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Illithid Dude
Dec 14, 2011, 2:54 AM
There has been some mention of beam shipments being delivered to the Emerson College Site in Hollywood today? Can anyone confirm this? Gosh, with this under construction, Blvd 6200, and Selma Hotel, Hollywood will be quite the little construction area.

Oh, and a picture of what I am talking about:

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4057/4663921621_5264be2e25_o.png

(curbed LA)

ChelseaFC
Dec 14, 2011, 3:19 AM
Also, big hole in the ground and work going on at Wilshire and Barrington. Anyone know?

ChelseaFC
Dec 14, 2011, 3:45 AM
Yay! News from my neck of the woods (I live a block away from this).





http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/12/culver_city_picks_giant_stairway_project_for_downtown_parcel.php

When did Washington get re-routed?

Illithid Dude
Dec 14, 2011, 4:59 AM
Also, big hole in the ground and work going on at Wilshire and Barrington. Anyone know?

Six story apartment building. Don't get too excited.

pesto
Dec 14, 2011, 5:22 PM
CC isn't a bad project; it has potential for being pretty nice with proper detail, greenery and housing in the area.

But do they have to say it is inspired by "the High Line, the Spanish Steps and the Lincoln Memorial"? Please!!!

Illithid Dude
Dec 16, 2011, 2:43 AM
So, here is some good news. A new, five story tall apartment buildings was approved in downtown Santa Monica. 56 units. Nothing out of the ordinary, besides an above average design, except....

THERE ARE ZERO PARKING SPACES. That's right, not one single space is included in this development. This might be a first for L.A. county. In my eyes, this is the final straw in what makes a perfect L.A. County infill development. Urban? Check. Dense? Check. Attractive with high quality materials (looks like no stucco, concrete instead)? Check. No parking, which encourages biking and use of transit? Check. Perfect.

Oh, and a rendering.
http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway.2011.12.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway4.2011.12.jpg
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/12/56_units_and_absolutely_no_parking_at_new_samo_development.php

202_Cyclist
Dec 16, 2011, 3:14 AM
Illithid Dude:
So, here is some good news. A new, five story tall apartment buildings was approved in downtown Santa Monica. 56 units. Nothing out of the ordinary, besides an above average design, except....

THERE ARE ZERO PARKING SPACES. That's right, not one single space is included in this development. This might be a first for L.A. county. In my eyes, this is the final straw in what makes a perfect L.A. County infill development. Urban? Check. Dense? Check. Attractive with high quality materials (looks like no stucco, concrete instead)? Check. No parking, which encourages biking and use of transit? Check. Perfect.


It must be nice to not have any NIMBY neighbors. Here in DC, there is a similar proposal. A developer wants to build 70 one-bedroom condos and ground-floor retail almost immediately next to the Tenley metro station without any off-street parking. Many of the neighbors are throwing an absolutely fit because, despite this area being served by metro-rail and several bus routes, the neighbors are worried they won't be able to park directly in front of their homes. Santa Monica is allowing no off-street parking and it won't even get the Expo line extension until 2025.

dktshb
Dec 16, 2011, 3:40 AM
Illithid Dude:


It must be nice to not have any NIMBY neighbors. Here in DC, there is a similar proposal. A developer wants to build 70 one-bedroom condos and ground-floor retail almost immediately next to the Tenley metro station without any off-street parking. Many of the neighbors are throwing an absolutely fit because, despite this area being served by metro-rail and several bus routes, the neighbors are worried they won't be able to park directly in front of their homes. Santa Monica is allowing no off-street parking and it won't even get the Expo line extension until 2025.

The expo line extension is going to be there in 2015 not 2025. Santa Monica is certainly a city where this can be pulled off.

pesto
Dec 16, 2011, 5:11 PM
So, here is some good news. A new, five story tall apartment buildings was approved in downtown Santa Monica. 56 units. Nothing out of the ordinary, besides an above average design, except....

THERE ARE ZERO PARKING SPACES. That's right, not one single space is included in this development. This might be a first for L.A. county. In my eyes, this is the final straw in what makes a perfect L.A. County infill development. Urban? Check. Dense? Check. Attractive with high quality materials (looks like no stucco, concrete instead)? Check. No parking, which encourages biking and use of transit? Check. Perfect.

Oh, and a rendering.
http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway.2011.12.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway4.2011.12.jpg
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/12/56_units_and_absolutely_no_parking_at_new_samo_development.php

This is a little confused. There was a time when LA had plenty of street parking, literally everywhere except DT. Then for decades the city allowed the building of apartments without dedicated parking (or with very minimal) which allowed builders to exploit the free parking on the streets to their economic advantage. There are many such apartments all over central LA (Ktown, Westlake and adjacent). They are typically very down market. They also breed surface parking lots and kill in-fill, since parking lots are economically quite successful in these areas.

The result is a city with little parking availability in most parts of town, permits required for street parking in many areas and increased time waste and traffic as people scurry to move their cars to avoid tickets. And business being hurt because locals use street parking instead of underground parking.

202_Cyclist
Dec 16, 2011, 5:25 PM
pesto:
This is a little confused. There was a time when LA had plenty of street parking, literally everywhere except DT. Then for decades the city allowed the building of apartments without dedicated parking (or with very minimal) which allowed builders to exploit the free parking on the streets to their economic advantage. There are many such apartments all over central LA (Ktown, Westlake and adjacent). They are typically very down market. They also breed surface parking lots and kill in-fill, since parking lots are economically quite successful in these areas.

The result is a city with little parking availability in most parts of town, permits required for street parking in many areas and increased time waste and traffic as people scurry to move their cars to avoid tickets. And business being hurt because locals use street parking instead of underground parking.


This sounds like it will be very close to the Expo line station. People who live within walking distance of rail transit stations, especially someone willing to pay more to live next to rail transit, have fundamentally different travel patterns than people who live elsewhere. They also have much lower vehicle ownership rates, thus allowing for reduced off-street parking requirements.

Here are two excellent studies on the topic:
Transit Oriented Development’s Ridership Bonus: A Product of Self-Selection and Public Policies
http://www.uctc.net/papers/765.pdf

Vehicle Trip Reduction Impacts of Transit-Oriented Housing
http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT11-3Cervero.pdf

More parking leads to more driving. This is especially true if the price of the expensive off-street parking, which can cost as much as $30,000 - $40,000 for each spot if it is subterranean parking, is bundled into the cost of housing and not priced separately. Including more parking, which may or may not be used, also raises the cost of housing, limiting affordability.

DistrictDirt
Dec 16, 2011, 10:51 PM
pesto:


This sounds like it will be very close to the Expo line station. People who live within walking distance of rail transit stations, especially someone willing to pay more to live next to rail transit, have fundamentally different travel patterns than people who live elsewhere. They also have much lower vehicle ownership rates, thus allowing for reduced off-street parking requirements.

