Guys, i dont mean to be rude, but these threads get ruined when everyone is having a personal conversation. thats why were not at SSP's level.

yay! 1oo1!

I agree, LASportsFan! SSP is SOOO much better. I had hoped my DTLA News and Updates thread would sort of get the forum back on track but the irrelevant/strange conversations remained. Plus, there are too many weirdos here LOL as I said in another thread.

So do we have any updates on Metropolis?

Well it was supposed to start on the fall, hopefully within the year 2006. Nothing about it in the dt LA online news. Maybe in the next quarter report they do bring us news...good news...

^^ What happened to the lawsuit, has that been taken care of?

Knowing how long it takes to pic up a finger in dt, I imagine this will delay it for a couple of months, hopefully. Come on, let's be realistic. A project this big with material costs soaring high as hell, with a lawsuit, and supposedly has to break ground by now, and has been unheard of? What are the chances????? Only time can tell.

I'm sure not losing hope, no time soon!

I really just prefer the damn project to be cancelled. It's not only ugly but a waste of space. We don't need anymore of those damn "centers"!!!

^^ What are you talking about............ Ugly, we have no final design yet?

Regardless of design, we don't need anymore centers! Just look at our skyline! The majority of the buildings are part of centers!

oh come on now, between having a building with a center. and not having a building at all. you would seriously choose the latter?

Regardless of design, we don't need anymore centers! Just look at our skyline! The majority of the buildings are part of centers!

So?

Take a look at NYC. Each building is its own self. Metropolis does not create a pedestrian friendly environment, looks ulgy, and is a waste of space. We have Concerto, Fig Central, Fig South, etc. all of those are centers! Do you not understand what I'm getting at?

LA needs to build more individual buildings. Look at NY, they have 85% individual buildings, and their skyline looks realy dense. Now look at other cities with these so called 'centers' and you see how the centers make the skyline appear to have gaps.
Anyway, I would rather see a dead center, than a parking lot. Plus dt LA does now own a 'center' that big, you never know, maybe its location so close to the I-110, LA Live, Fig. corridor, and Staples makes this a sucess :D

I guess I'm not understanding WS point of view. To me is like Croy Sig says, just build it what ever it is! That's the attitude we Angelinos want to hear.

That's what I'm saying!!! I hate that attitude of "Whatever it is, just build it." I stress the importance of QUALITY! From Los Angeles understands my point of view perfectly. Having these centers would create too many gaps. The only center that is to be loved is Rockefeller Center and maybe Time Warner Center. Do we honeslty want a skyline like Miami's? I also hate how that property is given to one single project. In NYC, that property could easily accommodate 15 buildings. That's the big difference between us and NYC. Each building is tall and skinny. It creates high-density and contributes greatly to the skyline.

PS, you spelled Angeleno wrong.

Going back to WS' point. Yes, Fig. Cent., Fig. South, etc are all centers. These buildings are all 'centers', the footprint is like 40% highrise, and 60% 'base'. They dont make the street look dense. Think about how Figueroa street is, and how Grand Av. [north of 5th]. Fig. looks so more alive for the fact that its buildings dont have these so called 'bases'.

well those centers do have one good property. they let the lite in much more then those 15 buildings on one block ever would

Photo from SSP:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/binjakob/IMG_0229.jpg

Just look at all the variety. Do you really want a space to be wasted on a project like Metropolis. No density, no variety, the same damn design. Come on...

That's what I'm saying!!! I hate that attitude of "Whatever it is, just build it." I stress the importance of QUALITY! From Los Angeles understands my point of view perfectly.

quality in los angeles is SO important that it's taking forever to get one project done. there are at so many projects to be completed by 2010 and we've only got the south towers, concerto, grand avenue and few others under construction in downtown.

and some open space areas are keeping the space reserved for a future phase anyway. btw, i don't see anyone walking in that new york pic. sidewalks look pretty gray, since we are talking about pedestrian lifestyle, and i don't see any ground floor retail. figueroa may not have much right now but broadway sure does.

our blocks here in los angeles are 2 to 4 times larger than new york city's. what can we put in some of them besides a center? i'm pretty sure it's not the only cause for gaps in the skyline. we don't have a very big skyline anyway compared to NYC. the more projects we get built, the more it gets filled in (obviously). the new downtown skyline is only 2 or 3 blocks wide so of course you will see gaps if you are looking at it from the east or west. look at it from the south or north and there are no gaps because it's at least 6 blocks. NYC has 20 short blocks on us from east or west and 30+ north or south.

we'll fill in like L.A. feels like it. and like always, who says we're NYC or CHICAGO or any other city?. btw, chicago has gaps in their skyline

Croyboy pretty much said it. The Metropolis site (as well as the Concerto site, Grand Ave and a few others) are too large for just 1 building to be built on it. Otherwise, we'd have a skyline full of Metlife buildings (huge monster on that NYC picture). Metropolis would look much better with 3 buildings (50, 45, and 30 stories) with a large green space on the bottom.

And I agree with quality over quanity. While I'm not the biggest fan of the Metropolis design, it's far from ugly. Just needs to be reworked a bit which I'm sure it will be.

The large footprints of the projects are not reserved for future development, they are just open spaces. How are you going to come up with a dense enviroment if you build two buildings in the space of 5.
We need more towers like The Hanover, the one Maruelo is proposing, and the tower by Maguire than projects like Metropolis or Fig Central.
NY has a collection of good centers, Trump Palace, Time Warner, and the most impressive yet to be build WTC complex.
If more than 50% of a site is going to be open space rather than hight rise, at least let the building be tall so it won't be wasted space.

What?

Basically im in WS' side.

Oh people in LA can never agree. Then when the downtown is super dense you'll have the same people saying, "we don't have any open space and grand vistas like Paris". A city is a living breathing organism. It is susceptable to become what it's DNA (original plans)and its enviroment says it should be. Remember the postwar II GI's-coming back home-wanting a single family home-in the Valley-eventhough many of them grew up in dense east coast urban meccas-has already happened. "White flight" or more politically correct "suburban draw" has already happened. Industry moving overseas has already happened. The Federal Highway Initiative has already happened that enticed cities to build freeways and rapid roadway and thus on some level everywhere become more dispersed. LA has been affected by these societal tides on a unique level that Chicago or New York wasn't for the simple fact that they were already long in the tooth by the dawn of the post-industrial age. The Empire State was constructed in the early 30's! The Chrysler as well! It still blows my mind because we have yet to best these (still to me) futuristic looking icons. I don't mean to get sidetracked here but my GOD! looking at that picture I just want to bow down before the Chrysler building and serve up a burnt offering to the gods!
It's even arguable that skyscrapers are no longer needed in our society as we get settled into the info age.
Don't know. I just don't expect LA's skyline to ever look like Midtown Manhattan's and that's fine.

I think all they really need to do is change the design of the building and ill be happy, i mean you would hope they could afford a better architect it being a big company and all.

what is this construction. i asked a few months ago when it was just getting cleared out. its on hollywood and vine
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/questionConstruction.jpg

The LA forum should have a sticky thread for LA metropolitan projects. Like SSP has the Hollywood projects thread, and the LB one, and the Wilshire one; this forum should have a compilation of the three.

^^ cool...so u wanna start?

