Growth & Development

Tomorrow: Check Out Housing with DCBID

By Eric Richardson — Friday — 1 Comments

655 S. Hope Concrete Pour Eric Richardson

The Downtown Center BID's Saturday housing tours are a great chance to check out projects around the neighborhood, whether you're already comfortably settled Downtown or actually looking for a place. They happen twice a month, and are led by the inimitable Hal Bastian, who's been responsible for luring more than his share of business Downtown.

Tomorrow's tour has spots still available and includes stops at the Title Guarantee Lofts, Main Mercantile Lofts, 655 Hope, the Roosevelt, Market Lofts, Barker Block and the Biscuit Company Lofts. If you're sitting around trying to figure out a good plan for your Saturday morning, this just might be it. — Continued Inside...


'Crazy' Gideon Kotzer to Enter Adaptive Reuse Market

By Ed Fuentes — May 06, 2008
5 Comments

early early look at new loft idea

Gideon Kotzer, long time electronics entrepreneur and provider of late night television commercial classics, may be thinking that keeping his warehouse a retail mecca for plasma TV and stereos is now crazy. The famous store owner, known as “Crazy Gideon,” has begun the permit and application process seeking adaptive reuse that will also add new construction...


Can I Buy a Vowel?

By Ed Fuentes — May 05, 2008
1 Comments

wllercort

Little Toyko's Weller Court will soon be lit with new signage. Seen here is the first of two signs being installed for the shopping center that sits along the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens. This corner -- the confluence of East 2nd, San Pedro and Onizuka streets -- has a great sightline of City Hall, and the new signage compliments the Shinkichi Tajiri sculpture...


Odd Spring Street Ramp a Mid-Century Addition

By Eric Richardson — May 02, 2008
14 Comments

Broadway-Spring Arcade Garage Illustration

The ramp that descends into an empty lot next to the Broadway-Spring Arcade can be a bit of a head-scratcher. The visible curve forces the passerby to assume a connection to the one-time office building next door, but it's obvious the ramp wasn't an original part of the structure's design. The ramp was part of a 1953 project that added 150 parking spaces to...


Trader Vic's Headed to Downtown?

By Eric Richardson — April 30, 2008
11 Comments

717 W. 9th

According to a press release put out today, the Trader Vic's restaurant chain is set to be coming to Downtown in 2009. At the helm of the franchised location is the Valencia Group, also behind the upcoming restaurant at the Union Lofts.


Grand Avenue Start Delayed; Completion Now in 2012

By Eric Richardson — April 28, 2008
6 Comments

Disney Hall

The Downtown News reported this afternoon (and the Times followed four hours later) that the start of construction on the Grand Avenue Project has been delayed due to problems securing a construction loan. Construction is now said to be scheduled to commence in February of 2009. That the project would run into money issues is hardly surprising. In January...


County to Open 'Project 50' Office on the Corner of 5th and Main

By Eric Richardson — April 25, 2008
14 Comments

Former King's Market Space

Prime retail space on the corner of 5th and Main will soon become administrative and medical offices for the county's Project 50. Construction on the space in the Pershing Hotel is well underway. When complete the facility will contain office space for the project's staff and medical examining rooms for seeing those enrolled in the program. The county's decision...


As Main Loses Benches, Spring Adds Them

By Eric Richardson — April 24, 2008
4 Comments

New Benches on Spring

One would be excused for thinking that the two benches that showed up on Spring street today were part of the set for CSI:NY, whose filming across the street had added NYC newsracks to the same block. The two black benches are here to stay, though, part of developer Izek Shomof's efforts to improve the streetscape in front of his buildings. The installation...


Park Fifth Public Benefits Approved, but TFAR Process Raises Questions

By Eric Richardson — April 24, 2008
10 Comments

Park 5th Model

Friday morning the board of the Community Redevelopment Agency approved the Public Benefits package for the Park Fifth project, a $17.7 million package that includes money for Pershing Square redevelopment, streetscape improvements, and $2.5 million each to the Downtown Women's Center and Skid Row Housing Trust. While the room on Friday was filled with speakers...


Good Idea Benched

By Ed Fuentes with Eric Richardson — April 24, 2008
6 Comments

No Benches

Sidewalk amenities took a step backward last week, as a pair of benches installed last month on Main between Winston and 5th were removed. The street furniture was part of a CRA-sponsored streetscaping plan for Main street. Business owners on the block were uncomfortable with the unwelcome uses the benches were attracting, both during the day and into the...