Cleantech Ideas Object of Design Contest
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
This neighborhood of converted factories and low-slung warehouses in the southern Arts District is part of the "Cleantech Corridor," which runs along the LA River from Chinatown to just south of Downtown.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Faced with the challenge of redeveloping a seven-mile swath of industrial land along the L.A. River, the city is turning to public for ideas.
A contest launched today by SCI-Arc, the Architect's Newspaper and the Mayor's office seeks plans both large and small for how to transform the former industrial areas being called the Cleantech Corridor into what Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hopes will be "an incubator for green jobs, technology and the growth of L.A.’s economy."
Professionals and students -- as well as anyone else who can put together a drawing -- are asked to "challenge conventional wisdom about civic development, green architecture and regulatory constraints, deploying fresh design strategies that reset the relationship between industrial, living and public space in Los Angeles."
The city's own efforts in the corridor, which includes parts of the Industrial District, Arts District and Chinatown, haven't gotten very far in the year and a half since it was branded with the cleantech name.
Residential development was first stopped in early 2008 when a policy of preserving land for industrial uses was put into place. A May report from a panel of experts convened through the Urban Land Institute countered that strategy, saying that it would take mixed-use neighborhoods to lure high tech companies and incubators.
The panel also challenged the Cleantech Corridor name itself. Jim Held, founder of UrbanGreen, LLC in San Francisco, noted that the group "observed a critical amount of confusion around the terms."
Contest entrants are asked to illustrate designs for a model Cleantech Facility, a multi-block "Green District" and a master plan for the corridor as a whole. The entry fee is $100 for professionals and $50 for students, and up to $11,500 in cash prizes will be awarded. Entries are due September 30, with winners announced on October 9.
Rich Alossi on August 09, 2010, at 04:04PM – #1
Plant trees, build a well-placed neighborhood parking structure or two, improve transit/bike infrastructure and add a couple pocket parks. Oh, and repeal the idiotic ban on residential zoning instituted a couple years back. You need a mix of uses as stated above. If there comes a point where more industrial space is needed, property owners can always build up.
There, problem solved. I'll take that reward now. If only I could turn that into a nice watercolor painting!
But seriously, the city isn't prepared to do what it really takes to attract the types of clean manufacturing/industrial/design businesses that are needed, like more flexible zoning in the area, repaved streets and upgraded sewer lines, easier permitting and building processes, targeted tax breaks and the appointment of a lead cheerleader to attempt to bring these businesses to the area.
What about a small-business loan program, or at the very least someone at the city who can assist them in connecting with much-needed capital in existing local, state and federal programs and private VC? When every city from Memphis to Phoenix is going all-out in their quest to be the next Silicon Valley of cleantech, LA has been and continues to be sitting on the sidelines chanting "At least we've got the weather."
As with other success stories in Los Angeles, any momentum will surely be in spite of, not due to, (in)action by the city government. I'm surprised new cleantech businesses aren't required to install room-sized grease traps underneath their office floors. Oops, I shouldn't have said that. Don't want to give anyone at Planning the idea.
Guest on August 09, 2010, at 07:09PM – #2
Couldnt have said it better myself.
D
Jon on August 09, 2010, at 10:17PM – #3
Hopefully USC's Stevens Institute is somehow involved. There's plenty of venture money in SoCal, but not much of a venture / emerging growth community.
Guest on August 09, 2010, at 11:01PM – #4
At least the mayor is trying!
Guest on August 10, 2010, at 01:40PM – #5
there are signs posted in Hewitt St. NOW that say the streets in the Arts Disctric are going to be re-paved i belive in the next couple of weeks.