LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Easy]

Originally Posted by scania

And it’s a better looking tower than the Alina Tower and it’s sister. For a resident, this in a lot of ways is a great location.

I remember when they were called "Concerto" and we were pretty exited about them being built. Back when we were waiting patiently for the Glass Tower. It's amazing how times have changed where we were excited about 20-25 stories in the same way that we view 50-60 stories now.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Easy

It's amazing how times have changed where we were excited about 20-25 stories in the same way that we view 50-60 stories now.

The long decline of dtla is one of the major lessons....& tragedies.....of urban areas in the US & elsewhere. It's a forewarning of what happens to a city when things take too long to come together, or when things weren't good enough to begin with.

dt wasn't a fashionable or popular place to call home for most ppl in LA even over 60 yrs ago. The mansions on bunker hill started falling apart over 80 yrs ago. that's why if what's going on today had occurred over 90 yrs ago, it wouldn't have hit the skids for over 70 yrs.

That could be why this youtuber was excited enough to take passive shots of the hood & title his rather lengthy vid as his 'dt is amazing again' tribute....


• Video Link


13:33 looks out on one part of dt....the parking lot at 8th & grand....where new devlpt would be more helpful...& noticeable....right now than the piece of land next to fig & 7th. but if a dry spell doesn't hit dt again in the next 10 yrs, that shouldn't be an issue.

.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Easy

As you may have seen, FB saying that the Brookfield tower will be breaking ground very soon. The walkway between Fig@7th and the parking garage closes on 5/19.

Wow that's great news.. Hadn't heard that yet

[Tiorted9]

Originally Posted by citywatch

The long decline of dtla is one of the major lessons....& tragedies.....of urban areas in the US & elsewhere. It's a forewarning of what happens to a city when things take too long to come together, or when things weren't good enough to begin with.

dt wasn't a fashionable or popular place to call home for most ppl in LA even over 60 yrs ago. The mansions on bunker hill started falling apart over 80 yrs ago. that's why if what's going on today had occurred over 90 yrs ago, it wouldn't have hit the skids for over 70 yrs.

That could be why this youtuber was excited enough to take passive shots of the hood & title his rather lengthy vid as his 'dt is amazing again' tribute....


• Video Link


13:33 looks out on one part of dt....the parking lot at 8th & grand....where new devlpt would be more helpful...& noticeable....right now than the piece of land next to fig & 7th. but if a dry spell doesn't hit dt again in the next 10 yrs, that shouldn't be an issue.

.

This article spells out the overall picture of LA and how it is doing better than NYC and Chicago in terms of income growth, GDP and population growth. It's a bit of an infomercial for our mayor, but still a good overview.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/ar...ces-u-s-cities

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by Easy

I remember when they were called "Concerto" and we were pretty exited about them being built. Back when we were waiting patiently for the Glass Tower. It's amazing how times have changed where we were excited about 20-25 stories in the same way that we view 50-60 stories now.

Lord those were the days lol. I remember when Elleven, Luma, and Evo were it in terms of ground up construction.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN

Lord those were the days lol. I remember when Elleven, Luma, and Evo were it in terms of ground up construction.

You mean the three best towers built since the original boom?

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Easy

I remember when they were called "Concerto" and we were pretty exited about them being built. Back when we were waiting patiently for the Glass Tower. It's amazing how times have changed where we were excited about 20-25 stories in the same way that we view 50-60 stories now.

Don't forget the never-built, SOM-designed "Zen Tower". Now we're really getting old-school.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by citywatch

The long decline of dtla is one of the major lessons....& tragedies.....of urban areas in the US & elsewhere. It's a forewarning of what happens to a city when things take too long to come together, or when things weren't good enough to begin with.

dt wasn't a fashionable or popular place to call home for most ppl in LA even over 60 yrs ago. The mansions on bunker hill started falling apart over 80 yrs ago. that's why if what's going on today had occurred over 90 yrs ago, it wouldn't have hit the skids for over 70 yrs.

That could be why this youtuber was excited enough to take passive shots of the hood & title his rather lengthy vid as his 'dt is amazing again' tribute....

