[ocman]

The masterly design by the firm of Johnson Fain Partners calls for three towers of 40, 25 and 17 stories, hovering over a promenade fashioned by the skillful Studio 111. The promenade slices the block diagonally and is edged by an array of stores and eateries, anchored by a large neighborhood grocery and a small park.

A promenade that slices diagonally? Sounds like the buildings are going to have their backs to the street. :no:

[deehrler]

Posted date: 9/30/2005
Update: L.A. City Council OKs Downtown Hotel Package

By ANDY FIXMER
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved subsidies worth up to $286 million to help finance a 1,100-room hotel next to the city’s struggling convention center.

In a 10-0 vote – with Councilmembers Ed Reyes, Greig Smith and Jack Weiss absent – the city council approved giving the hotel’s developers a $16 million loan from the Community Redevelopment Agency and a waiver from paying bed taxes on the finished hotel for 25 years.

Hotel consultants estimate the 25-year bed-tax waiver to be worth $155 million to the hotel’s developers. However, its value could go higher if the hotel generates more usage than expected. City Council members voted to cap the total amount waived over the 25-year period at $270 million.

Supporters of the plan believe the hotel is needed to generate business at the city’s convention center, which doesn’t produce enough revenue to cover its debts and is draining about $25 million a year from the city’s general fund.

Critics say they are ready to file lawsuits challenging the legitimacy of the subsidy and are considering a referendum campaign to strike down the measure.

Proposed by Staples Center arena owner Anshutz Entertainment Group, the hotel is part of a $1 billion retail, housing and entertainment project that will be built on surface parking lots surrounding the stadium.

“I think that was a resounding message from the city council today,” said Tim Leiweke, president of AEG. “It shows the project is clearly standing on its own two feet now.”

However, Westin Bonaventure hotel owner Peter Zen has said the subsidies are an illegal gift of public funds and he believes the convention hotel will ruin the hospitality business downtown.

Zen was traveling on Friday but his attorney, Christopher Sutton, said the Bonaventure will challenge the legality of the subsidies. Sutton also said Zen will decide next week whether to launch a referendum or initiative campaign to put the subsidy package before voters.

“We believe this is going to hurt the Bonaventure and all the other hotels in downtown L.A.,” Sutton said. “It’s a giveaway to the building trades and it’s foolish.”

Kris Vosbergh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, agreed. "To add insult to injury, the taxpayers may be footing the bill for another white elephant besides the Convention Center," he said.

Leiweke, in response, said other downtown hotel owners support the plan, and AEG was prepared to spend millions on a campaign defending it.

“I know Peter Zen is a better leader than this,” Leiweke said. “He must care for L.A. more than this. In his heart he has goodness there and I hope he’ll do the right thing.”:frog: :frog:

[edluva]

Los Angeles Downtown News Editorial

No Times Square, No CityWalk, No Champs Elysées

When the shovels dug into the earth just north of Staples Center on Sept. 15, it was simultaneously the end of "old" South Park and the beginning of a rich new era in Downtown Los Angeles. But it was also the start of a period of great risk, for both developer the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), and for the evolving Downtown.

In the balance is nothing less than the future of the southern portion of the community, a substantial enough area to be a city itself. If AEG does it right, as the company has every capability of doing, then residents, workers and visitors to South Park will be presented with a vibrant, one-of-a-kind cultural and entertainment zone, a community with promise and attractions worthy of local and international appeal. There would be an extended, lively neighborhood.

But if AEG gets it wrong, as is always possible, then Downtown could be left gaping at a massive white elephant, a lost opportunity from which it could take decades to recover.

At this stage, we think L.A. Live will be a success that expands and enhances its neighborhood. We think this because we are impressed with the early work, with the players on its planning team, and most importantly, with AEG's outreach to the community and cooperation with local leaders. But despite this demonstration of potential, we're also not ready to cheer and backslap blindly. Several elements do raise concerns.

Before mentioning those, it is necessary to remember one thing: AEG is taking on an immense proposition, something that a decade ago would have been seen as foolhardy and unprecedented, and today is merely risky and unprecedented. Although the numbers have been written so many times that there is a tendency to gloss over them, the reality is that this is a $1.5 billion development whose centerpiece is an 1,100-room, $400 million hotel serving the underperforming Convention Center. While AEG expects to make money - as it has every right to - this is no instant or guaranteed cash cow. Yes, the city will likely provide financial incentives to build the hotel, but the city's investment represents a small percentage of the entire development. Although some object to the public expenditure, we support the municipal participation in the project.

Our biggest concern is the larger vision, how the AEG executives see L.A. Live's role not just in Downtown, but in the scope of Los Angeles as a whole. Specifically, we are bothered by a phrase that has been floated for several years now: that L.A. Live can be the Times Square of the city, or even the West Coast. We hope the analogy is merely unfortunate rhetoric, not reality, but that's not clear yet.

Times Square is largely directed at people visiting New York. They flock there in droves, snap some pictures and maybe buy something, then leave. As anyone who has seen it since former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani kicked out the seedy elements and brought in fancy theaters and shops can attest, Times Square is a teeming mass of people and suffocating traffic. It is a concentrated capital of expensive consumption, one often so thronged with tourists that it can be difficult to cross the street. There is a reason you'll rarely find a New Yorker there on New Year's Eve.

In short, Times Square is not habitable, and what L.A. Live must be at the most basic level is habitable. It cannot be a stop-snap-leave destination.

The concern is that the planners will rely on the same kinds of attractions and amenities, that they will use Times Square as a social and economic model of how to bring visitors to this community. With the hundreds of thousands of people working nearby, and the increasing residential buildings in South Park, Downtown needs something that works for tourists, inhabitants and area workers.

We also think it would be a mistake to create a South Park version of Universal CityWalk, that nearby, neon-drenched construction that is more like a cartoon than a real city, surrounded by pricey parking.

This issue of modeling a major Downtown attraction after something in a distant city is not limited to L.A. Live. Equally troubling is an oft-repeated mention of the Grand Avenue project, that it can be Los Angeles' version of Paris' Champs Elysées, that chic shopping corridor known around the world.

The reality with all this modeling is that Downtown is not New York, and it is not Paris. It is its own unique destination, with a bonus those other cities lack. With the sunny weather, L.A. Live will be in an area that begs people to stay outside and walk around, rather than jump from one interior space (restaurant, store, etc.) to another. Much of the life in L.A. Live can and should be lived outdoors.

Should L.A. Live and its grand Nokia Plaza be capable of holding tens of thousands of people for community celebrations, including a New Year's Eve party? Absolutely. But that should be a secondary aim, and its first should be to work well with the existing Downtown community.

