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Roosevelt Chronicles

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Mixing Modern with Classic

By Eric Richardson — June 15, 2007 — 15 Comments

Eric Richardson

If you haven't been on Wilshire lately to take a look at the backside of the Roosevelt, I encourage you to make a special trip. It's a great example of how a historic structure can be combined with some interesting modern architecture.

Everyone's familiar with the classic stone front the building presents to its 7th and Flower street sides. What you may not realize, though, is that the back was built very plainly. The two lightwells were plain brick with small windows.

The conversion tore out much of that brickwork and has replaced it with a much more modern glass and concrete look. They cut the space diagonally, increasing square footage and making the units seem like they'll be much more open.

This meld of modern and historic works because the two aspects aren't ever in view at once. The changes are visible via an alley off Wilshire (pictured), far from the views of the classic front. It's a smart architectural decision, and a cool way to handle a historic structure.

Fakeblogging Development at the Roosevelt

By Eric Richardson — June 07, 2007
18 Comments

I guess it was inevitable, and, heck, it's probably been done elsewhere, but the Roosevelt Lofts' fake blog is just sad. Ed wrote about this over on View from a Loft and I just had to mention it here. Consider this breathless tone from the first posting: As I cruise the hallways of the prestigious Milbank Real Estate offices located in close proximately to...

Surveying the Roosevelt Rooftop

By Eric Richardson — May 15, 2007
2 Comments

If you go to the website for the Roosevelt you can find an impressive render of how the building's roof will look. It's certainly a scene far different than what the roof used to look like, or even how it appears today. This evening I took a few shots of the current state of rooftop construction. It's been fascinating to watch as they've cut holes in the...

Rooftop Construction

By Eric Richardson — February 09, 2007
1 Comment

In trying to find some more bandwidth for the office, I've found out the MCI Building has some definite downsides. A nice upside, though, is getting to look down on the construction occurring across the streets at the Roosevelt Lofts. I've seen a pair of fires, a large crane and the day to day stuff of construction. One of the interesting things about the...

Sidewalk Not a Walkway?

By Eric Richardson — January 10, 2007
1 Comment

This sign showed up outside the Roosevelt Lofts building the other day. It's attached to the construction scaffolding that stands over the sidewalk on both the building's 7th street and Flower street sides. And it's right in the middle of the sidewalk. What are they trying to say? Don't walk to the right of the sign? Don't pass this way? Pass at your...

Shame on the Carpenters?

By Eric Richardson — October 27, 2006
2 Comments

Carpenters' Union Says Shame on Everyone

Earlier today one of the guys I work with asked me "So what's the deal with that labor dispute with the Roosevelt?" He had seen the sign outside on 7th street, where it's been held for the past few days. It was an easy answer: "There isn't one." You've more than likely seen these same signs all over. "Shame on XXXXX" in big red letters, with "Labor Dispute...

Roosevelt Fast-Tracking Retail?

By Eric Richardson — October 02, 2006
4 Comments

Development on the Roosevelt Lofts has been moving steadily since they got started (at least externally) back in January. In the last two weeks the retail spaces seem to have been put on overdrive, as all of a sudden the building went from where you could see straight through it to today having glass on the front. This is a welcome change from so much other...

Reverting the Roosevelt Entryway

By Eric Richardson — June 27, 2006
3 Comments

I don't know if you've been by the Roosevelt Building at 7th/Flower recently, but work is going ahead full-bore on its conversion to condos. Much of that work happens inside where you can't see it, bt within the last week a cool external change has taken place on the building. Late last week workers took sledgehammers to the brown metal and tinted glass that...

Curbed Discovers Roosevelt Condo Details; One of Two Remaining Retail Tenants Closes

By Eric Richardson — May 17, 2006
2 Comments

Curbed.LA yesterday wrote about the Roosevelt Building going condo to which I sort of say, yes, we've known that for a while. The details they point to -- 223 units, prices starting in the mid-$450k range -- have also been available if you looked up the building on the Downtown Interactive Map. Interior demolition has been ongoing since January. Particularly...

Roosevelt Chronicles: One Big Crane

By Eric Richardson — March 18, 2006

Today's Roosevelt Lofts update involves the biggest crane I've ever seen on the back of a truck. My office is on the 19th floor of the MCI Building, and as you can see from the photo this thing's taller than that. I have no clue how the operator can actually see what he's doing when he reaches into the building. Each time I think he's going to bang into the...

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