Growth & Development

CD9 Steps in to Save Caltrans Trees

By Eric Richardson — February 05, 2008
5 Comments

Second Street Sidewalk

Before those gathered could even take a vote at last night’s DLANC meeting on the proposed widening of 2nd street, it was made clear that Councilwoman Jan Perry is strongly opposed to the widening and will make sure that both lines of trees next to the Caltrans building stay in place. Her office also promised to look into parking concerns brought by residents...


Higgins Takedown

By Eric Richardson — February 04, 2008
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Higgins Teardown

Today construction workers tore into the late 1800’s building that most recently housed the M.J. Higgins gallery. By the end of the day only the very front of the concrete structure was left standing, the infamous basement buried under rubble. The site was taken by the city to be site of the new LAPD Motorpool, a move that was not well received in the...


Little Tokyo Motion Highlights Downtown's Lack of Specific Plans

By Eric Richardson — January 31, 2008
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Little Tokyo

This morning Curbed notes a motion filed by Councilwoman Jan Perry asking the Planning department to come back with options for how to keep Little Tokyo’s identity. The motion expresses a concern that “Little Tokyo wil be overtaken by the development activity in the rest of Downtown - eventually losing its distinct characteristics and becoming lost...


Second Street Widening Discussion Gears for Round Two

By Eric Richardson — January 30, 2008
15 Comments

Second Street Sidewalk

Update (Friday): The DLANC meeting on the widening is scheduled for Monday evening at Vibiana. When removal signs showed up in June of 2006 on the line of trees separating Second street from the Caltrans building sidewalk, a flurry of messages on the newdowntown mailing list expressed disapproval of the city’s plans. The discussion was capped by James...


Historic Core to Get a Holiday Inn with History

By Eric Richardson — January 30, 2008
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Metropolitan Garage

Brady Westwater is reporting that a Holiday Inn is signed on to open in the Historic Core, occupying the annex to the John Parkinson designed Title Insurance Building on Spring street between 4th and 5th. As Brady notes, the site is directly across the street from Tom Gilmore’s proposed hotel development, announced back in October. What’s particularly...


Marriott to Create the 'Los Angeles Edition' Downtown

By Eric Richardson — January 29, 2008
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The Times reports that Marriott is bringing a "boutique" hotel to Downtown as part of a joint venture between the firm and hotelier Ian Schrager. Marriott and Schrager declined to say exactly where in downtown and Hollywood the hotels would be, but they are expected to open in about three years and have about 200 rooms apiece. They would be part of the new...


'Bringing Back Broadway' Unveiling Offers Energy and Promise of Cooperation

By Ed Fuentes and Eric Richardson — January 28, 2008
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Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Turnout was high for this morning’s unveiling of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative, and the energy in the room gave rise to hope that this might finally be the time that revitalization of the historic street succeeds. The colorful curtain of the Los Angeles Theatre provided a fitting backdrop for a presentation filled with grand ideas for a once-majestic...


Angels Walk Hits Figueroa

By Eric Richardson — January 28, 2008
3 Comments

Figueroa Angels Walk

A year after the guidebooks were printed, stanchions for the Figueroa Corridor Angel’s Walk are now finding their way into the ground. The walk route stretches from Wilshire Boulevard down to Exposition Park, and is one of several Angels Walk routes Downtown. Funded largely through Metro’s Call for Projects, the Figueroa Corridor route’s local...


Times Reports $40 Million Investment for Broadway

By Eric Richardson — January 27, 2008
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735 S. Broadway

Update (Monday, 6:45pm): Our recap from this morning’s plan unveiling is now online. Update (Monday, 9:35am): The Bringing Back Broadway website includes most of the information to be unveiled at today’s press conference. Be sure to hit the twelve page vision document PDF. Scooping Monday’s “Bringing Back Broadway” presentation...


Chapman Lobby Is Indeed Quite Marble-y

By Eric Richardson — January 27, 2008
8 Comments

Chapman Lobby

When plans were first announced for the conversion of the Chapman at 8th and Broadway, much was made of how the building’s lobby was so extensively decked in marble. At the time I was a bit skeptical that much of it would have survived the building’s intervening periods. Now that the Chapman lobby has again returned to view, though, I can see that...