[citywatch]

^ I think you're confusing the big parking lot north of 8th St between Grand & Olive with the parking lot across the street from the new Ralphs, west of Flower St, meaning the NW corner of 9th & Flower. The lot at 8th/Grand/Olive is the one that was fenced off temporarily a few months ago. It's also where Astani is supposed to develop a large condo/apt proj, which we were hoping was about ready to happen when the lot was shut down for a short time during the summer.

The lot at the corner of 9th & Flower is where Meurelo is supposed to build his condo tower, & the big question right now is the site really closed down permanently for parking cars?

[Easy]

I'm not confusing the two, but I know what you're talking about. The confusion for that lot, which is behind the Brockman, was regarding signs that had gone up saying, IIRC, "Lot Closed, Do For Construction" or some similar fracture of the English language. It turned out that they were repaving the lot, not starting construction.

The confusion over 9th/Flower was months before that. I think that they put up a fence and maybe a "Sold" sign. Sometime after that the lot was closed and there was speculation that construction was about to begin, but it was actually only being rented by a movie company. I'm hoping for the best, but I remain skeptical that Muerelo actually intends to build anything. The original DTLA construction thread started in 2004. That means that this project was supposed to break ground years ago. Elleven was announced AFTER this project and there are already people living there. This one hasn't even broken ground.

[Easy]

I didn't take a picture today, but here's a picture that I found from October 2005. The only difference from today is that the sold sign and the manlift are no longer there. The plastic chain has been replaced by cones and caution tape.

Also now that I think about it the public parking sign and the attendant booth are no longer there either. I'm starting to get hopeful. Almost time for the dancing banana!

http://i11.tinypic.com/2nknr05.jpg

[bjornson]

this post from LASF (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=10347484&postcount=466):



Great news!!!

Titan Closes Escrow on Towers

By DANIEL MILLER
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

The Titan Organization Inc. has taken another step towards building its pair of $500 million luxury apartment towers in downtown Los Angeles’ South Park district.

The company, formerly known as Rodmark Inc., has closed escrow on a 58,000-square-foot property at the southeast corner of Grand Avenue and Olympic Boulevard where the Olympic and City House will be built. The towers will be tallest residential buildings on the West Coast when completed.

Titan, a Los Angeles-based high-rise developer, purchased the property from owner Jim Myron for $30 million and hopes to break ground in summer 2007.

The two towers – one 60 stories the other 49 – will total 800,000 square feet and contain 320 units. The towers will be fashioned in the New Beaux Arts style.

Phillip Sample, Michael Shustak and Chris Caras of Grubb & Ellis Co. represented Titan in the deal.


I suppose the rumor about the third tower (the hotel) is not true? Maybe the LA Times will have more news in a week since it's recently been behind the Business Journal by approx. that amount.

[citywatch]

The confusion over 9th/Flower was months before that. I think that they put up a fence and maybe a "Sold" sign. Sometime after that the lot was closed and there was speculation that construction was about to begin, but it was actually only being rented by a movie company.Thanks for the clarification. I don't recall any postings here about a false start involving Meurelo's site. Just as well, too, because all the anticipation caused by the shutting down of Astani's lot at 8th/Grand/Olive, & then word that the lot had reopened again, was enough of a downer.

Your photo made me do some checking here (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=34.046353~-118.261498&style=h&lvl=19&scene=3609919), because at first I thought maybe it was of another lot in the hood. That's because your pic makes the bldg 2 blocks north on 7th St (where Barker Bros used to have its main furniture store) look like its in the same block with the lot on 9th St. But thanks to this other shot (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=pp6y6f54bd1h&style=o&lvl=1&scene=3609907), I realize it's just the zoomed in perspective caused by the camera's lens.

The fact that so few ppl, originally raymond3000 & then you, have enough regular contact with the hood & this forum to give everyone the latest about something as basic, yet important, as early signs of possibly big changes finally starting to show up on a site in DT reminds me that all the LA forumers who provide us with insider info & updates, if they wanted to have a party, could hold it in a phone booth. :D

[citywatch]

I suppose the rumor about the third tower (the hotel) is not true? Maybe the LA Times will have more news in a week since it's recently been behind the Business Journal by approx. that amount. If the site that Titan is buying is only 58,000 sf, which is not too much larger than an acre, & if they don't own any surrounding land & don't plan to buy anymore, then I have to wonder just how major their proj is going to be. And although I hope their closing escrow on the site is a guarantee that their 2 condo towers will go forward, I can think of too many other instances when a devlpr has bought a property, & even started demolition or prelim construction on it, only to walk away from it at the last minute. So stay tuned.

BTW, some of the residents at the Elleven have complained about all the noise or other problems caused by the Grand Ave club, which I believe is a part of Titan's purchase deal with Jim Myron.

[Damien]

Land use planning in a built-out city like Los Angeles involves choosing between residential, commercial, and industrial uses, How have you prioritized and balanced these competing uses?

I look at the district: Where do the people live? Historically, where have the people lived? In South L.A. the residential single-family neighborhoods have to be protected, because they make up the fabric of South Los Angeles. We have to respect that. They give South L.A. its historical context. The opportunity for housing that is not single family, it is on commercial corridors.

:iagree:

[citywatch]

These two pics from Upward's thread in the photos forum should be inserted here, because they show some of LA's SSP forumers meeting in the Sky Lofts, & the south facing wall of the Brockman bldg, a conversion proj that's taking yrs & yrs & yrs to finish. And one of the pics is a good reminder that there still are a lot of :yuck: parking lots that need to be thrown out.

I wish the photos came with audio, because I'd like to hear if anyone (esp the sales rep) is talking about how well the Skylofts condos are selling or how many remain for sale:

http://webfiles.uci.edu/cfagan/ssp/la1104/IMG_3954.jpg

http://webfiles.uci.edu/cfagan/ssp/la1104/IMG_3993.jpg

[danparker276]

Vero on Wilshire is getting a Coffee Bean / Tea Leaf.

[colemonkee]

^ That's great news. Have they started sales yet, or are they still in pre-sales?

[danparker276]

11th is the day they're doing their big pre-sales event. I think they got 6 more retail spots open.

[citywatch]

A photo update at SSC of some of the new housing in the hood (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=10435590&postcount=127)

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

The Muruelo site across from the Ralph's now has a couple Bulldozers and earth moving equipment on the site! Citywatch, as you like to say, another dead zone is gone!

[citywatch]

^ :dancing:

Finally! The intersection of 9th & Flower now is in the process of being completely filled in, with the Ralph's/condos on the NE corner, the Skyline condos (built in the 1980s) on the SE, the Astanti Concerto tower(s) on the SW & Meurelo's condo tower on the NW.

[Codex Borgia]

I just opened up the LA Business Jornal (Nov 27 - Dec 3). Front page news is that Sonny Astani has shelved Converto's 2nd Tower at 9th & Figueroa. The Website has not been updated yet.
"The first, a 350 unit tower, is under construction and should be completed in February 2008. But the second, a 271 unit tower, which was to break ground in June, has been put on hold.
Sonny Astani, head of the the Beverly Hills development firm Astani Enterprises, said that given the state of the downtown condo market and rising construction costs, the project does not pencil out, even though more units were to be sold for more than $600,000."

The article goes on to state that Astani is considering scaling back plans for a 3rd development called Opus, located at 8th and Grand. The plan originally called for the first building to be a 15 story building. He is considering reducing the buildings height to 8 stories.

:yuck:

[Easy]

I'm not surprised. I'm glad to hear that at least they're going ahead with Phase 1 (two buildings right?).

I really hope that he doesn't build the first phase of 8th/Grand as an 8 story building. That was going to be, and hopefully still will be one of the nicest looking projects downtown.

[RAlossi]

Not trying to be a downer here, but I have to ask: Would the current state of downtown be satisfactory if all the projects not currently either under construction or about to be under construction were not built, for a few years anyway? There's going to be a large glut on the market if many of these new and adaptive reuse projects aren't going to fill up.

So are we at a point in Downtown's development where the current momentum will be enough to carry us to a soft landing in construction activity, rather than a crash a la the early '90s? None of us wants to see a halt to all new projects for another decade and a half... and I'm not saying that that would happen, but it's got to be considered.

[Easy]

I guess we'll see. My take is that there are lots of people that are very interested in living downtown, but not as interested in being "urban pioneers". I expect to see a good sized wave of baby boomers (and other empty nesters) move downtown in a few years once the amenities arrive.

[danparker276]

Just gotta wait until the retail of LA live is done in 2008.
Ralphs and the LA Live theater will help in 2007.

Most people still think of skid row when they think of downtown.

