LOS ANGELES | Wilshire Grand Development | 1,100 FT | 73 FLOORS | U/C - Page 41

Valyrian Steel · #**801** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 8:33 PM**

Here's a fantastic shot that shows just how much of the hotel is gone.

http://www.facebook.com/WilshireGrandCenter

blackcat23 · #**802** Posted **Mar 26, 2013, 11:07 PM**

I took this this afternoon. There is heavy equipment at work demolishing the top floors of the Francisco/7th street wing. It also looks like some demo work has started on the top floors of the Wilshire wing, although you can't see it from this picture.

pwright1 · #**803** Posted **Mar 29, 2013, 5:11 AM**

One of the construction guys said it should all be cleared out in 3 months.

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**804** Posted **Mar 29, 2013, 6:19 PM**

i walk by probably every 2 days and its remarkable how fast they are moving on this. They even work at night. i wouldnt be shocked if its all down by the end of May

Just-In-Cali · #**805** Posted **Mar 29, 2013, 6:20 PM**

Great Pics pwright!. I believe they'll be doing foundation work before August....fingers crossed for when this can be moved into the Construction thread. Who would have thought 7 years ago when i joined this forum...that LA woulf be getting a new tallest...let alone at least half a dozen new high rises DT.

blackcat23 · #**806** Posted **Mar 29, 2013, 10:44 PM**

Taken today. Looks like the roof structures are all gone, and they've knocked one floor off of the Wilshire wing.

L1011driver · #**807** Posted **Apr 3, 2013, 8:53 PM**

I've never seen a skyscraper being built. This is exciting, I actually get to see it happen. So cool.

blackcat23 · #**808** Posted **Apr 3, 2013, 11:40 PM**

Looks like deconstruction will occur simultaneously on both the 7th and Wilshire sides. They've carved off two floors on 7th street, with only one floor gone on Wilshire.

Valyrian Steel · #**809** Posted **Apr 4, 2013, 3:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by L1011driver

I've never seen a skyscraper being built. This is exciting, I actually get to see it happen. So cool.

Same here. This project is the reason I joined these forums and will be very cool to witness this huge tower rise.

colemonkee · #**810** Posted **Apr 5, 2013, 2:06 PM**

It's going to be really weird for me during the 6-12 months that there will be nothing visible on this site (as they demo down to the bottom of the garage, then build out foundation and underground levels). I'm so used to walking and driving by this structure, that despite it's relatively short height, was always an imposing building. Though it will be a lot of fun to watch the new structure rise. It's not that often you get to see a new tallest rise.

fimiak · #**811** Posted **Apr 5, 2013, 4:08 PM**

Los Angeles must be the perfect place to build skyscrapers. New York has 4 months of terrible weather and high winds, and still manages to blow every other US city out of the water on construction speeds.

Just-In-Cali · #**812** Posted **Apr 5, 2013, 5:36 PM**

^^^LOL. Tell that to the people over on the One World Trade Center thread. NY really is no faster, just has more projects going on at any one time due to the nature of that city.
It is exciting to see a new tallest rise in any city, and in the last decade, we've seen it happen in a number of places that hadn't seen one in two decades or more. Philly, OKC, Austin, Miami, etc, now San Fran and Los Angeles. No tower over 700 feet has been built here since 1992. I for one cant wait to see this beast rise. It will give LA a kind of "King and Queen" of the skyline. US Bank and Wilshire Grand are positioned to pay respect to each other and balance the skyline. Plus, once done, this tower will be the new darling to TV shows, Movies, and photoshoots, as I can think of no other tower with a 900'+ high pool deck, and LA's first true observation deck positioned on a skyscraper. Plus, and very importantly, if it retains the name Wilshire Grand, it will build a name recognition that most towers in LA lack because of the corporate naming shtick that has so dominated. And it being in LA, media capital, it will become a focus for many projects. Very exciting times!

blackcat23 · #**813** Posted **Apr 5, 2013, 6:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

