Metropolis Approved - 4 Towers (30, 46, 55, 42 stories!!)

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Great news.

CRA Approves 836-Unit Metropolis Project

After 14 years of stops, starts and plan changes, the Community Redevelopment Agency has approved the master plan for the Metropolis project at Ninth and Francisco streets in South Park. The City Centre Development company plans to break ground in June on the 6.3-acre mixed-use complex that will unfold in four phases, the first of which will include a 30-story building with 360 condos and 17,867 square feet of retail. Phase two calls for a 46-story structure with 388 condos and 17,133 square feet of retail. The third phase envisions 88 condos in a 55-story hotel/residential tower with 480 rooms. The final element is a 42-story office tower with 11,000 square feet of retail. A large-scale public art project will also be included. When first proposed in 1991, Metropolis was an all-office and retail development but was sidetracked when the office market stagnated. "I think it's an improved design," said CRA project manager Lillian Burkenheim. "It's much more welcoming. The original project had retail below grade, but now it has an open plaza, outdoor seating and a park." The City Council must approve the final design.

page 2, 10/10/2005

[PotatoGuy]

so cool! itll connect dt to the LA live area

[VansTripp]

WOW!!!! GREAT NEWS THAT I HAD SEEN. :okay:

[StevenW]

Awesome news! :) Can't wait to see renderings! :D

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i guess there are renderings because someone on SSp said they saw it on a LA City channel and they said it looks much better than the previous design.

[saiholmes]

so cool! itll connect dt to the LA live area

Yeh. LA Live and Grand Ave.
http://www.latimes.com/media/graphic/2005-09/19474080.gif

[chgoman]

It will be great when the WS kick the hell out of the California / Anaheim/ LA Angels...whoever the hell they are... in the ALCS....

so typical CA...can't tell or make up your mind where you are from, or you are too cool to be from somewhere so who cares...or you know what I wasn't born here so I am not from here anyway..I am just a transient like everyone else....what difference does it make....good luck w/ your little towers

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

^1917

[FROM LOS ANGELES]

you've maid my year

[squeemu]

It will be great when the WS kick the hell out of the California / Anaheim/ LA Angels...whoever the hell they are... in the ALCS....

so typical CA...can't tell or make up your mind where you are from, or you are too cool to be from somewhere so who cares...or you know what I wasn't born here so I am not from here anyway..I am just a transient like everyone else....what difference does it make....good luck w/ your little towers

What in the world does this have to do with metropolis? The weirdest part is that there is already a thread about baseball in this folder which talks about the Angels!

[chicagogeorge]

It will be great when the WS kick the hell out of the California / Anaheim/ LA Angels...whoever the hell they are... in the ALCS....

so typical CA...can't tell or make up your mind where you are from, or you are too cool to be from somewhere so who cares...or you know what I wasn't born here so I am not from here anyway..I am just a transient like everyone else....what difference does it make....good luck w/ your little towers

Dude, take it easy.
Im a die hard White Sox fan too.
Let's not fucking jinx this! 1917 is a long time.

What does baseball have to do with this thread?

[soup or man]

It will be great when the WS kick the hell out of the California / Anaheim/ LA Angels...whoever the hell they are... in the ALCS....

so typical CA...can't tell or make up your mind where you are from, or you are too cool to be from somewhere so who cares...or you know what I wasn't born here so I am not from here anyway..I am just a transient like everyone else....what difference does it make....good luck w/ your little towers

Wow..that came from left field.

[savvysearch]

It will be great when the WS kick the hell out of the California / Anaheim/ LA Angels...whoever the hell they are... in the ALCS....

so typical CA...can't tell or make up your mind where you are from, or you are too cool to be from somewhere so who cares...or you know what I wasn't born here so I am not from here anyway..I am just a transient like everyone else....what difference does it make....good luck w/ your little towers

This isn't a baseball thread. If you want to talk about baseball, go talk about it elsewhere where people care about baseball. These out-of-nowhere remarks are bizzare and desperate. :weirdo:

[savvysearch]

Anyone have any pictures of these developments?

