LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[pesto]

Love these new additions. One of the great plusses of densely built but decayed areas is to see what the developers can do with alleys, entries, roofs, odd walls and other limited areas in a built environment. When done well the result is often much warmer and more charming than similar places in the typical new building.

[bobcat]

Interesting article in LA Weekly about the proposed lighting on the Wilshire Grand project.

http://www.laweekly.com/2011-03-24/news/digitally-ad-wrapped-skyscrapers-coming-to-l-a/

Especially this part:

...such advertising revenue from the outside of buildings becomes more valuable than leasing the space inside the building...For instance, Manhattan's famed triangular building, One Times Square, is cited as a model for Hollywood's and L.A. Live's flashy future. But for years, One Times Square was essentially uninhabited. The flashing ads on the outside were the real payoff, not the rental of spaces inside.

It makes you wonder how this could potentially impact development in South Park should the area become a designated billboard district.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by bobcat

Interesting article in LA Weekly about the proposed lighting on the Wilshire Grand project.

http://www.laweekly.com/2011-03-24/news/digitally-ad-wrapped-skyscrapers-coming-to-l-a/

Especially this part:



It makes you wonder how this could potentially impact development in South Park should the area become a designated billboard district.

I always thought the lighting was a bad idea. If the buildings were near LA Live it would be one thing, but they're not- they're in the financial district and will be visible from anywhere on 7th. In one fell swoop we've turned a historic area into Disneyland. But it seems like everyone's too excited about the buildings to care.

[Just-In-Cali]

^^^
Considering it will be part of a busy hotel business and retail project, and next to the updated Target shopping center at 7th & Fig, and it will be at the corner of Wilshire and Figuroa, a major junction in the downtown area, I cant say it will be a bad thing, as we dont want all the "activity" in downtown focused soley in South Park and on Bunker Hill. Until we see actual renders to show just what the extent will be, we can speculate all we want, but in this case, Im not seeing all that much downside to the whole project. People are attracted to shiny things. Get business and people there first, then start nitpicking.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

^^^
Considering it will be part of a busy hotel business and retail project, and next to the updated Target shopping center at 7th & Fig, and it will be at the corner of Wilshire and Figuroa, a major junction in the downtown area, I cant say it will be a bad thing, as we dont want all the "activity" in downtown focused soley in South Park and on Bunker Hill. Until we see actual renders to show just what the extent will be, we can speculate all we want, but in this case, Im not seeing all that much downside to the whole project. People are attracted to shiny things. Get business and people there first, then start nitpicking.

I have to agree. I am not against a lighting district by default. I want to see what it's going to look like before making a decision. I think generally speaking people are attracted to lighted districts at night and it becomes a night life hot spot. DTLA may be have one of the few Financial Districts that has a good night life. Most FiDis close down at night (including NY's).

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

I always thought the lighting was a bad idea. If the buildings were near LA Live it would be one thing, but they're not- they're in the financial district and will be visible from anywhere on 7th. In one fell swoop we've turned a historic area into Disneyland. But it seems like everyone's too excited about the buildings to care.

That's why "they" gotta design them well!!! If it's designed well, it won't look bad! LA has had such horrible design standards for so long it's easy to fall into the idea that whatever "we" do, it'll come out looking bad. lol However, we also need to take a chance again and envision a new part of Downtown LA to look tremendously different.

[RAlossi]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but there's dirt moving at the Chinatown Gateway site now. The whole site has been scraped.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by RAlossi

I don't know if this was mentioned, but there's dirt moving at the Chinatown Gateway site now. The whole site has been scraped.

That and the Blossom Plaza are two of the most important projects for Chinatown. Blossom Plaza is just a bit more important right now because more ppl have the potential to access Chinatown by Gold Line, but don't because there is no proper "gateway" right now. However, long term, the Chinatown Gateway is JUST AS important because it will connect with El Pueblo and the Civic Center with the freeway cap park 101.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

That's why "they" gotta design them well!!! If it's designed well, it won't look bad! LA has had such horrible design standards for so long it's easy to fall into the idea that whatever "we" do, it'll come out looking bad. lol However, we also need to take a chance again and envision a new part of Downtown LA to look tremendously different.

