LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Valyrian Steel]

Great pics, black_crow

Originally Posted by Wally West

Thanks for providing some quality insight instead of being like other board members needlessly posting crap about another poster (who happens to provide some of the very best content on these boards).

And some of the worst as well.

[King Kill 'em]

Originally Posted by Resident

Circa and Metropolis's retail all face the street. Only Oceanside has store that face inside.

And still some of Ocenawide's stores will face the street. If anything it will have a better pedestrian experience than circa or metropolis because it's garage entrances are less obstructive and its podium is less massive and overbearing.

[BrandonJXN]

^ Ideally, they should close off 12th Street between Oceanwide and Circa and turn it into some sort of promenade.

[ocman]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

The irony is, for all the bitching we do about "shit boxes", they seem to have better pedestrian interactions than any of the high rises. Walking around South Park, the only places that don't feel actively hostile to pedestrians is where there has been a dense build up of seven story wood frames, which actually seem to be designed for people. The storefronts are smaller scale, with shading and ground-level architectural detailing. This is opposed to say, anything on Figueroa, which is incredibly wide, and the surrounding high rise development overbearing and oppressive. Honestly, I think the biggest issue downtown is how wide the streets are in South Park. I helped out with a fashion event at LA Live, and had to walk to the 7-11 on Olive to get Red Bulls. The experience was honestly horrible, with streets literally as wide as freeways and no shade. The high rises built seemed to have commercial space almost as an afterthought, with Apex not even having retail. From looking at the plans, it doesn't seem like LA Central or Circa are going to change anything. Sure, these towers look good from a distance, and help fill out our skyline, but when walking around they serve only to take up space, and do nothing to actually enhance the pedestrian atmosphere. And frankly, why should they? We talk about Chinese companies "saving" downtown, but they don't really care about downtown, just about providing investment opportunities for clients in China who may never even come to the US. The buildings are totally insular as well. A huge mall in LA Central (and I mean huge - the plans are ridiculous) and a huge mall in Metropolis. Every store that goes in these malls is going to be a store that doesn't face the street. What would you rather have? A thriving downtown street lined with high end stores, or a building that you drive in to that is filled with high end stores that just so happens to be downtown. Honestly, my whole experience downtown was very disheartening. The issue isn't just filling up downtown, but how downtown is filled up. To be frank, I'd almost go as far as to say that South Park is a lost cause, and is actually harmful to the vitality of the rest of downtown. Hopefully the historic core isn't relentlessly commercialized in the same way - which it looks like it won't be thank god.

South Park has been a lost cause since LA Live. But the good thing about it is at least they’re all contained next to each other within this small area and on the edge of downtown next to the 101 freeway. It’s not like downtown density is going to jump across the freeway anyway. At least probably not for the next 50 years. South Park will end up being one of those areas that tourists visit but actual residents stay the fk away from. They envisioned Times Square, and at least they got that part of it down pat, unintentionally.

[Wilcal]

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[Wilcal]

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[Wilcal]

Originally Posted by eclipse

Great pics, black_crow



And some of the worst as well.

"Touche" or should I say "Schlüssel"

[ChelseaFC]

Fourth of July parade on Broadway in DTLA, 1942.



Current view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0443985,...p-8U7PW3_s47w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by ConstructDTLA

It's going to happen just after the 101 Freeway Cap, just before the Broadway sidewalk widening, not too long after the Pershing Square redo, and a while before DTLA's air is clean and filled with rainbows. The Fantasy Project Timeline Project is really something I should draw out.

Right when you're pushing me away with your doomsday predictions. You reel me back in with your light hearted sarcasm, darn you Hunter

Happy 4th everybody

[caligrad]

WHOA WHOA WHOA.

Wait a minute.

Are we seriously still complaining about the ridiculousness of Metropolis, Fig Central, Circa and the future Luxe site? talk about beating a dead horse that's been dead and buried for years. Let that conversation rest already.

These projects were designed and built EXACTLY how they should have been, especially for their specific locations. IF you truly thought that the area surrounding LA Live was going to be some perfect urban paradise, then you have sadly ignored every memo that has come out of city hall ever since the construction of the Staples Center and LA Live.

"Lights and signs district"..... "Time Square of the West".....

Phrases that have been thrown around for that specific area. Asking for a pristine urban environment to be included into that equation, for a district designed for tourists, is just asking for way too much. But. Last I checked, based off of renderings, Fig central will be wrapped with ground floor retail. Circa will have retail on 3 sides and Metropolis will have retail on 2, maybe 3, sides. I thought the retail mall attached to Metropolis was downsized considerably?

Saying that "South park is a lost cause" is a bit premature, especially since there is more to south park than the 2 blocks surrounding LA Live, lets not forget that the other side of Flower street is also considered south park and its creating a pretty solid urban environment.... Retail, density, street wall and all.

