LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0 - Page 766

craigs · #**15301** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 7:28 AM**

Thanks for the pics, Plinko! This is an interesting addition to the skyline--I like that it is tall and adds density.

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**15302** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 2:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caligrad

This one sprouted up rather quickly. Here's hoping they get started on the TMS project. I forgot all about how they still have to tear down the Pereira addition, that alone I feel will take a solid year. Too bad they couldn't have done that while this one was being built.

Just tearing down the addition will be a big win for dtla.

Looking forward to a day when we have the times mirror project completed (including the rehab of the old buildings), the high rise above the subway station, the high rise on the corner across where the one story buildings are and Angeles landing completed. The entire area will be great

citywatch · #**15303** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Clifton’s Republic owner Andrew Meieran sits in a boat on the top floor of the historic restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

[I]Meieran is the proprietor of Clifton’s Republic, the kitschy, forest-themed restaurant on Broadway in downtown’s Historic Core that for nearly a century served up comfort food such as pot roast, mashed potatoes and Jell-O. The five-story restaurant and bar complex has been closed for the last year after a burst water pipe caused a flood that destroyed the kitchen and collapsed the ceilings on three floors. Clifton’s is scheduled to reopen next month after extensive repairs and renovations. Among the changes patrons will find is a basement venue several years in the making that Meieran said is “dedicated to innovation and the magic of experiences” with “entertainment, cocktails and culinary offerings.”

The Times spoke with Meieran to discuss his plans for reviving Clifton’s after the current shutdown...

Q: Since the pandemic began, the restaurant business has been battered and put through changes that have made it hard for owners to operate profitably. How do you intend to make a go of it?

.

craigs · #**15304** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 7:02 PM**

In Skid Row, a 19-story residential tower for homeless people will offer gym, cafe, art studio

“We’re trying to make our little corner of the world look and feel a little better,” says Kevin Murray, president and chief executive of Weingart Center Assn. and mastermind of a Skid Row residential project. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Doug Smith
Los Angeles Times
June 5, 2024

From the courtyard balcony on the 19th story of the new residential tower, Skid Row seems small and distant below. Its barely visible tents and shanties melt into vistas of the downtown skyline and San Gabriel Mountains to the north and the flat expanse of city south to the sea. Even the row of buildings on San Pedro Street that form the core of Skid Row’s service institutions — the Midnight Mission, Union Rescue Mission, LAMP Community, JWCH Institute, the Cobb residences and the 11-story Weingart Center — are reduced to rooftop outlines.

And that’s the idea. The 278-unit tower, due to open this month, is meant to be a self-contained environment that will insulate its formerly homeless residents from the squalor and hopelessness around them and, at the same time, elevate the neighborhood.
. . . .
Murray’s grand plan will take its first step this month when Weingart begins leasing the first of three high-rise buildings that will wrap around the nonprofit’s headquarters at 6th and San Pedro streets. The second tower, with 302 rooms, is now rising on the south side of 6th Street and is scheduled to open in about 18 months. A third, 104-unit tower is in the planning phase.
. . . .

A patio in the Weingart residential tower on Skid Row has a view of the Los Angeles skyline. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The 19-story building on Skid Row has 278 units for formerly homeless people. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

A patio atop the residential tower on Skid Row. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

LA21st · #**15305** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 8:02 PM**

Is it possible one day the Federal Government steps in and finances these highrises for the homeless? If its difficult for the private developers, because its not profitable, why don't the feds?

Other states are sending their damn homeless here, and dont cite some dumbass survey that isnt true. I've seen those "studies" and its just lazy "research" of where these people are actually from.
Look at the recent news where these people comitted crimes. Theyre from Massaschusetts, Missouri, Kansas, Texas. And thats just recently.

Zapatan · #**15306** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 8:02 PM**

Nice progress on the two near 600 footers. Thanks for the pics.

