LOS ANGELES: Downtown Project Rundown 2.0 - Page 5

citywatch · #81 Posted **Aug 25, 2006, 10:00 PM**

I know that the hood in many ways still is considered uncharted territory, because housing really wasn't a big part of DT until as recently as the late 1990s, when GH Palmer & Tom Gilmore started work on their projs.

I like to think the Skylofts represent just a small part of the total potential that devlprs have in attracting buyers with $$. But, so far, there isn't too much else to go on, except for places like the penthouses in, as one example, the Eastern Columbia loft proj, which I've read also have been sitting available for several months.

I'm sure the investment community is closely following just how quickly or slow sales have been at the new condo & apt projs in the hood, & the ppl sponsoring the City House & Olympic towers prob will be a lot more gung ho about starting work ASAP if they see condos are being snapped up at a nice pace.

LosAngelesBeauty · #82 Posted **Aug 25, 2006, 11:08 PM**

Yeah welcome k3d! Glad you found our humble little forum here.

k3d · #83 Posted **Aug 25, 2006, 11:56 PM**

Though I really would have prefered a balcony like most units in the south group projects.

colemonkee · #84 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 2:52 AM**

Hikari (2nd and Central), from earlier this evening.

hughfb3 · #85 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 7:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3d

I live at Sky and I bought there because of the look and feel over other projects look and feel. Our corner unit faces Staples and I think one big difference is that though we wanted the large open space feel that most lofts offered, I wasn't all that happy about other projects -lofty- features like exposed pipes, a-c ducts, cement or brick walls, etc... Sky is more of a luxury apartment than a loft and in that price range you may find more people prefer the luxury amenities than the lofty type amenities. The Italian design lobby-common area, luxury theater, fully equipped exercise room, private driveway with waterfalls more than make up for a lack of pool or rooftop. Our 2 massive picture windows and one giant floor to ceiling window in the master is hard to beat, especially with 8 or 9 cranes in that viewport.

Exactly my point! Sky lofts should not be the barometer on whether or not other projects will be successful. I have one view on what downtown living should be and someone else has a different one. I hope I did not offend you kd3, it just was not my style.
Congratulations on successfully finding a new home. How do you like it there?

I believe peterj has a valid point. Maybe if sky opened a bit later, it would have sold out alot quicker

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterJ

I believe that many of the folks "buying" million dollar lofts today in DTLA are doing so because they want to move in in two or three years when more amenities are online and the neighborhoods are more developed. These buyers are much less interested in spending big money to move in today and live in a pre-ralphs and LA LIVE downtown. Therefore, future buildings (rodmark/titan) are more attractive to high-end buyers than ones currently online (skylofts).

I suspect this is one reason why Evo sells out (at $700ish a sq ft) and Elleven has a few units available today (at $600ish sq ft).

hughfb3 · #86 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 7:18 AM**

Did my downtown drive through again... Hanover is on steroids, I swear. It seemed like two days ago they just got to the 3rd floor and now they have already exceeded the height of the building adjacent to them. Craziness!!!

arkiLA · #87 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 8:00 AM**

Just saw the rendering of the Moinian project...it's great that this project hasn't been sidelined considering the fact that home sales in the LA area had dropped by as much as 30% compared to last year...It will be interesting to see how projects like these hold up in the next few years....

Easy · #88 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 3:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Did my downtown drive through again... Hanover is on steroids, I swear. It seemed like two days ago they just got to the 3rd floor and now they have already exceeded the height of the building adjacent to them. Craziness!!!

The Variety Arts Building next to 717 Olympic isn't really that tall, but considering that the site was just a hole in the ground a few months ago it's pretty impressive!

citywatch · #89 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 3:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Sky lofts should not be the barometer on whether or not other projects will be successful.

Good to see debate on matters like that. Otherwise it's harder to get a sense of why certain apt or condo projs are doing very well or not so well.