Fortunately, AEG's initial work indicates that L.A. Live intends to take advantage of its neighborhood, that it can be its own pedestrian-friendly attraction. The coming broadcast headquarters for ESPN, with Downtown as the backdrop, adds to the area's status as a major economic hub. The 15-screen movieplex will be a welcomed amenity for residents and the Downtown working community.

A promising element about L.A. Live is the initial list of tenants in the project: Some imagination has been used in the mix; the place may pleasantly avoid the cookie cutter mall formula, as arrivals include Chaya Brasserie, Junior's Deli, the Conga Room and a Lucky Strike bowling complex. A few of these exist in other locations, but they're not the places that one finds in the Grove, Old Town Pasadena or almost every indoor or outdoor shopping center across America. Instead of a tourist trap such as a Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium, L.A. Live will include something unique; a 28,000-square-foot Grammy museum.

It is easy to fear the worst from a coming mega-project, but it is also easy and a mistake to assume that because a developer needs to turn a profit, that it will slip to the lowest common denominator and forget its neighborhood context. AEG has demonstrated community outreach skills by getting support from local politicians (including Downtown Councilwoman Jan Perry), unions and homeless service providers for L.A. Live long before it broke ground. We know they have the potential to proceed the right way.

Now, they need to design a project that does not try to be Times Square, or CityWalk, or a SoCal-spun facsimile of any other neighborhood in any other city. Instead, L.A. Live must take advantage of and serve its greatest community: the residents and workers of Downtown. We're sure the tourists will like it too.

[yeah215]

City OKs Subsidies for Downtown Hotel
Council agrees to a $290-million package for the planned project next to the Convention Center. Opponents vow lawsuit and ballot fight.
By Patrick McGreevy
Times Staff Writer

October 1, 2005

The City Council agreed Friday to provide up to $290 million in subsidies and loans for construction of a 55-story hotel next to the Los Angeles Convention Center despite the vow of a competing hotelier to take the issue to the ballot.

Eight years in the making, the deal was approved unanimously, with backers saying it was critical to attracting enough business to the Convention Center to end a flow of red ink at the city-owned venue.

"When we talk about this kind of investment by the developers and the city, it's kind of a leap of faith," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. But "I think it will absolutely revitalize downtown."

Consultants hired by the city said the loans and subsidies were necessary to allow the new 1,100-room hotel to succeed. It will also increase the demand for downtown hotel bookings as more conventions come to Los Angeles, consultants said. The building will also include 110 luxury condominiums.

But the general manager of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel said the subsidy would allow the new hotel to charge lower rates and attract guests from existing establishments.

"We raise the alarm of the impending collapse of the entire downtown hotel market if the consultants are wrong again," Brian Fitzgerald told the council. "The proposed tax subsidy is a gamble we cannot afford to make."

The Bonaventure's owners plan to pursue an existing lawsuit against the city challenging the deal as well as take the matter to the ballot, said Christopher Sutton, an attorney for the hotel.

"There is going to be a referendum or an initiative on this, one way or the other," Sutton said. "The voters aren't going to approve this."

A referendum to overturn the council's action would give opponents 30 days from when the ordinance is published to collect about 49,300 signatures. The subsidy deal would be put on hold during that time, and longer if the referendum qualified for the ballot.

Because an initiative seeks to create a law rather than repeal one, opponents could start collecting signatures anytime and then would have 120 days to collect 73,900 signatures.

A fierce fight would be waged against any ballot measure, said Tim Leiweke, president of AEG, a development firm that is providing land for the hotel project and building a massive entertainment district nearby.

Leiweke said any campaign would not hesitate to take on Peter Zen, an executive with the Bonaventure who has led the opposition.

"We will aggressively defend the honor of this project and its developers with a strong campaign," Leiweke said. "We invite them to have a public debate about the character and claims of Peter Zen."

Leiweke noted that when the Bonaventure was built it received city subsidies in the form of discounts on land purchased by the Community Redevelopment Agency and then sold to developers.

Zen, former president of the city's Convention Center Commission, was fined $7,600 last year by the city Ethics Commission for violating campaign finance rules while raising money for then-Mayor James K. Hahn.

Sutton said opponents of the deal may focus on Philip Anschutz, the Denver billionaire who owns Staples Center and heads AEG.

"If it's such a great deal, why doesn't Mr. Anschutz build it on his own?" Sutton asked. "Why do the taxpayers have to spend millions to help a billionaire?"

Leiweke told the council that AEG was only selling the land for the hotel, at cost, to developers Wolff Urban Management and Apollo Real Estate Advisors, who will build the $400-million project for Hilton Hotels.

"We don't get one dime in subsidies. This isn't about underwriting billionaires," Leiweke told the council Friday.

The deal calls for the hotel to receive a rebate of at least $246 million in the hotel bed taxes it is expected to generate during the first 25 years.

If the hotel is more successful than expected and the $246 million is reached before 25 years, the hotel and the city will evenly split any hotel bed tax until the hotel receives $270 million.

In addition, the project is being given a below-market-rate loan of $16 million from the city redevelopment agency and a rebate of $4 million in building permit fees.

Some council members say the city investment is warranted to help make the Convention Center more competitive with those in other cities. The number of major conventions in Los Angeles dropped from 35 in 2001 to 15 last year.

Michael Collins, an executive of the city convention bureau, said the biggest problem cited by convention organizers who declined to come to Los Angeles was the dearth of hotel rooms within walking distance of the venue.

Without sufficient business, the city's general fund has been tapped to subsidize the debt payment on the expanded Convention Center for up to $20 million per year.

Councilman Eric Garcetti noted that subsidized hotels have had problems in other cities but said this project was different because it was part of a planned $1.7-billion entertainment district called L.A. Live that AEG is building.

It will have restaurants, theaters and other attractions to make the hotel more viable, Garcetti said.

The project was also backed by the Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles, union leaders who have been promised good pay and benefits for the hotel jobs and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, which sees the development as key to revitalizing downtown.

"The Chamber of Commerce rarely supports government subsidies, but what we do support is smart investment in our city's economic future," said Sam Garrison, a chamber spokesman.

[soleri]

Why didn't the City Council take into account the position of the other convention hotels? Given the relative ease with which a hotelier can collect petitions to nix this project, you might think some baksheesh would be spread their way - e.g., tax abatement or other subsidy. It's a peculiarity of some markets that a middle ground doesn't really exist for business. Convention business, in pariticular, tends to be feast or famine. If the new hotel were to deliver the goods, ultimately it would redound to the benefit of the Bonaventure too. But that intervening period can be a struggle as many second-tier convention cities know all too well.

