From the Newsroom

Everyday

Downtown Parking Rates Not Bad, Compared to Others

By Eric Richardson — July 26, 2005

I just saw a release on PRNewswire talking about the 2005 Colliers North American Parking Rates Survey. It gives the median price of monthly parking in Los Angeles as $185. That puts LA well behind such expensive cities as Pittsburgh, PA ($277); Hartford, CT ($196.10); and San Francisco ($350). The survey only includes garages, which I think significantly raised...


Everyday

Kathy Reges

By Eric Richardson — July 26, 2005
1 Comment

The LA Times yesterday reported that Kathy Reges, one of the founders of the Brewery Arts Complex, died last Thursday. Kathleen “Kathy” Reges, who helped her estranged husband, Richard Carlson, develop the Brewery in downtown Los Angeles as an art colony, has died. She was 49. Reges died Thursday at County-USC Medical Center of a heart attack...


Everyday

Hybrid View Shows Incorrect Placement

By Eric Richardson — July 25, 2005
3 Comments

The new Google Maps hybrid view is pretty cool. It made me notice, though, that Hope St. right by the library is misplaced. Take a look at the attached link and you’ll see that Google thinks the street goes around the bottom of Library Tower – right alongside 5th St – and then up the steps. MSN’s just launched Virtual Earth has the exact...


Everyday

Not What He Meant, But...

By Eric Richardson — July 22, 2005

I was just reading through the Downtown News’ Best of Downtown issue and had a bit of a start at this quote from ”Players, Pretenders, Aces and Jokers”: Most interesting response for who should leave the table: Victor Franco’s carefully reasoned, “Some of the homeless and housing ‘advocates’: I believe that some of...


Everyday

A Special Thursday Grand Performances

By Eric Richardson — July 21, 2005
4 Comments

eecue just emailed to let me know that next Thursday at Grand Performances the Shaolin Monks will be doing a demonstration that hadn’t previously been on the calendar. On Thursday, July 28 at 8:00 PM, we will present a special “add-on” to our season schedule. China’s incredible Henan Province Shaolin Monks will present a demonstration...


Everyday

Jan Perry Wants Downtown Street Widths Examined

By Eric Richardson — July 21, 2005
3 Comments

I was just reading through Council referals and noticed an interesting motion from Jan Perry. It deals with street and sidewalks widths Downtown, and seems to reflect a desire to allow wider sidewalks and activate more pedestrian life on the streets. Consider this text from the description that comes along with the motion. Many of these new projects include...


Everyday

Contraflow Removal Approved by Council

By Eric Richardson — July 20, 2005

Bus Backup

I just returned from this morning’s City Council meeting, where the Spring Street Contraflow removal project was approved 11-0. There wasn’t really any debate on the issue; Jan Perry called the item special so that she could make a few comments in support, and then they voted to approve. Now comes the interesting part, as the various parties involved...


Everyday

Photo Roundup

By Eric Richardson — July 19, 2005
1 Comment

Jim Winstead also entered the photo game in a serious way, with a set of photos of Downtown fountains.


Everyday

Best of Downtown

By Eric Richardson — July 19, 2005
2 Comments

The Downtown News held their party tonight for the annual Best of Downtown edition. I’m very honored to report that this site was chosen as an Editor’s Choice for Best Downtown-Oriented Blog. This year’s edition should come out online and in print shortly.


Everyday

Grand Intervention

By Eric Richardson — July 18, 2005
1 Comment

I read Martin Kaplan’s opinion piece on the Civic Center park over the weekend, but didn’t realize until I received an email just now that the Lear Center has set up a website to receive submitted park ideas – Grand Intervention. The Los Angeles Times has offered its pages, and the Lear Center its Web site, for such a competition. Proposals...