LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[The Dirty Goblin]

That was for Dist. new to this whole tech thing...seriously though, how do you reply to somebody?

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by AlpineM3

I'm 29 and granted, can't go too far back, but i've never really been able to do what I have been lately DT. Walking around (somewhat comfortably), seeing a mix of older and younger crowd (mixed nationalities) walking around, going to dinner, walking their dogs etc......never in my life did I think i'd be hanging out DT, much less bar hopping and enjoying myself. Sure the L.A live complex and immediately surrounding areas are nice and new, but my main focus is true DT. Broadway, Grand, Hill, Spring, all areas i've walked up and down on and are somewhat impressed with. Progression is slow, but noticeable. Many buildings receiving the love they deserved, but we have a Loooooong way to go so it kind of still gets me angry at the negligence the city had for a very long time.

I've ranted on for far too long and maybe bored some of you, but as a fellow Angelino and avid DT goer, their is definitely a different feel to DT and the future looks bright. Statistics prove it with population on the rise, projects on the table and the want from people like yourselves and I.

I always appreciate reading postings from ppl who describe their personal, direct experiences in the hood. It's like a text version of photo updates, so for me such a post can never contain too many words.

You should be grateful that you're a part of the here & now, & are not like your predecessors, or ppl who were 29 yrs old back in the 1980s, 1970s, or definitely 1950s. that's cuz ppl back then were stuck in the middle of having to witness decades of dt going downhill. So if they wanted to see the hood turn around, they'd have to wait yrs & yrs into the future, until they were old & gray, or worse, never would have lived to see that moment.

I can relate to how you feel when seeing some of the still aspects of dt, but always remember just how really it was not too many yrs ago. however, cuz of a recent court decision that prevents police from managing homeless ppl, some of the streets have gotten dirtier over the past several months. That does make me:

As for the swapmeets or other divey businesses on broadway or other streets, as long as there are enough customers to keep those places open, they & the slumlords who squeeze whatever $$ they can out of such tenants will continue to hang around. so in that case, it will be ok if history repeats itself with the hood again seeing ppl fleeing from it----but this time shoppers who don't have much money----& favoring other hoods over dtla.

Originally Posted by ChelseaFC

Title Insurance Building across from Spring St Park to be 250 condos

that bldg is the one on the left, across from the el dorado....


adnergroup.blogspot.com


twinspringsbuilding.com


twinspringsbuilding.com


twinspringsbuilding.com


twinspringsbuilding.com

^ ppl who end up calling that bldg home will have quite a lobby area for them or their guests to walk through. The bldg's website indicates it's currently occupied by businesses involved in fashion or similar trades, so I wonder how they feel about the bldg transitioning to residential? but I'm guessing there's not enough of them to make the owner want to keep the bldg as commercial space.

[Kingofthehill]

Originally Posted by ChelseaFC

Title Insurance Building across from Spring St Park to be 250 condos

http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/c...9bb2963f4.html

This puts a smile on my face. I have always wondered when/if that Art-Deco gem would be lovingly renovated into a better use. And, man, what a wacky name for this guy: "Izek Shomof." Clearly, the former Soviet Union Jewish set has a thing for DTLA!

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

Dude it has only been a couple days, and the economy is still recovering from the recession.

jdr, I was referring to the fact that the hood has had lots of empty space since well before the current recession. I just read that the 2nd tallest bldg in LA, the aon tower, has a vacancy rate of 65%. that stunned me cuz I thought a bldg like that would be doing much better. But when I hear about things like that, I now understand why the owner of the grand wilshire was forced to change their plans at the last minute.

the oversupply of space also still exists in spite of various office bldgs having been switched to housing over the past 10 yrs. That's why when I learn there's much less unused space in hoods like samo, venice, or hoods closer to the coast, it's obvious that the desire of businesses to not move to dtla remains a problem.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by citywatch

the oversupply of space also still exists in spite of various office bldgs having been switched to housing over the past 10 yrs. That's why when I learn there's much less unused space in hoods like samo, venice, or hoods closer to the coast, it's obvious that the desire of businesses to not move to dtla remains a problem.

Actually, buisnesses not wanting to move ot DTLA is not the problem. Almost all articles I've read about office vacancy rates in L.A. say that DT is poised for growth due to its new lease on life. The issue is that A) there is a ton of space to fill and B) taxes for businesses are much higher in L.A. then they are in SaMo. Also, much of the office space DT is 80s corporate space, which is not what companies look for now. New companies look for creative, 'authentic' space, which, sadly, DT does not have a lot of. However, this is changing, as more and more companies either build new or convert existing office space to Creative Office Space. So, really, the future is bright.

[ThreeHundred]

Look at the jewel box (is that the official name?) at City National Plaza. It was empty for a long time and lo and behold, a major GLOBAL architecture firm (Gensler) moved in. DTLA needs to continue to market itself (as well as continue to improve which is clearly is) in order to attract not only business people but residents as well.

[pesto]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

About half of downtown is otherwise worthless industrial place. Even if the NFL did ultimately move to the Famer's Field site, I don't see why the Angels couldn't figure out a way to build a stadium somewhere in the southeastern quadrant of DTLA or next to the LA River.

I agree completely, but that's not what AEG seems to have in mind. They want the stadium next to LA Live. The LA Times, NBC, and many fan sites have noted that they are talking about the football site, and NBC speculates that this is evidence that their efforts to find a football tenant are not working out (which is not headline news). In any event, the proposal for Ave of the ANGELS next to LA Live is a dead giveaway.

A baseball stadium the other side of Alameda would be a real boost to DT; this is much more analogous to what SF did with ATT, which is miles from the financial district, civic center or Union Sq., in a formerly industrial district. Similarly, north of Union Station makes sense. A way to leverage new development.