[danparker276]

New lobby pics of 1100 by david kean, there is furniture inside now

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Handler.ashx?PhotoID=538&Size=L

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Handler.ashx?PhotoID=537

[colemonkee]

Wow. That looks great. What a grand entrance to your new home. Congrats! My neighbor is moving out of the Higgins and into 1100 Wilshire next week.

[SC_00_05]

Wow, that's nice. Congratulations on buying there.

[ksep]

i like that carpet with the rounded corners.

btw, that white chair on the right is like $6000, fyi. :sly:

[danparker276]

Yeah, I don't get that $6000 chair? It's the one I'd least sit in too. They probably got a big discount on it because of all the furniture they bought from them.
Overstock.com has those brown chairs for sale now (Or the look just like them)

[Wright Concept]

ehhhh. Typical Mies Barcelona Chairs, 60's Fiberglass chairs. I can think of a ton of lobbies in the city and in other condo lobbies with that similiar furniture pallet.

[BrighamYen]

^ Yup yup

[danparker276]

No! This furniture is much better because we're getting it from hivemodern.com

For example, this barcelona chair costs $3500 on their website:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=478&cid=2&cid2=3

http://hivemodern.com/products/sub_product_photos/478_photo_2_205350.jpg

As you can see this is money well spent, just look at the difference between that and this one at overstock.com is $400

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=1083501

http://images01.overstock.com/images/products/P417809.jpg

[DJM19]

but now they can SAY they paid so many thousands to furnish it. ;)

[citywatch]

I was hoping this devlpr actually wanted to sound pessimistic about the economics of new condo construction because he was trying to scare off competitors. :cool:


Maverick Developer Building Reputation

By DANIEL MILLER - 12/4/2006
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

When Sonny Astani said two weeks ago he was holding off on building a high-rise condo in downtown Los Angeles, it raised eyebrows in the real estate community. In an industry not known for its openness – in which anything less than boosterism normally demands the veil of anonymity – the developer’s remarks stood out. But for Astani, a relative newcomer to the high stakes game of downtown development, that candor is nothing new.

“When Sonny says how it is, it’s how it is,” said Astani’s wife, Jo. “He really has nothing to hide.”

His openness has served the 52-year-old Astani well as he has grown his Beverly Hills company, Astani Enterprises Inc., and raised its profile in Los Angeles’ real estate game. And perhaps given where he came from, it all makes sense. In the early 1980s, he was trying to get into real estate as a broker. Astani, an Iranian immigrant who came to the United States in 1976, was evicted from his apartment in Brentwood because it was converted to a condominium. He couldn’t even live in his car; it was repossessed.

“It was a tough time,” said Astani, a stylish, balding man whose trials are evident on his face. “It was an important part of my life. At a very young age I was basically homeless for a little while. It was a good lesson.”

After starting his development career by building smaller apartment buildings across the city, Astani’s name can now be seen plastered on signs at high-rise construction sites across downtown Los Angeles. And though he has announced plans to at least temporarily shelve one of his two 30-story towers at his Concerto project at Ninth and Figueroa streets, he is proceeding with the rest, maintaining that downtown is a great, long-run development opportunity.

Indeed, in a demonstration of his commitment – and perhaps his own memories – Astani recently donated $1.5 million to the Skid Row Housing Trust, completing the funding it needs to build a San Pedro Street apartment building for mentally ill homeless. “He sought us out,” said Mike Alvidrez, executive director of the trust. “I think this sets an incredible example for the rest of the business community.”

But, for now, industry insiders are noting Astani’s admission that there appears to be a slowdown of the downtown condominium development. Some see his decision to pull back from the project as a sign of a miscalculation, or at the very least an unexpected setback because of rising construction costs. Others say it just might be the sort of pronouncement that makes the local development community talk a little more frankly about the reality of a slowing residential real estate market.

Either way, though, no one wants to be quoted.

A niche

Astani began his real estate career as a broker, but that didn’t work out well. He then started buying apartment buildings, then building them. Through those ventures, he said he learned the business of building from clients, by traveling to City Hall and copying city plans, and by driving the neighborhoods.

Since 1985, when Astani became a builder, his company has developed 2,000 units and currently manages 5,000, taking on other companies’ buildings. Between 1985 and 1990, alone, Astani boasts of putting 40 buildings on the map in Los Angeles. Now, the company has about 2 million square feet of downtown real estate in varying stages of development.

Astani Enterprises is unique in that Astani has positioned his firm as a multifaceted company: a builder, owner and operator of apartments and condominiums. Astani has modeled his business that way for about 20 years and said he knows of no other developer in Los Angeles that does this. “I developed that niche, and that’s been unique,” said Astani, who has long relied on his master’s degree in engineering from USC in his development and construction career.

However, many bypass the developer-builder-operator kind of business structure in favor of specializing.

Tom Cody, a principal at the South Group, a condo developer that is active downtown, said that the multifaceted business structure “is not that unusual in a suburban context. In this market, it is atypical to be doing urban high-rises. I think it definitely gives you more control but it gives you more risk. From where I stand, it is potentially riskier.”

Astani said his company’s multiple strengths in development and construction give him some advantages. He gains some efficiencies by eliminating middle men, and it allows him to pursue things that others might avoid. An example is Astani’s 30-story Concerto tower at Ninth and Figueroa streets, where construction has begun. Unlike many other condo towers, the project’s parking garage will be built below ground. The standard design for condo or apartment high rises calls for six to eight stories of parking that begin at ground level with residences built on top.

“He’s designed it so parking is completely underground, with a retail band at the street,” said Mark Tarczynski, a senior vice president at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., who specializes in downtown residential properties. “Aesthetically it is more pleasing to see residences one story above the street rather than eight levels of parking. He is certainly a visionary when it comes to developing towers.”

Of course, building underground is far more expensive than building above it. But the high-end condo units will sell for a premium, which helps offset the greater cost.

Downtown design

In addition to his Concerto project, Astani has two other key developments downtown – Vero, which is slated to open at the end of the month, and Opus. Vero is a 200-unit condo building at 1234 Wilshire Blvd. Opus, located at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue, will include 875 units, built in three phases of development. That project is about a year away from breaking ground. At Opus, Astani has said that he may scale back a 15-story building to eight stories if rising construction costs do not slow down.

Despite the cancellation of one of the Concerto towers, Astani is bullish on the downtown real estate market, calling it a “candy store.” Astani said that downtown offers a variety of available products – from lofts in adaptive reuse projects to new condo units in high-rise developments – that will make it appealing and unique for years, even if there is a temporary slowdown. “Downtown is an empty canvas with diamonds in the rough,” said Astani. He plans to focus his developments efforts there for the next 10 years. “We as developers, civic leaders, and architects pick them up and polish them. We are beginning to see a new generation of buyers move downtown.”

With all of his projects, Astani said that he is always interested in doing something interesting architecturally, whether it’s the winter gardens, or indoor-outdoor gardens, he has planned for larger units at Concerto, to the curved, undulating exteriors he envisions for parts of the Opus project. Shane Astani, the developer’s brother and head of Astani Enterprises’ retail arm, said his brother puts “his heart and soul into the architectural aspects of everything he does.”

Astani said he is inspired by buildings he sees while traveling, and counts Renzo Piano and Richard Neutra among his favorite architects. The Neutra connection makes sense; Astani lives in a Neutra-designed home in the Pacific Palisades with his wife and three young children, Sinjun, Tamzin and Tegan.

The architecture of downtown also resonates with Astani. He has been a part of the scene there for 20 years, starting in the 1980s when he frequented edgy artists’ lofts and cavernous nightclubs. At his Beverly Hills office, Astani displays a large piece of artwork he bought from a downtown artist in 1980 as a reminder of that era. “I paid $2,000, which I didn’t even have at the time,” he said.

[BrighamYen]

STEVE LOPEZ / POINTS WEST
No words, no sign of a heart from developer
Steve Lopez
Points West

December 6, 2006

Based on appearances, it would seem that Los Angeles developer Geoff Palmer is doing OK. This past summer, he bought a $17-million beachfront house in Malibu, with solid bronze doors, teak cabinets and his-and-hers bathrooms.

The beach bungalow could come in handy if Palmer needs a break from the French Regency-style Beverly Hills estate he bought for $21 million in 2001. That property includes a 16,400-square-foot main house, plus two guest houses, each larger than 5,000 square feet.

Given Palmer's obvious good fortune, some folks are surprised to see how vigorously he keeps fighting a city requirement that 15% of the units in the massive downtown apartment projects he builds be reserved for low-income renters, meaning for families that make up to about $40,000 a year. The buildings have hundreds of units each and grandiose names like the Medici, the Orsini and the Piero, and they have been multiplying in and around downtown Los Angeles like rabbits.

Palmer's latest fight with City Hall is over a project called the Lorenzo, and as in the past, he doesn't give up easily. His request for a waiver of the 15% requirement has been given a thumbs down by the city Planning Department, the Planning Commission and a City Council committee, but Palmer still intends to argue his case next week before the full City Council.

Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes finds Palmer's attitude stunning. In 2003, the developer demolished a house without a permit to make way for one of his projects, even as preservationists were trying to save it. And on the subject of affordable housing, Reyes recalls, Palmer once told him: "That's not my problem. That's your problem."

Says Reyes: "He reminded me of Charles Dickens, with the rich people in fur coats stepping over beggars to get into their homes. That's the whole attitude, and it just doesn't seem to matter to him."

Seems to me that Palmer should have a chance to defend himself against such a characterization, so I put in a call to his office. Ordinarily, he has his attorney or Peter Novak, executive vice president of G.H. Palmer Associates, do his talking for him. So I called Novak at Palmer's office to see if he could get the big guy to talk to me.

"I doubt it very much," said Novak. "We generally don't comment on these issues."

Why not?

They don't trust the press, if you can believe that. Newspapers are getting too tabloidy, Novak said, and they love controversy rather than "getting to the bottom of the facts."

Wasn't that the point of my call? I asked Novak to see if Palmer would take me on a tour of his properties and explain his thinking. Novak said he'd pass along the request, but I didn't hear back.

A few days after I spoke to Novak, I watched a couple of dozen activists air their grievances against Palmer on the steps of City Hall. Alvivon Hurd, of the Assn of Community Organizations for Reform Now, bellowed into a megaphone loud enough to be heard at the builder's Brentwood office.

"This is a housing crisis here in Los Angeles," she said.

Everybody wants creature comforts, she said, someone to scrub the floors and trim the yards and take care of the kids. But then a guy like Palmer fights City Hall to make sure those workers can't afford to live in the neighborhood. "It's a shame, and we're here to scream about it."

Currently, the city requires a 15% set-aside only in a small part of downtown Los Angeles where gentrification is happening too rapidly for residents to keep up. Ultimately, the group wants to pressure City Hall to establish the set-aside requirement citywide. And one person who has signed on to the cause is Socorro Aranda, 66, who lives in an old apartment building between two Palmer projects just west of downtown.

Aranda, who also spoke at the City Hall rally, fears that renters like her will have to cope with soaring rents or, more likely, be displaced as land continues to be scooped up by investors. Those concerns are precisely why the city established the 15% rule in its Central City West plan.

I went to see Aranda's apartment, where rent control has kept her monthly bill at just $270. But she said others in the building have been harassed and repairs stalled, driving some of them out to make room for renters willing to pay twice as much.

Aranda's apartment consists of just one room and can't be more than 200 square feet. No kitchen, no bathroom, and the shower down the hall is shared by 16 people. Aranda, who said she fled an abusive husband in Nicaragua and works here legally as a domestic, has lived in this space for 17 years. Her 40-year-old son Milton, who works at a clothing factory, joined her three years ago. He sleeps in the top bunk.

We walked outside to see the newest Palmer project, the Visconti on 3rd Street, which looms over the neighborhood. "Your invitation to an incredible lifestyle," says the Visconti website, which lists apartments starting at $2,265. If Palmer adhered to the set-aside requirement, a lucky few would pay about one-third that in rent.

Aranda and I walked down a nearby street and checked out a couple of apartments in older buildings. One, for $500, was smaller than the one she's in now. Another, at $450, had no windows or bathroom. Another drab room, with a leaky ceiling and a beeping smoke detector, was $550.

She looked at me as if to say, "Can you believe it?"

In its request for a waiver on the 15% set-aside, one of the Palmer company's arguments was that it would result in "practical difficulties and hardships," as laid out in a June 21 letter to the city. Activists refer to this as Palmer's "it doesn't pencil out" argument, and wonder how he could afford two luxurious manses while suffering such hardships.

Palmer's guy barely let me get that question out. "Don't get me started about this because I find these arguments completely appalling and basically un-American," Novak told me. "I find nothing more appalling than economic jealousy. You think Palmer found money on the freaking street?"

Not exactly, no. Palmer, who may be setting the stage for a lawsuit, argues that apartments are, by definition, affordable housing. He builds market-rate apartments, he argues, and takes no government subsidy, so why should he be forced to reduce the rent for anyone?

I think another Palmer argument — that it's unconstitutional to require set-asides in one part of town but not another — is worth debating, since so many other areas of the city have gentrified without any such set-aside requirements. On the other hand, I'm unaware of him having been kidnapped, driven to downtown Los Angeles and forced to build in an established set-aside zone.

"Whether he's just greedy, or ideologically opposed to government regulation, I don't know," said Peter Dreier, who chairs the Urban and Environmental Policy Program at Occidental College. "But either way, he's gotta live by the rules."

I met up with Novak on the day his boss' appeal was rejected by a City Council committee. He asked me to e-mail my questions to him, and he'd see if he could get Palmer to talk to me.

I'm still waiting.

I did, however, speak with another downtown developer. John Huskey, who owns Meta Housing, is building the 276-unit Northwest Gateway Apartments on 2nd Street. The firm opted for a 20% set-aside, he said, because that makes for a better mix of tenants and also makes additional tax advantages available to his company.

In his opinion, Huskey said, the city should have given Palmer a medal for taking a huge risk and building the Medici several years ago, but then should have taken the medal away for his comments about affordable housing.

"Philosophically, we think it's part of what it takes to reestablish a community," Huskey said of mixed-income dwellings.

If L.A. Live and the Grand Avenue projects succeed, he said, hundreds of new jobs will open up, but they won't pay a fortune.

Huskey envisions some of those new employees living in his apartment building and paying $750 a month in rent instead of $2,500-$2,800. And they'll walk to work instead of commuting from long distances, helping reduce traffic and smog.

"There were four or five times in my life when I would have qualified for the units I'm building," Huskey said. "And I'm no different a person now than I was then."

Any of this penciling out for you, Mr. Palmer?

It's a measly 15%. And 'tis the season, after all.

*

[LA/OCman]

This weekend is my walk thru at the Eastern Columbia lofts. Next month is move in and I am hoping that this is a catalyst for change in the 9th and Broadway neighborhood. I can't wait to see what Kor has brought back to life at the EC. One of the best things Kor did was to get approval for the Mills Act which will reduce my property taxes due the historic status of this incredible building. There is a great pic of the EC in the LA Weekly as well as a few other loft projects. It feels great to be another cog in the downtown renaissance. Retail on the bottom floor will really help the neighborhood...but I don't think they have any leases signed yet for the retail component.

[JRinSoCal]

^ Congrats on your new home you lucky son-of-a-gun!

[danparker276]

Did the city approve EC yet?

[PeterJ]

Not yet, Dan. Inspections process is ongoing. Walkthrus are happening concurrent with the inspections.

LA/OC, i'm a fellow future EC resident as well. i don't think my wife and i will get to walkthru until the 16th or the 6th. can't wait. please post your impressions or photographs if you like. would love to get a sneak peek.

best,
pj

oh and the rumor thus far regarding retail is that there may be a coffee shop on 9th with some outdoor seating. in addition, they are talking about a small, dry goods minigrocery and a restaurant.

including the one that fronts the parking structure, i believe there are 4 retail spots in total.

[danparker276]

Did you get to see the pool deck?

[deehrler]

What a shame. I got used to thinking that Lopez was coming around to reality. I guess I was wrong.

What right does Lopez have to attack someone who has for the most part built attractive housing out of parking lots and freeway intersections and rent them to the middle class that we need so much Downtown. If he can do it and live in Malabu...so be it. We are all better off.

I just can't come around to believing that the only way to solve problems is by by taxing development if they are not designed by Gehry.

I believe that this nation had a similar problem 120 years ago. America had a flood of immigrants and wages went in the sewer. Do we want to address that issue again? Lopez won't.

I have never met Palmer, but the more bad press he gets, the more I like him.

[LA/OCman]

PeterJ: I am on the 4th floor facing west. They say the pool deck is not finished yet. I have my walk thru on Sunday. The lobby is supposed to look spectacular. They are saying move ins around mid-January..so I expect some time after that.

[RAlossi]

What right does Lopez have to attack someone who has for the most part built attractive housing out of parking lots and freeway intersections and rent them to the middle class that we need so much Downtown. If he can do it and live in Malabu...so be it. We are all better off.


I'd hardly call his monstrosities "attractive" -- he hasn't shown that he can deviate from the tacky "Italianate" style he has pushed down our throats. I'm not going to get into the argument about whether we should be forcing developers to build a certain percentage of affordable housing, nor am I going to comment on Steve Lopez's writings, because I just don't have the time.

But I do believe that most people here are tired of seeing every single Palmer development looking exactly the same as the last one.