[FROM LOS ANGELES]

i agree with savvysearch, this thread is about Metropolis, one of the greatest developments of the area. I don't if you guys have noticed, but Fransisco Street is right in front of where the Convention Center Hotel will be, I hope the tower right in the corner is the 700+ tower, because that way there would be two 700+ buildings in either side of the street { Olympic }. It would look like Grand Avenue, where there is the Wells Fargo Bank in one side of the street and in the other California Plaza 2, but actually closer even. :)

[danparker276]

That's gonna block the view from the pool at 1100 Wilshire. They should make those towers smaller. Hopefully they'll build a nice park.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

That will ADD to the view from 1100 wilshire. you rather stare at a parking lot or some new sleek towers going up? thats a very selfish way of looking at things. i wish they would make them taller.

[RBR]

That's gonna block the view from the pool at 1100 Wilshire. They should make those towers smaller. Hopefully they'll build a nice park.

huh?? its so far away, what are you talking about you sound like its right next door to 1100.

[danparker276]

Yeah, it will probably add to the view. My unit is looking towards the other side of the city anyway. Staples might be blocked though. I'd rather have a better downtown anyway.
It looks like it could be a really cool place to live. I hope they put the pool on the roof, and not on the ground floor like Luma/11 did.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

That's gonna block the view from the pool at 1100 Wilshire. They should make those towers smaller. Hopefully they'll build a nice park.


You are one selfish MF. I am afraid of weirdos like you who think building more towers will "block" your views. When in essence, you look to the left (north) of Metropolis and you see a cluster of skyscrapers (the Financial District) that dwarf Metropolis! Yet, the Financial District's skyscrapers are considered "views" but more skyscrapers adding to that is considered blocking your views?

People like you are fucking retarded! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Boils my blood!

[Vidiot]

You are one selfish MF. I am afraid of weirdos like you who think building more towers will "block" your views. When in essence, you look to the left (north) of Metropolis and you see a cluster of skyscrapers (the Financial District) that dwarf Metropolis! Yet, the Financial District's skyscrapers are considered "views" but more skyscrapers adding to that is considered blocking your views?

People like you are fucking retarded! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Boils my blood!

uh oh.. better be careful. I know from experience he's serious.. :runaway:

[danparker276]

Haha, wow, I was joking about blocking the view. I said in my other message, it'll be a better south view and my unit doesn't face that direction anyway.

[allan_dude]

any pics of the proposed towers?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Another Major Development in the Works for Downtown Los Angeles

Housing, Office Tower, Retail Space & Hotel Combine for 2.6 Million-Sq.-Ft, Metropolis Project

Los Angeles — An ambitious, 2.6 million-square-foot development that will dramatically impact Downtown Los Angeles received approval Thursday, Oct. 6. It will enable the project to move forward in a changed market dominated by demand for housing downtown.

The new master plan for the Metropolis, envisioned years ago as a downtown office complex, will contain four new towers: two residential, a combination hotel/residential and one office. It received unanimous approval from the Board of Commissioners of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA).

“This is yet another major project generating excitement about Downtown’s future as a 24-hour, live-work-play-shop environment,” said CRA/LA Chairman Paul Hudson. “The fact that the Metropolis will be financed 100% by the new developer underscores how much faith the business and development community currently have in the future of Downtown Los Angeles.”

Slated for 6.3 acres on the blocks between 8th and 9th Streets and bordering the Harbor Freeway, the Metropolis will sit between new developments planned for the Convention Center to the South and the extensive Grand Avenue development to the north. The Metropolis is located within the Central Business District Redevelopment Project.

If approved by the City Council, the project will be built in four phases and include:
- A 30-story residential tower with 360 units and 17,867 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
- A 46-story residential tower with 388 units and 17,133 square feet of ground floor retail space.
- A 55-story hotel and residential tower with 88 residential units and 480 hotel rooms.
- A 42-story office tower.

In addition, the developer, IDS Real Estate Group, will provide a $500,000 grant to enable the Skid Row Housing Trust to complete construction of an 89-unit, single -room occupancy project for very low-income individuals, now being built Downtown on San Pedro Avenue near Sixth Street.