I couldn't find anything in the news regarding Mitsui's appeals but I hope that starts this year.

headcheckjj · #**15307** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zapatan

Nice progress on the two near 600 footers. Thanks for the pics.

I couldn't find anything in the news regarding Mitsui's appeals but I hope that starts this year.

The proposed tower on 8th/Grand? That's now in appeals?

Doctorboffin · #**15308** Posted **Jun 5, 2024, 9:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caligrad

This one sprouted up rather quickly. Here's hoping they get started on the TMS project. I forgot all about how they still have to tear down the Pereira addition, that alone I feel will take a solid year. Too bad they couldn't have done that while this one was being built.

The next one they start will probably be the Arts District tower as they recently filed updated plans for it (chopping its height a fair, from 410 feet to 335 feet in typical Onni fashion) while also filing a time extension for the TMS project last year. Also, my uninformed opinion is that the Arts District seems to be doing better than the rest of DTLA, so I wouldn't be surprised if they prioritized a project in that area.

That all said, I really hope the TMS project breaks ground soon, that one would be really transformative.

As a side note, has there been any news on 1045 Olive? They were ripping up some of the sidewalk to work on pipes or wires outside of the lot. I wonder if they are doing advanced utility relocation for it? That's just pure speculation/ hope.

Zapatan · #**15309** Posted **Jun 6, 2024, 1:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doctorboffin

As a side note, has there been any news on 1045 Olive? They were ripping up some of the sidewalk to work on pipes or wires outside of the lot. I wonder if they are doing advanced utility relocation for it? That's just pure speculation/ hope.

Haven't heard anything but if they sold their lots in Seattle and Chicago and wherever else I sure hope it was to focus on this. Wouldn't be surprised if this project suffered a similar fate but fingers crossed.

citywatch · #**15310** Posted **Jun 6, 2024, 2:00 PM**

From a website based out of london, the UK...

Quote:

A multi-story tower block built on Los Angeles's Skid Row, which is designed exclusively to house the homeless, is now open for leasing. The Weingart Towers is a 278-unit fully-furnished residential building that has a gym, soundproofed music room, television lounge, café, and an art studio inside.

New residents will be able to enjoy the swanky amenities, as well as appliance-filled renovated kitchens and wall-mounted televisions inside their apartment units. The building, which was entirely funded by public sources, will also provide on-site case management and physical and mental health care - designed to help its new residents get their lives back on track.

Out of the building's 278 units, 40 are also reserved for veteran households. Each of the new-build apartments has at least one bedroom and a living area, kitted out with its own furniture. Residents will also be able to host family and friends at their dining tables and decked-out kitchens. The unhoused will also have access to six common balconies in Weingart Tower - and four of them will have access to dog runs.

• Video Link

^ highrise housing built in various cities like St Louis or Chicago over 50 yrs ago soon became notorious as vertical slums when maintenance & security weren't strong enough. The weingart center hopefully will be better managers.

SoCalKid · #**15311** Posted **Jun 6, 2024, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA21st

Is it possible one day the Federal Government steps in and finances these highrises for the homeless? If its difficult for the private developers, because its not profitable, why don't the feds?

Other states are sending their damn homeless here, and dont cite some dumbass survey that isnt true. I've seen those "studies" and its just lazy "research" of where these people are actually from.
Look at the recent news where these people comitted crimes. Theyre from Massaschusetts, Missouri, Kansas, Texas. And thats just recently.

The Feds do fund these affordable housing projects. This particular one was state funded I believe, but many affordable housing projects use Low Income Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing which is Fed money.

I don't think we should be building high rise affordable housing though. It costs way way more than mid rise development (including the land! As much as 2x), and we can stretch our dollars much further and build way more housing if we just stick to mid rise. I, for one, would rather build 10,000 units in 100 mid rise buildings than 5,000 units in 25 high rise buildings, for example, for the same amount of money.

LA21st · #**15312** Posted **Jun 6, 2024, 11:13 PM**

Maybe, but I dont think those little 4 story developments in south LA are the way to go either.

