From the Newsroom

Everyday

Cultural Affairs Says No

By Eric Richardson — January 25, 2005

I mentioned a few days ago that a vote on the new LAPD headquarters would be going before the city's Cultural Affairs Commission. I haven't seen anyone else mention this, but the result I've heard (from a couple different people) was that the Commission voted 3-2 against the plans. Now, granted, Cultural Affairs doesn't have much of a deciding voice in the...


Everyday

Step Up

By Eric Richardson — January 24, 2005

It's funny that I use Reuters to find out about an event in my neighborhood. January 29th, otherwise known as this Saturday, Step Up will be benefiting Relief International. An art auction will be held at the Milla Angelina gallery at 729 S. Spring, and then an after-party will be held at The Space on 4th. Full details can be found on the Relief International...


Everyday

Book Review Time

By Eric Richardson — January 24, 2005

Saturday I picked up two books with information on Downtown: BlackBook List Los Angeles 2005 and Downtown Los Angeles: A Walking Guide (second item on the page). Obviously I haven't yet gotten into them in a lot of depth, but I figured I would drop reviews of my first impressions. One line BlackBook List summary: Great info, but I wish it had more on things...


Everyday

LA Femme Film Festival

By Eric Richardson — January 23, 2005

Every once in a while you run across something interesting on the free PR services that Google News includes. Today a release about movies on Sprint phones led me to the website of the LA Femme Film Festival, to take place Downtown in May. LA Femme "is a premiere festival that focuses on women filmmakers' platforming their commercial films for the world wide...


Everyday

Supermarket Ball Finally Rolling

By Eric Richardson — January 21, 2005
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A story on the LA Business Journal site tells us that construction work on the Downtown Ralphs is set to begin in February. After a series of long delays and expensive cost overruns, CIM Group Inc. is ready to start construction on what will be downtown L.A.’s only supermarket. John Given, the company’s senior vice president of development, said...


Everyday

Over 90 Years Later, Again True

By Eric Richardson — January 20, 2005

From an article entitled "Apartments Are Found to Pay" in the March 12, 1911, issue of the LA Times: The great number of new apartment-house projects in the city reveals clearly what investors think of the future of Los Angeles. There is absolutely no limit apparent to this class of building and promoters and capitalists declare that first-class structures...


Everyday

Downtown Living Open House

By Eric Richardson — January 20, 2005

I'm really excited about the Downtown Living Open House event that the Downtown Center Business Improvement District is putting on next month. Even as someone who already has a place to live Downtown, I love to see all the other projects that are opening up around me. I walk by so many of these buildings day after day, but it's rare that you get such a good...


Everyday

High Drama at the Old Bank

By Eric Richardson — January 19, 2005

I love this whole history research thing. One of the buildings converted to create Premiere Towers was the former California Bank building (the astute will note that the California bank then moved to 600 S. Spring in 1960). August 12th, 1953, a bank robber was shot and killed in what is now my building. That's kind of crazy. From the LA Times write-up the...


Everyday

A Little History on 600 S. Spring

By Eric Richardson — January 19, 2005

I went to the B. Dalton in the LA Mall today (the one I mentioned the other day). I didn't find either of the books I was looking for, but I spent a little time hanging out looking through a photo book focused on the Historic Core. Particularly of interest was a photo of the building at 600 S. Spring, since that's where I've been parking for the last six months...


Everyday

Flexcar Downtown

By Eric Richardson — January 19, 2005

Over on my personal blog I'm talking about transit options now that I'm carless. In a post today I mentioned going to check out the Flexcar at the Bonaventure. I had walked over to the library this afternoon, so I dropped by the Bonaventure to check out the car. It was there, and as advertised was a Honda Civic hybrid. They're small cars, but they look...