blogdowntown: Growth & Development

Renderings Released for Restaurant Space at Union Lofts

By Eric Richardson — January 15, 2008
1 Comment

I keep scratching my head, though, on the company behind the space. Back in July a release highlighted the involvement of “acclaimed restaurateur John Valencia.” Today’s release instead cites his “more than 18 years of experience in hospitality and customer service.” I believe it also breaks ground in the nicknamed bartender space...

Muttropolitan in Little Tokyo Quietly Opens

By Ed Fuentes — January 14, 2008
6 Comments

Under the radar of many in the K9-Service-Watch is the full service pet grooming at Muttropolitan, who opened in Little Tokyo with no fan fare. Offerings range from full with several grooming packages, to do-it-yourself with a self-pet wash. With a location designed to serve the east side of Downtown, Muttropolitan has quickly established a client base from...

Unable to Raise Funds for Courthouse, Feds Shift Course

By Eric Richardson — January 12, 2008
11 Comments

Downtown’s green space will be expanding in the upcoming year, but it won’t be the city’s Parks and Rec doing the planning. With the upcoming 2009 U.S. budget unlikely to include funds needed for construction of a new Downtown Courthouse, the federal government has decided to shift course on the land it holds at 1st and Broadway and create Downtown...

NYC Gets Into APT Game; Downtown Slowly Adding Its Own Units

By Eric Richardson — January 11, 2008
4 Comments

New York City opened its first Automated Public Toilet yesterday in Madison Square Park. The city plans to open twenty of the units over the next two years. While Downtown L.A. has several operating APTs, each has taken its time in coming online. Ground was broken for the APT at 4th & Hill back in April, and the unit has been in the ground since mid-summer...

Colorful 9th & Main Median Project Breaks Ground

By Eric Richardson — January 09, 2008
10 Comments

The southern tip of Gallery Row should soon look a whole lot friendlier. The city broke ground today on a four-month project to replace the asphalt median at 9th and Main streets with a colorful replacement featuring trees and flowers. The triangular site, roughly 115 feet long and 30 feet wide, sits just south of Angelique Cafe in the confluence of Spring and...

Angelus Plaza to Get $44 Million Renovation

By Eric Richardson — January 09, 2008

Opened as two phases in 1980 and 1981, Angelus Plaza’s nearly 1100 units make it the largest Section 8 assisted project in the country. Now the development, which provides affordable housing for seniors, is slated to receive its first major work in twenty-five years. Project owner Retirement Housing Fund is proposing $44 million in renovation as part of...

Washing Away a Century

By Ed Fuentes — January 09, 2008
1 Comment

The project’s not slated to open until early 2009, but the end of the year saw 756 S. Spring get a facelift as power washers removed decades of grime from the building’s brick exterior. Last summer 810 S. Spring, under construction just across the street, got its own cleaning and revealed just how different decades of dirt can make brick colors appear...

Council Looks to Set Course for AMP Lofts Approval

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
8 Comments

The proposed AMP Lofts at 695 Santa Fe has land, an award winning design and the favor of both Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Jose Huizar. What it doesn’t have is approval from the city’s planning department. Tomorrow morning City Council will consider a motion by Huizar to take jurisdiction over the case and let the council’s Planning...

Empty over the Holidays, L'Angolo Cafe Hopes to See Bigger Crowds in 2008

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
5 Comments

Stopping by for lunch on Friday I asked Hannah Kim how dinner was doing at L’Angolo Cafe, the restaurant she runs with her father at 9th and Main. She said that the fall had seen a steady trickle of business, but that it had all but disappeared during December. Since opening a year ago, the eatery has dropped breakfast but added evening and Saturday hours...

Gehry Candid on Grand Avenue During LA Phil Talk

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
25 Comments

Frank Gehry was one of four panelists Saturday afternoon for the symposium held as part of the LA Phil’s Concrete Frequency series. Gehry, after all, designed the building that the Phil calls home and is the lead architect for the Grand Avenue Project, slated to rise on two sides of the concert hall. The panel discussion was tasked with addressing the place...