[DJM19]

I think the hotel will be great for LA. A lot of conventions overlook LA simply for the lack of hotels next to the convention center. Now you have this hilton and another new hotel just north of it across the street.

Once the hotel is in there I have heard thing things as high as four times as many conventions could come to LA.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

If the Convention Hotel and L.A. Live are successful in improving the image of Downtown L.A., the convention business will be overshadowed by the general increase in tourism to the area.

IOW, hotels like the Bonaventure should be more interested in making the pie bigger, rather than foolishly hording its piece.

IMO, the most important issue for the Bonaventure is how pathetic Bunker Hill West is compared to the other vibrant parts of Downtown. If the owner of the Bonaventure wants to do some real good, he should organize the property owners to improve that area, by for instance forming a local BID, lobbying the CRA for funds/ideas, etc.

[DJM19]

not to mention the bottom of his hotel is like a fortress.

[RAlossi]

^ I was just going to mention that, DJM. I haven't been inside the hotel either, but I've heard that it's not the nicest place around either.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

The whole thing is a counter-intuitive maze. Another example of someone trying to be creative at the expense of ease-of-use.

And except for the first floor, the rest of the hotel struck me as pretty crummy and in bad need of renovation. I never stayed there, so I can't really comment on the rooms.

[cookiejarvis]

The Bonaventure Hotel architecture is a product of the 1970's urban renewal bunker mentality. The hotel was designed that way to accomodate skyways and the never built people mover system, not streetside pedestrians.

[colemonkee]

I stayed there about 7-8 years ago, and the rooms weren't bad at all. But that was 7-8 years ago. I do remember cleaning out the minibar, though, which was pretty costly...

[BrighamYen]

We (the SSP posters) should all chip-in for a room and drink to our heart's content sometime this year!

Who's in!? LOL

[bobcat]

If the Convention Hotel and L.A. Live are successful in improving the image of Downtown L.A., the convention business will be overshadowed by the general increase in tourism to the area.


It appears Zen is anticipating this very thing happening. When the convention center hotel was being planned there was little interest in any type of development around the area. Now, with the huge number of projects planned and under construction, the convention center hotel may not be as essential to the success of the region as previously thought. If so, and the Hilton for some reason doesn't get built, the Bonaventure would likely be the hotel to benefit most.

I personally don't think Zen really thinks he will succeed in blocking the Hilton, but he may think it's worth a shot even if his chances are small.

[citywatch]

The only reason I'm not more pissed at Zen is because the hotel biz in DT has been really, really bad for a long time. Even today, hotels in that hood book fewer guests on average per month than other hotels in any other area in LA county. But Zen is an idiot if he thinks the situation will get any better by everyone doing little or nothing to change the status quo, or that it will become worse if devlpt in DT become a lot more ambitious. IOW, the reason his Bonaventure & other hotels have been so unpopular is because the hood they're in is judged by many ppl as one big deadzone, full of the parking lots & other depressing junk that have been all around the convention ctr since it opened over 30 yrs ago.

[LAMetroGuy]

I am surprised that Zen isn't focusing on the fact that Grand Avenue will have a postive effect on his hotel.

[colemonkee]

We (the SSP posters) should all chip-in for a room and drink to our heart's content sometime this year!

Who's in!? LOL

I'd definitely be down for some kind of a SSP bar crawl. I missed the last one.

Oh, btw, I drove by the LA Live site tonight and still nothing doing. LAB, you have any inside info on when they actually plan to start clearing the site?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i bet they start on Friday, the Day after the LA Kings opener.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Los Angeles City Council approves money for downtown hotel
4 October 2005

LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to provide up to 290 (m) million dollars in subsidies and loans for construction of a 55-story hotel next to the L-A Convention Center. The deal was approved unaminously yesterday.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn says the proposal will "revitalize downtown."

City officials have been criticized for the size of the aid package. But city consultants said the loans and subsidies were necessary to allow the new, 11-hundred-room hotel to succeed. The building will also include 110 luxury condominiums.

The general manager of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel said the subsidy would allow the new hotel to charge lower rates and attract guests from existing establishments.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[bobcat]

Here's a little news about the restaurant Katsu-Ya, which is going to be opening up at l.a. live.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two Valley eateries tops with Zagat
KATSU-YA No. 3; Brandywine No. 4
By Dana Bartholomew, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

Two San Fernando Valley restaurants ranked among the top four best food picks by Southern California diners, according to the latest influential Zagat restaurant survey.
KATSU-YA of Studio City and Encino - where sushi is listed as being "as good as it gets" in the 2006 Zagat Survey - jumped from the 10th spot to No. 3.

Brandywine of Woodland Hills, however, was the real comer - moving from No. 27 to No. 4 among the top food picks for the region and No. 5 for restaurant service.

"I think (Brandywine) is truly one of the unsung restaurants," said Tim Zagat, co-founder of the New York-based survey, who listed it among his top personal favorites.

At the 10-table dining room where the average meal costs $53, Brandywine owners were thrilled at the new Zagat ranking.

"It's wonderful," said Margret McWilliams, who founded the upscale restaurant 15 years ago and credits her customers for the praise. "We really work hard."

While French restaurants and steakhouses have eclipsed Japanese cuisine among the most popular picks in Los Angeles, Cafe Bizou of Sherman Oaks fell from its No. 1 perch after five years to a respectable No. 3.

Sushi Nozawa of Studio City, which last year was the No. 1 food pick, was trumped by MELISSE, a French restaurant in Santa Monica. The sushi purist - long-dubbed the "Sushi Nazi" - this year fell to No. 24.

The 20th Zagat Survey rated nearly 2,000 restaurants based on roughly 1.4 million meals by Zagat survey diners throughout the region. Among its findings:

Angelenos continue to eat out more often than diners in any major American city - but tip less. Seventy-five percent of diners cited poor service as the bane of restaurants.

The cost of an average meal in Los Angeles climbed 3.4 percent, to $31.21, but is still below the national average of $31.97.

Top bangs for the buck, ranked from No. 1, were In-N-Out Burger, Tommy's and Noah's NY Bagels.

[kaneui]

I'll add my two cents regarding LA's convention center and new hotel:

As mentioned previously, without the requisite large hotel nearby, the convention center has not attracted sufficient bookings and continues to be a big money loser for the city. Also, the new hotel won't necessarily be profitable either--statistics show that many of the publicly-funded convention center hotels around the country are in the red. Nevertheless, civic and business leaders contend that the additional development and business generated by the convention trade make up that deficit in the form of higher taxes and other revenues. (I have yet to see a study with hard numbers to back up that claim.)