Its not that I want to, its a necesity of the forum.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a278/Imyurdada/1-1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a278/Imyurdada/2-1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a278/Imyurdada/3-1.jpg

Curbed LA reports
Development: First, in regards to the Maguire tower being built downtown, an inside source says the project appears to be an actual project, at least from the City's perspective. "Well I can't say how the numbers rationalize it, but Maguire has retained Keating-Khang to draw up conceptional drawings suitable for discussion with city officials for the new high-rise 50-story near 7th/fig downtown. Keating Khang confirmed this in a meeting with the city regarding a different project. The Pasadena architecture firm is responsible for the Californian (recently constructed) and the Wilshire Club View (under construction) residential high-rises on the Wilshire Corridor in Westwood/W LA."

I Guess we can add this project to the first page!!

^ Sure why not.

this wouls be a great addition to an already nice skyline

what is this construction. i asked a few months ago when it was just getting cleared out. its on hollywood and vine
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/questionConstruction.jpg


no one knows????

^^ can't help you there....I AM as curious as you though...What is going on with this project? Anyone?

no one knows????



Botox, you might have to take a drive down there and see if there's any advertisement. Just a suggestion!

No clue what it is... maybe another new wax musuem.

...or a t-shirt shop.


alright thanks anyway guys

im pretty sure its a condo project.

im pretty sure its a condo project.

got any links or anything?

seems there are alot of residental projects poping up in this location. the massive renovation on the south west corner. the anti-bernard building. im guessing this is going to be the hollywood and vine transit city?

When is the LA Live Hotel breaking ground?

As said "Going vertical in January."

great proyects..!!!

thanks random passer by!

Grand Avenue project clears first hurdle
The $2-billion downtown L.A. development gets unanimous approval of a city-county panel. But tax assistance issues are still being worked out.
By Cara Mia DiMassa
Times Staff Writer

November 21, 2006

The Grand Avenue project cleared its first major hurdle Monday despite continuing questions about the more than $40 million in tax rebates the developer is seeking.

A joint city-county authority voted unanimously to approve the $2-billion plan, which calls for building shops, condo towers and a boutique hotel on city and county land near the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

The deal must now go to the Board of Supervisors, the Community Redevelopment Agency and the City Council, where the tax issues will have to be decided.

The city's influential chief legislative analyst, Gerry F. Miller, said in an interview Monday that talks over the tax rebate continue. He said he would only endorse the tax break if the developer can prove that it is vital to making the project work.

The project's developer, Related Cos., has indicated in documents that the project is not economically feasible without the rebates on the city's hotel bed and parking taxes.

A source familiar with the negotiations between the city and Related said that the city's analysis thus far supports Related's contention that the 275-room hotel, a cornerstone of the project, cannot be built without the public funds.

At Monday's meeting, critics called the tax rebate — which would come on top of other breaks Related is already receiving — unacceptable.

"This project is larger in size, subsidy and government involvement than any other project in Los Angeles, and yet it is smaller in terms of community benefits," said Benjamin Torres, who represents a group of community and labor organizations called the Grand Avenue Coalition for Community Benefits.

The debate centers on how public money is being spent on the project. Related Cos. is making a $50-million payment to the city and county, representing the prepaid, 99-year lease of the property in the project's first phase and a deposit on the land to be used for the second phase. That $50 million would be poured back into the development, to fund a 16-acre park that would be part of the project's first phase.

Other public investments in the project — about $19 million — would be used to fund traffic, streetscape and public space improvements. That money is expected to come from city and county property tax revenue generated by the project — or perhaps from a loan against expected tax revenue.

Some activists at Monday's meeting said there were not enough concessions to working-class Angelenos in the project.

The joint powers authority had negotiated a deal in which 20% of the units in the first phase of the development — or 100 units — would be affordable housing, for people making 30% to 60% of the area's median income.

But Noreen McClendon, the executive director of Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles, said that "low-income workers don't get anything out of the project." McClendon, a member of the Grand Avenue Coalition for Community Benefits, expressed concerned about the sizable public investment required to complete Grand Avenue and its accompanying public park, which she called "a project in downtown Los Angeles for the wealthy."

"We are talking about building for a population that isn't even here yet," she said. "We need to start talking about using some of these moneys to complete the projects" already in the works elsewhere.

Public officials dismissed the criticism, saying that any public investment in Grand Avenue would come directly from revenue generated by the project.

"If there's no development, there are no benefits," said Gerry Hertzberg, a spokesman for Supervisor Gloria Molina, who chairs the joint powers authority. "You can kill the goose, and you get nothing. Just a parking lot."

Before introducing a recommendation to approve the deal, billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad, the chairman of a committee that has been shepherding the Grand Avenue project, called Monday's vote "a critical milestone in realizing the dream of creating a world-class downtown for Los Angeles."

Other business leaders and some community members welcomed the deal as downtown Los Angeles' best chance for establishing a vibrant city center.

"We need this project to give life to what we already have here," said Carol Schatz, head of the Central City Assn. and the Downtown Business Improvement District. "Right now, it's not a grand avenue. It needs to be a grand avenue, with amenities that pull people from all over."

Schatz criticized what she called "noisy talk" from some community activists, saying "it makes it very difficult for us to move forward in a positive way."

Bruce Baltin, vice president of PKF Consulting, which is working with the city on a number of hotel projects, including Grand Avenue, said that it was "not unusual these days" for cities to give hotel tax rebates in order to attract new, often high-end hotels.

Baltin said he couldn't comment on Grand Avenue specifically. But he added, "the concept is something that is being applied fairly frequently these days, as cities look to use hotels as vehicles to spur economic development."

Last year, the City Council approved up to $177 million in similar subsidies, including $140 million in hotel bed-tax revenue — to developers of L.A. Live, a 55-story hotel and condominium project next to the Convention Center.

At the time, council members said they voted for the deal hoping the project would help make the Convention Center profitable.

Another hurdle for the Grand Avenue project may be how the city and county properties that would be part of the three-phase project are appraised. The appraisals will determine how much money the city and county get out of the deal and how much they must pour in. Councilwoman Jan Perry expressed concern Monday that a vote on the project by the Community Redevelopment Agency and City Council not be scheduled until those issues are resolved.

Bill Witte, president of Related Cos. of California, told the joint powers authority that the public park would be the first part of the project to be completed. He said that once the plan clears all of its public hurdles, his organization is committed to moving forward on the project at full speed.

how long has the convention center not been profitable?

how long has the convention center not been profitable?

I don't know how long, but I do know that just a few years after the South Hall was built and the entire Convention Center expanded, it suddenly became inadequate, due to competition from larger-sized convention center renovarions in nearby Anaheim and San Diego. Also, other cities around the country/world have built larger convention facilities since 1993. In the convention business, "bigger is better."

The Convention Center's large South Hall was designed to host a polical party convention and similar events, with good sight lines, but when Los Angeles hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2000, the organizers wanted to host it in the adjacent Staples Center instead.

Not having a row of nearby hotels (with their own convention/exhibition space has long hurt the Convention Center. I attend NAMM (music instrument trade show) in Anaheim each year, which is one of the largest events that convention center hosts, and some of the related exhibits, receptions and parties take place in the hotels just outside of the Anaheim Convention Center.

I do know that Phase III of LA Live will include a new North Hall for the Convention Center (located between the 110 and the rest of LA Live) which will add even more convention space to the facility.

I always said the LA Convention Center is very unattractive and uninviting. That place needs a make over and pronto!

have you guys ever seen the pittsburgh convention center? man that place is cool. they finished construction on it one year befor i moved out of that dead end city. its one of the few things i really liked about that place

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/DSCF0007.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/IMG_7043.jpg

does anyone know whats being built downtown right near the 10 at san pedro st? it looks like theyre on the 4th or 5th floor right now.

have you guys ever seen the pittsburgh convention center? man that place is cool. they finished construction on it one year befor i moved out of that dead end city. its one of the few things i really liked about that place

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/DSCF0007.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/IMG_7043.jpg



^ Looks like a plain circus tent in the middle of the city*

does anyone know whats being built downtown right near the 10 at san pedro st? it looks like theyre on the 4th or 5th floor right now.