Here are two excellent studies on the topic:
Transit Oriented Development’s Ridership Bonus: A Product of Self-Selection and Public Policies
http://www.uctc.net/papers/765.pdf

Vehicle Trip Reduction Impacts of Transit-Oriented Housing
http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT11-3Cervero.pdf

More parking leads to more driving. This is especially true if the price of the expensive off-street parking, which can cost as much as $30,000 - $40,000 for each spot if it is subterranean parking, is bundled into the cost of housing and not priced separately. Including more parking, which may or may not be used, also raises the cost of housing, limiting affordability.

I happened to be tuned in to KCRW on Tuesday for the live broadcast of the SaMo city council mtg, when this project was being discussed. Apparently, they are giving preference to tenants that do not own cars. Pretty cool...this is some SF/PDX type stuff!

sopas ej
Dec 17, 2011, 5:32 PM
So, here is some good news. A new, five story tall apartment buildings was approved in downtown Santa Monica. 56 units. Nothing out of the ordinary, besides an above average design, except....

THERE ARE ZERO PARKING SPACES. That's right, not one single space is included in this development. This might be a first for L.A. county. In my eyes, this is the final straw in what makes a perfect L.A. County infill development. Urban? Check. Dense? Check. Attractive with high quality materials (looks like no stucco, concrete instead)? Check. No parking, which encourages biking and use of transit? Check. Perfect.

Oh, and a rendering.
http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway.2011.12.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/4thandBway4.2011.12.jpg
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/12/56_units_and_absolutely_no_parking_at_new_samo_development.php

No onsite parking and "extra affordable units"? Will this be Section 8 housing, I wonder?

Illithid Dude
Dec 17, 2011, 7:51 PM
No onsite parking and "extra affordable units"? Will this be Section 8 housing, I wonder?

I don't real reading anything about extra affordable housing. In fact, if anything, I remember reading that the rents on these apartment are still rather high, in spite of the lack of parking. Section 8, this is not...

sopas ej
Dec 18, 2011, 4:01 PM
I don't real reading anything about extra affordable housing. In fact, if anything, I remember reading that the rents on these apartment are still rather high, in spite of the lack of parking. Section 8, this is not...

Ah, I just reread the LA Curbed article, and then I actually clicked on the link in the article for The Lookout News (which I hadn't read before), and I now see that not all of the units will be "affordable." The Curbed article was written in a way that made me interpret that all of the units were going to be "extra affordable"; I was treating "extra affordable" ( in other words, "extremely affordable") as a single adjective, namely "extra-affordable." But reading the Lookout News article, it more clearly conveys that the development, as an extra, will include 6 affordable units.

pesto
Dec 19, 2011, 6:17 PM
pesto:


This sounds like it will be very close to the Expo line station. People who live within walking distance of rail transit stations, especially someone willing to pay more to live next to rail transit, have fundamentally different travel patterns than people who live elsewhere. They also have much lower vehicle ownership rates, thus allowing for reduced off-street parking requirements.

Here are two excellent studies on the topic:
Transit Oriented Development’s Ridership Bonus: A Product of Self-Selection and Public Policies
http://www.uctc.net/papers/765.pdf

Vehicle Trip Reduction Impacts of Transit-Oriented Housing
http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT11-3Cervero.pdf

More parking leads to more driving. This is especially true if the price of the expensive off-street parking, which can cost as much as $30,000 - $40,000 for each spot if it is subterranean parking, is bundled into the cost of housing and not priced separately. Including more parking, which may or may not be used, also raises the cost of housing, limiting affordability.

Agreed. In this particular area, where parking is already very bad, if the developer is willing to put up a building (apparently mostly for transients, since it's mostly studios) with no parking and adjust rents, then do it.

But when this process occurs where street parking is available, it's just handing free money to the developer at the expense of other apartments, businesses, etc. Besides in the basin, dense areas around Ventura Blvd. (Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, etc.) have this issue: massive apartments put up with inadequate parking and resultant injury to existing home-owners and businesses.

Avanine-Commuter
Dec 19, 2011, 9:20 PM
haven't checked in for a while, but I am definitely having mixed emotions about these recent developments.

- I love the Selma Hotel. As others have already stated, it has great design, no need for parking, and creates a new pedestrian alley. Plus it looks great.

- The 4 proposals for CC are definitely subpar... all four of them. It really can't be that hard to design something architecturally worthwhile in that plot, can it? What is it with all these unimaginative architects? I've seen better student work than these. *blech*

- The 56 unit Santa Monica building seems to have the right idea even if it is a bit confused. We definitely don't need any more parking, and I'm glad that developers are actually agreeing on this.

Oh and:
- Edluva really doesn't know the difference between opinions and facts; like DD said, it's all broad sweeping generalizations he's making, and when it comes down to opinions, he considers his own superior to all others here because according to him, everyone who lives in LA is a philistine, regardless if they've traveled or lived in other cities in their lifetime.

I might as well be the one to call you out: you have a superiority complex and it's about time you see a psychologist.

P.S. your opinion about food is not any better than anyone else's here, what makes you so much more qualified than anyone else here to deem what's good or not? Your opinion is yours, it's not fact. :yes:

edluva
Dec 21, 2011, 8:34 AM
either way, who cares. its good for edluva to have his own options, more power to him.....but when he tries to state his opinions as fact and generalizes about the city i live in, you bet im gonna comment.


when did i say that my opinion about our food scene was fact? can you show me?

your opinion about food is not any better than anyone else's here...Your opinion is yours, it's not fact.

when did i say that my opinion about our food scene was fact? can you show me?


and btw, i'd be curious to turn the tables and gauge your opinion of los angeles...
i for one think angelenos are as a whole, quite a bit less educated than san franciscans, chicagoans, and new yorkers - do you disagree?
los angeles also has fewer of the types of industries that attract educated talent from the rest of the world - in other words, los angeles is not generally considered a magnet for young educated professionals - do you disagree with that?
A much smaller share of LA's metropolitan wealth is urbanized, and where considered "urbanized", to a far lesser degree vs the cities mentioned - do you disagree?
the proportion of los angeles that is white collar is far smaller than that for the cities mentioned - do you not agree?
given the above, do you think that in a random survey of current events, cuisine, geography, architecture, and urbanism trivia, angelenos would fare as well as san franciscans, chicagoans, and new yorkers on the whole?

this questioning isn't aimed solely at avanine-commuter, even though i've clearly inspired a personal vendetta on his part - anybody who disagrees with me is encouraged to chime in.

and this is relevant to a metro discussion because it relates directly to the consistency to which demand for quality architecture (and food) occurs here

edluva
Dec 21, 2011, 9:52 AM
And, when you make generalizations about Angelenos, do you include yourself in those generalizations?

it's almost rhetorical to ask this. but of course my feelings are subjective - peoples' feelings about food are inherently objective, as are their feelings about movies, paintings, architecture, etc

Which brings me to my next question; I don't know much about you, and you maybe have mentioned it before, but, are you a transplant?

i'm a native angeleno who has spent extended periods of time in SF, NY, and Chicago. Don't know what difference that makes.

sopas ej
Dec 22, 2011, 5:24 AM
it's almost rhetorical to ask this. but of course my feelings are subjective - peoples' feelings about food are inherently objective, as are their feelings about movies, paintings, architecture, etc

Don't you mean that people's feelings about food are inherently subjective?


i'm a native angeleno who has spent extended periods of time in SF, NY, and Chicago. Don't know what difference that makes.

