We all have our ideas and opinion's on how we want downtown to be. But never have we heard detailed ideas. So in terms of skyscrapers, park space, retail, transportation, or otherwise, how would you mold the hood?
If I were in charge, downtown would be totally different.
DEVLOPMENT
- One of the first things I would do is white wash every single building in downtown Los Angeles. Alot of building espically in the Historic Core and the OBD are beautiful but dirty. We'll need a whole lot of turtle wax.
- Revamp Broadway to the ninth degree. Replace a majority (not all) of the current retail with numerous home grown restraunts, cafe's, clubs, clothing stores, and such. Throw in a Starbucks in there too for the **** of it. It would be stupid not to.
- Each of the theatres along Broadway would be updated (seats, sounds, lighting, and so fourth) but retains it's exterior design.
- Underground parking would be mandatory throughout downtown.
- Each and every new devlopment in downtown would be LEED certified.
- Destroy the county buildings lining Grand Park. Erect a visually stricking 70 story office/county building on the site of Cal Plaza 3.
- On the corner of 4th and Hill, a 50 story tower would rise and it's sole purpose would be to help the homeless. It would provide housing, medical care, psychiatric evaluations, job training, and life skills for all homeless free of charge.
- All throughout the Civic Center, if there is a small building surrounded by parking lots, destory the building and erect Washington DC sized office buildings. But if there is a large building surrounded by a even larger parking lot, build around it. If you've ever been to DC, you know that their building's are short, but huge. For example:
- The Arts District would be turned into the largest neighborhood in all of downtown Los Angeles. It's boundries would be the 101 to the north, the LA River to the east, San Pedro to the west, and 6th Street to the south. I would convert existing empty wharehouses into lofts, condos, apartments, offices and affordable housing. I would also build on top of existing wharehouses more units. A 7 story limit would be in place for all new development in the Arts District. Ultimately, I want lots of Barker Block style buildings in the Arts District but with extremely cutting edge designs. Picture this all throughtout the Arts District:
Now imagine that the street there is San Pedro and the downtown skyline is in the backround and you have the Arts District.
- I would put a cap on the MetroRail yards and turn it into a park.
- Developers couldn't build anything less than 20 stories in Bunker Hill and South Park.
- South Park would be turned into the family friendly area of downtown LA. Ultimately I would use the Pearl District in Portland as a model because that's the perfect example of how I would want South Park to look like:
^ Doesn't that pic look like the corner of 11th and Grand?
- My LA Live would be gigantic. Towers everywhere. It's boundries would be the 110 to the west, Pico to the south, 8th Street to the north, and Hope Street to the east. One of the things I would do is implement a ordanience that all new construction would have lively ground floor retail, have a Met Lofts like design, and have interactive lighting displays. My LA Live would include:
A 65 and 40 story towers on the corner of 9th and Fig.
A 50 story tower across from the Ritz.
A broad 30 story hotel on the NW corner of Georgia and Olympic.
At least 5 towers ranging from 30 to 70 stories between 9th and 8th Streets.
A 30 story tower on the corner of 11th and Fig.
And all other structures converted to offices, residential, and retail.
- City West would build no higher than 8 stories (1100 Wilshire would remain the tallest building in City West). But in terms of office space, a 30 story limit would be implied. Like the Arts District, City West would have long, broad towers but in a much lively design. City West is easily a diamond in the rough. I mean look at these pictures:
- Parks would be everywhere. Pershing Square would turn into a extremely lush, organic, quiet area. The Grand Park would be filled with trees (euclyptst..can't fucking spell, jacaranda, palms, roses, oak, pine), and eating spaces. It would totally be cut off from traffic. Hill, Broadway, and Spring Streets would be cut off.
- 3am last call for bars/clubs.
TRANSPORTATION
- My downtown connector would be 3 lines. Line 1 would start at Union Station and turn right onto 1st Street. It would then travel west until it would split on Broadway. Line 1 would travel down Broadway until it reaches 8th Street where it would turn right. From 8th Street, it would turn left onto Flower, then right onto Figueroa. From Fig it would make a right onto 6th Street. From 6th it would turn left onto Broadway and back to Union Station.
- Line 2 would travel west on 1st Street alongside the Grand Park, then it would turn left onto Grand. It would travel down Grand until it reaches 6th Street where it would follow Line 1.
- Line 3 would start on Flower and 8th (Macy's Plaza). It would travel south down Flower to Pico where it would turn right. From Pico it would turn right onto Fig. From Fig it would travel north to Wilshire. From Wilshire it would turn left. From Wilshire, it would travel into City West where it would turn right onto Lucas. From Lucas, a quick right onto 6th Street where it would follow the route of Line 1. Could someone make a map of that to see if looks plausable? Please?
BEAUTIFUCATION
- Pocket parks everywhere.
- On the blank side of 611 Place, a mural would be painted. It would change every 3 months.
- The 3rd Street tunnel would be completely lined with LED's.
- The moat at the DWP Building would change color.
- City Hall, the US Bank Tower, 777, and Fig @ Wilshire would change color according to the seasons and city events. Or just randomly.
- Replace every street light with Xeon light bulbs.
- Widen every sidewalk and add small trees and bushes.
- A gimassive New Years Celebration would happen at LA Live. It would have a mostly dance/rave/techno theme. At 12 am, the US Bank would light fireworks and bathe itself in color.
SAFTEY
- Security cameras everywhere.
- Police everywhere. Under cover and uniformed.
- Selling drugs gets you 10 years. Grafitti is 5 years. Murder is life.