^ A necessary parking Tower to accommodate shoppers in the Fashion District*

^ A necessary parking Tower to accommodate shoppers in the Fashion District*


Stop saying shit like that "Ferney". Or else you are going to force me to use my connections to get you banned.........for life.

Stop saying shit like that "Ferney". Or else you are going to force me to use my connections to get you banned.........for life.



^ Hey what ever happened to freedom of speech, LA is not just a Public Transit city but also a Driver's paradise!!!!!

and then ill tell ferny about torpark and masking ip adresses and he will live again!

you were too quick... damn me and my misspelling

Sorry to break up the meeting of the minds here, but a bit of sad news regarding Concerto:

"The first, a 350 unit tower, is under construction and should be completed in February 2008. But the second, a 271 unit tower, which was to break ground in June, has been put on hold.
Sonny Astani, head of the the Beverly Hills development firm Astani Enterprises, said that given the state of the downtown condo market and rising construction costs, the project does not pencil out, even though more units were to be sold for more than $600,000."

On hold. Not cancelled. But I can't complain too much. One tower is fine.

It's not going to look right with just one Tower. Is the main Tower getting more floors instead? Will the design change? What's going to happened with the extra land? A Park? Sooooo many questions come to mind*

I knew something was up and rumors were out that financing had been pulled on the whole project.

BTW, 9th and Flower (NW Corner) is now dirt.

^^The articles says a 350 unit tower maybe they mean for the low rise building and the 27th story tower because if u look at it the low rise is suppose to have 77 units and the 27 story 271 units like the one that is getting put on hold (phase 2) who knows, btw if u calculate those 2 structures the amount comes out to 348 units roughly 2 units shy of 350. I think originally Astani said that the low rise and 27 story structure would be Phase 1. I hope also for Opus that they keep the original 15 story tower. I know construction costs are skyrocketing but why are other cities having bigger booms and buildings built? esp Vegas and Dubai.

yes the first phase is the 27 story tower and the 7 story tower. Lets not worry about Opus yet. also, Other cities like Vegas, Miami, etc are having big booms, but they have already slowed down and are losing projects left and right. do you know how many projects have been cancelled in Vegas in the last year? plenty. so dont worry guys, were gonna get ours.

It seems LA is taking the "slow and steady" and sometimes to us obsessed urbanphiles the very frustrating "cautious" path.

Lowe's Home Improvement to Anchor CIM Group's Midtown Plaza
Wednesday December 6, 1:28 pm ET
An Urban Retail Center in the Heart of Los Angeles


LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIM Group has secured a 116,000-square-foot Lowe's home improvement store for Midtown Plaza, the company's 390,000-square-foot urban retail center in central Los Angeles. Set on 12 acres at the corner of San Vicente Blvd. and Pico Blvd., Midtown Plaza is an innovative design that combines major retailers such as Lowe's with a diverse group of smaller retailers and restaurants along with a new bus transit terminal.
ADVERTISEMENT


"Lowe's Home Improvement is a top retailer known for its strong focus on customer service in addition to its extensive array of quality products," noted Shaul Kuba, principal and co-founder of CIM Group. "We are transforming a large property that has been an eyesore in the community for decades and Lowe's is the ideal anchor for this significant project."

Located along the Pico Blvd., or north side of the property, Lowe's Home Improvement will include a 17,200-square-foot garden center in addition to a substantial stock of building products, fixtures and appliances that currently are not available to local shoppers.

"This is a milestone in the evolution of this community which retailers have overlooked for years. The area's large and diverse population currently travels miles to find the shopping options that most of us take for granted," noted Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson. "It represents a successful collaboration between the Community Redevelopment Agency, the CIM Group, the community and my office, all of whom worked hard to make this project a reality."

Construction on the Lowe's Home Improvement store is expected to get underway in the first quarter of 2007 with an anticipated opening in winter of 2008. The $114 million Midtown Plaza development is an interesting stacked design that takes advantage of the different elevations on the site. The Venice Blvd. frontage on the south side, which is higher, will bring a broad spectrum of retailers and restaurants in 166,000 square feet of space. A modern MTA bus terminal has been built into the site at the corner of Pico and San Vicente with 11 berths and 15,000 square feet of street front retail that includes a Panda Express, Footlocker, Wells Fargo and Starbucks. Combined surface and structured parking will provide 1,400 spaces.

With the bus terminal and in-line shops complete, construction on the remainder of the project is expected to get under way in the first quarter of 2007 with completion anticipated for winter 2008.

"Midtown Plaza will become a shopping destination and a welcome amenity for the community. We meet regularly with the neighbors and have solid insight into the types of retail and restaurants that appeal to them. We are in active negotiations with other great businesses," added Kuba.

About CIM Group

CIM Group is an integrated, full service real estate investor with in-house acquisition, development, finance, leasing, and management capabilities. CIM Group directs its efforts towards districts of high population density, including the downtown areas within large cities, smaller "main street" districts within towns and suburban cities, and other locations which lie within the metropolitan areas of the country. Since its inception in 1994, CIM Group has been a leading force in the creation of great streets in the cities of Santa Monica, San Diego, Pasadena, Brea and Hollywood.

11 berths?

good to hear more is going on... but a lowes complex in downtown? cant we have a... skating rink or somthing?

put the lowes in ontario

11 berths?

good to hear more is going on... but a lowes complex in downtown? cant we have a... skating rink or somthing?

put the lowes in ontario

thats not downtown, its to the west in mid city.

...i dont know were that is

^Mid-Wilshire.

thats down the street from roscoes, awesome!!!!!!!! chicken, waffles, and home improvement items.

We'll have to see it to judge it. It's an experiment, so we're dealing with an unknown product.

In the last few months, I've driven on la brea in that are, just north of the 10. That area is hurting for investment, so regardless of whats being put up there, we should be happy money is going into that hood. the area bounded roughtly by la cienega to the west, olympic to the north, downtown to the east, and as far south as i can imagine is really lacking in just about every category (minus roscoes). hopefully this lowes will be a catalyst for the surrounding hoods. I think Venice blvd through the above mentioned area has so much potential, because it so wide and located near the freeway. now its a bunch of crummy stores and mechanic's garages, but once you get into culver city it gets much nicer.

That area has seen some trickling of gentrification the last few years. I bet when this development pushes through, that area will be a boomtown....and yes, Roscoe's yum, yum...

now its a bunch of crummy stores and mechanic's garages,
sounds like the entire valley north of riverside

And with the Crenshaw line eventually coming through by the strength of Jan Perry to the east and the Expo to the immediate west this "hidden" area should pick up. San Vicente is a beautiful street with (I believe) very attractive mid-century apartment buildings lining it.

There's a Home Depot in Pico-Union already. where is it? On the same block as the Starbucks! :)

Anyone know exactly how tall in feet the Ritz Carlton is going to be, and where it'll stack up against the other skyscrapers in LA? I wonder how much those condo units are going to go for... must be insanely expensive.

The Ritz is going to be around 700' to 750', probably ranking something like 8 to 5th tallest.