The Trust’s project, the Rainbow Apartments, will receive the money because the developer was required to replace 19 low-income housing units that had previously stood on the Metropolis site. Further, the CRA/LA and the City could receive anywhere from $5.5 million to $28 million from the Metropolis developer in return for allowing the project to exceed downtown’s zoning density. That exchange was part of the original agreement when the project was first conceived in 1991 when the market for downtown office space was booming. Downtown height restriction of 6:1 Floor Area Ratio limited buildings’ density to no more than six times the square footage of their site. To exceed that density, City Center Development, the original developer, received permission for ‘’unused” density rights from the nearby convention center. The developer agreed to provide pay for the increased density by providing funds that would provide specific public benefits downtown. But, as the market cooled for downtown office space, the Metropolis plans never went forward.

Instead, they were modified six times over the years, until the CRA/LA asked the developer for a market study to determine best use of the site. The mixed housing, office, retail idea was then born. In exchange for increased density, the new developer, IDS, to whom the project will be sold, will provide cash payments, the amount to be determined by the amount of density exceeded. The developer has also agreed to follow additional Agency requirements including a contribution and/or development of public art, payment of living-wage rates for construction workers and a fee for South Park Open Space.

“Initially, I had concerns. But what really moved me was the commitment of the developer to provide community benefits—good jobs, health benefits, great landscaping with lots of trees—all those things combined makes this a substantial package that’s very valuable,” said Janis-Aparicio. “I am really excited about this project.”

About the Central Business District Redevelopment Project
The 1,549-acre City Center Redevelopment Project is located in the heart of downtown Los
Angeles and consists of a number of sub areas. They include Central City East, Civic Center,
Financial Core, the Regional Commercial Core and South Park.

About CRA/LA:
CRA/LA (www.crala.org) is a public agency regulated by the State of California and operating within the City of Los Angeles. It attracts private investment into economically depressed communities to eliminate blight, revitalize older neighborhoods, build housing for all income levels and create and retain employment opportunities. CRA/LA manages 32 redevelopment projects areas in seven regions: East Valley, West Valley, Hollywood & Central, Downtown, Eastside, South Los Angeles, and Watts &Harbor.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

The Return of Metropolis

Nearly 20-Year-Old Project Morphs Into $800 Million Residential Hub

by Kathryn Maese

After 17 years, an office market crash and two lawsuits, John Vallance has learned a few things about patience. Finally, the patience appears to be paying off.
After nearly two decades, developers of the Metropolis project say the $800 million complex is finally moving forward. They say it could break ground next year on this site a block from Staples Center. Photo by Gary Leonard.

Vallance's Los Angeles-based firm, City Centre Development, is moving forward with an ambitious, $800 million-plus project that has been the subject of much speculation, and equal amounts of skepticism. If all goes according to the current plan, the project could break ground by next summer on a 6.5-acre vacant lot one block from Staples Center.

Once planned as a multi-tower office complex, the so-called Metropolis has been retooled as an 836-unit condominium and hotel development set to unfold in five phases. IDS Real Estate Group is partnering on the deal.

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved the project on Oct. 6 and all Metropolis needs is a green light from City Council, which the developer expects by year's end. Vallance said timing - and hefty financial backing from IDS (it invests for clients such as CalPERS) - is finally on its side.

"When we introduced the project in 1988 there was a strong office market," Vallance said last week. "By the time we got approved five years later there wasn't. Our hands were tied because our entitlements didn't allow us to capture the market. When it changed dramatically we had to wait because we didn't have residential approvals. Now we have that and we are on a roll."

Designed by Gruen Associates, the project site is a collection of surface parking lots between the 110 Freeway, Francisco Street, James M. Wood Boulevard and Eighth Street. Immediately northwest across the freeway is the sprawling Medici residential complex.

Phase one of Metropolis, which fronts James M. Wood Boulevard next to the freeway, will feature a 30-story condo tower with 360 units and nearly 18,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor. Sketched out for the second phase is a 46-story high-rise with 388 condos and 17,000 square feet for shops and entertainment venues.

