Downtown Los Angeles (Ongoing)

[alki]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

They only wanted restaurant /bars... My client was a high end dentist

Thanks, LASF.

[alki]

Originally Posted by MisterLee21

I just can't get over the copious amount of parking and parking garages in LA. I mean that is prime real estate. I do see the improving street vibrancy in LA though, can anyone confirm that it is improving even more? What about the retail scene?
I apologize for the questions, I'm new here, never been to LA, and as you can see, I'm from Kuala Lumpur (sprawl and horrible city planning), so I love news about density and walkability

Parking lots and parking garages are as synonymous with LA as is the movie industry. That perspective is changing but very slowly. Helping the change is that LA now has the second largest mass transit system in the country with lots of buses and an extensive rail system that was all built within the last 20 years. Nonetheless, old vices die hard.

[ConstructDTLA]

Small update from last evening, August 1st 2014.


8th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Hope Macy Fortress by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr


Car Wash Site, get a good look while its still here.
Olympic & Fig Car Wash by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Olympic & Fig Car Wash by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr


This lot is pretty much the last surface lot along Olympic that hasn't been spoken for yet.
Olympic & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr


9th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

9th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr


8th & Grand by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr


This block will be thriving in 2 years or less.
8th & Olive by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

[Wilcal]

Hunter,
I seem to remember that you said you liked the 8th and Hope building. What is it about it that you like so much? Just curious.

[Quixote]

I think 8th and Hope looks pretty good, although I really could've done without the exposed concrete. The glass is of great quality though and I echo Hunter's appreciation for the black framing.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Wilcal

Hunter,
I seem to remember that you said you liked the 8th and Hope building. What is it about it that you like so much? Just curious.

By LA standards (yes thats an insult to our pathetic architectural standards) its great. Podium looks really nice, black framing looks great, etc. Meanwhile a few blocks away we have the 7-story 8th & Grand project which will look positively awful, and the 9th & Olive Onni project which already looks 15 years old with their bright blue glass & white frames.

If we were getting 8th + Hope buildings where we're actually getting TCA's shitastrophes we would be in really good shape. If only...

[pwright1]

I actually love the look of the 9th & Olive tower with its blue glass. The 8th and Grand project has honestly grown on me. The fact that Whole Foods and other businesses will make the entire block from 7th to 8th come to life. I also like the fact that its not a tall glass box and I like that the apts and all of those balconies are so close to the street, which will come alive when its complete.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by pwright1

I actually love the look of the 9th & Olive tower with its blue glass. The 8th and Grand project has honestly grown on me. The fact that Whole Foods and other businesses will make the entire block from 7th to 8th come to life. I also like the fact that its not a tall glass box and I like that the apts and all of those balconies are so close to the street, which will come alive when its complete.

That just goes to show how differently two people may see one building.

Though 8th & Grand really is a sad, pathetic piece of architecture. You're talking about it being a plus from what it was (a giant surface lot), not about its crappy, short, monolithic look.

[pwright1]

But not only do I like the feel it will bring to the area, I think the actual look of the place is growing on me.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by pwright1

But not only do I like the feel it will bring to the area, I think the actual look of the place is growing on me.

I see what you mean. Looking at the newest rendering I'm not as offended as I was when I first saw it.

Of course we won't really know until we see it in the flesh. Hopefully it turns out at least as decent as the rendering.

[pwright1]

Exactly. Who knows, I might not like it after its all completed. We will see.

[alki]

Originally Posted by pwright1

I actually love the look of the 9th & Olive tower with its blue glass. The 8th and Grand project has honestly grown on me. The fact that Whole Foods and other businesses will make the entire block from 7th to 8th come to life. I also like the fact that its not a tall glass box and I like that the apts and all of those balconies are so close to the street, which will come alive when its complete.

I tend to agree with you. I am not loving all the bldgs........I particularly don't like the length of 8th and Grand and 1 Sante Fe.....esp 1 SF......but when the bldgs are clumped all together, the setting becomes very urbane........something I never saw much of when I walked those streets. In fact, Denizen has a knack for bringing out that feeling of urbanity in his pics.

Now if they would only put most of the streets on a road diet.

[Wilcal]

And what is this groups' opinion of 888 south Hope? I used to so admire CIM for their work, but not any longer since their Sunset/Gordon tower in Hollywood. I know it's hard t tell from renderings but is the 888 south Hope glass facade green. I ask because I have red/green colorblindness. Otherwise I think the tower looks kind of humdrum.

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by Wilcal

And what is this groups' opinion of 888 south Hope? I used to so admire CIM for their work, but not any longer since their Sunset/Gordon tower in Hollywood. I know it's hard t tell from renderings but is the 888 south Hope glass facade green. I ask because I have red/green colorblindness. Otherwise I think the tower looks kind of humdrum.

Hard to tell at this point. Haven't they not released any renderings so far?

[Mojeda101]

888 hope will be a brilliant addition. It'll compliment Onni's 9th & Olive tower as both will be roughly the same height. I foresee another tower with similar height between the two making a nice tall corridor down 9th street.

[kelbeen]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

Hard to tell at this point. Haven't they not released any renderings so far?

I'm going to agree with Mojeda. The tower itself fits right in South Park.
Most important thing to note is how much retail this project has, including the parking garage.
Though the architecture of the parking garage isn't great like the ones in Santa Monica,
it's still an improvement since it has lots of retail.
Honestly though I hate when developers build parking garages separately.
http://brighamyen.com/2014/07/07/new...e-downtown-la/

[ConstructDTLA]

Few pics from today, AUGUST 4TH, 2014.

11th & Hope Parking Garage Retail by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Desmonds at 11th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Grand by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

8th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Wilshire Grand to 8th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

South Park from Olympic & Fig by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

South Park Lots by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

Realize that Onni is at the height Los Angeles historic buildings would've already been at had there been no primitive height limit.
9th & Olive Onni Tower by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

[ConstructDTLA]

Originally Posted by kelbeen

I'm going to agree with Mojeda. The tower itself fits right in South Park.
Most important thing to note is how much retail this project has, including the parking garage.
Though the architecture of the parking garage isn't great like the ones in Santa Monica,
it's still an improvement since it has lots of retail.
Honestly though I hate when developers build parking garages separately.
http://brighamyen.com/2014/07/07/new...e-downtown-la/

I agree it looks really nice (specially by LA standards). Developers should be building 5+ levels of underground parking deep into the ground, but whats their incentive? City DGAF what happens in Downtown, so developers have to do whatever is easiest/cheapest/quickest for them.

[Mojeda101]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

Wilshire Grand to 8th & Hope by Hunter DTLA, on Flickr

God, Wilshire Grand is going to be an absolutely fantastic addition to the Figueroa corridor. Now all we need is the huge lot across from Fig@7th to be bought up and turned into two residential skyscrapers.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Two? I could see 5 towers on that site (including the two current parking structures) . I wish it would be a centerpiece super tall surrounded by 4, 50 to 60 story towers, with retail and greenery weaving through the project, connecting flower to fig and 8th, all designed by Hadid.... One can dream right