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^ Something tells me no.:brickwall:

The thing about this one is that it's one of the few proposals to come out after the financial crisis began. Optimism must never die.:tup:

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy (Post 4219459)

The thing about this one is that it's one of the few proposals to come out after the financial crisis began. Optimism must never die.:tup:

It's a unique situation. Los Angeles' approval process moves at a glacial pace. Metropolis, for example, a 4 building project near Staples Center has been 'proposed' for about 20 years. I'm guessing that these buildings are being proposed now because by the time they get approved, the economy will be in the upswing and will (hopefully) be under construction and near completion when the US isn't broke. 2013 isn't that far away and is a plausable timeline for things to get better.

Here is an article with the architect

Changing the Skyline

Architect David Martin of AC Martin Partners with a model of the proposed $1 billion replacement for the Wilshire Grand hotel. Photo by Gary Leonard.
*
Architect David Martin Talks About Designing Downtown’s First New Office Tower in Nearly Two Decades
by Anna Scott
Published: Friday, May 8, 2009 4:34 PM PDT
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - David Martin, a principal at the Downtown-based architecture firm his grandfather founded in 1906, has his work cut out for him. Specifically, Martin, of AC Martin Partners, is designing Downtown’s first new commercial high rise in 17 years.

The $1 billion hotel/residential/office complex to replace the aging Wilshire Grand hotel at Seventh and Figueroa streets was announced last month by Wilshire Grand owner Korean Air and developer Jim Thomas. The project is slated to include a 40-story hotel and residential tower, a 60-story office building and ground-floor retail space. They will be designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification standards and, despite the economic downturn, Thomas expects to break ground by 2011.

Martin spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News about the project, sustainable design and the challenges ahead.

Los Angeles Downtown News: Downtown’s last new office tower, Two California Plaza, opened in 1992. How has the design process changed since then?

David Martin: The basic physical dimensions, modules and numbers haven’t really changed much. What has changed tremendously is the thinking of how we build buildings. The buildings that we built 20 years ago were in a different world.

Obviously, the whole idea of sustainability is a big thing. How do we organize these buildings so they consume much, much less energy? Once we get the basics down, we look at how to tune the shape and form of the building to be much more energy-efficient.

Q: What are some of the environmentally friendly features planned for the project?

A: We oriented the long part of the buildings, especially the office building, to more of a true north-south orientation and that makes a tremendous difference in the energy demands. We’ve done sun studies, so we know where on the building façade we can put photovoltaics [to capture solar energy]. We proposed 60 lineal feet of open-able windows. We’re also looking at the synergy between the hotel and office buildings. For example, the air-conditioning for the office building on a real hot day might generate a lot of heat… and the hotel needs heat for the water systems, as the biggest user of energy in a hotel is hot water.

Q: How does the attention to being “green” affect the look of the towers?

A: On the south elevation, we’ll have overhangs to protect the sun from beaming on the glass, and on top of them we’ll use photovoltaics. From below, it will look like a series of overhangs.

In some of the renderings, the model looks all glass, and that’s not the intent. It would be glass and terra cotta, a material that is extremely durable. It’s baked earth, clay.

Q: How will this project connect to the neighborhood?

A: The first thing that is interesting about the site is that it practically sits on a subway stop. We created the open space at the bottom to not only be connected to that, but also to be on the south side of the building, so it’s not always in the shade. And learning what we’ve learned over the years about how we organize retail and restaurants, the whole ground level should be about gathering and city life. We’re trying to avoid being too monumental at the base of the building. Sidewalks, street trees, land use around the plaza, where the sun shines, places to sit down and access to the subway are all part of our thinking.

Q: What visual impact do you want these towers to have?

A: I think not since City Hall has there been such a building. One of the excitements of cities is the skyline. That’s particularly true of Los Angeles, and the way the buildings are not uniform, but varied. This is a building that actually comes to a point instead of being squared at the top; it gives a more organic view to the skyline. It’s a more organic form than geometric.

Q: What is the biggest challenge with this project?

A: The biggest challenge, I think everyone would say, will be to have the building meet the marketplace. We’re assuming that out of the recession will come a period of growth, and I think there’s a lot of reason for optimism. One reason is the whole stature of Downtown — L.A. Live seems to be adding a lot of drama to the situation. But the biggest challenge will be to have those two ideas come together: a building for the future and a healthy market for that building.

Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

Quote:

Q: What visual impact do you want these towers to have?

A: I think not since City Hall has there been such a building. One of the excitements of cities is the skyline. That’s particularly true of Los Angeles, and the way the buildings are not uniform, but varied. This is a building that actually comes to a point instead of being squared at the top; it gives a more organic view to the skyline. It’s a more organic form than geometric.

I agree, skylines help identify cities. Since there will be time to change, this one should be pushed to something more.

The Statler Hilton (now Wilshire Grand) was quite prominent in 1968.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5...erfigueroa.jpg
unkown 1968

Remnants of Bunker Hill can be seen in the background.

Quote:

Originally Posted by plinko (Post 4202245)

^Except that the proposal calls for tearing down a 1960's bulky hotel. Nothing to do with postmodernism.

Actually it opened in 1952. But it's been so drastically altered over the decades, inside AND out, that you can't tell at all what era it's from. In its current state it does look like it's from the 1980s:

http://www.you-are-here.com/los_angeles/statler.jpg
From you-are-here.com

But when it was first built, it looked like this:
http://www.yesterdayla.com/Graphics/statler.jpg
From yesterdayla.com

It was all cool mid-Century modern. But now it's gross; they changed the color, put in smoked glass windows, added tacky awnings, even changed the porte-cochere:
http://www.communityartsed.org/2007/...terior_000.jpg
From communityartsed.org

It totally looks like tacky 1980s hotel architecture. I'm sure the original architects are turning in their graves.

I hope they do knock it down and build the skyscraper.

^^cool pics, I love seeing LA of the 50's, 60's, 70's

Another pic of the Hotel Statler in it's pristine condition.

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1...atlerprist.jpg

very similiar from the above color pic.

^ Uncanny. They managed to get a shot with a city bus in almost the exact same position. I had to scroll up and down a few times to realize that it wasn't the just the same photo colorized.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 4297371)

The Statler Hilton (now Wilshire Grand) was quite prominent in 1968.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5...erfigueroa.jpg
unkown 1968

Remnants of Bunker Hill can be seen in the background.

Dayam, that was L.A. the year I was born.

Quote:

n a move that would dramatically change the downtown skyline, the developers of the proposed AC Martin-designed Wilshire Grand project are asking for the creation of a new sign district in the Financial District, one that would ultimately allow them to swath large parts of their two towers in LA Live-like electronic advertising. Think: Scrolling, blinking and animated images emitting off a 65-story tower and a 45-story tower. Not only would this style of digital advertising on two tall towers be unprecedented in LA, but it would also essentially extend the path of LA Live, bringing the buzz-y style that defines that district towards the Financial District. So what to think? On the one hand, oooh, Tokyo-style animated fun, electronic art lighting up the sky. On the other hand, it's a scenario of giant digital Charmin ads blinking down at drivers stuck in traffic on the 101 Freeway.
Last year, Hanjin International Corporation and Thomas Partners announced their plans to knock down the aging Wilshire Grand hotel. According to the recently published draft EIR for the project, the new Wilshire Grand (no name yet) will offer 560 hotel rooms or condo-hotel rooms, and 1.5 million square of office space in two towers, all in a 65-tower building and a 45-tower building.

Renderings show examples of what this project would look like both with and without digital signs. (Billboards and supergraphics are banned in this section of the city.) From a logistical point of view, the lights would be affixed on sections below each window. Each section of the building would allow for different types of electronic signage (be it animated or scolling, for example). In some ways, the proposal is similar in style to Sonny Astani's proposed Blade Runner wall he wanted to create for his first Concerto project (though this looks to be far more comprehensive in terms of pure signage area).

And here's the definition of what type of signage could be included, per the EIR. "...large-scale animated and static signs designed to convey a business, product, service, profession, commodity, activity, event, person, institution, brand, or any other commercial or noncommercial message, including Changeable Copy Signs (to be utilized for a scrolling news ribbon) and Integral Electronic Display Signs. Architectural lighting could also comprise any part of the signage program."