Additionally, the current size of the LACC is not particularly large by today's standards (only 770k sq. ft. of exhibit space), and the largest conventions must go to cities like Las Vegas, Chicago, or Atlanta, whose convention facilities all feature 1-2M+ sq. ft. To stay competitive, I would guess LACC will be expanding in the very near future, now that the long-awaited hotel is finally in sight.

Hopefully, the L.A. Live and Grand Ave. projects will help shift the perception of downtown as a less than desirable place to visit. Coupled with southern California's famous climate and the metro area's many other attractions, downtown Los Angeles could finally become one of the country's more attractive and successful convention destinations.

[DJM19]

there are plans to expand the LACC, but Im guessing not until it starts to make a profit in its current state.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i was at the Kings Home Opener last night and they had fenced off the lot and all the lights were taken down. im guessing they start diggin by monday.

[colemonkee]

I drove by it during the game and I swore I saw cars parked in it, though.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

yup, they had temp lighting up.

[colemonkee]

Went by it yesterday and got a clearer look. It is fenced off, but only on three sides. The Chick Hearn Court side is still open. But, like you said, they have removed the parking lot lights, so that's a good sign. My bet is they'll have to remove some electrical utilities before they start any serious digging. I'm hoping we see this next week.

[Infestma]

Where will everyone park for the games once construction starts? I know not everyone will take transit. Is there a solution to park people farther away and shuttle them in?

[Easy]

Where will everyone park for the games once construction starts? I know not everyone will take transit. Is there a solution to park people farther away and shuttle them in?

LA Live won't take up all of the parking. Most of it will still be there, at least for a while. LA Live construction will be only on the northernmost lot.

I rode the blue line this afternoon to downtown and saw what LASF was talking about. The lights are down and there is a fence around the parking lot. I doubt that construction will start on Monday though. I didn't see any heavy earth moving equipment and my previous experience tells me that such equipment must be brought in and then sit idle for at least 3-4 weeks before any construction is allowed to commence.:no:

[DJM19]

la live covers both lots. Though part of the lot by the LACC is not going to have anything on it for now.

[citywatch]

Damn, here we go again. Another groundbreaking event that isn't immediately followed by actual construction. However, I'm guessing the devlprs of LA Live at least won't be as bad as the devlpr of the Ralphs/condo proj was, who had a groundbreaking ceremony months & months (I think even over a yr) before any work really began. Still, I wish devlprs would hold such affairs only when work already is underway or when the timeline guarantees that heavy equipment & a crew will be on site almost the following day. Or better yet, hold a groundbreaking event AFTER construction has started, as what took place where the new Colburn school's bldg on Bunker Hill is located & now rising.

[ThreeHundred]

Wasn't there like two bulldozers near Pico Station?

[Easy]

Wasn't there like two bulldozers near Pico Station?

There was something there. Maybe bulldozers, maybe something else. I don't recall for sure, but they were on the Venture site, not LA Live. I think that they've been there since the street was reopened.

There was also some equipment on the LA Live site, but it was only a boom manlift. Probably was used to remove the lights.

[colemonkee]

The bulldozers near Pico Station were for one of two things:

1) Finishing work on the realignment of 12th street.
2) Demo work on two buildings along the east side of Figueroa just south of Pico. One of the buildings had a 20-foot-deep hole that was backfilled with dirt this weekend, presumably to be repaved over for parking.

[LAMetroGuy]

So I was in downtown LA today (October 11) and I also wanted to see for my own eyes that construction really hasn't stared... Well I took my camera and this is what I saw:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03983Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03984Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03986Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03985Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03987Medium.jpg

:hell: :hell: :hell: :hell: :hell: :hell: :hell: :hell: :dunno:

[citywatch]

The good thing about your pics is that they're a reminder that hood isn't as barren as it was not long ago. Imagine that area without Staples, without Elleven, without the Palm restaurant bldg, without the Metropolis lofts, without anything except wasteland parking lots & some hole in the wall bldgs here & there. That was true as recently as 1998.

I'm not happy that the groundbreaking ceremony for LA Live several days ago was more a media & PR event than an actual construction event. But then I remember how bad & comatose things were several yrs ago & I feel that at least now there are signs of some light on the horizon.

[lakegz]

wow, they have some construction tape and some of those orange post thingies. That means we should see some steel rising in a few days. :haha:

[LongBeachUrbanist]

wow, they have some construction tape and some of those orange post thingies. That means we should see some steel rising in a few days. :haha:

That's the little section of ground that they broke during the "groundbreaking" ceremonies. :laugh:

[ThreeHundred]

Man..Elleven has already made a change to the South Park skyline.

Lol..well..they tore the lights down. I'd say that construction is going smoothly.

Heh.

[DJM19]

yeah...the light are down, I suppose that means no more parking. Time to start crackin!

[Easy]

The good thing about your pics is that they're a reminder that hood isn't as barren as it was not long ago. Imagine that area without Staples, without Elleven, without the Palm restaurant bldg, without the Metropolis lofts, without anything except wasteland parking lots & some hole in the wall bldgs here & there. That was true as recently as 1998.

I'm not happy that the groundbreaking ceremony for LA Live several days ago was more a media & PR event than an actual construction event. But then I remember how bad & comatose things were several yrs ago & I feel that at least now there are signs of some light on the horizon.

Yeah the new buildings are the bright side of this story. And just think. You won't even be able to see Elleven, the Palm building, Met Lofts, etc. from that vantage point in just a few short years.:yes:

[colemonkee]

You won't be able to see Elleven from that vantage point in 12 months. Luma will start rising soon in it's way.

As for the no more parking on that lot, they've been parking plenty of cars on that lot using temporary lighting. It was full tonight when I drove by. I'm now starting to think that the delay we're experiencing is AEG getting their permits to start construction. I've dealt with the City on permits before, and it's a painfully slow process. I wouldn't be too surprised if AEG filed for their permits days after the groundbreaking ceremony and are still waiting for the city to get them back to them.

[citywatch]

I'm now starting to think that the delay we're experiencing is AEG getting their permits to start construction.

You're being a lot easier on AEG than they prob deserve. I know they originally mentioned that start of construction would be several months ago, or sometime earlier in 2005, meaning they've had plenty of time to get their paperwork prepared & approved.