I was just curious to know if you were a native Angeleno, that's all.

Avanine-Commuter
Dec 22, 2011, 7:43 AM
So you haven't explicitly stated "this is fact". That doesn't change your arrogant assumptions and the objective tone in your posts. I don't think I've seen a lot of "think" "believe" or "personally" from you, it's either it is or it isn't. It's not surprising that I'm not the only one who thinks of you this way, is it?

I am not interested in statistics about the intelligence of the city as a whole because city vs. city comparisons are very difficult to compare especially when talking about traditional development to a unique multi-nodal development like LA. Either way, I'd think the huge immigrant population in LA has something to do with this difference, do you not? Besides, there are many more determinants of good food and quality food scenes along with cultural scenes that you're dismissing completely... you're simplifying a not-so-simple discussion with generalizations AGAIN, what a surprise! :rolleyes:

Same goes for young professionals and white collared jobs - I agree that statistically you're correct, but what does this have to do with the quality of culture here? There still are still vibrant cultures that thrive here that you seem to ignore and I find it quite pretentious and arrogant of you to assume that the number of yuppies is a measure of cultural significance in a city; one doesn't need to be a yuppie or in a white collared job to understand the importance of culture. Hell, my mother is an immigrant with no college education, and she's more in tune with her culture than anyone else I know. Unless you're prescribing a hierarchy to cultures that suggests the one belonging to the WASPs and yuppies are more valuable than some others...?

And no, I do not have a vendetta, and it's not personal. I would think that after this amount of negative responses you've gotten to your ill-received posts in this thread that you'd have gotten the idea already?

edluva
Dec 22, 2011, 8:26 AM
^youre quite full of generalizations too. i'm the one getting more specific here. would you like to play along?

so are you suggesting that the ability of a demographic to collectively appreciate the kinds of issues we seem to value here (namely fine dining, architecture, and mass transit/urbanism) are completely divorced from the education and income levels of that demographic?

or are you overgeneralizing in the opposite direction to suggest that SF, Chi, and NY's respective reputations for their dining cultures (far better known than LA's, would you at least agree here?) are complete flukes and owe nothing to SF, Chi, and NY being super-yuppified cities?

and you still haven't answered my previous question- do you think that a random survey of angelenos will yield a populace which is as knowledgeable about haute cuisine, architecture, current events, geography (you know, the things we like to emulate here on ssp) as ones for SF, Chicago, and NY residents?

and to your self-righteously indignant point about yuppie culture being more valuable - answer me this - do you believe that haute cuisine is better appreciated by yuppies or blue collar folk?

pesto
Dec 22, 2011, 6:14 PM
^youre quite full of generalizations too. i'm the one getting more specific here. would you like to play along?

so are you suggesting that the ability of a demographic to collectively appreciate the kinds of issues we seem to value here (namely fine dining, architecture, and mass transit/urbanism) are completely divorced from the education and income levels of that demographic?

or are you overgeneralizing in the opposite direction to suggest that SF, Chi, and NY's respective reputations for their dining cultures (far better known than LA's, would you at least agree here?) are complete flukes and owe nothing to SF, Chi, and NY being super-yuppified cities?

and you still haven't answered my previous question- do you think that a random survey of angelenos will yield a populace which is as knowledgeable about haute cuisine, architecture, current events, geography (you know, the things we like to emulate here on ssp) as ones for SF, Chicago, and NY residents?

and to your self-righteously indignant point about yuppie culture being more valuable - answer me this - do you believe that haute cuisine is better appreciated by yuppies or blue collar folk?

ed! Really, this is getting worse and worse.

Is that what you mean by "yuppified"? People who eat genuine rural Tuscan recipes with spoons actually made in Italy and never drink cappuccinos after breakfast and only from cups with no handles? I think "effete" or "bored silly" might be a better word.

Have you thought that maybe the cold weather in these cities makes indoor activities like degenerate gluttony the only escape from complete boredom? Why not look at the number of Ferrari's or Porsches or BMW's; or the number of yachts or sailboats; or world-class biking or tennis clubs; or the number of small, edgy theaters (LA probably surpasses NY and blows away the others). These seem to be closer to the idea of a Yuppie than number of restaurants.

In any event, LA consistently is ranked higher than any of those cities except NY as centers of such intangibles as cultural, economic, political and social power. So maybe seared ahi with mango chutney isn't everything.

I have nothing against good food, but why the fixation?

202_Cyclist
Dec 22, 2011, 6:39 PM
Getting back to development news, here's an email from someone I know who's visiting Santa Monica. There has been a bit of a spat on one of the neighborhood email listserves about the proposed development in Santa Monica without any off-street parking, as a similar project is proposed in Tenleytown here in DC. It would be 60 units without any parking. For rerference, Marilyn Simon is an obnoxious NIMBY.

" Well hello from Santa Monica, California.


Why, just the other day, I was down at the corner of Colorado and 4th, in downtown Santa Monica, where the infamous development without any parking was approved.


Let me respond to some of Marylin Simon's complaints:

(1) This project is located the "downtown core."

Santa Monica's Downtown Core is flatter and wider, but probably of the same density as Friendship Heights. It's almost certainly less dense than Clarendon, but the SFH areas don't start until much further out from the area of highest density.

(2) This project will have a density that is less than half what is being requested for the Babe's site, in spite of it being downtown and near transit.

Again, downtown is much smaller, but already there are 4-5 other developments happening nearby. Santa Monica is infilling and densifying.

(3) There are two municipal parking structures in the immediate area.

These parking structures do not provide long-term parking for residents. They are for tourists and people in transit-inaccessible areas, much like Bethesda's.

(4) It is located in the "City's Downtown Parking Assessment District," where off-street parking is not required providing the developer pays a fee.

(5) There will be 56 residential units, 48 studios and 8 one-bedroom units. The average size of the studio units is 360 square feet, and based on the sizes, 44 of the 56 units are considered "single room occupancy" units.

(6) The developer will be paying a transportation improvement contribution of $125,000 (in lieu of off-street parking) as well as a cultural arts fee of $84,510 and a childcare linkage fee of $52,799, and renting six affordable housing studio units, each with a rent that is $1,000 a month below the market rate, as required by the Santa Monica Municipal Code.

4 and 6 sound like something a PUD could take care of. 5 sounds like a misreading of the zoning code, and irrelevant."