I'd be relieved if I didn't feel a need to insert caution (or as CM says, being a party pooper) into the middle of everyone's enthusiasm over new projs in the hood, but I still remember what happened to the Wilshire corridor around Westwood back in the early 1990s. A highrise condo boom occurred there at that time & lasted for a few yrs. But then, almost as though a switch had been flipped, it came to a complete standstill. Units stopped selling & one devlpr even abandoned construction on his tower for several yrs. The rusting hulk of his unfinished tower sat along Wilshire Bl, becoming a new eyesore in that hood, until I believe the late 1990s.

I hope to never have to see that kind of downturn again, esp if it involves the hood around Staples or DT in general.

citywatch · #90 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by colemonkee

Hikari (2nd and Central), from earlier this evening.

Thanks for the photos. Interesting how the proj turned out compared with this earlier version:

That site, before it became a parking lot, once housed an old brick bldg that the City of Hope used for weekend swap meets, or something like that. All I know is that the NW corner of 2nd & Central has been one of the gaps in the hood for as long as I can remember. While it's a gap that's not as visible as, for example, the parking lot directly west of Grauman's on Hollywood Blvd, it nonetheless is one of those deadzones that to see finally filled in is reason enough to go:

hughfb3 · #91 Posted **Aug 26, 2006, 10:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

yes, when i called them about a month ago, they mentioned that they are now called Titan and not Rodmark. I think those will be a go soon!

When you called them, what was the topic of discussion?

LosAngelesSportsFan · #92 Posted **Aug 27, 2006, 1:12 AM**

Just wanted to see where the project stood, and she didnt know much except that the name had changed to titan and that she could take my number down and have someone call me. i didnt bother.

colemonkee · #93 Posted **Aug 27, 2006, 5:58 PM**

Downtown News had a color rendering of LA Central that shows the top.

LongBeachUrbanist · #94 Posted **Aug 28, 2006, 6:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by colemonkee

Hikari (2nd and Central), from earlier this evening.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I kind of like how Hikari is turning out. I mean, it's not going to win any architectural innovation awards, but as a place to live, I think it's fine. It's in the middle of an active neighborhood that's improving all the time. I just hope that there will be decent retail and lighting around the bottom, and that the interiors were not skimped on.

ksep · #95 Posted **Aug 28, 2006, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongBeachUrbanist

I just hope that there will be decent retail and lighting around the bottom, and that the interiors were not skimped on.

a long time ago i heard that there would be some blue light installation around the building above the first floor.

k3d · #96 Posted **Aug 29, 2006, 7:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Exactly my point! Sky lofts should not be the barometer on whether or not other projects will be successful. I have one view on what downtown living should be and someone else has a different one. I hope I did not offend you kd3, it just was not my style.
Congratulations on successfully finding a new home. How do you like it there?

I believe peterj has a valid point. Maybe if sky opened a bit later, it would have sold out alot quicker

Not At all hughfb3, I was just pointing out the same thing. We like it there alot. Thanks

On another note, I have alot of pictures of downtown but this forum says I may not post attachments. I read the faq but cannot seem to find any other way to post a picture. Can I get permission to post attachments or is there another way?

Simaru · #97 Posted **Aug 29, 2006, 7:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3d

Though I really would have prefered a balcony like most units in the south group projects.

welcome¡¡¡

LosAngelesSportsFan · #98 Posted **Aug 30, 2006, 9:38 PM**

Here's some good news! i just called the Kawada Group and was asking a few questions regarding the Zen Tower, cause i hadn't heard much lately, and the Rep told me that its not quite there yet, but the project will break ground early, very early 2007! they are for sale condos and that they havent figured out the price ranges yet.

BrandonJXN · #99 Posted **Aug 30, 2006, 9:59 PM**

Lol..LASportsFan. If there is one thing we can count on is your never ending optimism.

Regarding Zen: It's good to finally hear something about it.

Quixote · #**100** Posted **Aug 30, 2006, 10:18 PM**

Great news! That area could use some new development.