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Watching Progress

By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, June 19, 2007, at 08:13AM

Eric Richardson [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Though it's been interesting to watch the Hanover tower rise at 717 Olympic, it's tough to see what's going on inside that green wrap enveloping the construction. The South Group buildings, on the other hand, have gone up in plain view, with the buildings bones and skin all sort of coming together at the same time.

While I'm sure there may well be valid construction reasons for doing one as opposed to the other, isn't it just a little nicer to us curious Downtowners when a project lets its efforts stay exposed for us to gawk at? If ever a project has to make that choice, I'd sure hope they'd choose the unwrapped version.

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Guest 1

cc on June 19, 2007, at 12:45PM – #1

I've been hoping that Brockman can remove her wrappings so we can tell what they are doing underneath. It seems like they are constructing/repairing the facade of the lowest floor but it sure would be nice to see it. Roosevelt has knocked down the front of the ground floor at the metro rail corner and they are rebuilding it uncovered. It is always interesting to witness progress without second guessing what is going on.

Guest 2

b on June 19, 2007, at 12:58PM – #2

Have you noticed that they're using stucco?

Guest 3

fridayinla on June 19, 2007, at 01:32PM – #3

I noticed early this month (June 3rd) that 717 Olympic had windows installed up to the 17th floor. There's an area of the building on the south side that's slightly exposed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fridayinla/530214253/in/set-72157594412916465/

Guest 4

Poet-broker on June 19, 2007, at 10:11PM – #4

I'm very tired of the wrapped Brockman building which is an unwelcome site as I walk down Grand Avenue from Bunker Hill. Fortunately, I usually turn East on 6th Street to go eat at Ardis Cafe. We sold them the building five years ago. Come on already. Ed

Guest 5

Naturallawyer on June 21, 2007, at 11:00PM – #5

Poet-broker:

I, too, walk up/down Grand Ave. (and Bunker Hill) everyday, and I agree the Grand Ave. (west) side of the Brockman looks awful.  However, as you may have already seen, the north and south sides no longer have scaffolding, and the 7th Street (north) side looks pretty good.  Once they get the wrapping off the Grand Ave. side I think we'll all be pretty pleased.  And I can't wait to eat at that new cafe they are planning for the ground floor.  
 I totally agree with Eric that it's preferable that developers remove the wrapping as soon as possible.  It goes a long way toward letting us feel like we're making progress, rather than living in a city seemingly permanently under construction.