DistrictDirt
Dec 22, 2011, 7:47 PM
Getting back to development news, here's an email from someone I know who's visiting Santa Monica. There has been a bit of a spat on one of the neighborhood email listserves about the proposed development in Santa Monica without any off-street parking, as a similar project is proposed in Tenleytown here in DC. It would be 60 units without any parking. For rerference, Marilyn Simon is an obnoxious NIMBY.



I can understand the consternation about the Santa Monica project; this is car-happy Southern California after all...its going to take a while for everyone to get it. But the reaction to the Tenleytown project confuses me. DC is an inherently walkable place. Tons of residents get by without cars- even in upper NW (ahem...American University students anyone?)

I guess NIMBYs will be NIMBYs.

Avanine-Commuter
Dec 23, 2011, 2:01 AM
"completely divorced" - sorry, when did I say this? I don't think I even mentioned them being separate; I said there are more determinants of a good food culture or culture in general than the intelligence of the workers there, something that you still fail to realize. I never said they were divorced or completely separate. See, it's YOU who is making the hyperboles and generalizations here, not me. trying to get 'specific' but ignoring the rest of the issue. :haha:

oh and a good food scene is not limited to haute cuisine, how did you forget? tsk tsk.

Pesto is right. Look at the lists, the ratings, the rankings. Although we all know that we must take these with a grain of salt, LA always places in respectable positions and I must say that the public seem to agree.

202_Cyclist
Dec 24, 2011, 2:58 PM
What a bunch of obnoxious NIMBYs. Why invest billions of dollars in passenger rail if you're not going to build at least moderate density around the stations? Last I checked, Hollywood Blvd is a pretty major corridor. This presentation about development along the Orange line corridor in Arlington County, VA, should be essential reading. Before the Orange line, the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor was an aging corridor with some of the similar challenges as Hollywood. What the NIMBY neighbors seem incapable of understanding is that by having dense development within a 1/4 mile radius of the metro stations, you help protect the existing single-family residential homes elsewhere.

http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/CPHD/planning/powerpoint/rbpresentation/rbpresentation_060107.pdf



High-rise planners do the Hollywood ruffle
Residents are livid over L.A. commission's proposed zoning changes that could make it easier to erect skyscrapers in the heart of Tinseltown. Mayor Villaraigosa has called it 'elegant density'; one neighbor calls it 'the rape of Hollywood.'

By Steve Lopez
December 24, 2011
Los Angeles Times

"If this is the season to be merry, many residents of Hollywood did not get the memo. Instead, they got a community development plan they look upon as their very own nightmare before Christmas.

It happened earlier this month, when the Los Angeles City Planning Commission approved zoning changes that could make it easier to erect skyscrapers in the heart of Hollywood, forever changing the scale of a historic neighborhood with international cachet. They say the high-rises will block views, throw shadows and obscure the landmark Capitol Records building, and make already unbearable traffic even worse.

The Hollywood Community Plan, headed to the City Council in a month or two for review and consideration, fits with what L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has called "elegant density," accommodating expected population growth by building mixed-use projects around transit hubs. And there is definitely something to be said for so-called smart growth, offering residents the option of using transit instead of cars..."

http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-me-1225-lopez-hollywoodplan-20111225,0,7072217.column

JDRCRASH
Dec 25, 2011, 8:36 AM
I just raped the crap out of the LAT comments section... lol

Granted a couple pieces of it were false, but still...

RST500
Dec 25, 2011, 9:58 PM
Could someone please post an update on what projects are underconstruction and what are likely to start contruction next year.

JDRCRASH
Dec 25, 2011, 11:56 PM
^ Illithid Dude just posted updates on Downtown projects in the Downtown thread.

Maybe he'll do the same for the Metro thread.

Illithid Dude
Dec 26, 2011, 4:00 AM
^ Illithid Dude just posted updates on Downtown projects in the Downtown thread.

Maybe he'll do the same for the Metro thread.

Well, okay then. I'm not sure if you mean pictures, or just the list that I did, but I've been meaning to go out and take pictures for a while, and I can do the list now.

Under Construction:

- Some huge building for a cancer research company in Santa Monica. It's massive. (three stories, but probobly 25 foot floor heights)

- Shore Hotel in Santa Monica just opened. It's pretty stunning at night. (four stories)

-Red Building in West Hollywood (one of my favorite new buildings from anywhere in the world) (ten stories ?)

-Emmerson College building in Hollywood juuuuuuust started construction (15 stories?)

- 8500 Burton Way in Mid City (8 stories)

-Ceder Senai Hospital (12 stories)

- Like, 50 five and four story apartment buildings of varying aesthetic quality.

Expected to start construction next year:

-Blvd 6200 in Hollywood(four or five buildings of six stories)

-Wilshire Gayley in Westwood (35 stories)

-Dream Hotel in Hollywood (nine stories)

-Those two towers on Wilshire and Vermont (32 stories and 20 stories)

-A bunch of tall-ish stuff in West Hollywood. I forget their names.

-A ton of four and five story apartment and condo buildings.

-Pocket Parks

Illithid Dude
Dec 26, 2011, 4:40 AM
I found some renders online.

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_01.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_02.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_03.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_05.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_06.jpg

I am mixed about this building. Asthetically, it is attractive, but it could interact with the sidewalk better. It has ground floor retail (Trader Joes), but it only really has entrances to said Trader Joes on the La Cieneaga facing side. The other sides are just blank walls. Pretty blank walls, but blank walls nonetheless. At least the actual architecture is great. It looks like a modern update to Googie style. The entire thing harkens back to L.A.s mid-century glory days. Good stuff, in that regard.

RST500
Dec 26, 2011, 6:31 AM
:previous:


Its a good project in design. I just wish it would be taller conseriring the location. I always envisioned that area with 20-40 story towers.

BrandonJXN
Dec 26, 2011, 4:21 PM
I found some renders online.

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_01.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_02.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_03.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_05.jpg

http://server.mediataskforce.com/clients/sold10041/uploads/1_b_58_B10_Burton_06.jpg

I am mixed about this building. Asthetically, it is attractive, but it could interact with the sidewalk better. It has ground floor retail (Trader Joes), but it only really has entrances to said Trader Joes on the La Cieneaga facing side. The other sides are just blank walls. Pretty blank walls, but blank walls nonetheless. At least the actual architecture is great. It looks like a modern update to Googie style. The entire thing harkens back to L.A.s mid-century glory days. Good stuff, in that regard.


Is that what's going up? It looks to be nearly topped out. I went past there on Saturday. It's pretty imposing.

RST500
Dec 26, 2011, 7:50 PM
Well, okay then. I'm not sure if you mean pictures, or just the list that I did, but I've been meaning to go out and take pictures for a while, and I can do the list now.

Under Construction:

- Some huge building for a cancer research company in Santa Monica. It's massive. (three stories, but probobly 25 foot floor heights)

- Shore Hotel in Santa Monica just opened. It's pretty stunning at night. (four stories)

-Red Building in West Hollywood (one of my favorite new buildings from anywhere in the world) (ten stories ?)