I'm worried that the real reason they're running behind schedule is because of the same roadblocks that greeted the devlprs of the Ralphs proj. Namely, a huge run up in costs of materials is creating problems for builders nationwide. However, & OTOH, how come the devlprs of the Elleven proj seem to have been able to move rather quickly? However, if it's true that inflation is hitting builders like AEG, then everyone's patience will be really tested when it comes to other important projs in DT, such as the Medallion apt bldgs closer to your part of the hood.

Here's hoping other devlprs try to get a few pointers from the ppl responsible for Elleven-Luma-Evo.

[colemonkee]

^ Materials may be an issue, but a friend of mine who works in the concrete business bid on the LA Live project months ago. However, they may not have purchased until they got the official go ahead on the tax issue from City Council, so prices probably rose another 10-15% in that short time.

[danparker276]

I went to the clippers game and took these pics, of LA Live.
My friend said he saw a lot of orange survey paint.

http://loftla.com/Const/sm_live10-1.jpg

http://loftla.com/Const/sm_live10-2.jpg

if you want a blown up view, click on the pics here
http://loftla.com/Const/

[bobcat]

Deal May Be Near to Settle Downtown Hotel Dispute and Avoid Election Costs
By Patrick McGreevy
Times Staff Writer

October 15, 2005

Attempting to avoid a costly election battle, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is seeking to settle a dispute with the owners of the Bonaventure Hotel, who are threatening a referendum on city subsidies for a new hotel next to the Los Angeles Convention Center.

One idea being discussed would allow the Bonaventure to convert at least a quarter of its rooms into condominiums if its occupancy rate fell below 50% after the proposed Hilton Hotel opens for business, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The recent occupancy rate for downtown hotels has been about 68%, experts told city officials.

Villaraigosa's office had said early Friday morning that it would announce a deal later in the day to keep the Bonaventure Hotel's referendum off the ballot — but then canceled the news conference about an hour later, saying a deal had not been reached.

Spokesman Joe Ramallo said the mayor still hoped to find a solution. "The mayor has been working hard to avoid a divisive ballot referendum."

City Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose district includes downtown, said it appeared that the two sides were close. "I think they are working it out. They are down to the nitty gritty."

Bonaventure executive Peter Zen has protested the City Council's vote last month to provide $16 million in loans and up to $274 million in subsidies to the developers of the 55-story hotel to be built next to the Convention Center. Zen charged that it was unfair for the city to subsidize the 1,100-room Hilton because that would allow the hotel to take customers away from the Bonaventure and other competitors.

City officials say the subsidy is justified because the lack of a hotel has cost the Convention Center business, forcing the city to spend millions of dollars each year to cover debt on the center.

Zen has filed a lawsuit to block the deal and has threatened to launch a petition drive to qualify a referendum for the ballot.

Fred Woocher, an attorney for Zen, confirmed that talks were held with the city, but he declined to elaborate.

The idea of converting some of the Bonaventure's 1,354 rooms into condos is not surprising because there has been a burst of conversion projects at downtown buildings. The proposed Convention Center hotel also is seeking to take advantage of the boom by including 110 luxury condominiums on the upper floors.

Because the city redevelopment agency provided land at a discount to the original developers of the Bonaventure, agency approval is needed to change the use to condominiums, officials said.

However, union leaders and city officials, including Perry, are concerned about converting existing hotels into condominiums, in part because it might lead to the loss of hotel jobs.

[bobcat]

There's been speculation that this is what Zen wanted all along and that he was never really serious about blocking the l.a. live hotel.

[colemonkee]

^ If that's true, he's a serious scheister.

[RAlossi]

I always thought that CIM Group was doing something similar w/ the Ralphs condo complex. They were originally supposed to be apartments above, but they realized that they could make a whole lot more money by making them condos instead of apartments (didn't foresee the huge boom ahead in DT condos). So blame the x-amount-of-years wait on increased costs and turn them into condos.... but that's just me.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ I definitely had the same feeling re: CIM.

[ksep]

Because the city redevelopment agency provided land at a discount to the original developers of the Bonaventure, agency approval is needed to change the use to condominiums, officials said.


so let me get this straight. when the bonaventure got built they got the land for extra cheap from the city, but now they throw a fit when another hotel gets a break??? :hell:

[DJM19]

Because the city redevelopment agency provided land at a discount to the original developers of the Bonaventure, agency approval is needed to change the use to condominiums, officials said.


so let me get this straight. when the bonaventure got built they got the land for extra cheap from the city, but now they throw a fit when another hotel gets a break??? :hell:

yeah, and AEG pointed out that Bonaventure got help from the city, yet he still complains about la live. :no:

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

^ksep, its a lot like the Glendale Galleria's bullshit campaign againts the Rick Caruso town center that is going to get built next to the galleria. they ahve sued, had a public vote go againts them and are now in court trying to say that a firehouse that is on the site is historic, when the EIR said it was definiely not and not a soul in Glendale would tell you it is. its all about preventing competition and looking out for themselves instead of the whole.

[kaneui]

I have to believe that behind all of Peter Zen's protests is this sobering realization: with the new hotels coming online within the next few years--including the Hilton--downtown will have more than 7500 rooms available, and as such, he will need to spend tens of millions to update his tired and outdated Bonaventure fortress to remain competitive in the downtown market.

[enigma99a]

Just read the thread.. wow. Hope everything gets worked out.. that is pretty messy

[BrighamYen]

NEWS 10/17/05: Peter Zen has struck a deal with AEG to drop all lawsuits against the convention center hotel. The hotel has no other impediments (besides China!), so it should move forward as scheduled. Apparently, Zen has the option to convert half of his hotel into condominums IF the new Hilton "steals" most of his customers.

Personally, I think he should upgrade his hotel in reaction to l.a. live like the way Wilshire Grand Hotel will be doing.

Anyway, VERY GOOD NEWS for us all who want to see l.a. live proceed without all this B.S.

[RAlossi]

Is this another thing that Villaraigosa had his hand in solving?

[colemonkee]

Great news! Now get those temporary parking lights out of there and bring in the heavy equipment!

[bobcat]

Update: Downtown Hotel Deal Reached
By HOWARD FINE - 10/17/2005
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday announced a deal between the city and the Bonaventure Hotel that removes a major obstacle to the development of a $400 million, 1,100-room Convention Center Hotel.


The deal, which took shape after days of negotiations between Villaraigosa, Bonaventure owner Peter Zen, Councilwoman Jan Perry and Maria Elena Durazo, president of Hotel and Restaurant Employees Local 11, allows Zen to convert about 30 percent of his hotel’s 1,350 rooms into condominiums.


