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  #41  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 6:08 PM
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Based upon the most current renderings 8th and Grand, as monolithic it is, may prove to be a very interesting centerpiece for neighborhood activity. On that note Hunter, you show photos of various developments with still (after many years on the market ) vacancies. It makes me wonder if the planning department's philosophy of ground floor retail is not creating a saturated retail environment. I agree that it diminishes what is considered "dead space" which creates an unpleasant experience for the pedestrian, but much can be done to design the lower floor of a development that is pleasant for the pedestrian and doesn't necessarily have to have retail. I don't object to convenience retail in strategic nodes in South Park, but when I see retail planned for the ground floor of every development I think that is retail that could be located on Broadway, 7th, or Hill, streets that have so much underutilized (read "swapmeet") or vacant space. Its seems as if there is potential retail energy which is being diverted from these critical thoroughfares. With new development, I say let the developers decide what is best for the ground floor of their developments. Otherwise, if the city demands (as it does) it, it will more than likely stay vacant for a long time and end up costing the developer money. By the way, I think that any pedestrian walking past a chronically vacant retail space, would find that to be an unpleasant experience. Group, what are your thoughts?
Honestly, quality, newer retail doesnt stay vacant for very long. 8th and hope had multiple LOI's for their 5 spaces a couple months ago and they are asking $7.00 a square plus NNN. The available spaces at the Luma building are in negotiations as well. The only other spaces in the financial core / south park i can think of that arent spoken for are the corner unit at Wilshire and Grand (former bank that is huge) and the space next to rite aid on 7th and hope that isnt on the market but isnt open either.
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  #42  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 7:26 PM
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Love the updates and especially the time lapse shots. Now that Im in CA I'll be able to get down there regularly...
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  #43  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 7:26 PM
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  #44  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 7:28 PM
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Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen View Post
I do find it very unpleasant walking by vacant retail, but I'm an exception - I doubt most people even notice honestly.

I think just in terms of planning for the future it is important to force developers into creating retail on the ground floor. The next 5 years in DTLA will see us hit critical mass, and all the retail will fill out.
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Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan View Post
Honestly, quality, newer retail doesnt stay vacant for very long. 8th and hope had multiple LOI's for their 5 spaces a couple months ago and they are asking $7.00 a square plus NNN. The available spaces at the Luma building are in negotiations as well. The only other spaces in the financial core / south park i can think of that arent spoken for are the corner unit at Wilshire and Grand (former bank that is huge) and the space next to rite aid on 7th and hope that isnt on the market but isnt open either.
This is a good point that you make. Barring any economic or environmental calamity for the remainder of the decade, I'm guessing that with current and future housing growth DTLA will be near or exceed 100,000 in population. And, considering an estimate of about 80% of that population having a median income of over $80,000 per year. DTLA would essentially approximate a high income medium city--a city with a very high EBI (effective buying income). That critical mass that you speak of may come sooner than we think.
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  #45  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 7:56 PM
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Now that Metropolis is nearing its "real" groundbreaking I wanted to get forumers opinions and ideas on how they would like to see the development of Francisco street proceed. Granted, Greenland development seems to have a fairly well designed concept for their property but beyond that Francisco street, as a critical thoroughfare which connects the financial district (including the nearby Wilshire/Grand) to the entertainment district, is a mess. It is narrow, pocked with ugly parking lots and parking structures, and run down commercial buildings. Add to that its north/south orientation is broken by a freeway off ramp. Since the demise of the city's CRA, which of course had the authority and financial power to purchase and assemble property for future development, I think that there is little that the city can now do to guide good design and development. This could be such a critical element which would tie together the various DTLA projects. What are others opinions about this and what would be the desired outcome for this street--retail, office, entertainment, hospitality, residential?

