unique site the way Park Fifth did.

citywatch · #**5383** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 12:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

I'll be honest, certain parts of LA felt so unsafe when walking..... but when you go towards the neigborhoods, you have to keep looking behind you

thanks for your pics! you really help keep this thread alive.

your comment suddenly reminds me of a forumer, ralossi, who I haven't seen post here in a long time. I recall his mentioning on a few occasions about unpleasant, even threatening, run ins he had with ppl....mainly homeless types....in dt. I wonder if he's still living in dt or moved to some other city?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

BTW the "Park Fifth" project is growing legs
again!

The back story behind it is they wanted to shrink it down to 6-7 stories, wood frame, stucco possibly.

So from my understanding now, "Park Fifth" (which will have a new name obviously) will be about 22 stories tall instead of 6.

oh my! Suddenly remembering the name "ralossi" is one blast from the past, & now your mentioning "park fifth" is another one. I've just about given up on anything substantial rising on that corner anytime soon....or to avoid anymore disappointment, I've pretended that location & original proj never existed to begin with.

the former owner of that site got everyone so excited & hopeful a few yrs ago, & cuz of that & his inability to go forward now makes me want to do this to him......

after all, this was big, big news, a very ambitious proj that would have instantaneously turned around the area around Pershing Sq like nothing else would have. It would have filled in a gap, both right there at 5th & olive, but also of the entire skyline as seen from a distance....

kpf.com

the importance of that location, but also mainly cuz of all the hoopla & optimism caused by the earlier proposal, makes this one of the rare, if only, times when I'll be very

& even

if the actual new bldg ends up being only a short 6 stories, or way below 22 floors. however, I always suspected the original plans were too ambitious, too $$ for the hood, & would never have penciled out even in a thousand yrs. So I hope the new proj moves forward asap.

and a lack of "asap" is one reason why I take in stride news that work is finally....finally!....starting on the apt bldg at 2nd & LA sts. Or soon to start. It's a relief that the owner is going to deal with a gap that should have been filled in some time ago. I still recall the previous devlpr saying they were going to break ground on that location across from the New otani hotel....when it still was the new otani....over 3 or 4 (???) yrs ago. better late than never, but such changes certainly are a test of one's patience.

citywatch · #**5384** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 12:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

The way you're describing it, I'd rather it remain a parking lot.

a 6 story stuccoed apt bldg, yes, a possible 22 floor bldg, no.

besides, it's way too soon to know one way or the other, since the news that brigham is hearing through the grapevine sounds like it's still at a very iffy or premature stage. It's even harder to judge what may happen since no one knows...or at least I don't know who the current owner of that property is. for instance, wonder if the new devlpr is GH palmer?

or if it's Barry Shy.

btw, the previous plans were very dramatic, but I always wondered how parts of it would have held up during an earthquake. I wondered if the design of the park fifth towers....with all their open, non columned levels....was a case of form over function....which might not have fared well in a 7.3.

Illithid Dude · #**5385** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 1:30 AM**

It's a shame, because Park Fifth seems like a design ready made to be built in phases. Allow me to play armchair developer for a moment. Phase 1 would be the 15 story base. Phase 2 would be the 40 story tower, and Phase 3 would be the 70 story tower. Ta da! The buildings could be built as the market allows. Just building 22 stories seems remarkably short sighted.

blackcat23 · #**5386** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 3:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by citywatch

btw, the previous plans were very dramatic, but I always wondered how parts of it would have held up during an earthquake. I wondered if the design of the park fifth towers....with all their open, non columned levels....was a case of form over function....which might not have fared well in a 7.3.

Funny that you mention that. I once saw some commentary by a person claiming to have worked on the designs for Park Fifth who had a similar sentiment. Also said that the structure was supposed to be concrete, which seemed inadvisable for a 76 floor building in an active seismic zone.

StethJeff · #**5387** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:05 AM**

Going from 76 to 22 stories is bad. But not getting Pershing Square upgrades is a tragedy. This sucks.

Valyrian Steel · #**5388** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 6:10 AM**

Ugh. I'd normally welcome a 22 story building. But at this location? It just seems like a wasted opportunity, especially considering what was proposed there before...

Chef Boyardee · #**5389** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 1:27 PM**

The winning bid for the new federal courthouse is supposed to be announced soon. One of the 4 finalists actually have their renderings out.

http://www.yazdanistudio.com/projects/list/

Click on "Los Angeles Federal Courthouse"

RuFFy · #**5390** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 2:09 PM**

The Park Fifth site has potential for much more than 22 stories. I'd like to see a project similar to the Wilshire/Grand/Korean Airlines project on that parcel, primarily because it sits so close to the Pershing Square Metro Station. However, a 6 story building would just suck!

DistrictDirt · #**5391** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 2:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

The winning bid for the new federal courthouse is supposed to be announced soon. One of the 4 finalists actually have their renderings out.

http://www.yazdanistudio.com/projects/list/

Click on "Los Angeles Federal Courthouse"

For the lazy:

So we're definitely calling this building "the Radiator", right?

colemonkee · #**5392** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 3:00 PM**

I actually think it's an interesting design concept. Not unlike other industrial-inspired designs like Lloyd's of London or the HSBC Headquarters in Hong Kong. This just uses smokestacks as the inspiration for the design. Definitely interesting, and a cool compliment to Thom Mayne's CalTrans Headquarters a couple of blocks away, especially the way the building's massing mirrors CalTrans. With the right materials, this could be a building that illicits a lot discussion.

I'm excited to see the other proposals.

BrandonJXN · #**5393** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 3:29 PM**

I actually disagree. It looks like a Helmut Jahn knockoff from the 80's. The bad kind of 80's.

And in regards to the Park Fifth site: Anything less than 40 stories is unacceptable for that location.

Illithid Dude · #**5394** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:26 PM**

But isn't that not the winning bid?

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**5395** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:29 PM**

that looks atrocious. they are trying way way too hard

colemonkee · #**5396** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:43 PM**

Illithid Dude, no one knows what the winning bid is just yet. At least none of us in the general public. Did anyone else notice that they added a shortened Cal Plaza 3 to their render below? As that takes actual effort to produce this, I wonder if this is an error, or if they know something we don't. Frankly, I'd be shocked if it were the latter. I can see not wanting to draw the Broad in there, as that would be a pain in the ass, but adding a building that's not there? That just seems weird to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

For the lazy:

BrandonJXN · #**5397** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:49 PM**

That does raise some eyebrows. I mean why would they render Cal Plaza 3 and not The Broad. Or even The Wilshire Grand? Surely a building taller than the tallest building in LA would be rendered long before a long dead skyscraper from the 90's right?

colemonkee · #**5398** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 4:57 PM**

I'd bet it's a "much ado about nothing" scenario, but definitely odd.

JRinSoCal · #**5399** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 5:10 PM**

I really hope that is NOT the winning design. I think LA can do (and deserves) much better than that.

Illithid Dude · #**5400** Posted **Oct 2, 2012, 5:27 PM**

Didn't notice the shortened Cal Plaza 3. Looks to be about 400 feet, not a bad height. Perhaps Cal Plaza 3 is supposed to be the office aspect of the project? Don't forget, there is supposed to be a 400,000 square foot office building as part of the courthouse, and said building doesn't appear to be including on the current courthouse block.