And the draft EIR acknowledges the radical way the signage transform this neighborhood. From the report: "These elements would change the existing character of the area, creating a significant impact. Therefore, it is conservatively concluded that the change in visual character would be substantial and impacts associated with signage would be significant."

So how will the city react? As for the requested sign district, creating new sign districts is never simple, according to Dennis Hathaway, president of the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight. One of the problems the Planning Department has faced is when sign districts are created for single development, says Hathaway. "The Planning Department and members of the Planing Commission have said that they want to make sure to tighten up sign district provisions so sign districts wouldn't be created for a single project. This is completely anti-ethical [to that notion]." With the creation of this new sign district, another developer in the area could request the same type of signage for his or her own building.

In regards to specific questions about the project, Thomas Properties Group issued the following statement: "TPG has submitted a request for a Supplemental Use District for the Wilshire Grand project. An SUD allows the city to approve a comprehensive signage program for a particular geographic area. The TPG proposal includes way finding, tenant and building identification signage as well as advertising signage, though it specifically prohibits super graphics. The program is fully described in the project description section of the DEIR."

Construction on the Wilshire Grand project is anticipated to commence in 2011, with full occupancy to occur by 2020, according to the report. Two days ago, the Downtown News reported the developer is seeking a tax break for this project.

WOWZERZ!!!! This'll DEFINITELY give downtown a MAJOR facelift....it looks taller than the library tower.

Talk about upsize! That parapet looks to be in the 1000' range. The 45 story tower looks to be about 700'. Nice.

I'm not sure on the building wall advertisements. They are on a few buildings in Shanghai and HK that I've seen and while interesting, I would think they might distract drivers?

Nonetheless, nice to see this project hasn't gone away...

Quote:

Originally Posted by plinko (Post 4936720)

Talk about upsize! That parapet looks to be in the 1000' range. The 45 story tower looks to be about 700'. Nice.

I'm not sure on the building wall advertisements. They are on a few buildings in Shanghai and HK that I've seen and while interesting, I would think they might distract drivers?

Nonetheless, nice to see this project hasn't gone away...

Like many other things.

More news on this project, this time from the Downtown News. I would expect this request to be a very controversial one - and difficult to get approved - considering the current financial state of the City and the controversy raised over similar exemptions made for LA Live and Grand Ave. They'll have to show that there would be a net gain to the City over the "no build" option, which would include leaving the current hotel as-is, complete with it's bed tax revenue.

Developer Seeks Tax Break for Wilshire Grand Project
Korean Air Asking for Fee Waiver on $1 Billion Hotel and Office Effort
by Ryan Vaillancourt, Staff Writer

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – The developer of a proposed $1 billion hotel and office tower that would replace the aging Wilshire Grand Hotel says it needs city assistance to build it.

Wilshire Grand owner Korean Air, which has partnered on the project with developer Thomas Properties Group, is looking for a deal similar to the ones that gave tax breaks to the Convention Center hotel at L.A. Live and the hotel component of the stalled Grand Avenue project.

The city council’s Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee this morning approved a request from the developer for the city to study the Korean Air project financials and evaluate what kind of assistance might be appropriate.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.ladowntownnews.com/articl...5257016709.txt

^You think this is just strategic ("if the city can give us money...we'll certainly take it") or do you think that this project won't go through without tax breaks from the city?

That's the $246 million question. My gut tells me it's them just trying to take advantage of a dearth of construction projects in the City, playing the "this project will create thousands of construction jobs" card in exchange for a sweetheart deal.

On the flipside, they could be trying to obtain financing - which they've previously said they didn't need. If that's the case, getting a bed tax exemption may be a condition of the lender to mitigate their long-term expenses for the project, making it more likely that they'll be able to pay back the loan.

The truth should come out once the independent study gets back to the City Council's Housing Committee. We'll probably have to wait until the end of the study to find the answer, unless some ambitious reporter pries it out of someone involved in the interim.

Why do people think these buildings look good? They just don't, and I don't get how anyone could find them appealing. If they get built, people in the future will be clucking in disapproval at the silliness of this era in American architecture. There is timeless beauty, and then there is trendy crap. Guess which these are?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troubadour (Post 4939326)

They're not gems or anything but I wouldn't go so far as to call them crap either . Just appreciate them for what they bring to the skyline .

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