[brudy]

I don't post much here anymore but I thought I'd throw out my bullet point State of the Union in the differences I've noticed over the last five years of living here.

UPSIDES
1 - Bunker Hill is turning into a destination. The Broad has really changed everything and it's amazing to see all the foot traffic. Sky Space will add to that in a variety of ways. I'll throw in the events at Cal Plaza even though they've been going on for years (decades even)

2 - GCM. Probably my favorite thing added to downtown since I've been here. With the later hours it's now a real place. We'll see if they roll back the hours come fall - I hope they don't. The need to get Angel's Flight going and building on that park would/will be a total shame.

3 - Performance venues. Places like Terragram, the Regent, Ace Hotel and Resident are pulling live music to the east in LA. It's a great thing to have these places be walkable.

4 - Huizar. He's done a pretty good job overall with what's in his control.

5 - Coffee. We have awesome coffee options.

DOWNSIDES
1 - Crime/homelessness. Out of control and far worse than five years ago. We all know this but needs to be on the list. I'm still waiting to see the foot patrols promised by that cop on Brigham's site.

2 - Retail situation. Still very bad. Better than five years ago, but nowhere near what it should be. Broadway is still a dump and there are loads of empty retail spots in newer buildings.

3 - Rents. It's a citywide problem but we're paying way more than we should to live in an outdoor asylum. I could also probably tie in a longer bit about changing demographics (ie the types of people living downtown) as I've seen a dramatic shift, but I won't. I do think the unit layouts of many of the new buildings are driving this and there needs to be a better mix price points, styles, layouts.

4 - New Architecture. Let's be honest, it's mostly average to pretty bad. Better than a parking lot maybe, but still pretty bad on average. We deserved better.

5 - Lack of zoning and planning changes/efficiencies. No need to go on about this one.

6 - Little movement by the city on actual parks beyond Grand.

I think things should improve with Oceanwide, the Bloc, bike share, metro additions, new museums. It's clear that cultural center of LA is moving east and that's a great thing and our retail situation should improve, but really you never know. I used to think it was fait accompli but who knows, there are days where this all still feels like it could go either way (at least in the short term).

[scania]

Originally Posted by caligrad

WHOA WHOA WHOA.

Wait a minute.

Are we seriously still complaining about the ridiculousness of Metropolis, Fig Central, Circa and the future Luxe site? talk about beating a dead horse that's been dead and buried for years. Let that conversation rest already.

These projects were designed and built EXACTLY how they should have been, especially for their specific locations. IF you truly thought that the area surrounding LA Live was going to be some perfect urban paradise, then you have sadly ignored every memo that has come out of city hall ever since the construction of the Staples Center and LA Live.

"Lights and signs district"..... "Time Square of the West".....

Phrases that have been thrown around for that specific area. Asking for a pristine urban environment to be included into that equation, for a district designed for tourists, is just asking for way too much. But. Last I checked, based off of renderings, Fig central will be wrapped with ground floor retail. Circa will have retail on 3 sides and Metropolis will have retail on 2, maybe 3, sides. I thought the retail mall attached to Metropolis was downsized considerably?

Saying that "South park is a lost cause" is a bit premature, especially since there is more to south park than the 2 blocks surrounding LA Live, lets not forget that the other side of Flower street is also considered south park and its creating a pretty solid urban environment.... Retail, density, street wall and all.

I TOTALLY agree!!!

[black_crow]

I know it's Independence Day, but it feels like Groundhog Day once in a while.

Anyway.. Happy 4th of July guys.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by black_crow

I know it's Independence Day, but it feels like Groundhog Day once in a while.

Anyway.. Happy 4th of July guys.

A couple hours ago (yes its development related with the near-complete SOM courthouse)

City Hall & 4th of July Fireworks by Hunter, on Flickr

[Mojeda101]

They made a HUGE mistake firing off the fireworks behind City hall this year. I saw several people complaining about it. I wish they could've done the Bank tower display again.

[cesar90]

• Video Link

[scania]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

They made a HUGE mistake firing off the fireworks behind City hall this year. I saw several people complaining about it. I wish they could've done the Bank tower display again.

And I was one of those complaining. Thousands of people on the other side of the fireworks. On top of that, the fireworks had 5 minute gaps.

[blackcat23]

La Plaza Cultura Village Breaks Ground

TCC says it's official: La Plaza Cultura Village is under construction.

[King Kill 'em]

I'm really excited about this project. I don't at all wish it was highrise. It's perfect as is and it's going to really help bring more activity into that area.

[brudy]

Originally Posted by King Kill 'em

I'm really excited about this project. I don't at all wish it was highrise. It's perfect as is and it's going to really help bring more activity into that area.

Yeah, it's a nice one for the moment that will help connect downtown to chinatown. Right now walking up Hill or Broadway is pretty crappy.