If certain parts of downtown continue to densify, eventually there's going to be an impact on traffic. The reason I say this, is that while the housing market continues to grow downtown, the office market is shrinking. One thing that isn't mentioned about new residences is where they are employed, wherever it is they're going to need to get to work.

Now some people on this forum are under the impression that everyone downtown is a public transit loving new-urbanist. They're not. There are plenty of them who wouldn't agree with anyone on here. I have heard so many complaints from people who don't want new construction to block their views. So they're definatly not on the same page as you.

So what are people's ideas? Lowering the number of parking spots assigned for each unit? Focus more on bringing office / commercial instead of simply residential?

Don't give off some one line answers, actually think about this. I dont want to hear anyone saying "oh they should just learn to take public transportation." Im talking about policy.

Well, the office market is turning, and turning fast. The vacancy rate dropped again, this time to 14.3 % for the quarter and more and more businesses are looking at Downtown and actually moving there. once city national is full, you can see a real impact on the rest of the market. i believe there are a couple proposals with office components, such as Metropolis and Grand Ave each having one of the towers as office buildings. once the residential base is solid, more small businesses move in, you will see mroe major corps in DTLA, i guarantee it. Definitley within 3 - 5 years, we will see proposals for new ground up office construction in DTLA.

I would love to see proposals like a 777 or Clifornia Plaza, towers completly for business. Actually, I like downtown the way it is now. Dt doens't really need more residential towers, that what is being planed as of now. I think now they should focus to office towers more, but not overcrowding the market as they did in the early 90s.

doesnt need more residential towers? how do you propose we get more people into DTLA?? low rises like the orsini and medici in the core?? thats just not smart.

This has been what I've been saying since I joined here nearly a year ago. I kept on reading all these proposals, but where are these people gonna work?

Metropolis has an office buliding. ESPN is putting their socal head quaters in LA live. And most of the people working in downtown right now are not living there.
For my situation, I'm going to take the red line and my girlfriend works in downtown.

there is plenty of work in downtown and the rail to the CITY of LA and the surrounding hood is good. Downtown LA is the biggest work center in all of the LA metro.

I know the Figueroa corridor and Grand Av are the ones to benefit of this boom the most. But other streets aren't going to get any of it, or a little bit, like Hope, 6th, 7th and Olive. Downtown LA should be considering proposals inside 8th, 1st, 110 Freeway and Olive, not just only near the Staples. Btw, isn't there a whole block of parking lot in front or really close to Easter Columbia?

I know the Figueroa corridor and Grand Av are the ones to benefit of this boom the most. But other streets aren't going to get any of it, or a little bit, like Hope, 6th, 7th and Olive. Downtown LA should be considering proposals inside 8th, 1st, 110 Freeway and Olive, not just only near the Staples. Btw, isn't there a whole block of parking lot in front or really close to Easter Columbia?

Youre WAY off.


All the conversions are in the Historic core and the areas that you mentioned. there is plenty PLENTY goin gon in those areas. check out the downtown LA news quarterly report. I know the one up is a little old (3 months or so) but there is a lot going on there too. by no means is the rest of downtown being left out. Old bank District, the Gallery Row, the area around first street, the pershing square area, Vibianas place area, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, 7th Street, SO much going on.

When people are cramming every sidewalk, every restaraunt and shop, every building, every subway station and all the infill areas (parking/vacant lots) are completed then YES there can be too much residential density. Too much residential density should be the least of downtown LA's worries because that won't be happening anytime soon.

Once there is a good amount of residential mass then all the commercial entities will follow. LA has more potential than any other city (aside from NYC & Chicago since they already boast this) to create a truly vibrant, world class downtown.

I don't think the "where are people going to work" issue is going to be a factor anytime soon. Downtown's office vacancy rate has decreased, yes, and some of that is because of adaptive-reuse conversions. But most of it is simply businesses that are expanding or relocating to DTLA. This increased amount of office activity is providing the jobs for people downtown.

I think that many, many people who are moving downtown are moving there to be closer to work; they already have a job downtwon.

In addition, a lot of these people run offices or home-based service businesses out of their live/work loft (not all, maybe not even most, but enough to offset the amount of [vacant] office space taken by loft conversion).

Last, but not least, downtown hasn't even begun to make the best use of its geographical boundaries. Most of the Industrial District is low-rise and ripe for new mixed-use projects -- offices, residences, etc. Same with the southern and far-eastern Artists' District.

I agrre. Why would people move farther from their jobs? it's logic that many of the people moving downtown have a job there, I mean, f you don't work there your're screwed, see the 101 is jammed as hell, the 10 the same, the 110 I'll say the better one, and the 5 the as slow as any of the above.

I don't think the "where are people going to work" issue is going to be a factor anytime soon. Downtown's office vacancy rate has decreased, yes, and some of that is because of adaptive-reuse conversions. But most of it is simply businesses that are expanding or relocating to DTLA. This increased amount of office activity is providing the jobs for people downtown.


That's true. I just think it is important to build up office areas as these areas wouldn't have many residents (such as in certain areas of downtown San Francisco), so that you can have nightlife without residents complaining.

Why would people move farther from their jobs?

I'm going to start calling it when people say something stupid. Think about it a moment before you post something like this.

I Dont think Downtown needs anymore office space. Many office units are being converted into housing.

I Dont think Downtown needs anymore office space. Many office units are being converted into housing.

That depends, I think all the activity downtown could attract companies to move down there. Which means office space would be needed.

^^ Downtown will boom so the market for office space will be in high demand. So they need to built new towers I think they are known as class A buildings. Hopefully more HQ companies return to LA.