So Fig South has a new name: Jardin

http://www.gerdingedlen.com/project.php?id=63

^^that little water fall/lily pond is prity cool.

overall building design is acceptable

website images for the lazy
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/jar03.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/jar01.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/jar02.jpg

this isn't LA:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/jar01.jpg

tell them...

Does anyone know anything about the groundbreaking of these towers? That website says Dec 2006 but I doubt thats gonna happen.

We're almost in mid-December and we haven't heard anything on this project recently. I wouldn't expect a December groundbreaking.

Well we didnt hear nothing of 9th and Flower and ground broke already.

website images for the lazy
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/jar03.jpg


is there any retail? or is everything inside? i like the overall design, but it kinda looks like a fortress! this sux...

(thanx for posting the pics)

I hope the real tower are not as bland as there, what happened to all the advertisment?

From SSP:

I caught the LA Downtown Architectural Forum (or something a long those lines) on tv (like LA36...public access).

Anyway, they had Richard Robertson or whatever his name is doing City House and Olympic. Well, he showed a newer, revised version of the two buildings. They are now twin buildings. They are the same height it seemed and look more similar to the shorter one with the dome on top.

But I dont think they are both the same height as the old shorter one. I didnt quite catch what he said but they are but I think they are both somewhere in between or as tall as the old tall one. Anyways, they are very tall, and connected only at the bottom where there is large open archways that lead into a courtyard (that is between them) it appears.

Still the same pre-war style as he called it. He said a lot, lot, lot of detail would be on the building, that he doesnt want to skimp on it. And it would be limestone (or at least thats what he said when he was talking about the bottom of the building (which is very grand)

Here's the link:

http://la36.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=11&clip_id=2083

There's a Home Depot in Pico-Union already. where is it? On the same block as the Starbucks! :)

This is not in Pico-Union at all. This is at least 5 miles to the west of Pico-Union, near Pico and LaBrea.

By the way, this used to be a railroad yard for the Pacific Electric (red cars), and was probably ripped out in the 1960's.

Here's the link:

http://la36.granicus.com/MediaPlayer...1&clip_id=2083

broken link! i wish I could see this

This is not in Pico-Union at all. This is at least 5 miles to the west of Pico-Union, near Pico and LaBrea.

By the way, this used to be a railroad yard for the Pacific Electric (red cars), and was probably ripped out in the 1960's.

I think he's talking about the HOme Depot on Wilshire close to Union st.

Here's the link:

http://la36.granicus.com/MediaPlayer...1&clip_id=2083

link dont work

This one works for me.

http://la36.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=11&clip_id=2083

...stupid unidentified missing plugins.

WOW! Park 5th to be 37 and 71 stories high!!:cheers:

I'm unable to see it, maybe next time!

From SSP:

Speaking of other projects, some observations I made while driving home today (no camera since I was driving):

1. The rebar columns of Hanover Tower are now barely visible in the skyline when driving west on the 10, approaching the 10/110 interchange.

2. Sheet piling/shoring appears to be done at the Meruelo tower at 9th and Hope and excavation has begun. As of earlier today, a majority of the site was already about 6 feet deep.

3. They've installed most of the windows on the first two residential floors along 9th street at the Market Lofts. Looks nice. Not award-winning, but nice.

Here's the new rendering of The City House and The Olympic:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL144/5090918/10396790/213181401.jpg

holy crap!!!

I hope the real tower are not as bland as there, what happened to all the advertisment?

There was none to begin with. Jardin is Fig South. Not Fig Central.

Sorry about that.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL144/5090918/10396790/213181401.jpg

If these are going to be twin towers why should they each be named differently? They should just be called the Olympic Towers or Olympic Plaza or something like that. Just my opinion.

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/1-Front-View.jpg

Back view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/10-Back-View.jpg

Top view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/16-Top-Two.jpg

Left view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/2-Left-View.jpg

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/3-Front-View.jpg

Front view
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/4-Front-View.jpg

Sidewalk
http://robertsonpartners.net/images/8-Sidewalk.jpg

WOW those towers are amazing! LA desperately needs these towers to be built. And hopefully they will start a new trend in LA, buildings with spires!

he he he! i love it. what will be visable in the space between the towers?

Correct me if I'm wrong but won't the current design for the towers need to be changed in order to comply with L.A. Fire codes which mandate that high rise buildings in L.A. must have a flat roof and a helipad?

^^ not with the new elevators that will be installed...this new technology allows for highrises in L.A. to be built without a helipad. :banana:

^^ not with the new elevators that will be installed...this new technology allows for highrises in L.A. to be built without a helipad. :banana:

So elevators, which wouldn't work during a fire, can be built instead of a helipad to comply with fire codes. Sorry, but this is just a "wtf?" to me. Are there any articles about this?

^^ If you really think about the helipad in a fire. A Helicopter will be unable to stop or fly over a highrise fire. With all the fumes and commotion your best bet is to jump on an a high speed elevator to the lobby and evacuate.

^^ not necessarily. commotion on elevators would probably be more than the roof givin there are elevators on every floor and plenty of stops each level down. it's gonna get rediculously crowded... not like a small amount of people on their lunch break going to a plaza, but like entire floors of people that just might want to live. if the emergency involved damage to the elevators, you do need a plan B escape.

you need both... besides, spires isn't our thing here... we'll stick to crowns and NYC can have the dunt hats

^^ If you really think about the helipad in a fire. A Helicopter will be unable to stop or fly over a highrise fire. With all the fumes and commotion your best bet is to jump on an a high speed elevator to the lobby and evacuate.

And what happens when the power is shut off to the elevator?

I think maybe now they have slides that go to the bottom floor? I remember hearing something about new buildings having those after 9/11.

Slides?

And what happens when the power is shut off to the elevator?

I think maybe now they have slides that go to the bottom floor? I remember hearing something about new buildings having those after 9/11.



^ If the building actually loses power it's mostly to happened a while after the fire started. Besides by that time you should be in the lobby evacuating and making sure your free and clear of all smoke and fire.

As far as the "Slide", I don't think so. Say your on the 47th floor and you jump on the slide, your ass is going to go so fast atleast 100 miles and hour and chances are you not going to survive the impact so your better off burning up upstairs.

^^ not necessarily. commotion on elevators would probably be more than the roof givin there are elevators on every floor and plenty of stops each level down. it's gonna get rediculously crowded... not like a small amount of people on their lunch break going to a plaza, but like entire floors of people that just might want to live. if the emergency involved damage to the elevators, you do need a plan B escape.

you need both... besides, spires isn't our thing here... we'll stick to crowns and NYC can have the dunt hats



^^ Well yeah your kind of right about a panic fest. So if you have a plan B most likely that idea is being used up. Which I'm assuming is the stair ways where people are running over people.

:gaah: :gaah: :gaah:

come on people, no one will ever be rescued by a helicopter in a fire. the wind from the propellers would fan a fire, and you can rescue 2 - 3 people at a time, max. its a stupid law that should be recinded.

I agree. But the firm is still going to have to come up with an alternative and right now their isn't one. Now that Trump is involved let's see what he can come up with.

I agree. But the firm is still going to have to come up with an alternative and right now their isn't one. Now that Trump is involved let's see what he can come up with.

Trump is involved? in what?

^^ He isn't.

^^ He isn't.



^^ Or is he?

Well if he is, he sure kept it quiet as hell.

ew.

^^ not with the new elevators that will be installed...this new technology allows for highrises in L.A. to be built without a helipad. :banana:

Well many people are talking about these revolutionary elevators (if they do exist) but no one has produce any proof. If the jump in technology is so great you'd think it would've leaked out to the media. What is so great about them? Aren't you suppose to stay out of elevators in case of fires? Oh I get it. Maybe you step inside and your're teleported instantly to a safe place at ground level outside the building.
I have no problem with flat tops in building. With the right design the flat top look can be minimize.

