LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Mojeda101]

Video by Hunter.

It's own our little Time Square

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOroi0Lho6Q

[LAsam]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Video by Hunter.

It's own our little Time Square

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOroi0Lho6Q

That looks incredible! Just wait until Oceanwide is finished next door... I think their screens will be even more impressive.

[bhunsberger]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Video by Hunter.

It's own our little Time Square

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOroi0Lho6Q

Loved the vid! Great to see them in action. I really hope more are added on the Staples Center/LA Live area though. The sidewalk on the staples center isn't very "lively".. those huge trees block the view, not to mention those oversized planters have seen better days. I hope something is done with that section of the sidewalk. Add little cafe tables perhaps? Remove some of those trees? Anyone else have thoughts about this particular section of sidewalk? Would love to hear.

Just checked out google maps to check things out. There are literally WAY more planters than I remember. Why so many!? Something needs to be done with this section of the sidewalk before the opening of Oceanwide. I mean, where else are people going to view the huge screen from?

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Mojeda101

Video by Hunter.

It's own our little Time Square

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOroi0Lho6Q

Lets see if this works:
• Video Link

[Illithid Dude]

i wish yall would realize just how horrible times square is

[enjo13]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

i wish yall would realize just how horrible times square is

Times Square is great, and I don't mean that even remotely sarcastically. It's not great in the "it's great to live on Times Square" sense. Or the "place locals want to spend alot of time" sense. However, as a tourist draw and a central gathering place for visitors to Manhattan it's pretty damn fantastic.

LA's problem is that Times Square isn't just a bunch of lights. It's the center of the theater world. Without those shows anchoring the square it's not much. The Staples Center is pretty nice, but it'll never be the anchor that those theaters are. Meaning I'm not convinced you'll get the Times Square effect on Figueroa.

[Resident]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

i wish yall would realize just how horrible times square is

I always love the people who think new stuff sucks and everybody else is wrong because they like it.

Times square is awesome. These giant video displays are awesome. The display on the Marriott is dope.

[JerellO]

I feel LA’s Times Square would be Hollywood Blvd. it’s the center of movies and entertainment. Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Oscars, The Chinese Theatre, similar to how Broadway and theatre is to NYC’s Times Square. And both their subway stations look the same.

Figueroa I think would resemble the strip in Las Vegas more. With lights, entertainment and shopping.

[caligrad]

Interesting.

With all that retail space under Oceanwide. It would have been cool and different if they would have cut that retail by half or a thrid and added a theater instead for Broadway/cirque du soleil type shows to have on constant rotation. Would have been even better if the Luxe and Circa would have done the same thing.

I dont think this stretch can be compared to Time Square or the Vegas strip. Its missing elements from both, the biggest element being the other side of fig being lifeless. The convention center needs its redo and the Staple Center needs to come up with a plan to better utilize its fig side. Bars, resteraunts, something.

[ozone]

^^^ You see these huge video screens in major retail areas in Asian cities so NYC’s TS isn’t the only model. What LA needs is a skytrain linking Union Station/Civic Center/Music Cntr with So Fig/Staples/Conv. Ctr with USC/Expo museums/Colusiem.

[caligrad]

^^^ Oh I know. For sure. But they were all designed to mimic TS like Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo which is a literal carbon copy minus Broadway.Which is why I said they cant all be compared.

The model isnt where they are placed. Its the purpose (Why).

All previous had a reasoning behind it.

I'm not against it. I actually like it and think it will draw some people downtown but there needs to be more than just a reliance on the Staples Center and Convention Center. Once Oceanwide opens, it still wont become LAs premier shopping district. The West Side has that on lock. So. A theater should have taken up half of that space at the bottom, or even a third. Luxe should do something similar as well since they've decided to take away one of the towers.

[SoCalKid]

Originally Posted by enjo13

Times Square is great, and I don't mean that even remotely sarcastically. It's not great in the "it's great to live on Times Square" sense. Or the "place locals want to spend alot of time" sense. However, as a tourist draw and a central gathering place for visitors to Manhattan it's pretty damn fantastic.

LA's problem is that Times Square isn't just a bunch of lights. It's the center of the theater world. Without those shows anchoring the square it's not much. The Staples Center is pretty nice, but it'll never be the anchor that those theaters are. Meaning I'm not convinced you'll get the Times Square effect on Figueroa.

This, exactly.

Except I do think Staples Center + Microsoft Theater + The Novo + Regal Cinemas + a redesigned convention center + restaurants/bars/clubs/retail are enough to anchor it, albeit not nearly to the same degree as TS.

[wchicity]

Originally Posted by caligrad

^^^ Oh I know. For sure. But they were all designed to mimic TS like Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo which is a literal carbon copy minus Broadway.Which is why I said they cant all be compared.

The model isnt where they are placed. Its the purpose (Why).

All previous had a reasoning behind it.

I'm not against it. I actually like it and think it will draw some people downtown but there needs to be more than just a reliance on the Staples Center and Convention Center. Once Oceanwide opens, it still wont become LAs premier shopping district. The West Side has that on lock. So. A theater should have taken up half of that space at the bottom, or even a third. Luxe should do something similar as well since they've decided to take away one of the towers.