Totally agree. Maybe the fact that the office building in Times Square didn't do well was because it was on Time Square, a kitchy tourist pit. If L.A. wants to make a billboard district, model it on Ginza, not the ickyness that is Times Square.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

People are attracted to shiny things. Get business and people there first, then start nitpicking.

I guess I don't see it as a nitpick because it's really important. They're literally creating a brand new sign district just for this development, which is going to forever change the character of what is currently a charming neighborhood filled with beautiful old buildings with minimal advertising.

Once the genie is out of the bottle on this, you can't put it back in. The area around 7th and Fig is going to be LA Live North...just 4 blocks from Pershing Square. Am I really the only one that sees that as a bad thing?

I live in the Historic Core and get to witness Downtown's positive trajectory every day. I don't for a minute think that the explosive growth of retail would somehow slow down if these buildings don't get sheathed in ads.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

I guess I don't see it as a nitpick because it's really important. They're literally creating a brand new sign district just for this development, which is going to [I]forever change the character of what is currently a charming neighborhood filled with beautiful old buildings with minimal advertising.

Once the genie is out of the bottle on this, you can't put it back in. The area around 7th and Fig is going to be LA Live North...just 4 blocks from Pershing Square. Am I really the only one that sees that as a bad thing?

I live in the Historic Core and get to witness Downtown's positive trajectory every day. I don't for a minute think that the explosive growth of retail would somehow slow down if these buildings don't get sheathed in ads.

Wait a minute, isn't the signage district supposed to only be on Fig from LA Live up to Wilshire? I wasn't aware that it was going to actually go down 7th Street? I don't agree with making 7th Street into Times Square (although I am not against strategic neon signs being brought back like the old days of Broadway).

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

That's why "they" gotta design them well!!! If it's designed well, it won't look bad! LA has had such horrible design standards for so long it's easy to fall into the idea that whatever "we" do, it'll come out looking bad. lol However, we also need to take a chance again and envision a new part of Downtown LA to look tremendously different.

Maybe I just haven't traveled enough (Admittedly, I've never been to Tokyo), but I just have never seen a sign district that is done well. They're always loud, bright places that make you go "ohh, ahh!" once and then leave the area and not come back. In other words, places for tourists.

I'd much rather see DTLA to strive for the kind of development you see in a place like Portland rather than Times Square.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

Maybe I just haven't traveled enough (Admittedly, I've never been to Tokyo), but I just have never seen a sign district that is done well. They're always loud, bright places that make you go "ohh, ahh!" once and then leave the area and not come back. In other words, places for tourists.

I'd much rather see DTLA to strive for the kind of development you see in a place like Portland rather than Times Square.

I think Ginza in Tokyo looks beautiful!


ExploreJapan.org


And plus, residents in Tokyo use Ginza as much as tourists, as the street is always closed down on Sundays geared more towards residents.

"Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, when the main north-south artery is closed to traffic. The traffic blockade began in the 1960s under governor Ryokichi Minobe."

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

Wait a minute, isn't the signage district supposed to only be on Fig from LA Live up to Wilshire? I wasn't aware that it was going to actually go down 7th Street? I don't agree with making 7th Street into Times Square (although I am not against strategic neon signs being brought back like the old days of Broadway).

I don't think the sign district is supposed to go down 7th, but it would certainly intersect with 7th. 7th forms the southern boundary of the Wilshire Grand.

That being said, the lights from the building would certainly be visible from the entire length of 7th, right through the Historic Core/Fashion District.

The view below is from Spring and 7th, looking west. Notice how the Wilshire Grand is clearly visible. Now imagine the new towers in its place, the first 10 stories of which will be wrapped in LCD ads.



I want to see these buildings built more than anyone...I just wish the planning commission didn't cave on the ad issue.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

I think Ginza in Tokyo looks beautiful!


ExploreJapan.org

I'll admit that Ginza looks beautiful and done tastefully.

