LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[BrandonJXN]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nfl/story...d-los-angeles-set-built-disputes-settled

Farmers Field waiting on NFL team

Farmers Field is ready for construction. The only thing left now is the small detail of bringing an NFL team to Los Angeles.

Last month, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved plans to build Farmers Field, a proposed $1.5 billion downtown football stadium connected to an expanded Los Angeles Convention Center. On Thursday, the 30-day window for legal challenges to the project passed with no disputes.

AEG and the Play Fair at Farmers Field Coalition also announced Thursday that recent litigation challenging the project had been settled, clearing the path for Farmers Field to proceed without any further legal obstacles.

The Play Fair Coalition was able to secure commitments from Farmers Field on a wide range of community benefits and measures, including funding for affordable housing, air quality improvement projects, improvements serving bus riders, additional parks and open space, neighborhood improvement plans, and a community team to promote health in the surrounding area.

The centerpiece of the agreement reached by AEG and the Play Fair Coalition is a $15 million Housing Trust Fund that will create affordable housing units in Pico-Union, South Los Angeles and Downtown Los Angeles.

Farmers Field is now in a position to break ground as soon as a team commits to playing in Los Angeles, similar to a competing stadium proposed by real estate magnate Ed Roski in the City of Industry, which has been ready to push dirt since 2009.

[ConstructDTLA]

As I've been saying forever, the football stadium is going to happen Downtown.

Sounds like extremely soon.

[BrandonJXN]

http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/city-...3b326d2-250f-11e2-bb14-0019bb2963f4.html


http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews....b84-0019bb2963f4/5093fde85be8a.image.jpg

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – A trio of city-owned parcels is for sale to the highest bidder that is willing to build a four-star or boutique hotel on the South Park site.
The city yesterday issued a request for proposals, inviting developers to bid on the adjoining parcels on the northeast corner of Figueroa and 12th streets, across from the Los Angeles Convention Center. The site is a collection of parking lots with one freestanding structure.

Citing a study prepared in connection with AEG’s proposed stadium and convention center expansion project, 14th District Councilman Jose Huizar said in a statement that the proposed hotel would get the area closer to a target of 5,000 hotel rooms within a half mile of the convention center. Today, there are about 1,685.

The winning bidder would have to ferry the proposal through the city entitlement process. Ultimately, the land would be conveyed to the buyer after agreeing to a purchase contract that would bind the developer to build a hotel.

“A developer with vision for Downtown’s ongoing revitalization and a demonstrated ability to deliver large-scale hotel projects has an excellent opportunity here,” Huizar said in a statement.

The city’s RFP does not list an asking price for the land, but parking giant L&R Group bought the adjacent 2.7-acre parcel at 1220 S. Figueroa St. for $31 million.

“The city stands ready to consider a variety of proposals and project structures – from joint development or other partnerships, to a standard purchase and sale agreement,” said Gerry Miller, the city’s Chief Legislative Analyst, in a statement. “We expect strong proposals from developers with a demonstrated ability to plan, finance and complete large-scale urban hotel developments.”

Bids on the site are due by Jan. 4.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Excellent. the more the merrier. A couple of things i hope happen though... 1) Retail 2) at least 35 stories 3) no setbacks and lots of glass on the ground floor 4) no parking podiums 5) NO STUCCO

[blackcat23]

The actual RFP, if anyone is interested in reading it:

http://www.labavn.org/contracts/document...o%20and%20Fig_FINAL_wo%20Attachments.pdf

The preferred alternative for the future development of the Site is a four star or similar brand or boutique hotel. It is the intent and preference of the City to award the bid to the proposal that develops the maximum number of rooms and which would propose the utilization of planning tools and entitlements to maximize the developable area, including the potential acquisition of surrounding parcels and no fewer than 150 rooms. If necessary to accommodate a proposal, a Bidder should indicate its willingness to apply for required land use entitlements. In addition the hotel should include ground floor retail , restaurant and / or commercial uses, and a number of guest amenities including, a fitness center; spacious lobby with seating; and business center.

Due to its proximity to the Metro Blue Line, any development on this site will be considered a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) with emphasis on pedestrian friendly areas and public transportation. The Pico/Chick Hearn Metro Blue Line Station is located within one block of the Site and averages 2,653 daily boardings on weekdays. The Site is also near Pico Boulevard and Figueroa Street, which act as major pedestrian corridors when events take place at the LACC, Staples Center, and L.A. Live.

Looks like ground floor retail is a prerequisite. Also looks like the city's intent is to shoot for the maximum number of rooms possible, which could potentially make for quite a bit of height.

[LosAngelesDreamin]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Excellent. the more the merrier. A couple of things i hope happen though... 1) Retail 2) at least 35 stories 3) no setbacks and lots of glass on the ground floor 4) no parking podiums 5) NO STUCCO

[blackcat23]

Sometime this week they started digging at 8th and Hope. The sidewalk bordering the lot has been closed.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Sometime this week they started digging at 8th and Hope. The sidewalk bordering the lot has been closed.