13:33 looks out on one part of dt....the parking lot at 8th & grand....where new devlpt would be more helpful...& noticeable....right now than the piece of land next to fig & 7th. but if a dry spell doesn't hit dt again in the next 10 yrs, that shouldn't be an issue.

.

DTLA was still a very active shopping and entertainment district in the 1940s & 1950s. My parents told me that the Broadway movie palaces were very active well into the late '40s and early '50s (many major films premiered there) as were the department stores like Bullocks on 7th. I think the total bulldozing of Bunker Hill was a huge mistake. We lost some good historic buildings and neighborhoods, many rundown but salvageable. It could have become L.A.'s Nob Hill with some intelligent planning. Unfortunately the potential was unrecognized in the '50s so they did "urban renewal"--total bulldozing. I'm all for skyscrapers, but not at the expense of total destruction of historic neighborhoods. Fortunately, the historic buildings and theaters in the Broadway area were left mostly intact, and are now being revitalized. Another mistake (a big one) was failure to modernize the rail transit network (Red Car/Yellow Car). Instead, it was removed (see "Roger Rabbit"), and rail didn't return until the 1990s. A third mistake was the stupid 150' height limit which discouraged new construction until it was lifted in the late 1950s (although unfortunately it may have sealed the fate of Bunker Hill).

But I'm a glass half full guy, so I'm happy to see the return of DTLA to vitality and desirability. But it could have been done better and earlier with more intelligent decisions in the 1940s-1950s-1960s. One thing to be done now is figure out how to return Pershing Square to a better state. Another focus should be making the L.A. River a river again, with a river park and trees and residences. Look at how Tempe has made the Salt River a desirable place with inflatable dams, creating a town lake. Flood waters can be placed underground in cisterns or into a new town lake. Also look at San Antonio, where the River Walk has been a huge success for decades. And of course, we have to solve the homeless problem somehow. We have 9 years before the Olympics. Get going L.A.! If Paris can repair Notre Dame by 2024, L.A. has 4 more years to do what it needs to do by 2028. And yeah, I like skyscrapers, so it would be nice to have at least 2 more supertalls and lots more 500-900 footers in this boom or the next by 2028.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by CaliNative

I think the total bulldozing of Bunker Hill was a huge mistake. We lost some good historic buildings and neighborhoods, many rundown but salvageable. It could have become L.A.'s Nob Hill with some intelligent planning. Unfortunately the potential was unrecognized in the '50s so they did "urban renewal"--total bulldozing. I'm all for skyscrapers, but not at the expense of total destruction of historic neighborhoods. Fortunately, the historic buildings and theaters in the Broadway area were left mostly intact, and are now being revitalized.

total bulldozing, yes. But some of the old mansions that were scheduled to be saved & relocated got burned down by arsonists. But much of bunker hill was non distinct old masonry bldgs, some of them rooming houses.

The ONE property I definitely wish had not been torn down was the old richfield bldg...but that was south of bunker hill.

However, dt once was the prime spot for big dept stores and seeing movies. But that was offset by not a lot of the rest of the area being a place most ppl wanted to spend a lot of time & certainly call their home.

as this before & after shows, dtla wasn't exactly a great looking hood over 70 yrs ago.


• Video Link


If what's going on today has occurred by at least the 1960s, dt wouldn't have gone so far downhill. At the same time, some of the great bldgs on broadway might have been torn down & replaced by 'hip, modern' bldgs over 50 yrs ago.

you have to take the good with the bad. which in a way can be the motto of LA, if not other cities too.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by CaliNative

DTLA was still a very active shopping and entertainment district in the 1940s & 1950s. My parents told me that the Broadway movie palaces were very active well into the late '40s and early '50s (many major films premiered there) as were the department stores like Bullocks on 7th.