-Emmerson College building in Hollywood juuuuuuust started construction (15 stories?)

- 8500 Burton Way in Mid City (8 stories)

-Ceder Senai Hospital (12 stories)

- Like, 50 five and four story apartment buildings of varying aesthetic quality.

Expected to start construction next year:

-Blvd 6200 in Hollywood(four or five buildings of six stories)

-Wilshire Gayley in Westwood (35 stories)

-Dream Hotel in Hollywood (nine stories)

-Those two towers on Wilshire and Vermont (32 stories and 20 stories)

-A bunch of tall-ish stuff in West Hollywood. I forget their names.

-A ton of four and five story apartment and condo buildings.

-Pocket Parks


Could someone please post info on the Vermont and Wilshire Project. What is that status of LA Central and the Century City Projects?

Illithid Dude
Dec 26, 2011, 9:59 PM
Could someone please post info on the Vermont and Wilshire Project. What is that status of LA Central and the Century City Projects?

L.A. Central is downtown. Therefore, any info should be in the Downtown Rundown. Vermont/Wilshire is still going through the approval stage. Last I heard, they were redesigning it to make it more pedestrian friendly. I have no info on any of the Century City projects. Hypothetically, they could break ground next year, but I truly have no idea.

Is that what's going up? It looks to be nearly topped out. I went past there on Saturday. It's pretty imposing.

Yeah. They say it should open up around mid 2012, so it should make sense that it is almost topped out. Do you think that, if you pass by it, you could take some pictures and post them? Since I don't really live in the area, the last time I passed by it was only on the second floor. I'm sure now there is cladding and everything.

:previous:


Its a good project in design. I just wish it would be taller conseriring the location. I always envisioned that area with 20-40 story towers.

Eh. I'm fine with eight+ story towers. That height, evenly distributed throughout L.A., would be hella density. Tokyo, don't forget, is mostly 5-15 story buildings, with taller towers interspersed throughout. Anyways, I always say, as long as it is dense enough to support a subway, I am happy.

BrandonJXN
Dec 27, 2011, 3:57 AM
Yeah. They say it should open up around mid 2012, so it should make sense that it is almost topped out. Do you think that, if you pass by it, you could take some pictures and post them? Since I don't really live in the area, the last time I passed by it was only on the second floor. I'm sure now there is cladding and everything.


Next time I'm down there, I'll take pictures of it but cladding hasn't started yet but aside from that and the roof, it's topped out.

DistrictDirt
Dec 27, 2011, 11:52 PM
The San Gabriel Valley Tribute recently reported (http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_19601701) that 775 housing permits that were pulled in Los Angeles County in November. 535 of these permits were for a single mixed use development in Hollywood.

Curbed (http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/12/kris_jenner_loves_la_oj_blvd6200_permits_pulled_1.php) made the connection that this is the exact number of housing units in phase 1 of the Blvd 6200 project. So there you go. Phase 1 will likely start in January. Finally...one of the most visible dead spots on Hollywood Blvd is going to be filled in! :D

In celebration, here are some renders that havent been posted here before (I think):

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd1a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd2a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd3a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd4a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd5a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd6a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd7a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd8a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

http://www.vtbs.com/images/large/blvd9a.jpg
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, AIA (http://www.vtbs.com/)

dktshb
Dec 28, 2011, 8:44 PM
^ I am looking forward to this project getting started and since I live near I will be taking pictures of the progess!

dktshb
Jan 1, 2012, 5:20 PM
Monarch project coming along on Fountain and La Brea:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a28/dktshb/013-11.jpg

The Monarch project on Santa Monica and La Brea is also going forward... They've closed the Carl's Jr and fenced off the area. I suspect they will start with demolition this week.

dachacon
Jan 3, 2012, 4:14 AM
^^
thats the lot where the Jons was demoed right? and a 5 storey apartment going up?

Kingofthehill
Jan 3, 2012, 4:31 AM
I was there last night, as I had to pick up a friend at La Brea and Fountain. Words cannot describe how happy I was to see both of those buildings closed off and under demo. Both projects will go a LONG way in improving the sleazy vibe and element along that corridor.

all of the trash
Jan 3, 2012, 6:54 AM
del

Illithid Dude
Jan 3, 2012, 7:52 AM
tranny-infested corridor.

Is there something wrong with trannies?

pesto
Jan 3, 2012, 5:17 PM
Is there something wrong with trannies?

La Brea has really become clogged with construction related trucks off and on from Centinela to Sunset. It looks like a number of projects are getting going.

Hollywood and Vine could become real messes too with 6200 and Capitol Records under construction for 3 to 6 years.

Some mores reasons to take the Red Line.

Kingofthehill
Jan 3, 2012, 6:04 PM
Wow.

Is there something wrong with trannies?
No, not at all. In that context, I am using it to refer to the widespread and well-known prostitution and generally sleazy element prevalent in that area. My apologies if it seemed insensitive, or, worse, derogatory. I have since edited it to reflect that position.

all of the trash
Jan 3, 2012, 7:11 PM
La Brea has really become clogged with construction related trucks off and on from Centinela to Sunset. It looks like a number of projects are getting going.

Hollywood and Vine could become real messes too with 6200 and Capitol Records under construction for 3 to 6 years.

Some mores reasons to take the Red Line.

I always wondered why the 'pink line' was never a priority. In fact I don't believe it's even in the long range plan.

Illithid Dude
Jan 4, 2012, 4:18 AM
I always wondered why the 'pink line' was never a priority. In fact I don't believe it's even in the long range plan.

Speaking of density where the Pink Line would go through....

I was over in the Mid City area today. I got pictures of the new Ceder Sainai and 8500 Burton Way.

First, a rendering of the new Ceder Sainai building. Note that there is either retail or an entrance along the bottom floor, so it does interact with the pedestrian. Oh, and I made the images a little bit smaller, so they don't hog up too much space on the forum.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6632596069_347614d3bf_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6632594149_f8293b9ed8_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6632591599_8d41f2bc87_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6632589577_389a1f282b_z.jpg

And... 8500 Burton Way.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6632587987_52715a88d9_z.jpg

It's weird how these two fairly large profile projects have flown so low under the radar.

BrandonJXN
Jan 4, 2012, 4:34 AM
Plus, they are blocks away from each other.

Kingofthehill
Jan 4, 2012, 4:58 AM
I think, in general, civic and educational construction tends to fly under the radar. By contrast, residential and commercial are what really get us here on SSP going.

JDRCRASH
Jan 4, 2012, 1:20 PM
I always wondered why the 'pink line' was never a priority. In fact I don't believe it's even in the long range plan.

The proposed "connection structure" near the proposed La Cienega station was removed from the Purple Line studies (early last year I think).

