Unable to Raise Funds for Courthouse, Feds Shift Course

Why just a lake? Why not a river to cascade down the hill from Grand Avenue? And speaking of Grand Avenue, how about if Eli Broad were to commission Gehry to design a museum at First and Grand to complement the concert hall? I can see far more synergy in that than between Disney and the proposed development across the street. Perhaps Eli can see that the mixed use plan isn't going to fly and is intent on saving face with Grand Avenue. A huge new museum would accommodate his entire collection and a linear park parallel with Olive Street could be called Broad Acres. After the new building at LACMA is opened and the dust (and feathers) settle down, expect an earthquake.

Actually, there once was a stream which coursed down the hillside from a pond located where First Street now is, just to the west of Hill Street. The stream fell into a shollow ravine and ran southeast where St. Vibianas was constructed in the 1870s, then out onto the floodplain. There was another pond further up where Hope Street now is, between the DWP and the fountain at the Music Center. Maps showing these ponds can be seen in the city archives office.

I think he was joking.

This parcel would be perfect for a temporary park until the feds DO find the funding. Now that the Grand Avenue Project is stalled for another 4-5 months, that's another deadzone we're going to be dealing with!

I thought today was January 12th, not April 1st.

Hmmm. would Eli loan the Related Companies a big chunk of change for construction financing? Only if it would be a very favorable business deal; one can only imagine the fine print that would go into the contract.

Otherwise, having his own musuem on Grand would be a natural. He and Riordan rescued the concert hall, he brought in Wolf Prix on the high school and he's gone way out on a limb re. Grand Avenue, pumping it up with abandon. Related might be able to use him but they wouldn't like the fine print. Here now this past week, news slips out that BCAM will not get a goodly chunk of Broad's collection, only a month before the new building is inauguated at LACMA. What has he got up his sleeve?

Like most people heavily invested in real estate, I suspect the Broads don't find themselves in need of a large tax deduction for 2007.

Might be why they are holding back on donating their art collection to their namesake building at LACMA at this time...

"news slips out that BCAM will not get a goodly chunk of Broad's collection, only a month before the new building is inauguated at LACMA. What has he got up his sleeve?"

BCAM will get all that it wants. LACMA has first dibs on longterm loans. Long term loans usually mean that as long as LACMA is exhibiting his art, they can keep it as long as they want. When the art is being stored, Eli can loan it to other local institutions for axhibition, until LACMA frees up space for it. That was my interpretation.

Perhaps the feds might sell the lake to the county. The county could then use Perkins & Will's courthouse design to build a replacement for the existing county courthouse. With that, Related Companies could build an office structure on it's second phase block for temporary use for the county administrative offices. Include a temporary structure next to it to accommodate the council chamber/auditorium. Then tear down the existing county administrative offices. The entire area bounded by First, Grand, Temple and Hill could be integrated with the Grand Avenue development - to include whatever new county building(s) necessary. Yes, the two existing county buildings ought to be removed ASAP. If the feds ever get their act together, they can use the site of the old state building on the north side of First Street.

Is this a joke? If not, then who is the source for the information in this article? I know I'm not the only person with doubts about this.

OK, looking at the picture, I can see that it is a joke. I guess I'm just slow.

What a great opportunity for a downtown community garden!

This reminds me of a great story! I knew this guy in college who wanted to drive cross-country throwing pot seeds out his window - hoping that he'd be able to sprout the ultimate hi-highway. Unfortunately, he didn't know anyone who could sell him >just< pot seeds. So - he gave up on that idea, and went to Law school. I don't know what he does now.