In return, Zen agreed to drop his lawsuit and a threatened ballot referendum blocking the construction of a Convention Center Hotel. Zen also agreed to give all workers at the Bonaventure three years of job protection from the time the rooms are taken out of use for condominium conversion.


The City Council last month approved an agreement with the proposed Convention Center Hotel developers – led by Apollo Advisors, Wolff Urban Management and assisted by Anschutz Entertainment Group – to forgive up to $289 million in hotel bed taxes for 25 years.


The hotel is to serve as an anchor for a $1 billion entertainment complex next to the Staples Center called L.A. Live that will include a 7,000-seat theater, ESPN cable television studios, restaurants and shops.

[RAlossi]

I've noticed that a lot of reviews of the Bonaventure are along the lines of "generally nice, but needs major renovations."

[DJM19]

finally. I think thats what was holding up construction. Now starts building!

[ksep]

insert big SIGH OF RELIEF here..........now let's get digging. :yes:

[edluva]

The deal, which took shape after days of negotiations between Villaraigosa, Bonaventure owner Peter Zen, Councilwoman Jan Perry and Maria Elena Durazo, president of Hotel and Restaurant Employees Local 11, allows Zen to convert about 30 percent of his hotel’s 1,350 rooms into condominiums.


net balance = 800 new hotel rooms and accompanying floodgate effect for downtown. not bad. thanx unions!

[citywatch]

Zen seems like an absentee landlord, or one of those leech type property owners, interested in a hood only as to how many $$$ he can squeeze out of it. However, his hotel has been stuck in a pretty weak economy, where few ppl & conventions for yrs & yrs have wanted to book hotel rooms in DT. Not surprisingly, when ppl & their businesses are hurting, that's going to cause more of a dog eat dog attitude.

I think some of the blame for allowing things to become so desperate has to be aimed at certain ppl at city hall, inc in the offices of the CRA, or even groups like the CCA, for not being more aggressive in wanting to turn things around. I've mentioned it before, but as recently as around 10 yrs ago there was an opinion among many that enough had been done to improve DT & that big projs no longer were necessary or even relevant in order to fix & clean up the hood.

[Wright Concept]

Deal struck over luxury hotel plan
City averts court or ballot challenge to development
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

A threat to challenge in court or on the ballot plans for a massive public subsidy for a luxury hotel at the Los Angeles Convention Center was averted when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a deal Monday to placate the owner of the rival Westin Bonaventure to allow conversion of one-third of the facility to condominiums.
Villaraigosa said a week of intense negotiations led to an agreement with Bonaventure Hotel owner Peter Zen, backers of the l.a. live development near Staples Center and the union representing the city's hotel workers.

The city can now proceed with the $270 million financing package for AEG Entertainment, which plans to build a 56-story hotel and entertainment complex near the Convention Center - a project expected to result in more than $5 billion in new construction and jobs for the city.

In return, the Westin Bonaventure will be given permission to convert 400 of its 1,200 rooms into condominiums at some future date while providing three years of job protection for hotel workers.

"This is a win-win situation," Villaraigosa declared at a City Hall news conference. "We were able to bring together people who had legitimate differences and come to a common solution."

The plan, approved by the City Council on Sept. 30, gives Wolff Development and Apollo Real Estate Advisors a $16 million, below-market loan from the Community Redevelopment Agency and $4 million in city fee waivers.

The city also has agreed to forgo room-tax revenues from the hotel for 25 years. Zen had vowed to fight the plan in court or at the polls because he said it would have given the new hotel an advantage over his hotel and others in downtown. The newly announced condominium-conversion plan will allow the Bonaventure to remain competitive, he said.

Villaraigosa said the conversion would bring in an estimated $2 million in new property tax revenue, which would more than make up for the loss of any hotel bed tax from the Bonaventure.

More importantly, the mayor said, is Zen's agreement to drop his opposition to the new hotel, which is seen as key in reviving activity at the Convention Center, which costs taxpayers more than $30 million a year in operating losses and other subsidies.

"Everyone knows the Convention Center is a white elephant," Villaraigosa said. "Angelenos all remember the downtown of the 1940s and '50s and there has been a vision for a number of years to recapture that.

"A Convention Center hotel is absolutely necessary if we are going to have a vibrant downtown, a downtown that people want to visit. A Convention Center hotel is the key."

Mark Lieberman, president of L.A. Inc, the group charged with bringing conventions to the city, said meeting planners all cite a need for newer, better accommodations near the Convention Center.

"What they tell us is, If you will build it, we will come," Lieberman said. "The hotel is absolutely essential."

Tim Leiweke, head of AEG Entertainment, said the success of the l.a. live complex rests with the hotel's construction.

"It is the key feature," Leiweke said. "This is a defining moment in Los Angeles history. I think people, 10 to 15 years from now, will look back at this day as the moment of monumental accomplishment."

Leiweke said he hopes to break ground this month on some of the projects, with a goal of completing the hotel by 2009. And, he said, l.a. live is only the beginning of the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles.

He estimated that the Bonaventure condominium conversions would mean an additional $50 million in work, and that other downtown hotels would be making major renovations to compete for convention visitors.

However, some have questioned whether the deal is in the best interest of taxpayers, and whether enough new convention business can be generated to justify the expense.

"It's one of those things that drives me crazy," said Joel Kotkin, senior fellow at the New American Foundation. "I keep asking, Why are we building this hotel? If we have a white elephant of a Convention Center, which everyone agrees to, then why are we building this hotel?

"The convention business is basically cyclical. They keep moving around from city to city. And, how many large conventions are we going to get to justify this?

"We already get a lot of the smaller groups that don't need a convention center. And, if it is going to be so profitable, then why should the public pay for it?"

But Leiweke said the public-financing package is critical to showing investors the city is committed to the hotel's success and to the future of l.a. live.

Villaraigosa said he is confident of the project's success, with estimates that at least 10 million people a year will come to the l.a. live venue.

Leiweke said his goal is to compete with Times Square in New York City, which draws 37 million visitors a year.

Maria-Elena Durazo, business manager of UNITE NOW, which represents hotel workers, said the agreement is important to her members because of the guarantees of job security.

"We had a situation in Beverly Hills where 500 workers lost their jobs when a hotel converted to condos," Durazo said. "Under this agreement, we know what will be coming and our workers will have some protections."

Leiweke said AEG also would be working with new hotels being planned for the area and others to see that they hire union workers.

[LAMetroGuy]

Villaraigosa ROCKS!

[deehrler]

Joel Kotkin proves his worthlessness again.

