LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[hughfb3]

Gorgeous photos PWright!

The AC/Moxy adding to the South Park Entertainment Districts podium levels continuing the design theme where every podium surrounding the arena matches its height and scale




Circa & AC/Moxy matching podiums



Moxy's signature Bluestone Coffee shop will be at the corner of Fig&Pico


The Beaudry taken from Beaudry (avenue)


The most sanitized part of downtown and the most futuristic in my eyes


I really wish for more developers to take The South Group's example from how they designed the streetscapes around Evo/Luma/Elleven. Double tree lined sidewalks with well maintained benches and bioswales that take in and treat stormwater runoff. They completed these 3 and then designed and got approval for Circa but sold it before developing... Circa is basically a double tower Portland John Ross tower. Hankey and Jamison basically completed what they already designed which is why they look so cool. Gerding Edlen… come back to us



Just to appreciate the beautiful DWP HQ. I know we are in a drought, but wasnt the moat designed and implemented to keep the property cool and save on energy? I love the fountains


and... I was watching an animated show on Netflix and even they love to depict the beautifully peaked skyline that the LA planning department works to maintain

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Just to appreciate the beautiful DWP HQ. I know we are in a drought, but wasnt the moat designed and implemented to keep the property cool and save on energy? I love the fountains

That's why I believe keeping the bldg's moat dry & the fountains switched off indefinitely is due more to politics than it functionally really helps relieve the drought. Also, even before the drought, the DWP wouldn't operate the fountains more than a few hours per day....but I guess back then, that was to symbolize they weren't wasting electricity. So if it's not one thing, it's something else.

This shows another former major fountain in dtla...in 1995, which unlike the DWP's water, has been permanently removed...

https://youtu.be/QYL2s0mvAww

9 yrs later, the major part of this fountain has also since been switched off. I get that there's a drought, but something about too many of the movers & shakers in dtla makes me think they're into the saying, 'this is why we can't have nice things.'


• Video Link

[craigs]

Thanks for the photo updates, hughfb3. I agree with you that that is the best part of downtown--the trees really make it.

[ChelseaFC]

Originally Posted by craigs

Thanks for the photo updates, hughfb3. I agree with you that that is the best part of downtown--the trees really make it.

Still a lot of vagrants that hang around that area, especially the Starbucks.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by ChelseaFC

Still a lot of vagrants that hang around that area, especially the Starbucks.

Unfortunately gotten worse over the last couple years. I live across the street and have seen their numbers increase. Not once have I seen a social worker or someone from homeless services btw. Not one time.

On the plus side, grand should be the template for how every downtown la street should look

[Blesha13]

Any updated pics of Olympic/Hill?

[Prezrezreturns]

Beautiful shot at the end of the last page.

It still needs more angularity at parapet level; and for my life, I can’t see why a daring architect or two can’t pull of a few optical illusions with fins if helipads are still mandatory…Maybe three or for of them?

[liat91]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Unfortunately gotten worse over the last couple years. I live across the street and have seen their numbers increase. Not once have I seen a social worker or someone from homeless services btw. Not one time.

On the plus side, grand should be the template for how every downtown la street should look

Are people there proactive in contacting elected officials?

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by Blesha13

Any updated pics of Olympic/Hill?

I drive by there quite a bit. Nothing real to report other than the hole being dug out and foundation preparation. Once we get concrete in there I will post more about it.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

On the plus side, grand should be the template for how every downtown la street should look

That was what I was initially getting at--the streetscape and tree cover. I wasn't talking about "best" in terms of homelessness or whatever. It would be great if developers literally copied that everywhere, but especially downtown where there is a need for greenery and the streets are certainly wide enough to support a tree canopy.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by liat91

Are people there proactive in contacting elected officials?

I couldn't contact them more, I'm sure others do as well

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by Blesha13

Any updated pics of Olympic/Hill?

okay okay, went by there this morning

[LAnative61]

Thanks for the update/photo on Olympic & Hill (Onni).

[Blesha13]

Thanks for the update, hughfb3!

[CaliNative]

Drought busting rains on the way, thank God. Should rain for a week starting Saturday. Hopefully not so much rain as to cause floods and mudslides, but enough to green the hills like Ireland.

[nmkef]

Really like the look of the AC/Moxy at street level. The staggered pattern on windows gives it a really cool texture looking up from the ground.



FYI looks like they could be weeks away from giving us back the sidewalk on Fig in front of the new hotel. Saw some workers doing finishing touches on the outer curb as I walked by today.

Originally Posted by hughfb3

Gorgeous photos PWright!
I really wish for more developers to take The South Group's example from how they designed the streetscapes around Evo/Luma/Elleven. Double tree lined sidewalks with well maintained benches and bioswales that take in and treat stormwater runoff. They completed these 3 and then designed and got approval for Circa but sold it before developing... Circa is basically a double tower Portland John Ross tower. Hankey and Jamison basically completed what they already designed which is why they look so cool. Gerding Edlen… come back to us

Not sure if you remember this, but the City Century proposal at the SW corner of 12th & Grand actually planned to extend that same streetscape design down to Pico, along with a big corner plaza plus an enlarged alley with lighting for "promenade" type feature.


https://la.urbanize.city/post/fresh-...artment-towers

This particular project might be dead or in hibernation though, given last activity was that presentation to DLANC in 2020... case file in LA City Planning shows "on hold: yes", though I don't really know what that means.

EDIT: forgot about this more recent update: https://la.urbanize.city/post/downto...2th-grand-2022

Their 2021 environmental report targeted a 2022 groundbreaking which obviously didn't happen... it actually looks like a couple new tenants moved into the old warehouse building that would have to be demolished, so guessing it's not imminent either.

[colemonkee]

^ I think that development was phased, no? If yes, they could start on the shorter tower first, and the taller second, and a Q1 or even Q2 2023 groundbreaking would not be unusual with a stated 2022 groundbreaking.

And hughfb3, I would call that a pretty substantial update for the Onni tower. Looks like they are close to a mat pour for the tower portion.

[Quixote]

Caine wait for Olympic/Hill:

• 760-ft tall
• 1,000+ new residents
• Fills in a major dead space
• Provides connective tissue between the southern Historic Core, South Park, and the Fashion District
• Introduces/legitimizes a new scale for South Park outside of the LA Live area

[scania]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Caine wait for Olympic/Hill:

• 760-ft tall
• 1,000+ new residents
• Fills in a major dead space
• Provides connective tissue between the southern Historic Core, South Park, and the Fashion District
• Introduces/legitimizes a new scale for South Park outside of the LA Live area

That is very true. I’m not sure if people understand how big this is from an urban pedestrian perspective.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

okay okay, went by there this morning

As colemonkee observed, looks ready for the concrete pour. If it rains a lot this week, that might delay the pour a few days or weeks. Excessive rain helps end the drought, but delays construction. Once the concrete foundation is in, it should rise fairly quickly. Probably will top out by late 2023/early 2024, although you will notice it by Spring or Summer.

Has any work started on the Times-Mirror project near City Hall, or the "hanging infinity pool" tower near Pershing Square?

I hope the pool tower was more than a proposal. I love the boldness and audacity of it, the playfulness of it, architecture that takes chances for the big score.

Los Angeles has always been a bold and audacious city. A pioneering city in many endeavors, willing to take chances and strike out in new directions. It's architecture should mirror this boldness and audacity to a certain extent. If the hanging pool skyscraper is built as shown in the renderings, it will be an economic success, and an icon for Los Angeles. Instant tourist attraction.

Happy New Year! Enjoy the rain...we need it!