LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 435

Mojeda101 · #**8681** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 7:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wilcal

I'm wondering if the city has even produced a design concept for Ave. of the Angels. I'm thinking that we will have an announcement about a buyer for the formerly Metropolis project at least by the end of the year, if not sooner. The sudden interest by developers, both large and small (Macy's Plaza, Brookfield Properties, New Grand, LA Central, south Broadway, etc.) tends to ignite an emotional/economic rush of interest. The Ave, as it were, is a very important design challenge because it is a conduit for connecting the activity of the new Grand Hotel and LA Live. If done well, it would be a signature for Urban Planning and the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles. To be quite honest, if all the mentioned projects come to fruition and are successful, the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles (all say, within a span of about 10 to 15 years) will be the subject of urban planning theory worldwide.
As far as your reference to the seven story "abominations" or what I like to call "stumpy stucco boxes," I think that they are an incredible waste of a precious limited resource--land. Of course the city is partly to blame by not increasing density (zoning, FAR, etc.) where appropriate. This may soon change with Garcetti at the helm.

AEG is bound to do something with the Ave. Now that they own the convention center. They will realize the impact of having hotels in the immediate area that will have on the conventions. Metropolis could be something extraordinary but we need a serious buyer that would be willing to commit to building what we want on that site which I have no idea who would have the guts to do it. I'm sure Downtown will be something else by 2020. A lot of the available land will be bought up and/or be developed on. The streetcar will bring people into the Southpark area and projects are apparently already planned such as another abomination. By then the Wilshire Grand will be towering over us, the regional connector should be operational and several high rises would have been added to the skyline and who knows what projects would be under construction by then. The city of change is LA, and Downtown is at the head of this change. Before you know it, Downtown will have 100,000 residents and will rival the skyline of Chicago. I'm being cocky but at this pace of Resurrection and construction, we could have a lively downtown once again.

Quixote · #**8682** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 7:20 AM**

Maybe we should rename South Park "Anschutz City."

sings twin · #**8683** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 11:36 AM**

Thanks for the update Mojeda , much appreciated as usual.

MarshallKnight · #**8684** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by brudy

If the subway went there, we might have ended up there.

This was the hardest part of the decision for me. At my old place, I was riding the Expo Line into Downtown, and have been getting really amped up for all the new public transit infrastructure (I even did a sort of "ride the rails" birthday last year all across town).

Obviously Fairfax doesn't have any of that. However, there's talk now of some kind of streetcar which, like downtown, would loop the greater area from the Grove to Beverly Center to LACMA, and there's always the possibility that the "Pink Line" materializes as a serious proposal.

But I'll probably have lived half a dozen places before all that materializes. Downtown is obviously the hub for all that, and as the new lines extend further and further, it will be the best spot from which to explore the city.

Mojeda101 · #**8685** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 6:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse

My thoughts exactly.

It's going to be a damned long time before Downtown hits 100k. That's virtually doubling the current population which would take around two decades at the current pace to get that big. But you can't deny that judging from the recent events and current projects LA's skyline will be something else entirely by 2030. Now we probably wouldn't rival Chicago for probably a few decades after that, but it's coming, love it or hate it.

LAofAnaheim · #**8686** Posted **Jul 5, 2013, 7:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarshallKnight

The rest of it mostly has to do with the intangibles of the street experience. Fairfax is covered in trees, and I've got Pan Pacific Park right across the street which, with basketball courts, BBQ pits and all that grass, blows Grand Park away. Downtown also doesn't always feel particularly safe, and I've also never been there without being harassed for change by at least one homeless guy, or stepping over somebody's piss. Until that problem starts to actually get addressed, I am always going to think twice.

You have valid points. Thanks for letting me know your rationale. The only point where I may disagree is the homeless situation. As we live in the largest first-world city in the world with fantastic weather and great health/medical facilities, we'll never escape the homeless issue. As a homeless person, they wouldn't survive the winters of New York, Chicago or many other NE, or Midwestern cities. Also, LA has more homeless services than Dallas, Phoenix, Miami, etc... and better weather to boot! So, due to these reasons, the homeless will always be an LA issue.

The only thing we can do is drown out the interaction between passerby's and homeless people. Right now we have 10 people on the street, so a homeless person can approach each person for change/food. Now, when we get more people on the street with the new residential buildings opening, there will be 100 people on the street (in 10 years), then the chance a homeless person will approach you would be 10%. Homeless will never change, we can only dilute the interaction. I know, rude to say, but mostly reality.

Quixote · #**8687** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 2:27 AM**

For DTLA, I think the skyscraper "zones" are the Financial District, Bunker Hill, and South Park (north of Pico). Historic Core, Fashion District, Little Tokyo, and Arts Distrct are best suited for mid-rises.

colemonkee · #**8688** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 2:47 AM**

Man, sometimes you guys make me feel like a babysitter. Who doesn't get paid. Please, try to keep things on topic. You all know that city vs. city conversations are verbotten, yet every single time you allow yourselves to be dragged into it. Show some restraint next time and just ignore comments and it won't happen. Simple as that.

JDRCRASH · #**8689** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 3:05 AM**

EDIT: Was gonna chime in, but just saw Colemonkee's post.

Quixote · #**8690** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:23 AM**

^ LOL, how cute.

...

I saw this posted on SSC by blackcat23. It's a rendering of obviously a re-designed LA/Fig Central (whatever it's called):

Height is sacrificed in favor of more efficient land use.

Illithid Dude · #**8691** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:29 AM**

I saw that too on the website. It's just another option for the land, but I don't believe there are any entitlements for it or anything (not that I know very well how that whole process works).

Quixote · #**8692** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:30 AM**

Here's the website for those who didn't know where to find it (me) or didn't know one even existed:

http://figcentral.la/index.html

Quixote · #**8693** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:42 AM**

Who knows how to post flash images? There are two pretty good elevations under "Project Specs" (the top two) that haven't been posted. Would anyone care to take the liberty to do so?

Quixote · #**8694** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I saw that too on the website. It's just another option for the land, but I don't believe there are any entitlements for it or anything (not that I know very well how that whole process works).

Yeah, apparently that alternative was conceived during the schematic design phase. I think it's pretty clear that we're getting the taller version, which I'm happy about.

Quixote · #**8695** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:47 AM**

Also, under "Location" there's a sexy rendering of the project from another angle. Could someone kindly post that as well? Be sure to click on the zoom in button in the upper right corner.

Quixote · #**8696** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:51 AM**

Found one more...

Under "Overview," the third rendering is a rear (Flower Street) view of the two towers. The curtain wall looks pretty sleek.

Valyrian Steel · #**8697** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 4:55 AM**

Here ya go.

http://figcentral.la/images/street-elevation.jpg

http://figcentral.la/images/overview-picture.jpg

http://figcentral.la/images/rainbow_signage.png

Quixote · #**8698** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 5:02 AM**

^ Thank you so much! There's one more though... the third one under "Overview." It's a pretty sexy rendering.

Valyrian Steel · #**8699** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 5:13 AM**

I didn't find anymore, unless you mean the ones on the banner.

Quixote · #**8700** Posted **Jul 6, 2013, 5:14 AM**

^ It's hidden under this one. The rendering is from the corner of 11th/Flower and the towers are a silverish hue. If you find it, be sure to click on the zoom button in the upper right corner.