It was still very active well into the 50s. Here's a 1959 postcard looking south on Broadway:

source

But you guys are both right. DTLA was still very active and it was already decades into its decline by the 1950s. After all, it's a long way to fall from the heights of its 1920s heyday.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by badrunner

DTLA was still very active and it was already decades into its decline by the 1950s. After all, it's a long way to fall from the heights of its 1920s heyday.

but even back then, most ppl who were somewhat successful didn't want to live in dt. bunker hill had already started losing its niche by that time. Most of the rest of dt was mainly commercial, industrial...not exactly appealing as a place to live for ppl on the up & up in LA. That's why it was socially, economically segregated.

today's dtla, by contrast...an increasingly attractive place for ppl to live in, work at & play....actually is a first in the city's history.

Inside Downtown Los Angeles's Iconic Feminist Hotel Makeover


Courtesy Hotel Figueroa

Once upon a time in a faraway land where women weren’t allowed to vote or wear pants or even check into hotels on their own, there was an organization (the YWCA) and a woman (Maude Bouldin, the first female hotel manager in the country) determined to change it all. You see, in order to book a room at a hotel in the 1920s, a woman needed a male counterpart to co-sign her stay. But the YWCA was determined to change that. Their goal was to create a safe haven for solo female travelers — an exclusive women’s hostel in Los Angeles — and nearly 100 years later, after a major multi-million dollar renovation by developer Bradley Hall, DTLA’s Hotel Figueroa is staying true to its feminist roots.

Today, the hotel is a gathering place for creatives and the *woke* traveler, and its feminist origins carry through in all programming, including a women-led art collection featured throughout the hotel and lobby, an all-female comedy night, and a monthly series of talks led by LA-based female entrepreneurs and tastemakers, aptly named “Maude Squad.”

Common areas at Hotel Figueroa are beyond cozy. Plush, jewel-toned velvet sofa cushions create the ideal situation for lobby lounging with a cappuccino or a glass of red. Throw in the oversize potted plants, sleek leather bar stools and just the right amount of gold accents — what has this place not gotten right? And the answer is nothing.



Courtesy Hotel Figueroa


Of the Figueroa’s 268 rooms, no two are the same. Steeped in the hotel’s original history, Classic Suites have an old Spanish feel with a modern flair, eclectic furniture and high ceilings. Arches frame the sleeping area and the luxurious, fluffy King-sized bed is a focal point, but not an eyesore. A highlight (amongst many) is the spacious bathroom, with Spanish Revival-tiled walls, a double-basin vanity and a glass enclosed shower and toilet.

The curiously coffin-shaped pool out back remains the same since inception, while Veranda, the casual terrace cafe now serves up a Mexican menu, including tequila and Mezcal drinks, al fresco. Tangier, the Moroccan-themed basement venue, still feels like Figueroa pre-renovation, and hosts most events, including a burlesque show that’s running now through June.

[Easy]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Don't forget the never-built, SOM-designed "Zen Tower". Now we're really getting old-school.

Ah yes Westsidelife(?). I do remember. Until the latest boom more projects went unbuilt than got built. By far really. Now most of them are not only getting built, but more keep coming.

[citywatch]

another one of those things that makes today's dtla not your father's dtla....


• Video Link


...but too bad that things like today's chronic homelessness & pee scented sidewalks were only a part of everyone's grandfather's dtla.

LA 2019: have to take the bad with the good.

[JerellO]

Originally Posted by citywatch

another one of those things that makes today's dtla not your father's dtla....


• Video Link


...but too bad that things like today's chronic homelessness & pee scented sidewalks were only a part of everyone's grandfather's dtla.

LA 2019: have to take the bad with the good.

Probably has to be due to Long Beach kicking off the California gay pride season. Next we have Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and then Palm Springs. I was in Los Angeles last night and saw it change colors while driving north on the 101

[citywatch]

DTLA: from cradle of Los Angeles to architecture-filled heart of the city
It's a world away from the beach cities, but DTLA is where Los Angeles began

(photo: LA Tourism)

Looking down from the terrace on to Pershing Square is like going back in time. To the right is an art deco skyscraper – butter-coloured with a hint of pink and streamlined with go-faster ribbing stretching up into the blue. On the next side of the square is a Buckingham Palace-sized hotel, taking up the best part of an entire city block with three imposing beaux arts towers on top of a Corinthian-columned, classically arched bottom layer. At the kitty corner is a strange-looking building – a smooth white box lined with bas relief, blocky columns. Squaring off against it is a 1960s-style skyscraper that looks straight out of Johannesburg’s Central Business District.