[danparker276]

Roosevelt pricing: What I expected (I haven't seen the floor plans though)

http://loftla.com/lofts/Roos/Price_list.pdf

Sorry, I just saved the pdf on my site, I don't know how to convert the pricing table from pdf to html, and the text version doesn't look good.

[RAlossi]

Information on South Park's Figueroa South Development, now to be called "Jardin." Renderings at the link below (nothing that we don't already know about Figueroa South/Jardin)

JARDIN

Community Building from the Ground Up

Our fourth project in downtown Los Angeles’ South Park, sits across the street from the Staples Center and a block away from L.A. Live, Anschutz Entertainment Group’s $1 billion sports and entertainment complex. Together with our other South Park projects, Jardin supports our vision for a vibrant and sustainable South Park neighborhood.

Jardin’s two towers, one 34-stories tall and one 23-stories tall, contain a total of 648 units. Ground floor retail and tower lobbies activate the street. To provide residents a sense of place in a developing downtown neighborhood, Jardin will have an urban amenity garden on the fifth floor. The amenity garden includes a large terrace with a pool, private gardens, a fitness center, lounge, outdoor movie screen and exhibition kitchen. A concierge and valet drop-off will make it easier for friends to visit. The building also has a significant incorporation of art in the public areas as part of the Community Redevelopment Agency’s “1% for Art Program.”

Jardin homes have hardwood floors, wood cabinetry in a variety of choices, stainless steel appliances, designer countertops and fixtures, full building WiFi, decks and Juliet balconies, operable windows, walk-in closets and ceiling heights of up to 13 feet.

Like our other South Park projects, Jardin employs a number of sustainable practices and is on track to be certified LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Jardin is being developed by The South Group, a joint venture between Williams and Dame Development and Gerding Edlen.

http://www.gerdingedlen.com/project.php?id=63

[Westsidelife]

^Those are rather old. I still think the design is nothing special. Hopefully they'll turn out better than what the picture suggests it will look like.

[RAlossi]

^yeah, the renderings are nothing new; the name change is what I was trying to convey.

[colemonkee]

For an idea of what they will probably end up looking like, check out the John Ross tower in Portland, in the SoWa district.

[Westsidelife]

John Ross looks pretty good. I'll be happy if Fig South turns out the way John Ross is turning out.

[Westsidelife]

Meruelo is also planning a tower adjacent to Fig South. It's that tower behind Fig South:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Fig%20South/FigSouth1.jpg

[bobcat]

Thanks to DJM19 for bringing this to my attention. The DTLA Architects Panel can be viewed at

http://la36.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=11&clip_id=2083

Among projects described are Park 5th's 71 story highrise and Titan Group's project.

[LAMetroGuy]

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/1-Front-View.jpg

Back view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/10-Back-View.jpg

Top view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/16-Top-Two.jpg

Left view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/2-Left-View.jpg

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/3-Front-View.jpg

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/4-Front-View.jpg

Sidewalk
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/8-Sidewalk.jpg

[BrighamYen]

^ I actually like them! I don't think twin towers are any worse than having two different towers in this case. It looks soo different from anything in the downtown skyline! I think these two towers could alter the image of LA! These will be so close by to LA Live! OMG, I really do hope these get built!!!

[Wright Concept]

I need to see the towers in CONTEXT with the surroundings before I can make a judgment. There's something about the shadows in the rendering that seem off, I can't but my finger on it.

But I'm surprised at a project of it's size, magnitude and presence doesn't have that sketch of how it looks in relation to the skyline in it's presentation. Now that would be a selling point!

By themselves they look better than the original proposal.

[Westsidelife]

We should also add Park Fifth to the list with a total of 900 units as well as Concerto!

[RAlossi]

Which intersection will the twin towers be built on?

[bjornson]

Grand and Olympic

[bobcat]

We should also add Park Fifth to the list with a total of 900 units as well as Concerto!

Concerto is listed as 9th and Figueroa. My hard drive crashed so I have to reenter some of the data in my spreadsheet. I'll try to update it this weekend with Park 5th and some of the other projects that are finishing up.

[bobcat]

Good Samaritan to Sell 4-Acre Property
By DANIEL MILLER - 12/18/2006
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

An unusually large development opportunity is expected to come onto themarket this week in Central City West and could provide a crucial impetus to the revitalization of the area near downtown Los Angeles.
Good Samaritan Hospital is hoping to sell a full city block bounded by Wilshire Boulevard, South Bixel Street, West Sixth Street and Lucas Avenue to a residential developer who would build a large community on the 4.1 acres.

The hospital has not set an asking price, but the property is just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway in the growing Central City West area. There have been 2,400 housing units recently built there, more than 1,000 units under construction and another 2,000 units planned.

“This whole area is going through a complete revitalization,” said hospital Chief Executive Andrew Leeka.

Although it’s unusual for such a large parcel to come onto the market in that area, a 4.6-acre property across Figueroa Street from Staples Center was sold Aug. 11, fetching about $80 million. The Moinian Group bought that parcel and plans a 700-unit residential development.

However, the Good Samaritan property is coming onto the market amidst a pullback by downtown developers. Last month, the Business Journal reported that developer Sonny Astani had shelved plans to build a 30-story downtown condominium tower, while real estate brokers suggested that between 10 and 15 residential developments have been canceled in the area.

Industry officials are blaming over construction of condominiums across the country – as well as a robust downtown supply – for making investors wary of putting money into new developments. Also to blame: sharply rising construction costs.

Still, downtown boosters say that over the long term Central City West needs more housing to meet the area’s growing population. Some envision the neighborhood as a middle-class haven close to downtown in contrast to more upscale neighborhoods directly downtown such as South Park.

“It is within walking distance to central downtown, the area is the definition of live-work,” said Carol Schatz, executive director of the Central City Association. “It is being transformed with market rate middle class housing and you can’t revitalize a neighborhood without your middle class.”

Central City West

The lot features several structures that would likely be razed for the development: a parking lot, warehouse, visiting nurse dormitory and a 1920s office building the hospital uses. Future development would likely be a cornerstone of the Central City West area.

Real estate broker Mark Tarczynski, the listing agent for the property, said that because of its large size, a diversified development can be built there, with the existing office building possibly incorporated into any development as an adaptive reuse element.

“You could do some low rise and you could do high rise; you could do condos and rentals – the whole spectrum,” said Tarczynski, a senior vice president at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. “It’s large enough to have a variety of product and a very diverse community, some of which being affordable. You really could have a high impact project on these four acres that could change the community for the better.”

The property is in Councilman Ed Reyes’ district, an older part of the city where it is more difficult to assemble large parcels. That it is available as one large block has prompted the councilman to support the sale and future housing development.

“To have an assembled parcel is a great opportunity,” said Gerald Gubatan, chief planning deputy for Reyes.

The property is part of the Central City West Specific Plan area, which requires a 15 percent set aside for affordable housing. Developers can opt out of building affordable housing by paying a fee of $97,000 per affordable unit they opt to not build. That money is put into the area’s housing trust fund, which could then go to build affordable housing in the area.


“With flow of investment and infusion of new development west of the 110 freeway some developers have opted to pay the in-lieu fee,” Gubatan said.

And while there are some high-end developments in the area, such as the 1100 Wilshire condo tower, more typical are moderately priced developments, such as Astani Enterprises Inc.’s Vero, which has about half of its 200 units in the $400,000 range.

“The market has been relatively strong west of the freeway – it’s a completely different price point and product than near Staples Center,” said Rich Mayo of O’Donnell/Atkins, who represented Moinian Group in its August deal. “I think the Good Samaritan property is a great piece of property.”

According to sources familiar with the downtown real estate market, the lot – directly east of the hospital – will fetch between $30 and $50 million.

Leeka said that Good Samaritan will use the profits to build a medical office building with an outpatient pavilion. He said that the hospital is growing and needs space for expansion.

The new building, which could rise as high as nine stories, would be located next to a nine-story medical office building the hospital owns across the street from Good Samaritan Hospital.

Leeka said the hospital waited to sell the four-acre parcel until it was ready to expand. “The trustees, over the course of decades, had the foresight to assemble properties for a day like today,” he said.

[KarLarRec1]

^ Awesome. I was thinking the other day that with 1100 Wilshire, Vero, and the other projects, that this lot needed to be developed. Great news!

[danparker276]

Got some new pics from David Kean of Eastern Columbia

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Photos.aspx?AlbumID=70

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Handler.ashx?PhotoID=559

Also here's a night time shot from a unit in 1100

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Photos.aspx?AlbumID=69

http://www.loftla.com/loftla/Handler.ashx?PhotoID=555

[LAMetroGuy]

What is the status on the G8WAY????

http://www.tca-arch.com/proj_new/proj/littletokyof/littletokyo.jpg

[colemonkee]

That's a good question. Who's the architect? Perhaps an email to the architect might provide an answer.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

http://www.tca-arch.com/ontheboardsf/block8/01cover.jpg

This may be outdated, but it used to be Thomas Cox Architects.

