From the Newsroom

Everyday

Falling for that "New Corporate Math"

By Eric Richardson — August 26, 2005

Now that I’ve praised them for their wayfinding stance, I have to chide the Downtown News for succumbing to RIAA math (even though in this case we’re talking fashion). The news brief ”Police Raids Net Millions In Illegal Merchandise” says that On Aug. 20, police raided a warehouse in the 700 block of Sanford Avenue and found 120,000...


Everyday

Downtown News Echos Wayfinding Sentiments

By Eric Richardson — August 26, 2005
2 Comments

The new issue of the Downtown News runs an editorial saying basically the same thing I have about the Downtown wayfinding signage: good job, but now fix the dumb mistakes. Though it is likely too late to add a “Downtown” identifier to the signs directed at drivers, there is still an opportunity to improve the most perplexing examples. Those signs...


Everyday

A Different Image of LAPD Motorpool

By Eric Richardson — August 26, 2005
2 Comments

Here Lies Gallery Row

Responding to architect’s renderings of the new LAPD motorpool that had Gallery Row signage and presented a streetscape with a few pedestrians and Mercedes, Nic and Kjell presented this image at the meeting last night. I had to leave before they did so, but got a copy of the image to post here. As usual the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but it’...


Everyday

Fancy Parking Garage Still Parking Garage

By Eric Richardson — August 26, 2005
2 Comments

Police Motorpool Presentation

I had a class to go to tonight, so I couldn’t stay for the whole thing, but I stopped by City Hall this evening for the first 45 minutes or so of a community meeting to discuss the motorpool and parking garage component of the new Police headquarters project. The meeting was put on by CD9, and Jan Perry got things started, but then most of the presentation...


Everyday

The Spring Street River

By Eric Richardson — August 26, 2005
1 Comment

Water Spewing on Spring St.

I think a water main must have burst this afternoon around this building on the west side of Spring, just south of 4th. I was biking from City Hall to USC for class around 6:40pm and stopped to gawk at this water shooting out of the sidewalk and across three lanes of traffic. I don’t know that you really get a sense from the photo just how much water was...


Everyday

Filming and Traffic Closures: Do the Building Managers Sign Off?

By Eric Richardson — August 25, 2005

There’s another filming notice outside my building today that mentions lane closures. If you recall I last week asked how we can believe the Mayor’s talk of fixing traffic while at the same time the city allows filming to block traffic lanes during peak hours. This notice says that the eastside curb lane and two adjacent lanes could be closed any...


Everyday

City Beat Updates on LATC

By Eric Richardson — August 25, 2005
1 Comment

LA City Beat runs a piece on the LA Theatre Center this week. There’s nothing particularly new inside, but it’s good to see the issue staying alive, since even the Council has a tough time getting news. Interesting to note that in the CityBeat piece they claim that the Latino Theatre Company was promised an $8 million grant by the state. I have to...


Everyday

Downtown Farmers' Market Gets Good Reports

By Eric Richardson — August 24, 2005

The midday Wednesday timing has made it something I’ve been unable to attend, but I keep hearing good things about the Downtown Farmers’ Market that’s happening on Flower this fall. eecue writes that The market was packed with people from both the neighborhood and the local businesses. The stands sold everything from clothing to the usual...


Everyday

Making Use of Empty Space

By Eric Richardson — August 24, 2005
1 Comment

Last night was the DLANC Transportation & Public Works commitee meeting. One of the items on the agenda – and one that was on last month’s as well – is street furniture. One of the main focuses of this furniture (at least on our committee) is placing more services (vending, automated public toilets, etc) around Metro stations Downtown. That...


Everyday

Biking USC and Downtown

By Eric Richardson — August 23, 2005

Midnight Ridazz - August 2005

If you’re someone who ever has to make the trip from Downtown to USC, I have to say that the way to do it is via a bicycle. Today I needed to go buy books on campus, so I hopped on my bike and 16 minutes later I was in the heart of USC. Even if you have an on-campus parking spot, I don’t think you could beat that once you add up the time it takes...