Doesnt NYC do alot of affordable highrise housing? Granted, they have less land, but I don't see why 10-15 story buildings are this difficult.

plinko · #**15313** Posted **Jun 7, 2024, 6:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA21st

Maybe, but I dont think those little 4 story developments in south LA are the way to go either.

Doesnt NYC do alot of affordable highrise housing? Granted, they have less land, but I don't see why 10-15 story buildings are this difficult.

Because 4 story buildings can still be built out of stick frame, which is way cheaper. Anything beyond about 5-6 stories has to be built from concrete and fire treated steel, much more expensive. The new cross-laminated wood towers are still sort of a novelty and very expensive relative to standard stick frame.

LA21st · #**15314** Posted **Jun 7, 2024, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by plinko

Because 4 story buildings can still be built out of stick frame, which is way cheaper. Anything beyond about 5-6 stories has to be built from concrete and fire treated steel, much more expensive. The new cross-laminated wood towers are still sort of a novelty and very expensive relative to standard stick frame.

But how does NYC developers finance the bigger affordable housing? If its all affordable, where are they getting extra money to build the 10-15 story buildings?

LAsam · #**15315** Posted **Jun 7, 2024, 9:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA21st

But how does NYC developers finance the bigger affordable housing? If its all affordable, where are they getting extra money to build the 10-15 story buildings?

My assumption is that it's through a combination of public grants and tax credits.

SoCalKid · #**15316** Posted **Jun 8, 2024, 12:19 AM**

A couple of things on this discussion:

- After 8 stories, everything has to be built out of steel or concrete (as plinko mentioned). Only 5 of those stories can be wood. So that's why you see podium buildings with 2-3 stories of concrete with wood on top.
- After 8 stories, the building also falls into "high rise fire code" which adds a bunch of costly requirements. In other places, you can build a little taller (10-15 stories) without triggering those same requirements.
- The building code we have to follow is unnecessarily strict, which drives up cost a ton. It's part of the reason you don't see skinny towers in California the way you do in places like Vancouver.
- We have seismic requirements that increase costs of high rises that places like NYC don't have.
- I don't know the NYC market, but I'm sure those affordable high rises are very expensive there as well. The difference is that land is much more limited and you wouldn't be able to build at scale with mid rises.
- The affordable housing developments in NYC are funded by state, local and federal grants and programs just like they are in the rest of the country.
- In LA, there is plenty of land even in the densest areas to build mid rise. Think of how many surface parking lots and strip centers you see in DTLA, Koreatown, and Hollywood. We should be building out those before we even think about high rise affordable housing. Building high rise affordable housing is intentionally building less housing than you could.

homebucket · #**15317** Posted **Jun 8, 2024, 1:02 AM**

^ Excellent summary. Nailed it.

pwright1 · #**15318** Posted **Jun 8, 2024, 7:49 AM**

4thethrill · #**15319** Posted **Jun 9, 2024, 1:10 AM**

re: Skid Row towers

If nothing else, hopefully it does "elevate" the neighborhood, as quoted in the article, and bring more investments and even market rate housing to the area.

Also, the urban canyon along San Pedro St, as seen from Little Tokyo, is becoming more substantial. Wish I had a current photo to share.

SoCalKid · #**15320** Posted **Jun 10, 2024, 6:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4thethrill

re: Skid Row towers

If nothing else, hopefully it does "elevate" the neighborhood, as quoted in the article, and bring more investments and even market rate housing to the area.

Also, the urban canyon along San Pedro St, as seen from Little Tokyo, is becoming more substantial. Wish I had a current photo to share.

Building highly dense supportive housing definitely will not bring market rate housing. It will be viewed as a negative by private investors. But skid row isn't getting market rate housing any time soon anyway.

I'm not saying we shouldn't build supportive housing (of course we should!), but we should be doing it as cost effectively as possible so that we can stretch our dollars and get as many people off the streets as possible. High rises are not the way to do that.