The structures will be linked via an open plaza, where the developer will invest a 1% public art requirement in "a spectacular art program... to be the focal attraction to the project," according to CRA documents. While the previous plan looked inward, the new version will enliven zigzagging Francisco Street with pedestrian-friendly cafes and retail. An environmental review on the project's impact to the surrounding community was completed shortly after Metropolis was proposed (two lawsuits concerning traffic were dismissed at the time, though they delayed the approval process).

"We want something complementary to draw people to the site," Vallance said. "We're hoping it's something that is more than just static."

The most dramatic element is the project's third phase, a 55-story hotel topped with 88 condos. As tall as the planned 1,100-room Convention Center headquarters hotel a block away, the Metropolis structure would include 480 rooms set back along Eighth Street.

The final structure is a 42-story tower with 800,000 square feet of office space and 11,000 square feet of retail. Vallance said plans for the two latter stages could switch to housing if demand for hotel and office space lags in the next five to 10 years.

"We're working on the hope that it will improve," Vallance said. "This is a long-term project and anything can happen over that period."

Mark Tarczynski, a broker with CB Richard Ellis, said the move to build office and hotel space in a few years makes sense, particularly with the $412 million Convention Center hotel set to open in 2009.

"The demand for convention quality hotel rooms is going to balloon," he said. "At some point, [revenue per available room] for hotels will increase markedly and make new hotel construction profitable."

Likewise, the housing boom is creating hundreds of upscale units for office workers that will make living and working in the city attractive.

"I really see a spike in office rents and demand in the not-too-distant future," Tarczynski added. "Back in the early and middle '90s, we had the best office stock in California. But companies don't come down here because CEOs in C-level suites live on the Westside and no one wants to drive Downtown. Now we're seeing executive level housing becoming available, workers are aging and their kids are moving out. Companies will begin migrating to Downtown."

South to North


When City Centre Development first proposed Metropolis, no one had any idea that Downtown's development would concentrate in the gritty South Park area. Back in 1988, Staples Center was still more than a decade from happening.

Nor did the company know that it would be sitting on what would come to be a veritable gold mine - one of the last vacant parcels near the coming $1.5 billion sports and entertainment district known as L.A. Live. The company completed land assembly by early 2000, with the help of the CRA on one parcel at Francisco and Eighth streets, for a total of $70 million. The notion that trendy clubs, theaters and restaurants would rise around Olympic and Figueroa was unfathomable, as was the forest of luxe, high-rise residences cropping up in the district.

"It's just gravy that Anschutz Entertainment Group is doing what they are doing a block away," Vallance said. "When we bought this property we never expected that development would come from the south to the north. We though it would come from the north on Bunker Hill. But we're glad to be squeezed in between this area near L.A. Live. It's a good place to be."

Tie-ins to L.A. Live will be evident in Metropolis, said Christopher Coe, a partner with architect Gruen Associates. He said the firm is "very aware" of AEG's designs and has built scale models to link L.A. Live with Metropolis' own dining, retail and entertainment venues along the street.

"The buildings will be very contemporary with modern amenities and strong character," Coe said. "It's a prominent site that deserves attention amongst its high-profile neighbors. There is a certain competition in all these developments."

Still, the developers continue to face a healthy dose of skepticism after the project's long and rocky history. Metropolis is also one of the largest mixed-use projects being proposed Downtown, and contains many variables subject to the direction of market winds.

Much like the rapidly changing office market that sidelined Metropolis more than a decade ago, City Centre Development could face the specter of another shift. Housing appreciation and sales have begun to slow over the last year, and an endless parade of experts continue to debate whether a housing bubble will deflate.

Vallance dismissed the notion, and the skeptics, saying the demand for housing in Downtown is stronger than ever, and will be bolstered by the arrival of more amenities such as L.A. Live and a supermarket.

Beleaguered by bad timing, numerous plan amendments and city bureaucracy, Vallance said Metropolis' time has finally come.

"City Centre Development and IDS are spending a lot of money right now to move forward. This is a for-sure deal," Vallance said. "We're sitting on a large piece of property, at great expense, and are anxious to get started."