[POLA]

TCA also did related's last project, The Hikari...

[citywatch]

There's a slightly greater chance that Related's proj in Little Tokyo will go forward, at least not too many yrs into the future, because most of it will be less than 6 or 7 floors tall & therefore likely wood framed. The highrise portion, OTOH, which involves more expensive steel &/or concrete construction, may be an iffier proposition. And all of this I'm sure will be influenced by how quickly or slowly the nearby Artisan & Mura condos sell out, or how fast the Hikari apt bldg leases out.

[POLA]

Hikari is at 30 percent full, Block 8 is breaking ground this year. and it has nothing to do with Hikari.

[citywatch]

^ I believe some of Hikari's apts are subsidized for lower income tenants, so I thought the occupancy rate would be a little bit higher right now, even though it's barely (or not yet) opened. Whatever is the amt of leasing now or in upcoming wks, I'm sure any devlpr will naturally have a lot more confidence in going full speed ahead if they see their pre existing projs or their competitors doing very well.

[danparker276]

curbed la, has a rumor on it now that all of concerto is dead, not just the 2nd tower.

[LAMetroGuy]

curbed la, has a rumor on it now that all of concerto is dead, not just the 2nd tower.

Shocking, cubed la having a negative cynical view on a development related news? :haha: If its dead, its dead... it is what it is. For the many proposed projects, if only a fraction are completed, I'm happy! Once certin mega developments break ground, others will follow suit. My guess is that Astani is looking for a financial partner to maybe get the second tower back into the mix thereby having to only dig a big hole once.... :D

[BrighamYen]

^ I hope so...

[LAMetroGuy]

First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles Developing 200,000-SF Mixed-Use Project in Downtown

First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles has retained real estate consulting firm BTG Advisors to facilitate the development of an approximately 200,000 square-foot, $60 million mixed-use project in downtown Los Angeles that will serve as the next home for its congregation. Plans call for a mixed-use development that may include affordable and market rate housing, office space, a sky chapel and sanctuary that could be used by other local groups and congregations. The facilities will be developed following LEED certified standards for high-performance, sustainable buildings.

[WesTheAngelino]

^ Is that the site on Flower in South Park?

[colemonkee]

Hot damn!!! (oops, that's probably blasphemous). That's the spot on Olympic and Flower that's had the sign up since the Crucades (there I go again)...

[LAMetroGuy]

^ Is that the site on Flower in South Park?

Yes, its on the corner of Flower and Olympic and its a 26,000 sq ft lot.

[RAlossi]

Is that opposite Hanover?

[colemonkee]

Close. It's kitty corner from the future FIDM tower and directly south across Olympic from The Met.

[BrighamYen]

^^ Yeah the church was inviting groups to give their input on what kind of development the community wanted to see happen. The "sky chapel" was the idea after they scraped the initial stand alone church concept.

The 200,000sf is a bit surprising if not extremely welcome! That's gonna be pretty tall! And will add much needed retail space on the ground floor since Olympic pretty much has none right now.

[RAlossi]

I'll be happy as long as it's not a bunch of fundies or extremists :)

[LAMetroGuy]

$60M Downtown Project Looks to LEED
By Bob Howard

LOS ANGELES-Two trends that have steadily been gaining momentum in Southern California, the building boom in Downtown L.A. and the growing migration of developers toward green building standards, will come together in a $60 million mixed-use project that the First United Methodist Church has proposed. The development, at Olympic Boulevard and Flower Street, is expected to total 200,000 sf, according to Burbank-based BTG Advisors, which the church has retained as a consultant on the Downtown project.

The church, which is also planning the project as the next home for its congregation, will develop the space in a joint venture with a development partner on church-owned land. Plans have yet to be completed, but BTG says the development may include affordable and market rate housing, office space and a sky chapel and sanctuary that could be used by other local groups and congregations.

The facilities will be developed according to building guidelines established under the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. The church leadership sees the project as “a catalyst to enliven the neighborhood,” says Rev. Sandie Richards, pastor and executive director of the Los Angeles United Methodist Urban Foundation.

BTG Advisors will advise and represent the church through its RFQ and RFP process, and in the selection of a joint venture development partner, says BTG's CEO, Richard Gentilucci. BTG Advisors will also provide strategic and financial planning through the completion of the project.

BTG Advisors provides a broad range of consulting services to real estate owners, including nonprofit organizations. Gentilucci, who founded the firm in 2005, was formerly a managing director of Shamrock Capital Advisors, an affiliate of Burbank-based Shamrock Holdings of California, the investment arm of the Roy E. Disney family.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

There is a train station at Burbank (Bob Hope) Airport, serving Amtrak and Metrolink. Hopefully, one day, the Orange Line will be turned into LRT and extended to this airport. A Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena line can originate from this location as well.

[RAlossi]

Union Station North!

[LAMetroGuy]

More on the church:

Putting first things

f irst .

The People of First United Methodist Church, Los Angeles dream a building!



Welcome to the building where the penthouse belongs to the life of the spirit.



We live in an era where we know where we are by geo-locators. The ancients knew how to locate the planet in relation to heavenly bodies: Our seasons are marked by the turning of the earth. The sky chapel, to be located at the top of the building, should contain markers for the solstices and the equinoxes.



In keeping with our sense of stewardship of the earth, we want to create a building that incorporates state-of-the-art ‘green’ technology, and where possible, landscaping will include herbs and possibly other food stuffs.



As much as possible, solar panels will be incorporated as part of the building to heat water and augment electrical supply.



First floor :

The first floor is a multi use space with floating walls to create sub-spaces as needed. There is a large kitchen that can be part of the room or closed as needed. When all the walls are stored, there is a ‘great room’ feeling. The floor of the multipurpose space as well as the floor of the chapel or the top floor garden could contain versions of a labyrinth or other type of walking meditation.



Ground floor access : Outdoor performance/ exhibit/ meeting space Tables and chairs: People of outside have a sense of welcome even if they never go inside the building; there is something to offer the person wandering by even if they want to sit for five minutes.



Second and Third floors : Church Offices, Management Offices, Bishop’s Office



Fourth through Top floor :

Affordable and luxury housing units, pool/spa OR Office complex for market rate and/or non-profit offices.



Rooftop : garden/playground and 80-100 seat chapel with seasonal markers where the sun rises and sets on equinox summer and winter, and solstice summer and winter. The chapel walls should be transparent to allow for 360 degree view, and perhaps could be opened.



We want to be the spiritual home for our congregation and perhaps other faith communities who might not otherwise be able to afford to locate here. We plan to provide gathering space for all our community. This plan represents our dreams for our building. We are discussing the possibilities within our community and among developers, architects, and other friends in the community.



We welcome your comments and input, your prayers and encouragement, and donations of any size toward our building!

---Rev. Sandie Richards and the People of First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles.


http://www.fumcla.org/index.html

http://www.fumcla.org/vision.html

[Steve2726]

I just received this e-mail from the downtownnews.com people-
www.downtownnews.com

Ralphs to Open in June
South Park Supermarket to Feature Upscale Design, Dry Cleaners and Even a Cheese Station