I have attended dozens of major trade shows around the world. They included annual treks to Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New Orleans, Atlanta and NYC. When a Show was in LA my compatriots would shudder. They hated LA. They liked Anaheim, San Francisco and San Diego but hated LA.

The reason was simple. Night time in Downtown LA was a bore. There was more fun in Moline than LA's Downtown of the 80's and 90's. These guys were looking for some fun and the crowd at the Mayan was not hardly their thing.

Finishing out the convention-friendly infrastructure Downtown has been a must. With LA Live dependent on the new hotel, there was no choice. Without the complete package, the Convention Center would have become "loft conversion" property itself.

If the condo market collapses after Zen's conversions, I will laugh when he converts them back to hotel use.

[RAlossi]

F'ing Kotkin, man. I swear... that guy sees the price of everything and the value of nothing.

City of LA + Conv. Center Hotel = 0 dollars' total cost to taxpayers. Many jobs created directly. Momentum of investment turning former parking lots and empty buildings into tax-revenue-producing high-density low-impact housing.

City of LA w/out Conv. Center Hotel = 0 dollars' total cost to taxpayers. Absolutely no benefits whatsoever.

[Swansea]

Kotkin ROCKS!

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ Not cool to deliberately misquote people.

[kaneui]

Deal struck over luxury hotel plan
City averts court or ballot challenge to development
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

"It's one of those things that drives me crazy," said Joel Kotkin, senior fellow at the New American Foundation. "I keep asking, Why are we building this hotel? If we have a white elephant of a Convention Center, which everyone agrees to, then why are we building this hotel?

"The convention business is basically cyclical. They keep moving around from city to city. And, how many large conventions are we going to get to justify this?



Obviously, Mr. Kotkin hasn't grasped that the very reason the Convention Center has been a white elephant is attributable to the lack of a large, adjacent hotel. However, he may have a point as to whether or not such investments will pay off.

A lot of cities around the country are gambling big dollars on expanding their convention centers and building publicly-financed hotels to snag more convention business (e.g., Phoenix is tripling the size of its convention center and concurrently building a city and state-financed convention center hotel).

Whether these investments are profitable remains to be seen, as many studies indicate that the convention industry as a whole is either leveling off or in somewhat of a decline.

Many civic boosters and politicians maintain that a competitive convention center and hotel are important elements of their community, with the hopes that they will spur new development to bring in additional revenues, even if the convention facilities operate in the red.

The renaissance of a major downtown such as Los Angeles is not heavily dependent on a thriving convention business; however, the future success of L.A.'s Convention Center is undoubtedly tied to that renaissance making downtown a truly desirable convention destination.

[LAMetroGuy]

Kotkin ROCKS!

:tdown:

Please don't misquote me :uhh:

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i just want to grab kotkin and beat the stupid out of him.

[RAlossi]

Obviously, Mr. Kotkin hasn't grasped that the very reason the Convention Center has been a white elephant is attributable to the lack of a large, adjacent hotel. However, he may have a point as to whether or not such investments will pay off.

A lot of cities around the country are gambling big dollars on expanding their convention centers and building publicly-financed hotels to snag more convention business (e.g., Phoenix is tripling the size of its convention center and concurrently building a city and state-financed convention center hotel).

Whether these investments are profitable remains to be seen, as many studies indicate that the convention industry as a whole is either leveling off or in somewhat of a decline.


You're right in that no one can know -- truly -- whether the downtown convention center hotel will be a success. I mean, any number of things could happen that would not allow it to be successful.

BUT the difference between LA's convention center hotel and other cities' hotels is major: LA is not spending, per se, any public funds on the project. There is a $16 million loan. The only money that we will be "losing" is money that wouldn't exist in the first place if there were no hotel. So the risk of failure is entirely borne by private shoulders. And if the hotel succeeds in bringing convention business -- at least enough to cover all expenses -- it will have been a success. That's 30 million dollars a year the taxpayers don't have to dump into covering the convention center's expenses.

Even taking the worst-case scenario, this situation truly is a win for Los Angeles.

[fflint]

Swansea, do not deliberately misquote people.

[citywatch]

]They hated LA. They liked Anaheim, San Francisco and San Diego but hated LA.

The reason was simple. Night time in Downtown LA was a bore. There was more fun in Moline than LA's Downtown of the 80's and 90's. These guys were looking for some fun and the crowd at the Mayan was not hardly their thing.

I don't think the average pol in LA or angeleno realizes just how bad the hood is perceived. I cannot tell you the number of times I've spoken with ppl about LA, & when the issue of DT or even the city in general has come up, a look of pity or disgust often will cross over their face & their reaction will turn very negative.

I think someone like Kotkin has his head up his butt so far he isn't aware of such reactions or why they exist to begin with, or couldn't care less about them because they somehow don't fit his agenda.

[LAMetroGuy]

Commentary - News




Publish Date : 10/26/2005

Does Hotel Subsidy Pit 2 Sides Against the Middle Class?
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did what he does best last week in settling a standoff—in this case over a proposed new hotel at the Convention Center.

The agreement calls for granting Peter Zen of the Bonaventure Hotel some leeway in converting a portion of the establishment in order to cash in on the condominium craze Downtown. Zen, in turn, won’t try to stop a $282 million city subsidy spread over 25 years for the new hotel, which is planned as part of LA Live, an entertainment district development near the Convention Center.

The subsidy looks to be a high-low split, with beneficiaries ranging from a billionaire in Denver to the union that represents modestly paid hotel workers.

Billionaire Phillip Anschutz and his Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is spearheading LA Live, certainly weren’t alone in cheering the subsidy. The Central City Association and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed the plan. Both groups apparently see vast potential for the new hotel to bring in more business visitors to rent rooms and spill their money around town. And they apparently accept the premise that a $282 million subsidy on a hotel expected to cost between $400 and $500 million is the only way to make the deal work.

On the other end, the new hotel will hire union workers—and the Bonaventure promised to retain all union members on its payroll for a period of time after any conversion of parts of the establishment to condominiums. That appears to have done the trick for organized labor.

The middle-class, meanwhile, can expect to get the bill for the subsidy in one form or another—new taxes disguised as “fees,” higher water rates, reduced services, or a smaller share of any new resources should the economy provide a natural lift for city revenue.

Little was heard from the middle class in the run-up to the subsidy—and that’s little wonder, with the full work days and kids and all other the other concerns that come with trying to do the right thing and make a living at the same time. But representatives of middle class voters on the Los Angeles City Council offered no genuine opposition, either, and Villaraigosa obviously did his best to ensure the subsidy package.