GlobeSt.com Commercial Real Estate News and Property Resource

Last updated: January 9, 2007 05:07pm

$60M Downtown Project Looks to LEED
By Bob Howard

LOS ANGELES-Two trends that have steadily been gaining momentum in Southern California, the building boom in Downtown L.A. and the growing migration of developers toward green building standards, will come together in a $60 million mixed-use project that the First United Methodist Church has proposed. The development, at Olympic Boulevard and Flower Street, is expected to total 200,000 sf, according to Burbank-based BTG Advisors, which the church has retained as a consultant on the Downtown project.

The church, which is also planning the project as the next home for its congregation, will develop the space in a joint venture with a development partner on church-owned land. Plans have yet to be completed, but BTG says the development may include affordable and market rate housing, office space and a sky chapel and sanctuary that could be used by other local groups and congregations.

The facilities will be developed according to building guidelines established under the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. The church leadership sees the project as “a catalyst to enliven the neighborhood,” says Rev. Sandie Richards, pastor and executive director of the Los Angeles United Methodist Urban Foundation.

BTG Advisors will advise and represent the church through its RFQ and RFP process, and in the selection of a joint venture development partner, says BTG's CEO, Richard Gentilucci. BTG Advisors will also provide strategic and financial planning through the completion of the project.

BTG Advisors provides a broad range of consulting services to real estate owners, including nonprofit organizations. Gentilucci, who founded the firm in 2005, was formerly a managing director of Shamrock Capital Advisors, an affiliate of Burbank-based Shamrock Holdings of California, the investment arm of the Roy E. Disney family.

Copyright © 2007 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
For reprint information call 410-571-5893 or e-mail afaulkner@remedianetwork.com.

Anyone know the status on Metropolis? Last I heard was that someone was suing IDS Real Estate due to the proposed buildings blocking their "ocean views".

http://www.gruenassociates.com/images_news/images_cp/metropolis.jpg

http://www.idsrealestate.com/images/MetropolisPic.jpg

Assholes never let any construction go on without delay. A view of the ocean from downtown? Damn, you can almost never see it anyway with the smog (although I must admit, I've had clear views this year).

Why sue? deal with it! These people who sue for blocking their ocean views should realize that if they really wanted a view of the ocean, they should've bought a beachfront property.
No wonder New Yorkers laugh at us!
These kinds of people should stick to the westside, dt LA should have new and 'raw' residents who care less about ocean views, who just want to experince urban living.

Is there a link for the Metropolis project? I don't know too much about it.

There's a little info in the CRA site.

Is there a link for the Metropolis project? I don't know too much about it.



^ I've been anxiously waiting for the phase 1 to take affect. Also can't wait to see how the final design would look?

This project was proposed what, like 2 decades ago and still nothing? What makes you guys think this project will get built EVER?

This project was proposed what, like 2 decades ago and still nothing? What makes you guys think this project will get built EVER?

I think with all the momentum happening with LA LIVE, the South developments, LA Central etc. in South Park it will eventually get built. But those new designs are too "vancouver-ish" for my tastes. Probably nice to live in but very bland to look at...I'd even prefer the post-modern designs of Metropolis to these new renderings.

Oh yeah nice updates JRinSoCa and SMN l! Thanks! We really appreciate it...:cheers:

As an addtion, it's just a matter of time until that lot gets life. Even if Metropolis doesn't get built, evntually something will be. Who knows, maybe Trump will like the lot once he sees it???

As an addtion, it's just a matter of time until that lot gets life. Even if Metropolis doesn't get built, evntually something will be. Who knows, maybe Trump will like the lot once he sees it???

I totally agree with you FROMLA...that plot of land is just too valuable to be left empty.

On the topic of Trump? I remember watching the news on KCAL 9 about one or two weeks ago when Trump got his star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame"..I recall seeing a reporter interviewing him...she had asked him what are his plans for Los Angeles? ...since I can't remember his exact words...it was something along the lines of , "We're planning on building something big! Very big and tall in Los Angeles"...so this is coming from Trump's mouth now so let's hope he puts money where his mouth is. We'll just have to see what his exact plans are for Los Angeles.... If I were Mr. Trump..i'd want to build on that plot of land that Metropolis would occupy. Afterall, he is known to adhere to the cliche of "location, location"...In terms of location, that's prime real estate.

Yes of course he is the big player in the story.
But about location, I love to see the Los Angeles Trump Tower at 8th and Figueroa!

This project was proposed what, like 2 decades ago and still nothing? What makes you guys think this project will get built EVER?

Because it's never been cancelled. Until there is offical reports, Metropolis (as well as Zen among others) is still proposed.

i really like the metropolis project.....hopefully the court battle gets settled quickly...

I hope Trump builds in downtown rather than the westside. Mid Wilshire would be a good location too.

Another good plot of land is the northeast intersection of Wilshire and Figueroa; there's a shitty 5 story 60's building there, and the location is prime!

anyone ever hear of the River Ridge Masterplan?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/RiverRidgeMasterplan.jpg

Double Damn..... That is what we need instead of the frickin park. Nice!

We NEED that park! Besides, it's included in that proposal.

Holy shite man that looks great! I had no idea there were highrises proposed with the park. Its like a whole new skyline! What's all the low rise stuff in the center and lower right side of the pic? Is it all residential?

the lower right area is existing housing.

I must say it looks a lot better than Playa Vista.

anyone ever hear of the River Ridge Masterplan?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/RiverRidgeMasterplan.jpg

WOW! add to that the proposed park and i'm sure some of those mid-rises will turn into high-rises!! awesome find. :cheers:

Now that's something :banana: :banana: :banana:. It would add another skyline to LA county.

We have enough skylines, but it would be nice to see some mid-rises so that it blends with downtown.

[QUOTE=phattonez;11494049]We have enough skylines



^ What's one more to the region?:bash:

^^One too many.

SO, ok dont think of it as another skyline, think of it as another 'thriving community.'

We need to grow out from downtown, not make another big city away from downtown.

It's not that far, it's probably a mile from Union Station.

A new, mini-skyline next to the future Cornfields Park? Hooray for LA!!! :banana:

Well, we always talk about how the NEW L.A. should be more dense right? This project will certainly add lots of density to the area, which is ripe for development. Land is still relatively cheap near Chinatown compared to the rest of Downtown and with the new park coming online in the next few years? This would be a gold mine to me if I was a developer. I say bring in the bulldozers already!

If this projects goes forward as planned.. I can already envision a furnicular similar to Angel's Flight between Dodger's Stadium and the new Cornfields Park. Judging by that rendering with all the new high-rises and low-rises planned for that project..with all that density and critical mass of residents, it could possibly warrant something like that being built.

Imagine taking the scenic Gold Line, getting off at the Chinatown Station... walking towards a bridge connecting the park intersecting that hill and taking a ride up the on a furnicular to see a Dodger's game. With so much space in the Chavez Ravine, the Dodger's certainly could build a couple of new parking structure and use the excess space for some type of enertainment venue or even mixed-use residential/retail buildings? I don't know but I'm thinking what better way to promote rail transit than this? It would certainly get more LA residents out of their cars to take transit and see a Dodger's game, experience the food in Chinatown, see the architectural gem that is Union Station, listen to Mariachi bands playing music on Olvera Street, or partaking in a outdoor concert at Cornfields Park,etc .