by Kathryn Maese
Managing Editor

Nearly 50 years after Ralphs supermarket left Downtown, the grocery chain plans to make its long-awaited return in June, project and city officials announced.
City Councilwoman Jan Perry and Deputy Mayor Bud Ovrom on Thursday presented Ralphs executives with the “key to the store,” kicking off the interior build-out of Downtown’s only full-service supermarket.
“We’ve been waiting a long time to get the key,” said Charles Barfield, Ralphs vice president of public affairs. “We’re very excited to be part of the renaissance of Downtown. We can’t wait to start work on our store and start serving the customers and residents down here.”
The deal for the 50,000-square-foot store at Ninth between Hope and Flower streets was inked in April 2003, but the project has been besieged by design delays and soaring construction costs. The market will open more than three years after initial predictions.
Ralphs is considered the linchpin of South Village, a $247 million residential and retail project by developers the Lee Group and CIM Group. The store will anchor the ground floor of the Market Lofts, which will include 267 condominiums as well as nearly half a dozen chain retailers — Robeks Juice, The UPS Store, Quiznos, Cold Stone Creamery and the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
“Not only is it a market, but it’s a beginning of retail that’s been missing for a long time in South Park and Downtown in general,” said John Given, a principal at CIM. “I think we’re beginning to see a new life that’s starting to take place. There’s thousands of units south of Olympic, thousands of units north of Olympic and thousands of units right in the block of Ninth and Olympic.”
The new venture is a homecoming of sorts for the chain, which launched in 1873 a few blocks away at Sixth and Spring streets. The last Ralphs in the Downtown area shut down in 1947.
“We plan to give you the best of the best,” Barfield said. “It’s one of our most exciting supermarket formats.”
The “fresh fare” concept will feature an upscale European boutique design with a large deli that includes a meat and seafood counter, a broad selection of prepared foods and a seating area for eating in the market. Other gourmet touches include sushi, a chowder bar, wine cellar, olive bar and cheese station. The store will also hold a pharmacy, floral department, dry cleaners and book section.
Ralphs has a strong track record in emerging downtown areas. Its store in San Diego’s Gaslamp District, which opened in November 1996, is among the most successful in the chain.
“It had similar circumstances to Downtown and we jumped at the opportunity,” said Ralphs spokesman Terry O’Neil. “It signaled a reinvention of that downtown.”
O’Neil said the Downtown Los Angeles store will employ as many as 175 people, depending on volume. He said most of the staff will be hired from the surrounding community.
In the past seven years more than 7,000 condominium and apartment units have been developed in Downtown, bringing more than 10,000 new residents, many of whom have relied on convenience stores and ethnic markets. Others travel to Ralphs’ Silver Lake location for full-service shopping or the Food 4 Less just west of Downtown.
In the four years since being announced, developers and boosters have touted the supermarket as an incentive for moving to the area. The original spring 2004 opening was postponed until summer 2006 due to skyrocketing materials costs that delayed numerous development projects Downtown. Later estimates even said the grocery store would open at the end of 2007, though the June debut beats that by about six months.
Along with being one of the most anticipated Downtown projects, it has also been one of the more challenging. Back in February 2005, when it was on the brink of defaulting on its city development agreement to build on the seven-acre site, CIM re-sculpted the project and brought the Lee Group on board. Three months later, the project was jumpstarted as crews began excavating and creating a physical support system for the store.
“All that yelling paid off because we’re about to walk through the doors and cross the threshold,” Perry said, referring to the slate of meetings and negotiations leading up to the market deal. “It’s a major threshold.”
During the week’s ceremony, Downtown business leaders, developers, neighborhood groups and residents crowded the market’s Flower Street entrance and toured the vacant concrete interior.
“It really shows how the residential community is reaching a critical mass and also how this is creating a community for all the businesses and people from L.A. Live,” said Russ Brown, president of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. “The next step is connecting it to a transportation system and figuring out a DASH route so that people don’t have to get in their cars.
“Now, if we can just get a Trader Joe’s,” he added.
Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.

Visit http://www.downtownnews.com

[WesTheAngelino]

Others travel to Ralphs’ Silver Lake location for full-service shopping or the Food 4 Less just west of Downtown.


Do they not know about the one in West Adams?????

[RAlossi]

Did anyone else read that the Blossom Plaza project in Chinatown is back??

http://www.downtownnews.com/articles/2007/01/15/news/news02.txt

Chinatown Project Blossoms Again

Bond Companies' $144 Million Development Is Fast-Tracked, Though Some Protest

by Evan George

A long dormant Chinatown project is underway again. City officials are now fast-tracking a $144 million mixed-use effort by developer Bond Companies and hope to gain public approvals by the end of January.
Developer Larry Bond plans to tear down Little Joe’s, a former Italian restaurant in Chinatown, and build a mixed-use complex with 169 condos and a public plaza. Photo by Gary Leonard

The development at 900 N. Broadway, on the site of the former Little Joe's restaurant near the Chinatown Metro Gold Line station, has been in the pipeline for more than five years. As a joint venture between Bond Companies and the city, the effort includes 169 condominiums in two towers, 10,000 square feet of retail space, a 344-car parking garage and a major expansion of the entrance to the Gold Line station, connecting it to bike paths, DASH buses and the new state park at the site formerly called the Cornfield.

But despite strong support for the project from First District Councilman Ed Reyes, design protests by some in the community have led to numerous, often rowdy public meetings and some staunch opposition. Foes of the project were especially outspoken at a meeting last Wednesday at the Chinatown Public Library.

The proposal, which an attorney for developer Larry Bond said responds to community input, is slated to go before the Community Redevelopment Agency's board on Thursday, Jan. 18. Reyes told the Wednesday gathering that he hopes to bring the issue before the full City Council for a vote by the end of January.

"This project has been on the back burner for five years now - it's been a long time coming," he told the crowd. "But we're reaching the point where we have to make some decisions."

Federal funds and city money that Reyes and other local leaders secured, including $5 million from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will disappear if the project does not move forward, the councilman said.

Design Debate


At the meeting, a number of people interrupted Reyes and other speakers to voice their opposition to the design's recent changes.

"When you sell something to a community and then switch it, that's fraud, that's grand larceny," said one audience member. He said he was upset that $1.2 million raised by the Chinatown community would, he said, be used for a project that many oppose.

Much of the opposition centers around the inclusion of an 18,000-square-foot cultural plaza that will connect Broadway to the Gold Line station. Bond and city leaders hope a Broadway entrance that spills into Chinatown would allow for large event programming and attract visitors to the area, many by public transit.

However, some community members have clamored instead for a large, enclosed cultural center that would be less of a draw for tourists or shoppers, but would allow for use by community groups and dignitaries visiting from China.

In the early design stages, Bond and the city expressed interest in such a center. However, budget constraints prompted the downsizing of that facility to a 7,000-square-foot building. When that relatively small structure drew opposition, Reyes said, the center was scrapped. The design proposal now includes an outdoor pavilion concept that will be a combination of landscaped open space and a central plaza.

"A slab of cement, is that all that we get?" interrupted one angry attendee. "Isn't that an insult to us?"

"In my mind, we still need to build a cultural center," Reyes responded, "but I don't think it's going to happen here."

In an attempt to mollify opponents, Bond has offered to manage the plaza by organizing the programming of events, which could include a farmers market, the Chinese New Year celebrations, film screenings and other community gatherings.

Area Development


Although Chinatown has yet to join in the building boom that has hit much of the rest of Downtown Los Angeles, a number of residential projects for the area have been discussed. They include a proposal by Kor Group to turn a building at 808 N. Spring St. into as many as 123 lofts, and Bridge Residential Advisors' $12 million plan to create 42 lofts at 711 N. Broadway.

Bond's project was previously slated to include up to 223 condominiums. Current floor plans include studio as well as one- and two-bedroom units, though exact dimensions and prices have not yet been announced.

The project, designed by Nakada & Associates, would include two separate buildings. An eight-story U-shaped structure would face Broadway and hold ground-floor retail with a bridge connecting to a seven-story building on College Street.

Although 18 units in the project will be set aside as moderate income housing and 16 units will be reserved for workforce housing, the developer will pay $1.6 million to provide affordable housing elsewhere in Chinatown, according to CRA officials.

The debate over the cultural plaza has divided the sides for years. According to Jerold Neuman, an attorney for Bond Companies, the developer was initially open to a cultural center, but a cost analysis made it unfeasible on a large scale.

Although the project will receive nearly $35 million in public funds, that money has been allocated for amenities that serve the general public, such as parking, pathways to Chinatown shops and better access to the Gold Line station, Reyes said.

Community leaders who have long sought a distinctively Chinese cultural center, on par with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, see the emphasis on visitors rather than residents as short-changing Chinatown. However, community groups have only raised $2 million to contribute to a cultural center, Reyes pointed out.

The project's parking garage, another sticking point with community leaders, was also significantly downscaled from the earlier proposal. The initial 600-car design was altered due to funding shortfalls and geological problems encountered at the site, according to Neuman. The water table prevents a four-level underground garage from being built, he said.

In the proposed garage, 175 parking spaces would be considered public while 169 (one per unit) would be reserved for residents.

Some in attendance at the meeting expressed concerns that the developer would receive $35 million in public funds to build private amenities. Neuman argued that none of the public facilities would be possible or cost-efficient without Bond Companies. He also said that through compromise and plan revisions, "We have offered more than we promised."

According to Reyes, the city is interested in spurring an economic revitalization of the area through public, private and joint-venture developments like Blossom Plaza to "send a signal that Chinatown is coming back."

[funhaus]

Does anyone know what may be happening with MetLofts retail spaces? As far as I can tell these have been sitting empty and available since the project was completed.

One of the first retail tenants was supposed to be YAS (Yoga and Spinning), the fitness studio on Abbot Kinney in Venice. When MetLofts was still under construction mid-2005, there was a huge banner announcing YAS' intent as well as a press release on their website. (http://www.go2yas.com/yas_press_kimberly_fowler_full.asp?cid=69105257176)

YAS now opens its doors to the downtown crowd in the provocative space located on the corner of 11th & Hope Street in the new Met Lofts building. Says entrepreneur Fowler, “Many of our clients work downtown and they are the ones who lead the push for YAS downtown.”

Fowler plans on opening the downtown YAS facility in August 2005 in conjunction with the launch of YAS Wear.

