Towering over Spring: New Project Proposed to Complete Old Bank Block

Amazing project! Great find, Ed.

The first thing that jumps out at me is... 92 residences plus 122 hotel rooms... why will there be over 3 parking spaces per unit?? Public parking is needed, but that much?

the parking is probably also meant to serve the rowan and el dorado. or is the conversion to a parking garage of the building next to the hellman on main street supposed to do that?

i had heard this parking lot was going to be converted to a park. i'm disappointed that's not happening.

I want to see more infill projects like this in the Historic Core.

Hey Ed, while we're on the topic of upcoming buildings, do you know of any links to developer preview-shots of the new Superior Courthouse going up between Broadway, Hill, First and Second? And if you DO have any knowledge, do you maybe know what kind of green space will be included (if any) and how will it fit with all the planned the Grand Avenue stuff?

More podium buildings.... LA seriously has to cut down the parking requirements in downtown. How do we become a pedestrian/mass transit city by building large parking garages? It just entices people to use cars more and bring about more auto-centric policies (i.e. anti-gridlock zoning)

there goes your view all you rowan and el dorado folks. i had heard various rumors as to what was happening in that space and suspected this even though i was told "no" by a friendly realtor associated with the rowan....

Way too much parking

Don't have to worry about blocked views or there being too much parking. The housing market is in the toilet right now, and so this building ain't going anywhere.

"protecting your view" = suburban living. When we build density, the property value will not be based on your view, but your neighborhood, i.e. the cafes, pedestrian activity, etc.. I live in South Park and yes, good view. However, I have more fun chilling out in the OBD b/c of the cafes and pedestrian activity. I wish there was a condo bldg there, I'd rather be there!

'Twould be great to see a plan view of this project so we could see the programming for the first floor/ground level spaces. More specifically, what would happen along the rear alley? The above post by LAofAnaheim is spot on! Otherwise, the idea of using the site for a park is ludicrous, would be the worst solution from the standpoint of good urban design. Finally, my hope is that the redevelopment agency and the city council would consider re-instituting the former Beaux Arts inspired 150 foot height limit on parcels along Main, Spring, Broadway and Hill now occupied by significant/historic buildings. Otherwise, if the area becomes too hot in future decades, the historical, extrinsic context will be threatened. Following his move to Pacific Palisades from Big Sur, Henry Miller fell in love with these streets. They reminded him of his days spent living on the streets of Paris, before his 'Tropic of Cancer' was published.

i'm sure jan perry could come up with worse solutions than a park.

It's also bad for the film industry, who depend on Historic core buildings to evoke that sense of 1920's and 1940's noir. Imagine if they were filming a Jazz scene in front of the Caltrans bldg. Talk about anachronisms.

Oh, the poor film industry. I feel their pain.

"protecting your view" = suburban living.

No views are actually a great attribute to urban living. Whether the suburbs or the city people will pay more for a nice view. But people that move downtown next to a parking lot shouldn't be surprised if something is built on it at some point.

The Rowan and El Dorado are optimistic for 2009 at their present rate -- just in time to enjoy construction project noise!

The parking is needed -- neither the Rowan or El Dorado (or anything else in GilVille for that matter) has its own parking structure.

Umm... Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? Totally out of character for the district and bringing a 70's style auto tower to Spring Street?

And why exactly would a park be a bad idea? If this is where I think it might be going, a park would be a great idea. An open urban space to connect the Rowan and El Dorado. I grew up in a city (Boston) and there were always pockets of green to counter the stresses of urban living.

I'm glad I didn't buy in the Rowan. This is development run amok.

We do not need parks in this area. We need intimate courtyards much like Paley Park in Manhattan, semi-public space which can be underwritten by the private sector. We've all witnessed that superlative space underwritten in part by the public sector: Pershing Square. The proposed tower would bring greater vitality and verve to Spring. Attention would then become focused on both sides of Fourth Street between Spring and Broadway. Why not bridge across, in a very far-out, imaginative way? As a landscape architect, I say why not? We do not need an urban landscape (historic core) reserved as a museum of antiquities.

Cornfield and Echo Park are very successful public spaces... But then again that is a more out yonder in the hinterlands.

At least include some grassy pocket parks on the property edges for dogs to unload.

Regardless of what they decide to do with the location they (city and developers) need to understand that building a community takes more than just new buildings, shops, restaurants and other amenities but it’s the simple things in life that make a neighborhood a community. Small pocket parks and green space for both people and dogs to congregate is a step in the right direction.

If you are a downtown resident and have dogs please join us every 2nd Wednesday of the month for Dog Walk Downtown L.A. (sorry for the shameless plug)

Info @: http://www.dogwalkdowntownla.blogspot.com/

Sorry, John. I'm generally pro-development, but this development looks like total crap. If I know the parcel, it's not terribly huge and would create some decent open space and could connect to the alleyway where "Lost Souls" is.

I think it would technically qualify as a pocket park.

I'd point out as a downtown parent that pocket parks, in addition to people and dogs, should be designed with consideration to children as well.

I think it would technically qualify as a pocket park.

Only problem is that it then would end up being a gathering space for the homeless. A constant lingering scent of urine would follow.

Manhattan parks have benches which prohibit horizontal sleeping but still give plenty of play space for young families.

Maybe the thing to do Miller is to look at how to solve homeless loitering and narco traffic Downtown instead of hesitating to improve the quality of life for everyone because of an anti-septic reaction to a few.

The way it looks right now ... the City can't even build a tiny 20 x 20 park. Apparently they don't have the resources, despite the millions of dollars in Quimby fees. What is this City coming to ?

I was outraged to find out that Joel Bloom Square on Traction and Rose, will not have a park as planned. The Dept. of Parks and Recreation failed to purchase a tiny plot of land, an little island of concrete.

I say, we should give the money to the local BID and have them build and manage a park. The City "doesn't have the resources".