Yup, they started digging yesterday. moving quick!

[LosAngelesBeauty]

This RFP for a new hotel is very exciting. Perhaps this could bring in a development opportunity for Virgin Hotels, which has been looking for either ground up or adaptive reuse.

Also, don't forget about the Oviatt Apartments across the street from this site that will hopefully be converted to a boutique hotel as well:




http://brighamyen.com/2012/05/04/new-boutique-hotel-coming-to-south-park-in-downtown-los-angeles/

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by blackcat23

Sometime this week they started digging at 8th and Hope. The sidewalk bordering the lot has been closed.

Go crazy on the pictures. No trip tomorrow =/

[Valyrian Steel]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Go crazy on the pictures. No trip tomorrow =/

I was looking forward to your photo update of the Courtyard. Well I noticed some great progress from the live cam. Hopefully blackcat can save the day.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by Pink Floyd

I was looking forward to your photo update of the Courtyard. Well I noticed some great progress from the live cam. Hopefully blackcat can save the day.

Sorry mate. Hopefully next weekend, but since Halo 4 will be out and about by then, I can't promise you anything

In other news, I'm glad Grand Park is being put to use for that Day of the Dead festival. A friend of mine went and told me there were hundreds at the park listening to the concert and just hanging around in the park. Must have been some event with the taco trucks and all XD

[LA/OCman]

This building is really going to look sharp when completed in 2014! Image by Clark Construction.

http://www.clarkhallofjustice.com/

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by HunterK

IS THAT A PARKING GARAGE!???


I give up. Why cant anything be done right? That almost ruins the building for me - and thats one of my favorite buildings.

That motherf***ing parking garage looks like something out of Irvine Spectrum. I'm sad.

You need to take a chill pill.

What's wrong with the parking garage? Sure it's a parking garage but it's not terrible. Plus it replaces a parking lot. At least it tries to blend with the architecture of the Civic Center.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by HunterK

It's just so depressing. Every DTLA project seems to have something go terribly wrong.

Its a parking garage - thats terrible in itself.

But it is one of the ugliest (new) parking garages I've seen. What the hell are they thinking? It looks positively horrendous, dont kid yourself and say it's 1/2 decent.

I borderline hate parking garages too, but what the rendering shows is far from "horrendous".

[sings twin]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Go crazy on the pictures. No trip tomorrow =/

i was really looking forward to the Marriot photos. Hopefully Blackcat is out and about.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by sings twin

i was really looking forward to the Marriot photos. Hopefully Blackcat is out and about.

Actually! I was just paid today and I'm off tomorrow so I might end up going tomorrow! Don't worry guys, there's still hope! =]

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by HunterK

It's just so depressing. Every DTLA project seems to have something go terribly wrong.

you're new here so I can't complain about your being a killjoy, or perhaps a broken record. But the parking structure looks perfectly fine to me. If its design was like something straight out of the spectrum in OC, I'd imagine it would have a totally plain, blah facade. instead, it looks like there's at least going to be an effort to duplicate the traditional stone surface of the existing hall of justice bldg....


clarkhallofjustice.com


clarkhallofjustice.com


clarkhallofjustice.com


hunterk, if this type of change really bothers you, I don't know how you currently tolerate dtla. I don't say that to be snarky or sarcastic, but cuz the hood has so many truly qualities far, far, far worse than a new bldg going up in the civic ctr....that if the design of a parking structure sets you off, you must get quite depressed by dt far more than I've ever been.

btw, thanks LA/ocman for posting that link. I've been curious about the construction site next to the HOJ, but was too lazy to try to figure out what it was. improvements like that along with the new park make the civic ctr nicer today than it has ever been.

[citywatch]

I guess I should also post another image of the hoj, since it looks like they plan to nicely floodlight it at night....


clarkhallofjustice.com

between the impressively lighted up city hall, this addition should give more sense of brightness to the civic ctr at night. In yrs past, when there was almost no one living in dt, or just some guests in a few hotels & a handful of ppl struggling to survive in SRO bldgs or living on the sidewalk, there may have been less interest in doing things like lighting up dt....esp around the civic ctr....during the evening hrs.

I understand the hoj bldg also is going to get a long needed steam cleaning of its limestone exterior, which should make it look brand new. It will be a far cry from the sad condition the bldg has been in since 1994, if not longer.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by citywatch

you're new here so I can't complain about your being a killjoy, or perhaps a broken record.

Post of the year.

But I agree with citywatch. To get so upset about a non-offensive parking garage with stuff like Palmer's Tuscans milling about is a bit odd. You can make an attractive parking garage and this one isn't bad. Plus it'll be implemented well with the Hall of Justice so at least it's not going to be an eyesore.

Of course I could be wrong and it could be clad in stucco for all we know.