But a year and a half later, still nothing.

Any insight as to why MetLofts can't land a tenant?

[colemonkee]

Any insight as to why MetLofts can't land a tenant?
I have two ideas:

1. There isn't a critical mass in the immediate area yet for traditional ground floor retail (re: everything that isn't Starbucks). The only buildings open are Met Lofts, Grand Lofts, Elleven and Flower St. Lofts, and the Luma construction creates a serious pedestrian barrier to half of those residents. There really isn't much foot traffic on that block just yet. Yet. When Luma opens, they might have the critical mass.

2. The retail is set back from the sidewalk a bit and set lower than the sidewalk with relatively low ceilings, so storefront visibility isn't very good, even with signage. I'm sure it will lease out eventually, but the retail in Elleven and Luma will lease out first due it's visibility from the street, with higher ceilings and a floor level that is flush with the sidewalk.

[BrighamYen]

The building owner/management have the final say who goes in or not. Sometimes they like to be picky because they think they can get something better. That can be a good tactic in this case to wait it out a little bit since a lease agreement is usually a 10-year looong deal.

[citywatch]

I'm sure a major problem in leasing groundfloor spaces to stores----certainly somewhat nice ones----is that the hood, even with the various new condos & apts, still needs thousands of additional residents to keep dollars flowing more freely & plentifully. That's why I'm very impatient about projs like the Brockman, Coulter Mandell or Roosevelt, much less totally new bldgs like the Concerto, not only being completed ASAP, but their, of course, leasing or selling out very quickly too.

[edluva]

again guys it's not so much the residents in the immediate area that make for a good retail setting. Do you really think Melrose ave and Colorado blvd rely on immediate residents for their business? Ever ask yourself why numerous manhattan neighborhoods with 100k+ pop densities have absolutely no streetlife or retail beneath them? Dense cities and sparse suburbs work the same way in this regard. Retail in both cases concentrates in strips or centers that serve the broader region. The only difference is perhaps that in a dense urban environment, the intensity of usage is higher, and the distances between such retail foci are smaller. Adding residents could only help with retail, but any wannabe michigan ave would require the patronage of a clientele base that extends far beyond whatever yuppified downtown LA you guys have envisioned

and to add to funhaus's question, I'd like to know what kinds of rents these people are charging. My bet is that these retail slots are overpriced, like most of the housing in downtown, their rents reflect the overinflated estimates used in justifying the construction of these buildings. My prediction is that the market takes at least a mild hit and regional interest in DTLA improves (that's where a mega-project like LA Live might help) before any substantial retail migration occurs.

Otherwise, lower the rents and make south park competitive with broadway because *that* clientele base is in ready supply all over. But that probably won't ever happen.

[blogdowntown]

and to add to funhaus's question, I'd like to know what kinds of rents these people are charging. My bet is that these retail slots are overpriced, like most of the housing in downtown, their rents reflect the overinflated estimates used in justifying the construction of these buildings. My prediction is that the market takes at least a mild hit and regional interest in DTLA improves (that's where a mega-project like LA Live might help) before any substantial retail migration occurs.

Well, this is a question you can really answer yourself. Sites like Loopnet (http://loopnet.com) are your friend.

Listed retail rates for various projects (all in $/sf/mon):

Hanover: $4
Brockman: $3.50
1100 Wilshire: $1.50
Met Lofts: $2.50
Eastern Columbia: $2.25
Packard Lofts: $3.50
Pan American: $3.25

[colemonkee]

Hmm, I wonder why Pan American is asking $1 more than Eastern Columbian? Does the north side of Broadway have that much more foot traffic?

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ I think Upper Broadway certainly presents less risk. It is sandwiched between Bunker Hill, Little Tokyo and the Old Bank District, it has easy subway access, and it is near several other rehabs that were highly successful.

That's not to take anything away from Lower Broadway. But by any objective account, it is less accessible by people with disposable cash. I'm sure though that will change over time, as South Park continues to stretch eastward.

[danparker276]

LA beauty is probably right, I don't think you can go by what's posted. 1100 Wilshire was listed at 2.50, a year ago it dropped to 1.50. It's worth it for them to wait and get more for a long lease.

[PeterJ]

Upper Broadway is certainly closer to the bulk of the white collar office crowd, but lower Broadway has the potential to tap into the Fashion District. During the day, there is huge foot traffic and the demographic seems like a pretty good blend of styles and incomes. The lunch time crowd at Tiara Cafe is an impressive hodgepodge of DTLA types.

I'd love to see a destination restaurant/bar go into the Eastern Columbia. Something cool with legitimate foodie chops, but not stupid high-end. I noticed in today's LA TIMES there is an article about local chefs wanting to open brasserie in LA. Michael Cimarusti, chef of Providence and formerly of the Water Grill, wants to open one in downtown. I'd love for something like that to go into the EC. DT doesn't need more over-the-top, 32 dollar entree places (J lounge, Blue Velvet etc). It needs places like the Hungry Cat or Mozza, places with food so good that people will travel for it, but not so expensive and pretentious that locals can't eat there with regularity. A place like that in the EC would do wonders. People would read about it on chowhound, drive in from hills or the valley or the beach just to try the steak frite and be blown away by the architecture of the building. They'd be so surprised by the stylish, urban feeling that they'd have to cross the street to have a drink at the Broadway Bar to talk it over. At which point, they'd get an eyeful of the Orpheum Marquee and make a point to come back to catch a show there.

Anybody out there who works in the DT retail/restaurant scene want to suggest to Kor they put in a call to chef Cimarusti so that my dream vision can come true? :)

With Edison, Golden Gopher, Library Bar, Broadway Bar, and the myriad other spots out there and in the making, the bar scene in DT is well on its way to being spectacular. The next step is restaurants. DT needs places for dinner, places with substance and soul. Unique places that serve neighborhoods and foodies, not just the business crowd or out of town guest.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Mondo Conversion
The 42-story Office Building at 611 W. Sixth St. Is Set to Become Downtown’s Largest Adaptive Reuse Project With An Unusual Commercial Component

by Evan George
Staff Writer
An office tower once crowned the tallest in Downtown will be converted into condominiums, the Downtown News has learned, and city officials said approval by the Planning Department could come as soon as Monday, Jan. 22.
The 42-story skyscraper at 611 W. Sixth St., officially known as 611 Place but sometimes referred to as the old AT&T Building, is no newcomer to holding records (it was the first to eclipse City Hall when completed in 1967).
Now it is set to become the latest — and the largest — adaptive reuse project in Downtown.
The proposal, by developer 611 Sixth St. Association LLP would create 402 live/work condominium units from the 16th floor to the top of the high-rise.
But what is unique about the project, real estate experts say, is the large number of commercial condominium units that will be added — 135 commercial units on the first 15 floors, totaling more than 242,000 square feet of commercial space.
“I think this commercial office condo segment will be hotter than a firecracker,” said Jack Kyser, senior vice president and chief economist of Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation.
According to Kyser, office condominiums are lacking in Central City. The location will offer professional service providers ample space, parking and access to an increasingly pedestrian-friendly, residential community in the Central Business District.
“They might be surprised with the demand that they get for the commercial condos,” Kyser said.
Representatives for developer 611 Sixth St. Association LLP and the owner, New York-based Chetrit Group, did not respond for comment by print time.
“The only downside,” Kyser said, “would be that that section of Grand Ave. is a very popular stretch for location filming,”
The 620-foot aluminum and concrete tower, designed by William L. Pereira & Associates, has made appearances in a number of movies (including Epicenter in 2000 and 2004’s The Day After Tomorrow) often cast in the role of Manhattan skyscraper.
The building also has a 712-car parking garage — an unusual amount of parking for adaptive reuse projects, which often are converted from underperforming office buildings with aging parking facilities, or none at all
The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, passed in 1999, does not require developers to build additional parking.
In fact the ordinance requires far fewer conditions of developers compared to the construction requirements for new, or ground-up, developments. As a result no street-lighting improvements or mandatory affordable housing portions will be required of the developer, according to City Planner Richard Gervais.
The existing building, though modern and in good shape, will likely require extensive remodeling in parts of the building, including the top floor that at one point housed a high-end restaurant space. Plumbing and electrical work will also be required.
One source familiar with the renovation plans estimated the total cost to be between $80 and $100 million. (cut?)
Approval of the plan, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10 when it went before the Planning Department’s Advisory Board, was delayed due to some changes in language, according to Gervais.
But late last week the Planning Department was drafting a letter of approval that Gervais expected would be finalized sometime early this week.
Contact Evan at evan@downtownnews.com

[LAMetroGuy]

I had no idea that this building was being turned into lofts. I think that this corner has a lot of potential and hopefully the lot next to it will be developed accordingly. Sorry if everyone already knew about this...