Maybe that’s because the high-low split on the subsidy is enough. Perhaps there’s not much of a middle class left to worry about.

After all, there was a time when a household making $56,000 a year would be solidly in the ranks of the middle class. But it was just a week before he settled the standoff on the hotel subsidy that Villaraigosa pledged to raise money to help pay for a program that provides healthcare insurance for children in families with incomes of up to $56,000 a year. The program exists because a lot of smart people have admitted that very often a family of four with $56,000 in annual income can’t afford to provide healthcare insurance for their kids.

That’s a sure sign that the middle class of Los Angeles is under pressure. Handing out a $282 million subsidy for a new hotel won’t provide any significant relief—not even if the benefits of a union contract move every one of the workers hired at the new hotel into the middle class.

The Garment & Citizen believes our elected officials should keep in mind a truism that any military historian, chess player or soccer coach knows: Control the middle and you’ll win.

Successful politicians have generally played for the middle, too. It’s been a sure-fire strategy because the middle has been the biggest part of the voting population for the past 60 years.

That’s what concerns us about the subsidy for the hotel. It makes us wonder what’s going on in Los Angeles that prompts our politicians to fearlessly hand out a $282 million subsidy that promises little more than the chance for a new tax bill to the middle class.

Could it be that Los Angeles has become a dealmaker’s paradise, where politicians can play both sides against the middle with impunity?

We certainly hope not, because that’s a dangerous situation with implications guaranteed to linger long after the groundbreaking for a new hotel.

—Jerry Sullivan, Editor & Publisher

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i hate how they are allowed to use the 282 number. thats money that would not be going to the city anyways, so its not a gift. This hotel has spawned so much development.

[RAlossi]

I'm going to e-mail that editor. Is there a URL for their web site?

This has got to stop.

[LAMetroGuy]

http://www.garmentandcitizen.com/

[BrighamYen]

He's been a staunch OPPONENT of l.a. live from the beginning. If you covered his name and the paper's, I would have guessed it was from the Daily News Op-Ed.

He's totally short-sighted. The intangible benefits from this "subsidy" (which doesn't seem so bad if you spread it out over 25 years...that's a little over $11 million a year) to allow such a large and attractive district to be built will be incredible. To think we will have a CITY where we can be PROUD OF. Is that not worth the money? Would we like to have lower water bills and continue to live in a metro with no real true center? Continue to be the butt of jokes?

For me, I see it as an investment toward creating a place that will spawn more developments (which it already has).

Jerry Sullivan should just be quiet. :D

[RAlossi]

I thought it was the Daily News at first, harping on the same tired old arguments over and over. Instead, it was the Garment and Citizen harping on the same old arguments over and over.

Speaking of the Daily News, one of my professors today said "I hate the LA Times. I much prefer the Daily News; it's much more accurate."

OH I WANTED TO EXPLODE!

Not that the LA Times is all that great all the time... but the Daily News?? come on.

[BrighamYen]

^ The LA Times isn't bad at all. Nothing's perfect!

[bobcat]

^ The LA Times isn't bad at all. Nothing's perfect!

Haha, Brady Westwater doesn't seem to think so.

[BrighamYen]

Brady is funny. I like him a lot, but really...I mean Brady is hard to please kind of guy!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Proud to report, LA LIVE has broken ground!!!! just saw it while i was going to the Kings game!

[BrighamYen]

^ :)

[colemonkee]

Went by the site today, and it does look like they've started tearing up some of the asphault on the Chick Hearn Ct. side. It's not the kind of demo you'd expect, though. It's almost like when they strip the top layer of ashpault off a street right before they repave it.

I took some pictures and will post them in the LA Rundown thread when I get my camera cable.

[Easy]

Not what I expected either, but it's a start.


http://tinypic.com/f4g07o.jpg

http://tinypic.com/f4g3tv.jpg

[danparker276]

Wow, I didn't think they'd start digging for a while

[tujunga]

I imagine there will be a lot of prep work before major digging begins.

[ThreeHundred]

Well..it's starting..finally. That should count for something.

[SoCal]

about freeking time, please keep me updated with as many pictures as possible, im missing my home town, and think i will be back there in about 4 months or so...

[kazpmk]

Finally some good news to report

[BrighamYen]

AEG has a really good track record when it comes to building major projects on a timely schedule. (Think Staples Center in 18 months)

I can't wait until 2010. That's the MAGIC NUMBER year you know? :D

[JRinSoCal]

2010? Isn't it all supposed to be completed in 2014?

[katfam]

The first phase is set to open in 2009, which is Nokia Theatre and ESPN Zone. They hope to finish the followinig phases by 2012, but I think they will end up getting it finished before as the demand will be so strong for this AMAZING place called LA LIVE!!!!! :)

[BrighamYen]

^ If they can build the fucking Empire State Building and Burj Dubai in 1-3 years, they should be able to build this thing at MOST in 5 years. C'mon people. They built the Hong Kong Airport on a fucking artificial island, with tunnels and bridges that marveled modern engineering. LA has yet to shock me.

[citywatch]

I'm ticked off that the hotel isn't going to be ready until quite a few yrs from today.

The pace of most new devlpt rests on one thing: DEMAND, and demand has been lacking for more hotel rms & for a lot of new retail in the hood. And there obviously hasn't been much demand for new office space either (no thanks to companies like Yahoo/Overture). That's why so much is riding on the ability of devlprs to lease up their apts or sell their condos at a pretty fast rate.

[colemonkee]

^ If they can build the fucking Empire State Building and Burj Dubai in 1-3 years, they should be able to build this thing at MOST in 5 years. C'mon people. They built the Hong Kong Airport on a fucking artificial island, with tunnels and bridges that marveled modern engineering. LA has yet to shock me.

LA has a remarkably inefficient permit and inspection approval process and somewhat progressive labor laws, which tend to slow construction down considerably. If you remember, city inspectors demanded a pay raise when LA Live was first announced because the workload was going to be too high.

Comparing construction times in LA to that of the Empire State Building or Burj Dubai isn't really fair. ESB was built in an era when labor laws were relatively new and largely unenforced. It was also a steel building, which goes up much faster than concrete (steel doesn't have to cure). And Burj Dubai is built on a 24-hour schedule with virtual Indian slave laborers who are paid the equivalent of $100/week, and bused in from low-income housing. There was French TV report about the working conditions recently that revealed some pretty appalling stuff. Stuff that would land a developer in jail very quickly here.

[Infestma]

I drove by the site today, and it had a banner around part of it. It said 'Coming Soon 2007', and it showed the logos of Hilton Hotel and some of the other tenants that will be part of it.