^^^LOL. Tell that to the people over on the One World Trade Center thread. NY really is no faster, just has more projects going on at any one time due to the nature of that city.
It is exciting to see a new tallest rise in any city, and in the last decade, we've seen it happen in a number of places that hadn't seen one in two decades or more. Philly, OKC, Austin, Miami, etc, now San Fran and Los Angeles. No tower over 700 feet has been built here since 1992. I for one cant wait to see this beast rise. It will give LA a kind of "King and Queen" of the skyline. US Bank and Wilshire Grand are positioned to pay respect to each other and balance the skyline. Plus, once done, this tower will be the new darling to TV shows, Movies, and photoshoots, as I can think of no other tower with a 900'+ high pool deck, and LA's first true observation deck positioned on a skyscraper. Plus, and very importantly, if it retains the name Wilshire Grand, it will build a name recognition that most towers in LA lack because of the corporate naming shtick that has so dominated. And it being in LA, media capital, it will become a focus for many projects. Very exciting times!

Agreed in full!

I'd have to think Las Vegas or Miami would have the fastest construction speeds, at least within the United States.

Just-In-Cali · #**814** Posted **Apr 8, 2013, 10:24 PM**

Thanks blackcat. This project is a game changer in the city, state, and region. Plus its so different due to what it is...a mixed use tower with a top floor lobby and pool deck. Its pretty much unique in the US. Plus it seems to not be only on schedule, but ahead, backed buy a huge, reliable company that has the monies in place, and of a design that very few can complain about. This is a moment to remember.
I have a fantasy about celebrating my Bday at the lounge/restarant on the 71st floor in 2017. Hopefully Skyscraperpage members will arrange some kind of get together there once its open. I'd sooooooo be there.

112597jorge · #**815** Posted **Apr 8, 2013, 10:55 PM**

wouldn't this building break a world record with the pool being 940 feet high. I think this is the highest elevated pool on a supertall in the world. the only supertall in the world to have a pool deck.

Valyrian Steel · #**816** Posted **Apr 8, 2013, 11:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 112597jorge

wouldn't this building break a world record with the pool being 940 feet high. I think this is the highest elevated pool on a supertall in the world. the only supertall in the world to have a pool deck.

Just did a quick google search and Honk Kong has a Ritz-Carlton hotel with a pool at 1,600 feet.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/pa...086603,00.html

Just-In-Cali · #**817** Posted **Apr 9, 2013, 1:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pink Floyd

Just did a quick google search and Honk Kong has a Ritz-Carlton hotel with a pool at 1,600 feet.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/pa...086603,00.html

Very true. I saw that as well. Its not exactly rooftop...but it will be higher. Ours will be open air...and the highest in the US...if not the Hemisphere. Either way...it will be a one off in our country.

Duck From NY · #**818** Posted **Apr 9, 2013, 3:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

^^^LOL. Tell that to the people over on the One World Trade Center thread. NY really is no faster...

-
Our residentials and hotels go up pretty quickly, but many of our office buildings go at a snail's pace, and that's even when much of the office stock is (supposedly) antiquated. I fear it's pretty much the same throughout most American cities.

Roadcruiser1 · #**819** Posted **Apr 9, 2013, 7:18 AM**

Really? The Empire State Building shot up in 1 year and 2 months. The original Twin Towers shot up in 2 years. Construction in New York City isn't always slow.

Just-In-Cali · #**820** Posted **Apr 9, 2013, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

Really? The Empire State Building shot up in 1 year and 2 months. The original Twin Towers shot up in 2 years. Construction in New York City isn't always slow.

NY can be quick in putting up its structures, but can also be slow. The WTC site has been UC for 10 years, and is still not done. There are various reasons, but it just shows, that in this country, with the labor and safety laws, it just takes a bit longer. This is not a bad thing!

Either way, NY doesn't have some edge on building, they just have more volume because geographically, they need to build up. The LA metro is now at that point, and needs to build up as well. BofA tower in NY took nearly 5 years to build...Time Warner Center took 3 years.
So the 3 years to build a massive 1'100 foot tower and base complex in a seismic zone seems fairly quick.

And comparing building in the 30s and the 70s is a non starter. There were between 5 and 14 deaths during construction of the ESB...a number that is unfathomable today.
Any building that exceeds 500' is exponentially harder to construct than those shorter, so time is needed...no matter the city.
All I hope is that the safely and quickly build the WGT and make it a symbol of the city.
At the speed the old structure is coming down, I believe we will be surprised.