[Steve2726]

I checked the Gruen Associates Website (they are the architect) but couldn't find anything related to this project. So for now, the quest for design renderings continues.
http://www.gruenassociates.com/

[TICONLA1]

This is great news, that makes a total of three, multiple/building or multiple/phase projects downtown. This one will fill, (rather nicely i might add) the open area, or the 110 freeway corridor, to 9th street. I'm pretty sure the hotel/condo tower will go up on the corner of 9th and Francisco st. (across from the Salvation Army) and the office tower, on the corner of 8th and Francisco st. And at, 42 storys this tower will have the approximate mass of the Union Bank tower, or put another way, a bit taller than the TCW building.

However, i was not aware of the L.A. Live, Hilton hotel/condo tower being above the 700' mark, i know these tower's stand on a sizeable podium, but i was thinking both to be in the 550' to 650' range.

And the Metropolis hotel tower , and the L.A.Live Hilton tower will have one long block (between 9th st. and Olympic blvd.) to seperate the buildings from each other. (I'm glad they are not closer to each other.!!!)

I drive by this project site at least 4 times a week, and you know, four tower's will fill it out just right. The Gruen associates, have been around for a few decades, and a local firm as well, there plan for this project will undoubtably be far better than what Michael Graves came up with.!!! But the next time anyone of you drive by the site, take a close look at it, (and the row of towers on the Figueroa corridor) although it's a large parcel, it's not THAT large. The four towers will be a welcome "cluster" with high visability.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

definitley agree. i wish that all four would be under construction at the same time, but i will settle for a building schedule similar to the South group project with elleven luma and evo.

[soup or man]

definitley agree. i wish that all four would be under construction at the same time, but i will settle for a building schedule similar to the South group project with elleven luma and evo.

It seems as though Luma started construction when elleven was halfway done. If that's the case for LA Live and Metropolis, then we'll see huge ammounts of cranes by the summer of 2007 with one or two buildings at or near topping out.

Btw..in case you are wondering, here is the Metropolis site:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC03989Medium.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/October%2011%202005%20Los%20Angeles/DSC04019Medium.jpg

And here is the old Metropolis from SSP:
http://www.skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=34910&drawingID=35744 http://www.skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=34910&drawingID=35745 http://www.skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=34910&drawingID=35746

[FROM LOS ANGELES]

the second pictures really shows how big the site is. How many acres?

[PotatoGuy]

whats that parking used for?

[RBR]

^ Probably office workers, also maybe all this activity in this area might encourage the 755 Tower to be built.

[Imperfect Ending]

whats that parking used for?

They're those $6 per hour max $12 parking lots for people to park to walk around there

[Imperfect Ending]

gross colors

[PotatoGuy]

ohhh, i see. why not just build a parking structure, its more pleasing to the eye, its not a huge waste of space as that parking lot obviously is, i think it makes more sense

[CarsonCaliBrotha]

ohhh, i see. why not just build a parking structure, its more pleasing to the eye, its not a huge waste of space as that parking lot obviously is, i think it makes more senseBecause I'm sure back when it was built they didn't have the money or the need for one.

[TICONLA1]

The Metropolis site is bounded by the, (to the NW) I 110 freeway, (to the SE)Francisco st. between, 8th and 9th streets. the proposed hotel/condo component of this development will be across the street (Francisco) from the TCW tower parking structure. in the first photo by threehundred, the site is opposite the white 4 story building in the center. (in front of the Wedbush tower, or as it was built, Coast savings building).
This project could very well be a catalyst for the develpoment of adjacent sites, like the 755 tower and the parking lot behind the 801 tower as well, in any case this project will fill one of many Downtown parking lot voids.

[FROM LOS ANGELES]

I find it magnificent the idea that Metropolis is being taken seriously. It's good that the three biggest projects are being taken serioulsy; La Live, Metropolis, Grand Avenue Project :)
p.s there will be 3 700+ buildings rising up by mid 2007 metropolis [ the tall one ], La Live Convention Hotel Hilton, Grand Avenue tower. We don't know how and when Zen tower gets built, neither it's height, do we?

[soup or man]

Zen will be around 50 stories. So it too should be around the 650-700 foot range.

auqa: The towers will be more glassy. I'm sure.