This probably means West Hollywood will likely still get rail, but in the form of a Crenshaw Line extension north of Wilshire via San Vincente, SaMo Blvd, and Highland.

Steve2726
Jan 4, 2012, 10:23 PM
Under Construction:

- Some huge building for a cancer research company in Santa Monica. It's massive. (three stories, but probobly 25 foot floor heights)



Company name is Agensys and the architect is HLW-

http://www.hlw.com/agensys/

http://www.hlw.com/wp-content/gallery/agensys/hlw_agen_cam-01-dusk_01.jpg

http://www.hlw.com/wp-content/gallery/agensys/hlw_agen_cam-01-dusk_02.jpg

Allnatural85
Jan 5, 2012, 2:13 AM
so where the Jons once was there is a 5 story apt complex correct? and what about on la Brea and SMB where the Carl's jr once was? and rendering on both projects?

now I have to find another place from my famous star on drunken nights hahaha

RST500
Jan 6, 2012, 12:05 AM
I noticed the project in Koreatown at Wilshire and Vermont is underway. Any renderings?

Illithid Dude
Jan 6, 2012, 1:14 AM
I noticed the project in Koreatown at Wilshire and Vermont is underway. Any renderings?

Wait what? Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/wilshire%20vermont%20towers.JPG

This is happening? Now? With no fanfare, it is just... starting? Cool!

BrandonJXN
Jan 6, 2012, 4:28 AM
I won't believe that at all until I see proof.

all of the trash
Jan 6, 2012, 5:42 AM
wow i dont believe i ever seen a rendering for that lot. horrible. this podium shit needs to stop. the towers seem kinda cool but so severed and distant from the street. add the setback and there's just some kind of suburban vibe to it. and of course Vermont seems to be neglected again. i always seen much more potential to that intersection, but we'll see. hopefully the shell station cater-corner to it will go too

all of the trash
Jan 6, 2012, 5:43 AM
btw i take the wilshire/vermont subway every morning to work and not noticed anything different or any activity on that corner lately but i'll look again

Illithid Dude
Jan 6, 2012, 6:12 AM
wow i dont believe i ever seen a rendering for that lot. horrible. this podium shit needs to stop. the towers seem kinda cool but so severed and distant from the street. add the setback and there's just some kind of suburban vibe to it. and of course Vermont seems to be neglected again. i always seen much more potential to that intersection, but we'll see. hopefully the shell station cater-corner to it will go too

Don't worry. It's an old rendering. The developer last said he was redesigning it to make it more friendly to Vermont, and make the Wilshire side less suburban.

DistrictDirt
Jan 6, 2012, 7:12 AM
wow i dont believe i ever seen a rendering for that lot. horrible. this podium shit needs to stop. the towers seem kinda cool but so severed and distant from the street. add the setback and there's just some kind of suburban vibe to it. and of course Vermont seems to be neglected again. i always seen much more potential to that intersection, but we'll see. hopefully the shell station cater-corner to it will go too

Agreed. When these renderings first came out a few months back, the consensus here was the same: too suburban, not engaging for pedestrians, completely auto-oriented, and a massive dead zone on Vermont. Like Illithid said though, they are apparently making some improvements. Hopefully they look to Vermont station across the street for some ideas.

pesto
Jan 6, 2012, 5:48 PM
Agreed. When these renderings first came out a few months back, the consensus here was the same: too suburban, not engaging for pedestrians, completely auto-oriented, and a massive dead zone on Vermont. Like Illithid said though, they are apparently making some improvements. Hopefully they look to Vermont station across the street for some ideas.

Agree that it needs work. But something in the nature of a plaza wouldn't be a bad idea at this intersection, which is quite dense with cars and people. The bus-stops can be quite crowded and some place to sit and have a drink would be nice.

Wilshire in general has set-backs and plazas which is much more pleasant than building to the street and leaves room for outdoor dining, etc. If this trend could be pushed onto Vermont, it could be a huge plus.

202_Cyclist
Jan 6, 2012, 7:24 PM
Kingofthehill:
I think, in general, civic and educational construction tends to fly under the radar. By contrast, residential and commercial are what really get us here on SSP going.


This very well might be true but it is this construction for schools, universities, court houses, hospitals, and other such uses that kept unemployment in the construction industry from being even higher in the recent economic downtown. Each of these projects, by themselves, might be small, but they have a significant economic impact when private development is contracting.

all of the trash
Jan 7, 2012, 2:30 AM
Agree that it needs work. But something in the nature of a plaza wouldn't be a bad idea at this intersection, which is quite dense with cars and people. The bus-stops can be quite crowded and some place to sit and have a drink would be nice.

Wilshire in general has set-backs and plazas which is much more pleasant than building to the street and leaves room for outdoor dining, etc. If this trend could be pushed onto Vermont, it could be a huge plus.

i agree that buildings along wilshire should have plazas and outdoor dining areas, those things would be a boon for the city's most grand boulevard. but what i saw in the rendering was a lawn and a driveway fronting it. not good.

Muji
Jan 7, 2012, 7:20 AM
Some good confirmation that the Hotel Normandie's full renovation is indeed underway, and its days as a "pot-tel" are thankfully dead. Mostly, I can't wait to see the shops that will go into its renovated ground floor retail spaces.

Link: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hotel-normandie-20120107,0,4303557.story
Hotel Normandie in L.A.'s Koreatown to get $5-million makeover
By Roger Vincent
Los Angeles Times

The Hotel Normandie, a mid-Los Angeles inn with a checkered past, is on the way to becoming respectable again as its new owners labor to restore its Jazz Age charms.

It's a testament to how fortunes have improved in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods that investors are eager to spend millions of dollars restoring a beaten down building with a modest pedigree.

[...]

The bar and the rest of the first-floor businesses were closed by the time new owner Jingbo Lou came on the scene. He has launched a $5-million makeover intended to turn the Normandie into a 100-room boutique hotel for travelers who want to stay in the middle of town.

[...]

Muji
Jan 10, 2012, 1:32 AM
I noticed the project in Koreatown at Wilshire and Vermont is underway. Any renderings?

Where did you see the activity? I've been by the site today and yesterday, including a very good look behind the fences, and it looks dead as ever.

pesto
Jan 10, 2012, 6:41 PM
Some good confirmation that the Hotel Normandie's full renovation is indeed underway, and its days as a "pot-tel" are thankfully dead. Mostly, I can't wait to see the shops that will go into its renovated ground floor retail spaces.

Link: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hotel-normandie-20120107,0,4303557.story

Very cool to see oldies with style get a second chance. Wilshire is largely modernized (some exceptions) but lots more between Western and DT has great bones and is worth rehabing if you have faith in the neighborhood.

The city's job is to improve streets and streetscape; get rid of red tape; and, of course, improve education and safety.

Illithid Dude
Jan 12, 2012, 3:45 AM
Boom, baby. Groundbreaking at the Hollywood Emmerson Campus.

http://cdn.cstatic.net/images/gridfs/4f0e312185216d705900377a/emerson.jpg
(image from Curbed L.A.)