^ Hey your right the Gold Line via scenic route is possible. Since the Gold Line is as slow as a snail, per "Phattonez", now no one will ever complain again.

^ Hey your right the Gold Line via scenic route is possible. Since the Gold Line is as slow as a snail, per "Phattonez", now no one will ever complain again.

Fucking A man, I said it was slow in one section.

^^ Calm down there Hercules..... BTW TMI!

^^ Calm down there Hercules..... BTW TMI!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I hope the man had something to say.

Do we have any updates as far which master plan their choosing for the Corn Fields. I know we saw a couple of options and honestly I'm digging this design the most. Hopefully they would choose it and begin construction by summer.... That would be nice*

Do we have any updates as far which master plan their choosing for the Corn Fields. I know we saw a couple of options and honestly I'm digging this design the most. Hopefully they would choose it and begin construction by summer.... That would be nice*


I believe I read somewhere that the River Ridge Masterplan is tied to the LA River Reclamation Project and is separate from the Corn Fields Park plans. I'm not so sure, so maybe Vicecityguy knows more..*shrugs*

Here is a much better (and newer) rendering of the Glass Tower:

http://www.kalantarigroup.com/theglasstower/images/renderinga_big.jpg

Some serious redesigning is needed! But something beats nothing.

I think it looks okay. It will definitely contribute to the development of South park though.

Some serious redesigning is needed! But something beats nothing.

What's wrong with it? Enlighten us.

It looks like an office building in transition to an apartment complex. So what's the status with tower? Also how tall is it going to be?

Originally Posted By 300
What's wrong with it? Enlighten us..

It's just what I think of it, no need for 'enlighting'. The corner valconies are ok, but come on, let's put a little bit more thought on the sides! There should be a roof feature, or if they just leave it like that, put a pool on it. It just looks too commercial.

im with from los angeles on this one, the center glass element of the design looks the part but man, those sides look like the architect spent the whole job tweaking the center glass design. had the end of job celebration an hour or two early. the next day had a wake up call from his boss asking were the design was. came back into work hung over and then shit out the rest of the building so he could go back home and sleep

^ Ok...

I'm really liking this building. It has a nice, clean design. Nothing is wrong with it. It looks much better than the old design that's for sure.

What was wrong with the old design?, it was just awkward.

The new design is MUCH better than the old design. I just wasn't crazy for the old design. It was too "out there" for my taste. This design however provides a good balance between simplicity and cutting-edge design.

Forever 2121

After a Life of Rags and Ketchup, an Arts District Complex Readies for Residents

by Kathleen Nye Flynn

Set among railroad tracks, the Seventh Street Bridge and the Los Angeles River, the new 2121 Lofts, like several nearby housing developments, seeks to turn industrial grit into live/work chic.

Although the 78-unit development is decidedly modern, a trio of breezy landscaped courtyards dotted with orange trees and cacti gardens evoke a sense of classic Los Angeles outdoor lifestyle.

"If you walk in through the doorway," said Michael Shannon, a partner at Concerto Development, which is heading the project, "it's like an old Spanish bungalow: half that, and half gritty new urbanism."

It's been a long road for the collection of century-old buildings on the eastern edge of Downtown near Santa Fe and Seventh streets. They have been used for rag sorting, ketchup tasting and, at one point, possibly as artist Robert Rauschenberg's studio. They have participated in Downtown's residential development since the earliest stages, enduring sometimes tumultuous transitions. Most recently, some former tenants complained about being forced out.

After a $39 million renovation, the project has 59 artist-in-residence lofts (ranging from 750 to 2,000 square feet and starting in the mid $400,000s) and 19 two-story townhomes, which start in the mid-$500,000s and will open in April. It's being touted as offering low-density living in Downtown Los Angeles and has the grounds to prove it: 28,000 square feet of open-air space surround the buildings.

"We had been searching in the area for a different kind of project," said Lapchih Fan, Shannon's partner in Concerto. "We were looking for a place with character outside the core of Downtown where we could take a it a step further."
*

Storage Tank Surprise


The surroundings of 2121 Lofts are solidly industrial. One building looks directly out on the historic railing of the Seventh Street Bridge, which doubles as a roof over some of the project's parking spaces. Just yards away, trains slowly roll by as they head to a washing station.

The complex's concrete warehouse, which dates to the 1920s, once housed a rag-sorting business, where cloth was harvested for thread. One of the development's oldest structures, dubbed the Santa Fe building, was the site for Heinz Ketchup taste tests, according to the developers. Fan said construction crews had a surprise when they unearthed a large storage tank in the basement of the building.

"At first we were like, 'Oh no, what is this?'" Fan said. "But then we realized it was just a tank where they used to store the ketchup."

Shannon said that the building has been home to residents for decades.

"The Santa Fe building was done in the '90s and was one of the first residential conversions in Downtown," he said. "The units didn't have kitchens and some of the residents literally used hotplates, much like old-school TriBeCa type apartments."

In the 1960s, Shannon said, Rauschenberg owned the cavernous, brick-lined Santa Fe building. Years later, the space was occupied by photographer James Fee.

Developers Federal Industrial Properties hired Killefer Flammang Architects in 2000 to transform the warehouse spaces into market-rate rental units. Killefer created the courtyard areas, painting some outside walls sky blue, corrugating others and giving the buildings a modern-but-rugged aesthetic.

Last year, after Concerto Development purchased the property and began the conversion, controversy erupted. Several former tenants said that they were not informed of the building's sale, and then did not receive proper compensation or time to leave their apartments. One resident said he took legal action against the developer and received some recompense.

"I feel kind of duped because I'm one of many who fixed up the place," said former 2121 resident Landon Ryan, who now rents in a nearby Arts District building.

The current developers said they worked with tenants after they bought the building, letting some stay past their leases and arranging relocation plans with property specialists LA City Lofts.

"During the transition I acquired some distinction as the 'rapist of the Artist District,'" said Shannon, referring to an article written about the situation that was posted on the Internet. "But we've made peace with all those folks."

Well, not all of them - especially in a community where some artists worry that they'll be driven out completely by expensive new developments.

"It's great that these old structures are being revitalized, and the architecture is important to the culture," Ryan said. "But it is unfortunate what that does to the people that inspire that culture."

Old Buildings, New Uses


Although the eastern edge of the Arts District has not yet enjoyed the development boom occurring in the Historic Core and South Park, some nearby projects have materialized. About two blocks northeast of 2121 Lofts, developer Linear City opened the Toy Factory Lofts. This month, the company will bring the 104-unit Biscuit Company Lofts online.

Meanwhile, the 2121 buildings are getting a second makeover as Fan and Shannon's first project in the community. Fan, a 30-year-old former investment banker who most recently worked for Downtown development firm Urban Partners, and Shannon, a 56-year-old lawyer who for years had hoped to develop in the area, both own condos in Downtown and said they wanted to create a project that offers more amenities than their current buildings - like, say, a dog park and gourmet kitchens.

Concerto hired Killefer Flammang to bring these design ideas home.

"We were very pleased to work with them because they completely understood the original content and how to keep continuity in the current structures, as well as our intent for the new spaces," Fan said.

The courtyards will be re-landscaped, one receiving a circle of fruit and olive trees called the Martini Grove. The complex will also have a reading lawn and an enclosed dog walking area with a grooming station.

Soon the main entrance off Seventh Place won't be so unassuming - the developers are building a steel-reinforced lighted doorway that will create the effect of a two-story, softly glowing box, Fan said.