LA, but not as we know it

Downtown Los Angeles is LA, but not as you know it. A world away from the beach towns, the sanitised streets of Beverly Hills and the avocado-on-toast joints of West Hollywood, this is where the city began. Pershing Square was originally a meeting place for the native American Tongva tribe. Later, it was a place where settlers would pitch their wagons and camp on arrival. When the railroad made tumbleweedy LA a boom town, architects rushed to erect the most modern, and most sumptuous buildings. Beaux arts titans – where neoclassical meets federal style – squared off against each other until the 1930s when art deco – sleek, chiselled, reaching for the skies – became all the rage.

There was a time, not so long ago, when downtown Los Angeles was not the place to go – especially if you were a tourist. Full of offices, light on hotels and with a huge homeless population, there was little in the way of sightseeing. But over the past decade, DTLA (as it’s now known) has gone from somewhere you looped as you navigated LA’s unending freeway network, to a freestanding destination that you’d cross the Atlantic for. Its bars and restaurants are some of the best in California and it’s becoming the cultural centre of a city often maligned as culture-light. But best of all is the setting – the wealth of early modern architecture that houses it all.

This rooftop bar, Perch – where Angelenos sprawl on rattan sofas between giant plants, drinking cocktails as the sun sets over the distant Pacific – floats on top of a stately office block from 1924. That palatial building opposite is the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, drawing gasps with its over-the-top displays of high-coffered ceilings, marble-drenched and fountain-flowing lobbies and Gone with the Wind-style staircases. Tucked away by the toilets is a corridor lined with pictures of Old Hollywood guests. Celebs have always loved the Biltmore – some of the earliest Oscars ceremonies were held here.

Downtown LA was Hollywood pre-Hollywood. Walk along Broadway today and you’ll see dollar shops squatting in lavish buildings that were once cinemas, the gaudy mosaics on the pavements outside charting their original names. The Downtown Jewellery Exchange is in a glam 1920 theatre once owned by Warner Bros – the former stalls are occupied by stands selling gold (most theatres were designed for both films and plays, as they weren’t sure whether the new-fangled movie business would take off). The Ace Hotel houses the United Artists Theatre, which looks like a Spanish cathedral with its frothy Gothic carvings around the stage – until you turn around and see the murals of founders Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and their mate Charlie Chaplin, clambering around the walls.

Theatres aside, however, DTLA’s renaissance is continuing apace.

Today, Downtown isn’t the easiest place in LA to visit – it’s less sanitised than Studio City, less chichi than Malibu. That’s not to say it’s not posh; celebs including Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage have lived in the Miss America parade of early skyscrapers, like the Eastern Columbia Building – a turquoise-tiled and gilded art deco headturner near the Ace. Bars like The Wolves – which does a weekly “omakase” cocktail menu in its retro premises, where you pick locally sourced ingredients from a list and barman Kevin Lee improvises drinks around them – are being lauded city-wide. And the ever-increasing hotels converted from old banks and buildings are drawing as many locals as tourists to their Corinthian-columned bars, wood-panelled restaurants and toilets in underground vaults. But the rich-poor divide is strong, with the homeless sleeping on those gaudy Broadway mosaics and dollar shops between the bars.

.

[chris08876]

Nevermind. Delete. Read up on 5411 Wilshire Boulevard but realized its non downtown.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Nevermind. Delete. Read up on 5411 Wilshire Boulevard but realized its non downtown.

Not even close

[Eightball]

Just walked by 4th and spring where the hotel is going and they've started breaking up the pavement on the parking lot! Another one starts construction!

[colemonkee]

^ That's great news! That immediate area could easily support 2-3 hotels.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

^ That's great news! That immediate area could easily support 2-3 hotels.

There will be 3 on that corner.. Citizen m and 2 conversions (cambria which is u/c and the continental building)