First One Santa Fe. Now this. 2012 is going to be a good year.

EDIT: And in other Hollywood news, the Hollywood (formally Madrone) has already sold two penthouse units. Not bad, not bad...

RST500
Jan 12, 2012, 10:41 PM
Was the Weatherly and 3rd Project canceled?

Illithid Dude
Jan 13, 2012, 12:20 AM
Was the Weatherly and 3rd Project canceled?

No. I'm sure it is just waiting for the right moment to break ground. Which will be soon, I think, as a couple large apartment buildings have broken ground in that area.

RST500
Jan 13, 2012, 12:56 AM
No. I'm sure it is just waiting for the right moment to break ground. Which will be soon, I think, as a couple large apartment buildings have broken ground in that area.

Was it scaled down?

Illithid Dude
Jan 13, 2012, 1:24 AM
Was it scaled down?

Not that I know of... still 12 stories and 94 apartments.

sopas ej
Jan 13, 2012, 6:41 AM
Being that I live in Bajadena ( ;) ), I'm surprised I missed this, a few months ago.

The proposed Gensler-designed IDS Playhouse Plaza in Pasadena, which included only one five-story, 160,000 square foot office building and 11,000 square feet of open space, mostly a breezeway through the center of the structure...
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9517/playhouuseplaza.jpg
pasadenan.com

...has been redesigned by Pasadena architects and urbanists Moule & Polyzoides, to the joy of all parties who were involved in a lawsuit against the City of Pasadena for approving the project without full compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. Many thought it was too big, ugly and out of character with the neighborhood. The new design incorporates 3 separate buildings totaling 145,428 square feet, including 137,000 square feet of office and 8,000 square feet of restaurant and retail. The buildings facing El Molino Avenue and the historic Pasadena Playhouse will only be 1 story, and two public courtyards and a pedestrian crossing to the Playhouse will now be included.

Here are the renderings, from pasadenaplayhouseplaza.com:

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7491/picture3ruq.png

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/3527/picture4ix.png

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1834/picture5xg.png

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5707/picture6ere.png

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/2563/picture7ni.png

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1353/picture8od.png

Illithid Dude
Jan 15, 2012, 1:23 AM
I've been following a building that's going up off of Wilshire in Santa Monica. It's a UCLA Medical Building, but a damn fine one, and worth showing here. No stucco, too.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6698098665_9a9fc2629f_b.jpg

The building.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6698099589_0b4201ddab_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6698100219_5b9b006b95_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6698100831_6ee26ce520_b.jpg

And now things get interesting....

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6698101587_138b0f5110_b.jpg

This is the first automated parking structure in Southern California. Very futuristic, with the bay doors. Good use of space as well. I suspect we will be seeing much more of these in the future...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6698103011_7923f828f7_b.jpg

In the front there is a little garden, with benches and such. Not the greatest pedestrian connectivity, but not terrible either.

Kingofthehill
Jan 15, 2012, 4:10 AM
nice! reminds me of a better, improved version of a recently-opened addition to the universidad de buenos aires:

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/3360/pano20.jpg
luli pop/ssc

pesto
Jan 16, 2012, 6:33 PM
That's really classic Pasadena: a bow to the Mission style, a bow to East Coast brick, a bow to deco. Done with taste, if not exactly bold or edgy. Probably exactly what the city fathers/mothers wanted.

UCLA in SM has a problem in that Wilshire is commercial, but most of the surrounding area is still single story residential. The move over time will probably be toward low-rise medical services, but this will always be resisted by existing homeowners. This seems appropriate for the "dense suburban" that most of SM will eventually become. One or two more stories (ala Buenos Aires) wouldn't have killed them either.

ChelseaFC
Jan 16, 2012, 6:37 PM
That's really classic Pasadena: a bow to the Mission style, a bow to East Coast brick, a bow to deco. Done with taste, if not exactly bold or edgy. Probably exactly what the city fathers/mothers wanted.

Best city in America IMO

pesto
Jan 17, 2012, 7:18 PM
Best city in America IMO

If you like Pasadena, you may also like: Santa Barbara

ChelseaFC
Jan 17, 2012, 8:25 PM
If you like Pasadena, you may also like: Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is pretty good, but it's pretty far from LA. Plus the neighborhoods around the Rose Bowl, Lake Avenue, and Arroyo Seco are just beautiful.

Trojan
Jan 17, 2012, 10:59 PM
The UCLA building is okay... but I really don't like the use of exposed concrete!!! I think that it looks bad and cheap in a couple years.

pesto
Jan 18, 2012, 5:49 PM
The UCLA building is okay... but I really don't like the use of exposed concrete!!! I think that it looks bad and cheap in a couple years.

Bruins don't have a Trojan budget.:haha:

But, actually, you're right, they could have done better. It's pretty "civic institutional" in look. But it's on a side street in a relatively obscure part of Santa Monica and part of a public hospital complex, so not really a likely place for great design. They probably would have tried harder on campus.

LosAngelesSportsFan
Jan 19, 2012, 11:33 PM
Anyone know if there is a set date for when Blvd 6200 is supposed to break ground? This is such an important project for Hollywood.

bobbyv
Jan 20, 2012, 9:48 AM
nice! reminds me of a better, improved version of a recently-opened addition to the universidad de buenos aires:

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/3360/pano20.jpg
luli pop/ssc

Off topic here but it looks like you captured a ghost in that Argentina pic :cheers:

BrandonJXN
Jan 20, 2012, 6:53 PM
Some news from my neck of the woods.

From Curbed:

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2012.01_9901.jpg

The Culver Plaza complex on Washington Blvd. is headed for the wrecking ball (it was supposed to be demolished this past weekend, but we hear it was still there this morning) and don't fret, the giant, colorful "Syncopation" mural by Ed Massey has been taken out and moved to the Playa Vista educational facility, according to a press release. But what's up with the demolition? The property, which incidentally is not quite in Culver City, belongs to development/management company NMS Properties, which has been on a tear across the Westside the last few years (they're behind the Santa Monica SCI-Arc killer, the La Cienega nudie bar-adjacent apartments [Luxe@375], and the SaMo Quonset Hut project [Luxe@Broadway]). They'll be bringing yet another "Luxe" to the area, according to their website: 9901 Luxe.

NMS didn't return a call, but according to a public notice for an upcoming zoning hearing on the project, they're planning to build a six-story tall apartment building with 131 units (11 of which would be reserved for "very low income" tenants). The building would also have 12,027 square feet of groundfloor commercial and 253 parking spaces in one level of groundfloor parking and an existing three levels of underground parking. The notice says that "The applicant seeks to allow flexibility for potential commercial space tenants so that a 100% restaurant use scenario may be possible." NMS is also hoping to have less parking for the restaurants than would otherwise be required (one space per 250 square feet rather than one per 100 sf).