Counterpoint:

1. The ads proposed for Wilshire Grand totally dwarf anything in that photo.
2. When have you known Americans to build anything tastefully?

[colemonkee]

More good news from the Downtown News:


Image Source: Downtown News

A Win-Win on Winston
Long-Vacant Building Ready to Be Reborn as Apartments

by Ryan Vaillancourt, Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2011

When Legacy Real Estate Holdings bought an abandoned seven-story building at Los Angeles and Winston streets in 2001, it was hard to imagine it full of residents, ground-floor retail and a jazz club.

The structure is perched on a corner that, while bustling with Toy District commerce by day, is marred after sunset by the kind of Skid Row woes that prevent many would-be denizens from checking out Downtown.

Ten years later, Legacy’s vision for the old Jeffries Banknote Company building is no longer far-fetched. The company broke ground on a $3.5 million-$5 million residential conversion of the 1927 structure, to be dubbed The Winston, in January and is on pace to open it as 43 apartments in summer 2012, said Stephan Schmidt, development director and spokesman for the firm.

Read the rest of the article here.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

it will be a very desirable area in the future for visitors to stay in (we do need more hotels though) when our rail network is mature and there are 4 times more things to see and do in the city.

brigham, I notice you changed your ssp handle from "los angeles beautiful" to your actual name. You are the exception to the rule, since most ppl in various forums choose to post behind anonymous names & maintain their privacy. so your transparency is refreshingly uncommon.

As for your previous ssp name that attached the word "beautiful" to "los Angeles', if you were anyone else I'd wonder if that wasn't an attempt to be humorous or a bit sarcastic.

Re: transit, while I don't dismiss the importance of improving the rail system in order to help the hood, I also think it places too much hope on the ability of trains & trolleys to make ppl like LA instead of making the city more presentable to them. IOW, if LA can reach a point where combining the name "Los Angeles"---esp DTLA----& the word "beautiful" no longer draws a blank stare, that is when things will really start coming together.

I recall some urban theorists---& some of my family members & friends----once claiming DT wasn't well liked by many ppl cuz it wasn't next to the ocean or some other type of naturally attractive scenery. But such ppl have conveniently ignored the fact that your hood, pasadena, has a fairly good reputation &---last time I checked---it sure isn't too close to the beaches of the Pacific.

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

I guess I don't see it as a nitpick because it's really important. They're literally creating a brand new sign district just for this development, which is going to forever change the character of what is currently a charming neighborhood filled with beautiful old buildings with minimal advertising.

districtdirt, since you're a transplant to LA &, based on what you've written before, are quite familiar with some major cities known for being in fairly good shape, I don't discount your POV as coming from a "homer". Or ppl who are native to LA & totally oblivious to or unconcerned about what is going on elsewhere. but imho I think based on the bigger picture, the signs & lighting on the wilshire grand proj don't bother me as much as things like this....



^ this represents a far bigger challenge to the hood than bright lights on a new tower. If the hood ever reaches a point when it's similar to some city with a historically great reputation----like one of the financial, cultural, social capitals of the world----then I think such concerns will be more in alignment with the reality of the overall situation.

[Illithid Dude]

Amidst all of our architectural lighting talk comes renders of what the architectural lighting will look like, courtesy of Curbed LA.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/03/wi..._rendering_of_architectural_lighting.php

Note that the design isn't final, but the basic idea is. I, personally, like it. It looks like a mixture of Ginza and Blade Runner. Also mentioned in the article is that the hotel portion will cost around 365 million to build.

[DJM19]

I like it. Limit the ads to the lower levels and let the top be LED lit with interesting designs. There are so many non-advertisement possibilities that could be a good draw for people to come look at.

[QuarterMileSidewalk]

Originally Posted by DJM19

I like it. Limit the ads to the lower levels and let the top be LED lit with interesting designs. There are so many non-advertisement possibilities that could be a good draw for people to come look at.

Well said. It doesn't have to be either art or ads. We can have both, and have it be even more awesome!