Last edited by Wilcal; Jul 13, 2014 at 4:37 AM.
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  #46  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 8:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilcal View Post
Now that Metropolis is nearing its "real" groundbreaking I wanted to get forumers opinions and ideas on how they would like to see the development of Francisco street proceed. Granted, Greenland development seems to have a fairly well designed designed concept for their property but beyond that Francisco, as a critical thoroughfare which connects the financial district (including the nearby Wilshire/Grand) to the entertainment district, is a mess. It is narrow, pocked with ugly parking lots and parking structures, and run down commercial buildings. Add to that its north/south orientation is broken by a freeway off ramp. Since the demise of the city's CRA, which of course had the authority and financial power to purchase and assemble property for future development, I think that there is little that the city can now do to guide good design and development. This could be such a critical element which would tie together the various DTLA projects. What are others opinions about this and what would be the desired outcome for this street--retail, office, entertainment, hospitality, residential?
I'm completely neutral on Francisco streets future. Anything over there will be far better than it is now, its not like its a pivotal area (like 8th & Grand). Though it could be if the 110 were ever capped.
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  #47  
Old Posted Jul 4, 2014, 8:32 PM
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Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen View Post
If you scroll up you'll see the Wilshire Grand images I took 3 days ago.


Wilshire Grand does a great job of posting construction photos themselves:
http://www.wilshiregrandcenter.com/photos
https://www.facebook.com/WilshireGrandCenter
I checked them out. They are the newest pictures that are currently on the web. I was just wondering if they had poured the last of the P5 level since you posted them.
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  #48  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2014, 5:55 PM
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The view south from the top of US Bank during all the fireworks last night:

South Park & Beyond during 4th of July by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr
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  #49  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2014, 5:58 PM
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Awesome thread and updates! Thank you for your service!
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  #50  
Old Posted Jul 5, 2014, 6:08 PM
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Awesome thread and updates! Thank you for your service!
Thank you!
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  #51  
Old Posted Jul 6, 2014, 12:20 AM
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The view south from the top of US Bank during all the fireworks last night

you captured a good shot of displays to the south, here's a nice video rundown on one of the displays to the north....


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  #52  
Old Posted Jul 6, 2014, 4:03 PM
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Pershing Square with Park 5th site in the background.
Pershing with Title Gaurantee - 5th & Olive by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr
I'm assuming the following press release is accurate or at least was posted just a few days ago. I do hope they're saying the design is still being worked on is correct as of July 2014, since the artwork for the proj that was released several months ago was not very impressive to me.

the tentative groundbreaking date is the main thing I'm focusing on right now. So we're looking at work beginning in about 12 months. Although time does fly by quickly, one yr is still one yr, & that's assuming that, as is true of many projs, a projected start time doesn't end up getting dragged out way beyond the original date.

Quote:
The downtown Los Angeles residential building boom continues, with MacFarlane Partners acquiring a prime parcel overlooking Pershing Square for construction of high-rise and mid-rise towers totaling more than 600 apartment and condominium units and 17,000 square feet of retail.

After a long development drought, nearly 100 building projects are under way in the downtown L.A. market, many of them high-profile residential, hotel and office high-rises. The Park Fifth project at the northeast corner of Fifth and Olive Streets "reflects our confidence in the strong market for apartment properties downtown, which continues to experience a significant increase in rents," according to Greg Vilkin, MacFarlane Partners managing principal and president.

The transit-oriented development on the 99,000-square-foot site kitty-corner to the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel is still under design, but plans call for a much smaller project than that envisioned by the site’s previous owner, Africa-Israel USA.

The project totaling 600,000 square feet of residential space and retail will incorporate the company's signature smart growth and new urbanism concepts, Vilkin added.

Negotiations for the purchase of the site began about a year ago. The project is now fully entitled and was approved by the city this past spring.

"Our design will create a spectacular ‘central park’ of more than half an acre of open space and amenities on the podium deck between the two buildings," said Jeff Berris, managing director, development of MacFarlane Partners. "You will not find this size of private landscaped space anywhere else in downtown Los Angeles."

Construction of the property is expected to begin in mid-2015.

btw, based on its website, the jia apt proj in chinatown has leased about 60% of its units as of today. So it seems to be booking up at a fairly decent pace.
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  #53  
Old Posted Jul 7, 2014, 4:03 AM
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the organic density and quality of downtown la architecture is encouraging for future growth. only when they run out of land to sprawl, will investment make sense in dtwla, i think la has reached that point.
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  #54  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2014, 4:05 AM
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with websites like the following, dtladenizen doesn't have to work quite so hard helping keep everyone up to date.....


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  #55  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2014, 4:22 AM
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with websites like the following, dtladenizen doesn't have to work quite so hard helping keep everyone up to date.....
Haha thank you for showing that to me. Though it doesn't compare to what I've got up my sleeve... This thread is going to get a lot of publicity from outside SSP in the next week or so.


