Growth & Development

Angelus Plaza to Get $44 Million Renovation

By Eric Richardson — January 09, 2008

Angelus Plaza

Opened as two phases in 1980 and 1981, Angelus Plaza’s nearly 1100 units make it the largest Section 8 assisted project in the country. Now the development, which provides affordable housing for seniors, is slated to receive its first major work in twenty-five years. Project owner Retirement Housing Fund is proposing $44 million in renovation as part of...


Washing Away a Century

By Ed Fuentes — January 09, 2008
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Pressure Wash

The project’s not slated to open until early 2009, but the end of the year saw 756 S. Spring get a facelift as power washers removed decades of grime from the building’s brick exterior. Last summer 810 S. Spring, under construction just across the street, got its own cleaning and revealed just how different decades of dirt can make brick colors appear...


Council Looks to Set Course for AMP Lofts Approval

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
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AMP1

The proposed AMP Lofts at 695 Santa Fe has land, an award winning design and the favor of both Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Jose Huizar. What it doesn’t have is approval from the city’s planning department. Tomorrow morning City Council will consider a motion by Huizar to take jurisdiction over the case and let the council’s Planning...


Empty over the Holidays, L'Angolo Cafe Hopes to See Bigger Crowds in 2008

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
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L'Angolo Cafe

Stopping by for lunch on Friday I asked Hannah Kim how dinner was doing at L’Angolo Cafe, the restaurant she runs with her father at 9th and Main. She said that the fall had seen a steady trickle of business, but that it had all but disappeared during December. Since opening a year ago, the eatery has dropped breakfast but added evening and Saturday hours...


Gehry Candid on Grand Avenue During LA Phil Talk

By Eric Richardson — January 07, 2008
25 Comments

Disney Hall

Frank Gehry was one of four panelists Saturday afternoon for the symposium held as part of the LA Phil’s Concrete Frequency series. Gehry, after all, designed the building that the Phil calls home and is the lead architect for the Grand Avenue Project, slated to rise on two sides of the concert hall. The panel discussion was tasked with addressing the place...


The Debate about Jobs

By Eric Richardson — January 04, 2008

Yesterday's preview meeting for Downtown industrial land use provided more questions than it did answers. Donald Spivack of the CRA and Jane Blumenfield of Planning presented the two departments' joint results to a packed room that was vocally opposed to both the procedure and the content of the plan to forbid residential use in a wide swath of Downtown's industrial...


Medallion Gets a Concrete Pour

By Eric Richardson — January 04, 2008
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Concrete Pour at Medallion

On the way to City Hall yesterday, I passed a line of concrete trucks at the Medallion project on Main, between 3rd and 4th. Work to date has been in the downward direction as the foundations were dug out, but this concrete pour should be a signal that things will start heading up in not too long. When completed the project will include neighborhood retail on...


For the Bored and/or Obsessed: Twittering Industrial Land Use

By Eric Richardson — January 03, 2008
7 Comments

As mentioned the other day, this afternoon at 3pm Planning and CRA are holding the first preview meeting for their "new" Downtown Industrial Land Use policy. As relevant bits come up during the meeting, I'm planning to give a go to pushing them out via Twitter. To follow along, just check out blogdowntown's page at Twitter. Afterward I'm sure I'll be writing...


Industrial Policy Round Two Kicks Off This Week

By Eric Richardson — January 01, 2008

Arts District

Public “preview” meetings on a plan for Downtown’s industrial space kick off this week with a Thursday afternoon briefing at City Hall. The zoning plan would govern the development of a large swath of land southeast of Downtown. Last year the Planning Department created a controversy with Downtown stakeholders and elected officials when it issued...


Freeway Cap Parks A Great Idea, but Not a New One

By Eric Richardson — January 01, 2008
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freeway park overlook pano

Yesterday Curbed listed "freeway cap parks" as its winner in the urban planning "Idea of the Year" category, referencing proposals to cap the 101 in Hollywood and the 110 south of Downtown to provide green space. While these two L.A. proposals did pop up in 2007, the idea of freeway parks in neither new nor an L.A. invention.