I'm actually really interested to see how successful the retail portion of Oceanwide will be. I don't have a doubt in my mind that some great restaurants and stores will open up, but I'm not sure I see it becoming the huge shopping hub that the developers seem to be envisioning.

[scania]

Originally Posted by wchicity

I'm actually really interested to see how successful the retail portion of Oceanwide will be. I don't have a doubt in my mind that some great restaurants and stores will open up, but I'm not sure I see it becoming the huge shopping hub that the developers seem to be envisioning.

Just finished waking around...and I’ll say with the tourism from the Convention Center, it will do well. That plus the more and more visitors coming Downtown to play.

[scania]

Originally Posted by caligrad

^^^ Oh I know. For sure. But they were all designed to mimic TS like Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo which is a literal carbon copy minus Broadway.Which is why I said they cant all be compared.

The model isnt where they are placed. Its the purpose (Why).

All previous had a reasoning behind it.

I'm not against it. I actually like it and think it will draw some people downtown but there needs to be more than just a reliance on the Staples Center and Convention Center. Once Oceanwide opens, it still wont become LAs premier shopping district. The West Side has that on lock. So. A theater should have taken up half of that space at the bottom, or even a third. Luxe should do something similar as well since they've decided to take away one of the towers.

Agreed. I hope that the W Hotel tower decides to use that approach. I can see that being a huge draw.

[Easy]

Originally Posted by JerellO

Figueroa I think would resemble the strip in Las Vegas more. With lights, entertainment and shopping.

I keep hearing this yet so far it looks nothing like Las Vegas and quite a bit like Times Square. The strip is a long path along a road. Times Square and the LA Live area are just a couple of intersections and the area in between.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by scania

Just finished waking around...and I’ll say with the tourism from the Convention Center, it will do well.

I hope so. But the changing economy, where more ppl now buy things online & dislike going to average malls more than ever before, makes me unsure about oceanwide. DT also still needs a much larger population of potential serious shoppers to ensure stores & restaurants turn over enough customers per hour to justify keeping their doors open.

I look at what oceanwide is supposed to look like....more typical of overly plain, boring malls of the past?..... & it might have been okay for shoppers yrs ago....back when even average malls could still attract enough visitors to survive. But today?....when shopping malls need to have a gimmick to do well, as either a lifestyle or theme park destination.

I was at the grove a few months ago & saw things like a very busy barnes & noble bookstore. One of the few still around & presumably drawing in enough customers per yr to remain open. The grove also is surrounded by areas where more serious minded shoppers live than what's true of many of the hoods around dtla.

I will be more than happy if oceanwide proves me wrong. I did originally think bottega louie on 7th st was going to be too ambitious a restaurant for dt. the joke is on me....hope that will be the case with oceanwide. but still....


• Video Link


• Video Link

[scania]

Originally Posted by citywatch

I hope so. But the changing economy, where more ppl now buy things online & dislike going to average malls more than ever before, makes me unsure about oceanwide. DT also still needs a much larger population of potential serious shoppers to ensure stores & restaurants turn over enough customers per hour to justify keeping their doors open.

I look at what oceanwide is supposed to look like....more typical of overly plain, boring malls of the past?..... & it might have been okay for shoppers yrs ago....back when even average malls could still attract enough visitors to survive. But today?....when shopping malls need to have a gimmick to do well, as either a lifestyle or theme park destination.

I was at the grove a few months ago & saw things like a very busy barnes & noble bookstore. One of the few still around & presumably drawing in enough customers per yr to remain open. The grove also is surrounded by areas where more serious minded shoppers live than what's true of many of the hoods around dtla.

I will be more than happy if oceanwide proves me wrong. I did originally think bottega louie on 7th st was going to be too ambitious a restaurant for dt. the joke is on me....hope that will be the case with oceanwide. but still....


• Video Link


• Video Link

I think DTLA is screaming for such things...i.e Nomad Hotel. The only way to describe it is “LIT” its incredible how successful that place is already.

[ChelseaFC]

Has there been any thought given to stringing lights across more areas of the Historic Core? Drove through 4th and Main (Farmers and Merchants Bank and Hotel Barclay) last night and the lights strung across Main Street really added to the aesthetic and served to make the street seem narrower and more inviting and walkable.

I'm thinking in particular this would be a cool feature on various portions of Broadway and Spring Streets, especially when the Broadway Trade Center is complete.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0477...7i13312!8i6656

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by ChelseaFC

Has there been any thought given to stringing lights across more areas of the Historic Core? Drove through 4th and Main (Farmers and Merchants Bank and Hotel Barclay) last night and the lights strung across Main Street really added to the aesthetic and served to make the street seem narrower and more inviting and walkable.

I'm thinking in particular this would be a cool feature on various portions of Broadway and Spring Streets, especially when the Broadway Trade Center is complete.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0477...7i13312!8i6656

I would love to see more of the lights as well as more flowers. It softens up the place and adds character. Also, even more murals. There are lights up on 5th street between Spring and Broadway, which are cool but the buildings on the street need to be cleaned for it to make much of a difference. Every numbered street from 3rd to 9th should have similar lights from Main to Broadway honestly.