Of course what Arte really wants is improvement to Angels Stadium and the ability to drop "Anaheim" from his PR. But the idea would still make some sense for DT LA.

[sings twin]

Fantastic forum.

Would anyone be able to confirm if the new Marriott project at 901 Olympic Blvd Downtown LA has actually broken ground yet.

I know that more than a month ago there were photos here of pre construction but would really be very interested to hear if actual construction has begun yet.

[BrighamYen]

Originally Posted by sings twin

Fantastic forum.

Would anyone be able to confirm if the new Marriott project at 901 Olympic Blvd Downtown LA has actually broken ground yet.

I know that more than a month ago there were photos here of pre construction but would really be very interested to hear if actual construction has begun yet.

To answer your question: I passed by this weekend to see a movie at LA Live and saw no construction activity.

[JDRCRASH]

OK, i updated page 1. I didn't include Avenue of Angels because it's not all owned by one single entity, so i don't think really one single project; whereas the 42-acre Union Station area redevelopment is owned by the MTA and is being designed as one mega project.

[StethJeff]

Originally Posted by pesto

I agree completely, but that's not what AEG seems to have in mind. They want the stadium next to LA Live. The LA Times, NBC, and many fan sites have noted that they are talking about the football site, and NBC speculates that this is evidence that their efforts to find a football tenant are not working out (which is not headline news). In any event, the proposal for Ave of the ANGELS next to LA Live is a dead giveaway.

A baseball stadium the other side of Alameda would be a real boost to DT; this is much more analogous to what SF did with ATT, which is miles from the financial district, civic center or Union Sq., in a formerly industrial district. Similarly, north of Union Station makes sense. A way to leverage new development.

Of course what Arte really wants is improvement to Angels Stadium and the ability to drop "Anaheim" from his PR. But the idea would still make some sense for DT LA.

The way AEG has been so aggressive and successful at pushing it's plans, I'm kinda surprised they don't have more ambitious plans to purchase up more parcels to try to bring a baseball stadium DT in addition to Farmer's and the rest of LA Live. There's absolutely no reason to leave Angel Stadium - its great. But moving to a picturesque stadium DT that has amazing views of the skyline would actually do a ton for the team's image and marketability.

[alki]

Originally Posted by The Dirty Goblin

That was for Dist. new to this whole tech thing...seriously though, how do you reply to somebody?

Click on Quote in the right hand corner of the post to which you want to respond.

[alki]

Originally Posted by LA/OCman

If you read this interview, you will see why Downtown is such a unique place in this great city of Los Angeles. These are two guys who had an idea...and they have created a great gathering place...with a mother's family dream. When I hear about all the criticism about LA, I remember how many people I know have come west for a new start. Check it out. Downtown is a great place with a real community.

http://www.backyardbite.com/2012/04/...n-los-angeles/

The Pie Hole which I didn't need to read about and look at all their great pies as I try to cut sugar out of my diet, and the St Louis RE brokerage opening up an office DT...........that's the kind of grass roots stuff that will remake DTLA into a more exciting place. Now if a big office user would make a move DT it would help build critical mass.

[alki]

I am curious........what kind of attention is the LA Times giving to the DT revival?

[colemonkee]

They'll do the occasional story of a restaurant or business opening, but rarely do they do the kind of comprehensive stories about the broader revitalization like an out of town paper would do. They are, after all, right in the middle of it, so it's not really "news" to them.

[Illithid Dude]

I was looking at the Historic Core a little bit ago, on Google Maps, as I was curious to see it again with all the new proposals in mind. What really holds the area back, to me, is the dingy streetscape. I've seen the proposals for the Broadway streetscape design, and they look fantastic. I think that if this streetscape design was extended to Spring and Main, then the whole area would become nearly perfect. What I'm worried about is that Spring and Main are being neglected for Broadway. Specifically, all the monetary incentive that Huizar is giving businesses to move to Broadway. Shouldn't he be doing this for all of the historic core? After all, both Spring and Main, in addition to Broadway, are his district.

[sings twin]

Originally Posted by BrighamYen

To answer your question: I passed by this weekend to see a movie at LA Live and saw no construction activity.

Thanks very much Appreciate the info.

They were due to break ground end of march early April. I wonder if there is a delay or is this the norm?

I would be really grateful if anyone has any info or has actually seen activity on the site.

[ThreeHundred]

Rarely do projects start construction on time. So by March, they actually mean May or June.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

What I'm worried about is that Spring and Main are being neglected for Broadway. Specifically, all the monetary incentive that Huizar is giving businesses to move to Broadway.

I think that's cuz broadway looks more , mainly due to all the divey stores along the street. Spring & main sts also have groundfloor spaces & deadzones, but they seem less desperate cuz they never developed all the swapmeets & the type of shoppers attracted to such stores as broadway has had for over 30 yrs. Broadway to me would actually look & feel better if more of its 1st floor spaces were vacant.

I thought if there was one proj that had a good chance of starting on time it would be the new hotel on olympic, across from LA live. that it hasn't:

I read in the other LA thread that work has also yet to begin on the large blvd6200 apt proj on hollywood blvd. that one was supposed to break ground as long ago as january. someone posted that the site still is a parking lot as of today.

I also read that construction of new restaurants in dtla still is being bogged down by lots of red tape, in spite of attempts to streamline the process.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by The Dirty Goblin

That was for Dist. new to this whole tech thing...seriously though, how do you reply to somebody?

Hit the Quote button on the comment you want to reply to. I saw your reply though and figured it was for me. Thanks for the advice!