Concerto's most extensive addition to the complex - the 19 townhouses in the concrete former rag-sorting building - each have two entrances, one through a courtyard and a back door to a private porch. To allow light into the first floor of each home, Killefer Flammang carved out an interior atrium on the second floor that looks down through a skylight to the dining room below.

"It was so much fun because so many of the units we do are in high-rise buildings that are narrow with light just on one end - that's just how the footprints are," said Alison Maloney, the project architect. "With this one we really got to play."

Even with the renovations, many of the buildings' industrial features remain intact. Inside some units, train track rail stripes the walls. Some ground floor residences exit onto loading docks, soon to be turned into private porches with folding glass doors.

The project includes state-of-the-art Italian kitchens with vented range hoods, convection ovens, wine coolers and Caesar stone islands.

"Both of us are enthusiastic eaters and therefore interested in cooking," said Shannon. "One of the opportunities we had with a low-rise project is that it is not inconceivable having hoods supporting gas stovetops."

The culinary theme runs through the project, the developers said. Residents will have access to an herb garden and the main courtyard will feature an outdoor kitchen complete with a stove and refrigerator.

With completion of the entire project scheduled for September, the complex is gearing up for yet another life. It also recently made its television debut.

"The season premiere of '24' shot here," said Fan. "The funny thing was that [the characters] ran directly from here into 7+Fig."

EDIT.

Low dense? Downtown? You may be able to alter it but you can't completely change a city's DNA.

So is this still the deisgn of the Los Angeles Courthouse?


Architecture: Perkins & Will
For what will be the largest federal courthouse in the U.S., Battle collaborated with architects Perkins & Will to create a landmark sustainable building, scheduled for completion in 2010. The building is oriented to allow for the installation of photovoltaic panels on the south-facade, while a large central atrium will provide natural ventilation -- and protection in the event of a bomb blast. The building is expected to earn a Platinum rating on the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, with a minimum 35% reduction in energy consumption. "The environment is now becoming an accepted architectural generator," says Battle.


http://www.metropolismag.com/images/images_0102/fei/Los_Angeles_Courthouse.jpg http://www.perkinswill.com/images/projects/lg/lg-77a.jpg

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/guy_battle/image/4.jpg

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/guy_battle/source/4.htm

wow... um. is that even the same building?

guess i need to see this in flesh and blood to decide my approval or dis...

...Oh whatever!

I am truly digging the design...

Some serious redesigning is needed! But something beats nothing.

I bet that this building will be freakin amazing when it's built. You will see. I said it first, "amazing"! :cheers:

So is this still the deisgn of the Los Angeles Courthouse?


Architecture: Perkins & Will
For what will be the largest federal courthouse in the U.S., Battle collaborated with architects Perkins & Will to create a landmark sustainable building, scheduled for completion in 2010. The building is oriented to allow for the installation of photovoltaic panels on the south-facade, while a large central atrium will provide natural ventilation -- and protection in the event of a bomb blast. The building is expected to earn a Platinum rating on the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, with a minimum 35% reduction in energy consumption. "The environment is now becoming an accepted architectural generator," says Battle.


http://www.metropolismag.com/images/images_0102/fei/Los_Angeles_Courthouse.jpg http://www.perkinswill.com/images/projects/lg/lg-77a.jpg

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/guy_battle/image/4.jpg

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/04/guy_battle/source/4.htm

wow...I really like this building...even more so that it will get a Platinum rating on LEED :banana:

One more:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/untitledLarge.jpg

^^now that i like!

It won't block City Hall will it?

Well of course from some angles, but let that be not a problem. Just enjoy this awsome building.

It won't block City Hall will it?

Well, from many many many areas of downtown, many many many buildings (tall and short) block city hall. I guess its just where you are standing. If you want to get a good look at city hall, you can walk right to its front steps and glare all you want!

Why thanx! Gee, I would have never thought to do that.......:uh:

How is the lapd headquarters building progressing?

More from the A&D exhibit:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02028Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02018Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02017Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02016Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02015Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02014Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02013Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02012Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02011Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02010Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02008Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02007Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02006Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02005Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02004Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02003Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02002Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02001Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC02000Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC01999Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC01998Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC01997Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC01996Large.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Models/DSC01995Large.jpg

^^ that is sexy good!

I really like the *****'s design and all. Just feel that the attachment should of just been a separate ********. Instead of looking like it's growing out of the main *****.

Actually I like that, it is such a singular gesture of this ********.

I really like the *****'s design and all. Just feel that the attachment should of just been a separate ********. Instead of looking like it's growing out of the main *****.

If I remember the previous announcement on this project correctly the "attachment" makes perfect sense. Wasn't the Marriott supposed to occupy the entire shorter building and the lower floors of the taller structure with the Ritz Hotel and Residences taking the upper portion? If this is the case then having the two sections tied together is a must (okay, or at least makes things easier for the hotel operator).

Also, from what I can see from these great photos the external skin also seems to visually identify the building's two distinct functions.

Got to love AEG... now let's hope they can flex their muscle to bring the olympics home.

Have they installed a tower crane yet for the LAPD headquarters?

CRA Approves Major Chinatown Project

News Brief

Plans for the 321,000-square-foot Chinatown Gateway at Broadway and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue received final approval from the Community Redevelopment Agency last Thursday. The CRA board voted unanimously to sign off on the proposed five-story mixed-use effort by Chinatown LLC, with partners J.B. Realty and Equity Residences. Although the CRA is not providing funding for the project, the board's approval was required because it falls in a redevelopment area and the property was previously zoned for commercial use only, said Bibiana Yung of the CRA. The proposed development would include 280 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Thomas P. Cox Architects is handling the designs. The project at the southern edge of Chinatown would include 581 parking spaces, most of them below ground, as well as 30,000 square feet of recreational outdoor space, a pool, and a landscaped plaza along North Broadway and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue. Building permits and other city approvals must still be granted before a groundbreaking can take place.

page 2, 4/9/2007

Have they installed a tower crane yet for the LAPD headquarters?



^ No not yet... where you at?

I wish AEG would build a hockey team, like they build their buildings. As a Los Angeles Kings fan, this season was hard to watch.


But I love the future of downtown, now we can brag about out downtown a bit.

^^roll call?

Roll Call :banana: Roll Call:banana: Roll Call

One more:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/untitledLarge.jpg

hey...is that a new building in the foreground? it looks new

what is this construction. i asked a few months ago when it was just getting cleared out. its on hollywood and vine
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/questionConstruction.jpg

I believe this is the site for the W Hotel Residences! I inquired about them...they look pretty pretty good.

what? no the w hotel is one the south east corner of hollywood and vine. that is the north west corner in that pic

According to the Notice of Preparation for the Park Fifth EIR, the proposed project will include two residential towers; Tower A includes 41 floors (490 feet high) and Tower B includes 76 floors (890 feet high). :banana:

So the Downtown News writer got confused with number of floors vs. actual height when claiming that tower B could be taller than the Library Tower, duh!

http://www.crala.org/internet-site/Documents/upload/P5%20NOP%20and%20Initial%20Study%204-5-07.pdf

rockin

According to the Notice of Preparation for the Park Fifth EIR, the proposed project will include two residential towers; Tower A includes 41 floors (490 feet high) and Tower B includes 76 floors (890 feet high). :banana:

So the Downtown News writer got confused with number of floors vs. actual height when claiming that tower B could be taller than the Library Tower, duh!

http://www.crala.org/internet-site/Documents/upload/P5%20NOP%20and%20Initial%20Study%204-5-07.pdf

At 890' it would become the second tallest in Los Angeles, and the tallest residential tower west of Chicago, pretty much Water tower place "west".!!!