DistrictDirt
Jan 23, 2012, 2:44 AM
LA Dept. of City Planning has posted the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the East Hollywood Target planned for Sunset/Western. Yeah its a big box store, but its wrapped in retail and its far preferable to what's there now: a desolate strip mall with a Fallas Paredes and an vacant grocery store.

I'd probably be even more excited about this project if it weren't for the fact that we're due to get our own "City Target" downtown that will open later this year.

http://i.imgur.com/JNXVa.png
LA DCP (http://cityplanning.lacity.org/eir/Target/DEIR/DEIR%20Target%20at%20Sunset%20and%20Western.html)

http://i.imgur.com/dG3V1.png
LA DCP (http://cityplanning.lacity.org/eir/Target/DEIR/DEIR%20Target%20at%20Sunset%20and%20Western.html)

http://i.imgur.com/yCh0d.png
LA DCP (http://cityplanning.lacity.org/eir/Target/DEIR/DEIR%20Target%20at%20Sunset%20and%20Western.html)

And what's currently there:

http://i.imgur.com/yKYZk.png
Google Maps (http://g.co/maps/sw95k)

all of the trash
Jan 23, 2012, 4:01 AM
I had no clue East Hollywood was getting a Target! thats a great location for a target. gonna clean up some of that easy hollywood grime and its a working class area that could use a target.

LosAngelesSportsFan
Jan 23, 2012, 5:32 AM
fantastic. such an improvement compared to the utter crap that is there now. slowly but surely...

BrandonJXN
Jan 23, 2012, 4:13 PM
I went down there yesterday on my way to Silverlake and I said to my friend that this Fallas needs to be torn down. This is needed to turn that area around. Awesome stuff.

pesto
Jan 23, 2012, 6:11 PM
Agree that this is good; its was proposed some years ago and it looks like the size has been reduced from the original plan.

The current look is more Southern California. Some of the "urban" big boxes we see are appropriate for places like DC or NY with miserable climates, but not right for areas where the outdoors is a place to live in, not a place to avoid.

Illithid Dude
Jan 24, 2012, 2:09 AM
This is really great. And note, ladies and gents, no billboards!

sopas ej
Jan 24, 2012, 2:35 AM
Cool, a new Target in East Hollywood...

...bookended by a new Walgreens in West Hollywood on Santa Monica and Crescent Heights!

From LA Curbed:
LOHA-Designed WeHo Walgreens Project Approved (http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/01/upgrade_lohadesigned_weho_walgreens_project_approved.php)

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5539/picture3dj.png

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1082/picture5mb.png

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7282/picture6uu.png

More pics in the link/article.

pesto
Jan 24, 2012, 5:27 PM
Cool, a new Target in East Hollywood...

...bookended by a new Walgreens in West Hollywood on Santa Monica and Crescent Heights!

From LA Curbed:
LOHA-Designed WeHo Walgreens Project Approved (http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/01/upgrade_lohadesigned_weho_walgreens_project_approved.php)

More pics in the link/article.

Very nice; WeHo is now adopting an urban look with higher density and usable spaces, but without the oppressive "wall to the sidewalk" look of older cities. The kind of look that should be in most parts of LA except DT proper.

Illithid Dude
Jan 24, 2012, 6:29 PM
Very nice; WeHo is now adopting an urban look with higher density and usable spaces, but without the oppressive "wall to the sidewalk" look of older cities. The kind of look that should be in most parts of LA except DT proper.

But I love that love that wall to sidewalk look....

pesto
Jan 24, 2012, 7:50 PM
But I love that love that wall to sidewalk look....

I like it too in moderate quantities. But even in NY, avenues like Park, 5th and Madison have setbacks and occasional plazas, etc. Smaller streets have steps and stoops, pocket parks, churches, etc., creating breathing space. This actually characerizes famous districts like the Village and Gramercy Park and Brooklyn Heights, for that matter.

European cities are famous for parks, squares, plazas, roundabouts, etc.

Much of Wilshire has the right idea for LA as a whole: medium or high-rise, but access to space and sunlight.

Muji
Jan 25, 2012, 6:41 PM
Wilshire Center's Facebook page (http://facebook.com/wilshirecenter) gives a few details on the upcoming and long-awaited project at Wilshire/Vermont.

Yesterday the J.h Snyder Co. gave an overview of the 11,860 sq. ft. open space design for the The Vermont project at Wilshire and Vermont. The developer will be pulling the building permit on April 2nd and a ground breaking event should follow shortly after.

The 491,000 sq.-ft. project includes two towers, 464 apartments, a 11,860 sq. ft. public open space, 27,000 square feet of retail space, and 14,000 square feet of restaurant space. The developer has agreed to partner with community non-profit organizations to build 96 affordable-housing units in projects around the area.

BrandonJXN
Jan 25, 2012, 7:51 PM
Man...is LA seeing a secondary boom? Really exciting times right now.

ChelseaFC
Jan 25, 2012, 8:17 PM
nm

Illithid Dude
Jan 25, 2012, 8:19 PM
Man...is LA seeing a secondary boom? Really exciting times right now.

I think it is still just remnants from the last boom, but its still exciting nonetheless.

Also, I'd love to see the new design for the building, the one that takes into consideration all the criticism that the last design got.

DistrictDirt
Jan 25, 2012, 11:21 PM
Also, I'd love to see the new design for the building, the one that takes into consideration all the criticism that the last design got.

Is that a new rendering?

http://i.imgur.com/Q99nH.jpg

ENHANCE!

http://i.imgur.com/8w1JZ.jpg


Ok, not so enhanced. Hopefully they release updated renderings soon.

Illithid Dude
Jan 26, 2012, 1:21 AM
That looks like a new rendering to me. Or at least a new angle. Can't really make anything else out besides that.

DistrictDirt
Jan 26, 2012, 1:38 AM
That looks like a new rendering to me. Or at least a new angle. Can't really make anything else out besides that.

Yeah...if the right side of the image is indeed Vermont (hard to get a bearing without a frame of reference), then the Vermont side of the building looks a lot more transparent than in the previous rendering. Maybe they took the criticism about the blank walls to heart!

Illithid Dude
Jan 26, 2012, 3:24 AM
Wilshire Center's Facebook page (http://facebook.com/wilshirecenter) gives a few details on the upcoming and long-awaited project at Wilshire/Vermont.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/423178_10150554212646941_142919661940_8765077_1716876944_n.jpg

Looking at the site plan on the Facebook site, it looks like they kept the little driveway thing. Not the best, but the tower is set back on that part so that the driveway doesn't interfere with sidewalk widths or anything. And speaking of sidewalks... There seems to be a strange thing going on with the sidewalk for this project. Is it winding? I can't really tell. Trees seem to be scattered haphazardly through it, and I see little 'artistically' jagged patches of grass. Not sure what is going on there.... I think we really need clear renders for this project.