Lights Go On in the Mandel

What does "Pending" mean for the Seven-Eleven? Does that mean the application has been filed but not yet approved by the City?

I've often passed by the Mandel lofts, wondering why nothing has happened for so long. In fact, it seems to be the trend for 7th street. Except for the Roosevelt, there are not too many progress on the projects in the area. A lot of buildings such as Giannini, Mandel lofts, 617, Brockman and closeby Embassy hotel are either vacant or going through some long and invisible renovation. For lease signs are posted eveywhere on the ground floor but so far not too many takers. The Seven Grand is open but there was so little traffic last Saturaday night and for one instance, I thought it was actually closed.

So far, the much anticipated revitalization of 7th street is not going to happen soon.

It's called The Mandel, not the Mandel Lofts :)

Anticipated move-ins are in August. 54 units. Best loft lay outs in downtown. HUGE spaces. 52 of the lofts have guest bathrooms.

This project is going to be awesome!

711 is happening

Eric, Looks like the new Rite Aid on Broadway is open now!

They need to add lights on the trees or something snazzy to 7th Street if they want people to identify it as a destination. Also I think Eric or someone said it best in another post but leaving "Available" signs up in spaces which have confirmed tenants really detracts from the area. Even a sign which says "pending...Pinkberry?" would give people hope of whats coming and put at bay those who say downtown can't happen.

jk on the Pink

Liza Simone's Los Angeles Phantom Gallery Project does an excellent job of occupying retail space in transition with temporary art installations and galleries. The Continnetal Gallery is a good example of what well lit art in empty spaces can do to draw people's attention to the area while also providing sidewalk illumination.

Empty storefronts are usually empty because the owners are holding out for higher rents before a market actually develops, which is why Phantom Galleries works as a shill for landlords who won't actually rent below market to creative uses, if even temporarily.

There could be 10 more galleries on Gallery Row and on 7th Street if more landlords would just take less money for a year or two until the neighborhood evolves. Keeping them empty is the worst approach. It slows the pace of growth.

Thanks for the insight Bert.

Perhaps we can look at a mechanism to give commercial buildings incentive (tax or fee credits) for documented below market leases for creative uses?

Maybe it is something which could be funded through a collective of filming inconvenience fees by a neighborhood association to counterbalance the negative impact over-filming has on sidewalk retail development?

The sidewalks along 7th Street seem so much nicer and cleaner than the rest of downtown which makes it much more attractive when trying to encourage new retail. Does the city ever clean the sidewalks downtown with a some type of sandblaster? Broadway, Hill, Olive and the number streets south of 7th always are so dirty and look like there are gum stains everywhere. I know the ficus trees add to the grit, but downtown sidewalks could really use a good sandblasting. Does the BID ever do this? It would be a step in the right direction to encourage more retail.

The problem in getting restaurants to move in, is the high rents for retail spaces. It's too expensive for even the most bold entrepreneurs to start up a restaurant from scratch.

We're not talking Times Square priced rents, but compared to the rest of LA County, very high, like the Sunset strip, The Grove, or the Venice Boardwalk.

It's a very good location, with a huge upside during the daytime lunch hour. But to the many start ups, the cost and the risk are too great. Until we see all the new lofts opened and occupied, the ground floor will be an egg waiting to hatch.