1060 Broadway
Los Angeles, California

http://m2a-architects.com/portfolio/multifamily/1060-NorthTop-web.jpg

Located at the corner of Broadway and West 11th Street, the Los Angeles Transit Building was completed in 1922 as the headquarters for the Yellow Cars rail transit system. Although not as well known as the Red Car system, the Yellow Cars carried many more passengers. This excellent example of Beaux-Arts architecture subsequently became the Main Office of the Rapid Transit District and is currently in use primarily for garment manufacturing. In 2002 the City of Los Angeles created an Adaptive Reuse Ordinance that facilitates the restoration of historic commercial structures for residential use. Designed under the terms of this ordinance, 1060 Broadway is to be converted into 61 residential units including four penthouses. The north end of the tower, on axis with Broadway, will have a duplex with new floor to ceiling windows and balcony carved into a blank portion of the façade originally used for signage. Rooftop additions will provide upper level penthouses for an additional three 10th floor units giving access to private roof terraces. A common amenity terrace is also located on the roof. All units will have exposed concrete ceilings, bamboo floors and finishes commensurate with the current residential marketplace.


http://m2a-architects.com/detail/1060-alley.jpg http://m2a-architects.com/detail/1060-A3-2North.jpg

[BrighamYen]

I had no idea LAMG! Great find!

Does anyone know what kind of seismic requirements these adaptive-reuse projects have? I never got a definitive answer, even working at the BID. I know that many projects have very good seismic upgrades, such as the South Park Lofts with its braces exposed in some of the units.

[citywatch]

This is an example of the chicken or egg problem regarding everyone's desire to see more retail in the hood, esp on the ground floor of new or converted condo or apt bldgs, & certainly if it goes beyond the narrow mix of a Rite aid, bail bond place or small restaurant.


Taking a Seat Downtown and Hoping for Company

Ford Brady is the latest showroom to open in L.A.'s land of lofts. Will the shoppers come?

By David A. Keeps, Times Staff Writer
January 25, 2007

THEY'VE crunched the numbers: Tens of thousands of new condos and apartments in the heart of Los Angeles equals millions of square feet needing to be furnished. Skeptics might disagree, but Willard Ford and John Brady are gambling that the city's next design district will be none other than downtown.

Their new showroom, Ford Brady, already looks promising. A cocktail party in the space — a renovated Chinatown movie theater — drew a crowd estimated at 2,000, and the venture joins an emerging assortment of design businesses downtown: retailers such as Loft Appeal and the Dock, as well as the studio and furniture showrooms of Team HC Workshop and Orange 22, producer of bent metal and laser-cut tables that have won so much attention at recent design exhibitions.

"We want to contribute to something happening downtown," Ford said, "to create a place where creative people can find each other."

Because of the well-established design thoroughfares in West Hollywood, Culver City and Santa Monica, Ford Brady is trying to carve its niche with distinctly modern furnishings for tenants in the converted industrial spaces and newly constructed open-plan lofts dotting the city's core. It's a wager that other downtown pioneers say still carries plenty of risks. Clarence Chiang Jr.'s Team HC Workshop has operated out of the Bradbury Building since 2004. He just finished designing and furnishing a 3,000-square-foot penthouse loft for a walk-in client downtown, but most of the firm's clients live elsewhere.

"People will say they think it's cool for you to have a studio there, but it's hard to get them to come," Chiang said. "I think it will take some time for downtown to catch on." :gaah:

Dario Antonioni, founder and creative director of Orange 22, has given it three and a half years. His retail showroom is on 4th Street near Spring Street, but he plans to relocate in the next few months to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. "Downtown has a lot of creative energy," Antonioni said. "But it hasn't made the transition as quickly as we had hoped. We were hoping the loft dwellers would become customers, but they are nonexistent. They only come out at night and on the weekends, when we are closed." :gaah: The neighborhood is a great place for an art gallery, he added, "but if you are a shopper looking for a retail experience or a retailer looking for foot traffic, you are in trouble."

FOR Ford and Brady, a furniture showroom downtown wasn't exactly planned. Brady, a former pro bicyclist, and his friend Ford were riding through the neighborhood one day when they spied the Kim Sing, an old movie house that seemed ripe for development. With Xten Architecture, Brady and Ford transformed the lobby into a strip of storefronts that could provide rental revenue. They turned the heart of the theater into a living space for Ford. When it came time to shop for the new space, Ford said, "I thought there must be better design out there."

The search for unique furniture quickly defined a new venture: a showcase for contemporary furniture designers, open by appointment for architects and interior designers as well as the public. Ford dedicated much of the living space in his two-level residence to the furniture and accessories, which includes the work of 10 designers from Los Angeles, New York and Thailand. Local pieces include Tao Urban's Hex-Loc, a set of octagonal ottomans that can be linked together — "like a DNA chain," Ford said. L.A. designer Guy Clouse's minimalist aluminum storage units painted cherry red also are showcased.

Most of the furniture is eco-sensitive. Thai designer Singh Intrachooto turned reclaimed teak into pieces that are monumental in scale and angular in form — more sculptural objects than comfy seats. Architect Duangrit Bunnag steam-bent teak into a rocking chaise called Lazy. New York designer Akemi Tanaka's Tagei is a space-efficient bamboo plywood coffee table that pulls apart to become an upholstered bench with side tables.

"We wanted the materials to speak for themselves," Ford said. "The whole midcentury trend is played out and co-opted by Design Within Reach. We didn't want to compete with B & B Italia and make a more comfortable couch. It's important to have diversity in design, and we're hoping these are the classics of tomorrow."

Ford Brady's entertaining approach may help. The showroom plans monthly parties for those who couldn't view the furniture in the crush of its opening night a couple of months ago, when guests included Ford's actor father, Harrison. Ford Brady will host a party for CA Boom, the spring modern design exposition in Santa Monica. Last week, Ford mingled with about 100 fashionably attired guests, including his godfather, art gallery owner Earl McGrath, who hangs work from his Robertson Boulevard space at Ford Brady. "Art makes furniture look better," McGrath said as he searched the kitchen for vodka. "It's the first time we've ever done this, and it's nice to bring it out of the gallery."

For interior designer and restaurateur Bret Witke, who lives in Koreatown, Ford Brady offers an easy alternative to other design districts. "I shop in Chinatown and Little Tokyo for ceramics at Flux and Asian antiques stores on Chung King Road," he said. "Downtown needs more places like this."

Robbi Chong, an actor and screenwriter who lives in a downtown loft, called the showroom's approach "phenomenal." "Some of the coolest, most stylish people are living and working downtown," she said, raising a glass. "For socializing, why should we have to go west of Vermont?"

[bjornson]

^This article is being discussed in SoCal Retail.

The problem with Orange22 is that it doesn't open at the right time. As others discussed in the other thread, Orange22 opens when no one is around. It should probably change its hours for nights and open on weekends.

[LAMetroGuy]

anyone ever hear of the River Ridge Masterplan?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/RiverRidgeMasterplan.jpg

[colemonkee]

Does anyone know what kind of seismic requirements these adaptive-reuse projects have? I never got a definitive answer, even working at the BID. I know that many projects have very good seismic upgrades, such as the South Park Lofts with its braces exposed in some of the units.
The upgrades depend on the condition of the buildings. In order to get certificates of occupancy, the buildings have to be up to code for residential buildings. So if the building is found to be in violation of building code by an inspector, then the builder has to structurally reinforce the building to bring it up to code.

This can be done in a myriad of different ways. For example, at Gianinni Place, they had to pour a rather thick slurry wall around two sides of the perimeter of the foundation to stabilize the building should a good shaker come along. This was all done from inside the building basement.

Pan American Lofts, on the other hand, had to install rather large steel I-beams on the ground floor to reinforce parts of the structure. They're covered up now by the ground level stucco facade, but they were visible during construction.

[BrighamYen]

^ Thanks Cole, it's just that everytime I see a historic building that I'm not too sure about it's seismic upgrade, I get a little apprehensive about the thought of living in one.

I think it has something to do with reading an article last year that exposed the lack of seismic upgrades to so many historic buildings, which were deemed as "non-ductile." The article said that most historic structures were NOT seismically upgraded and the reason being it was too expensive. I'm hoping all adaptive-reuse buildings are upgraded if they're going to be inhabited.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

anyone ever hear of the River Ridge Masterplan?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/RiverRidgeMasterplan.jpg

interesting! great find, again.

I think that the best way to serve that current area, the housing shortage, the industrial space shortage, to tie in the LA River plan and the Cornfields, is a huge master plan like this. Lay it out, add some incentives for the developers and that whole area can be redone in no time to the advantage of everyone. i think that could be a great neighborhood if they incorporate bike trails, wherehouses, Lofts, and landscaping as well as cleaning up the area.