Just a couple pics from today:

Urban Gardening at the Warner Downtown Theatre by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Grand by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Grand by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

9th & Hope Parking Garage/33-story Tower by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

9th & Hope Parking Garage/33-story Tower by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr
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  #56  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2014, 4:49 AM
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Though it doesn't compare to what I've got up my sleeve...
I've always appreciated your pics, the quantity & quality....and nature....of them. I think you &, for pics of LA in general, pwright1, have a knack for getting photographs that help ppl see & better understand...or enjoy....what's going on. So this now is the only other thread at ssp that I'm dropping in on as frequently as I'm doing. I'd like it to be to the 'my city photos' forum what the 'noirish Los Angeles' thread is to the 'found city photos' forum. So if there are moments when you or others can't keep it active, I'll try to do my part.
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  #57  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2014, 7:17 AM
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oooh i cant wait to see whats poppin! hopefully so great retail news
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  #58  
Old Posted Jul 10, 2014, 6:02 PM
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DTLA denizen,
I would never assume that a website to watch construction would ever take away from the importance of your contributions. Do do so would be sheer folly. I also think that you truly enjoy your connection to the city, and no website would dare rob you of that joy.
I love the shot of what was once the Pantages theatre, although the building looks to be in need of some TLC (like a good bath). I have books with vintage photos showing throngs of pedestrians at that intersection in the early war years. If fact, the marquee read that Rhapsody in Blue was showing. I sometimes wonder how interesting it would have been to live in the city in that era, I have a feeling that it was an incredibly growing and dynamic place. On a side note I'd like to comment on the new 888 south Hope tower by RTKL. Based upon the renderings, I feel it's okay--not great, but not bad. I hope that CIM, which usually does good work, sees the need to rework some features with the architects. The original done by Kanner Architects was quite stunning, truly a hard act to follow. Since I think that the firm is still functioning after the untimely death of its founder Stephen Kanner, I don't understand why CIM would not use the original design and just truncate the tower from 40 stories to 33. Can you explain why.
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  #59  
Old Posted Jul 10, 2014, 6:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Wilcal View Post
DTLA denizen,
I would never assume that a website to watch construction would ever take away from the importance of your contributions. Do do so would be sheer folly. I also think that you truly enjoy your connection to the city, and no website would dare rob you of that joy.
I love the shot of what was once the Pantages theatre, although the building looks to be in need of some TLC (like a good bath). I have books with vintage photos showing throngs of pedestrians at that intersection in the early war years. If fact, the marquee read that Rhapsody in Blue was showing. I sometimes wonder how interesting it would have been to live in the city in that era, I have a feeling that it was an incredibly growing and dynamic place. On a side note I'd like to comment on the new 888 south Hope tower by RTKL. Based upon the renderings, I feel it's okay--not great, but not bad. I hope that CIM, which usually does good work, sees the need to rework some features with the architects. The original done by Kanner Architects was quite stunning, truly a hard act to follow. Since I think that the firm is still functioning after the untimely death of its founder Stephen Kanner, I don't understand why CIM would not use the original design and just truncate the tower from 40 stories to 33. Can you explain why.
Thanks for the kind words.

The old Pantages is really an amazing building... It will be some time until the jewelry tenants are kicked out and the theatre refurbished unfortunately.

Great resource to follow the theatre news in DTLA:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LAHTF/

And for information specifically on the 7th & Hill Pantages:
https://sites.google.com/site/downto...arner_downtown


The 888 South Hope tower is certainly just OK - not great. But what are we comparing it to? Nationally its OK/boring, internationally its boring infill, but for DTLA its (sadly) pretty great. I assume this design will be cheaper for them. Developers in DTLA don't yet see the cost benefit of a decently designed building.

Think about this, our best building going up is Wilshire Grand - which is nice, but not spectacular when compared to structures in other top cities. The bar is set so low, why would anyone want to spend extra money going above and beyond? Save that that for their Chicago, NYC, and Chinese developments.
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  #60  
Old Posted Jul 10, 2014, 8:06 PM
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Wow. I just love it all. Your pics are fantastic. The Warner Theater Bldg is absolutely beautiful. I love the uniqueness of Los Angeles, yet I love the traditional feeling of downtown but with its own architectural gems.
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