Until the proposed highrises in 'Frisco.

Until the proposed highrises in 'Frisco.

What specific towers in San Francisco are you speaking of? It was my understanding the SF has a limit on new construction that essentially means that the BofA and TransAmerica Towers would remain the tallest buildings in town.

What specific towers in San Francisco are you speaking of? It was my understanding the SF has a limit on new construction that essentially means that the BofA and TransAmerica Towers would remain the tallest buildings in town.

The tallest going up currently in San Fransico is the millinium tower, it's only in the 700 foot range, the tower going up on rincon hill is only 650' the millinium tower will be the the 3rd or 4th tallest, (i believe the Manderin hotel, and 101 california are only a few feet shorter than millinium tower.

What specific towers in San Francisco are you speaking of? It was my understanding the SF has a limit on new construction that essentially means that the BofA and TransAmerica Towers would remain the tallest buildings in town.

There is a proposal to build two 1,200 foot tall towers called Transbay something or other.

There is a proposal to build two 1,200 foot tall towers called Transbay something or other.

I heard about that proposal, i'm thinking several years away, and most likely downsized, i could only imagine the foundation engineering on somthing like that with San Fransico's ground strata.

Most likely they will get those 3 towers, but let's not pay mind to that. The good thing is that LA will get that 800' tower! :banana:

New Metropolis rendering:

http://gruenassociates.com/images_news/images_cp/metropolis1.jpg

Finally we hear something for Metropolis, ThanX Vice. So where's the other two towers? Has the project been downsized?

It looks better, but I wish it was taller and less office park like. They could easily incorporate ground floor retail on the side facing the 101.

Finally we hear something for Metropolis, ThanX Vice. So where's the other two towers? Has the project been downsized?


I think that since the project is done in phases, they only show renders of the first phase??? not sure, but we have seen so many versions of renders that i wouldn't be surprised if it changed again, maybe taller???

Oh yeah Taller would definitely be real good...

As far as I remember one of the towers in going to be a Hotel. Can it be part of phase 1, if so under who will it be named?

Finally we hear something for Metropolis, ThanX Vice. So where's the other two towers? Has the project been downsized?

Look towards the left. You can faintly see the other 2 towers.

It'd be cool if the base was a mall of sorts.

ewww...no malls! Its already next to LA Live, and potentially numerous shops at the LA Central across the street.

ewww...no malls! Its already next to LA Live, and potentially numerous shops at the LA Central across the street.


^ We can never have enough Malls...

No we can, but we could wait till LA Live and surrounding retail fills up not to flood the retail market.

New Metropolis rendering:

http://gruenassociates.com/images_news/images_cp/metropolis1.jpg

I don't think downtown is going to work the way it's suppossed to if buildings like this keep popping up. NO one will ever leave their buildings to walk around...this little "oasis" on top of a base really takes the focus out of the surrounding environment and puts it into the building itself...even though these buildings are taller they remind me a lot of the crappy buildings like the Medici. Seems like most, if any, of the people that will be walking will all be hidden inside L.A. live or inside their buildings.

and with all these plazas. almost every project with a big lot has to have a fukin plaza. two tall towers with three huge plazas. No wonder l.A has so many gaps in its skyline

you have to remember the location of this project, facing the Freeway on two sides. the retail was street facing and this project is part of the LA Live entertianment zone. Check out the earlier renders showing the plaza and the retail, it engaged the street.

and with all these plazas. almost every project with a big lot has to have a fukin plaza. two tall towers with three huge plazas. No wonder l.A has so many gaps in its skyline

but it make for a much greener city. actually i was thinking about this on the way up the 1o1 a few days ago. looking out at the basin im still surprised just how green the whole place is. there are trees everywhere. i hope for the future that these are still included and future projects to keep this place pritty.

This how I think buildings should be built in some areas of Downtown
It just rises between old and new WITH No plaza. It can also create a peditrian flow around this area.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g280/Joey313_photos/DSC00250.jpg

It creates that connection feel. Buildings that are propsed around the historic core should be built like this. This is just my oppinion

^They're called infill projects.

^^ I think he's referring to general new development. And I agress with his point. Just look at NY, they don't have a plaza or two for every building, and their downtown is the greatest in the world.

New Metropolis rendering:

http://gruenassociates.com/images_news/images_cp/metropolis1.jpg

Sometimes a podium works, sometimes it don't, this one is too high, retail or not it dosen't connect to the ground, maybe a terrece back from the street or something, to give the towers more presence, this is obvious parking to save on excavation cost's, to me it dosen't work, take this back to the drawing board!!!!!!!

^^ I think he's referring to general new development. And I agress with his point. Just look at NY, they don't have a plaza or two for every building, and their downtown is the greatest in the world.

also, because NY has central park... there's enough plaza/park there for all of manhatten.

Thomas P Cox has an updated rendering for Grand Avenue's project for Phase 2 and Phase 3 towers (not Frank Gehry's 47 and 25 story towers as part of the first phase).

I noticed that one of the residential towers slated for parcels L & M is taller than Frank's 47 story tower.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/grandavephase2and3.jpg

hot diggity dog!

I love it, the way the design for the towers on the left evolved from a pair of twins with a boring plaza in the corner, to a taller tower and a shorter one in between. This is what downtown needs to feel dense.

What is the tall gray tower sitting on? A future mall or parking structure?

There is a proposal to build two 1,200 foot tall towers called Transbay something or other.

What is the tallest building in Downtown Frisco by feet and how many floors does it have? How does it compare to the current tallest building in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles:

US Bank Tower, 73 floors, 1,018 feet

San Francisco:

Transamerica Pyramid, 48 floors, 853 feet

So here are three new projects we learned about from the quarterly update from the LA Downtown News.

1) 751 S. Spring Street - 32 Stories
2) Witmer Tower - 1027 Wilshire - 40 Stories
3) 11th and Olive - 62 Stories

Could it be that this new 11th and Olive tower be the same proposal as the Olive St. Tower from back then?

There is a proposal to build two 1,200 foot tall towers called Transbay something or other.

Something like the Transbay Tube Towers which would be two tubular cylinder shaped buildings but the proposed height 1200 feet is just too tall for Downtown Frisco. More likely if it's ever built would be less than half that height and will then be called The Transbay Grain Silo Towers. Heh! Heh!

Can we please get back to "Downtown L.A." important projects....

That render of Grand Ave. is awesome

From bogdowntown:

It's official :banana:

http://viewfromaloft.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/01/_igp2923.jpg

Yes it is Vice... :banana:

Thanks for the update once again!

No time to seee this baby rise LOL
this is great news.!

From bogdowntown:

It's official :banana:

http://viewfromaloft.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/01/_igp2923.jpg

What's official? I don't see any image. It say's IMAGE nOT AVAILABLE?

Ditto.

What's official? I don't see any image. It say's IMAGE nOT AVAILABLE?


OMG you missed it Frenzy, it was magnificent and marvelous I even got a tear or two....

Tough cookie, I go image not available also! Oh well, the important thing is that this baby is going up.

I was just watching the news and the groundbreaking for the LA Live hotel has already passed meaning the hotel should start soon.

Tough cookie, I go image not available also! Oh well, the important thing is that this baby is going up.


GOD DAMMIT!!!! WHat IS going Up?????????? SOMEONE Please!!!!:bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :tiasd: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :gaah: :gaah: :gaah: :gaah:

:pet: relax and enjoy the news Man!!!!:banana: