Long Beach Shiny New Downtown

LA’s downtown isn’t the only one undergoing a major transformation, LA’s little brother Long Beach is also in the mitts of a construction boom.  Downtown Long Beach has over 20 projects either already
under construction, or proposed for development.  A few of the developments that will drastically change the image of Downtown LB will be a $250 Entertainment Center adjacent to the Queen Mary, 
a 35 story Residential tower (set to be the new tallest tower for LB), a flashy new Civic Center , and remodel of the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Curbed LA compiled a list of developments planned that has me pretty excited to see what DTLB will eventually grow into.

Queen Mary Development

New Civic Center

Aquarium of the Pacific

Jordan Downs aka “Urban Village”…?

Jordan Downs, one of LA’s neglected public housing complexes, with extremely bad soil is being transformed into a master-planned community to create a vibrant and sustainable mixed-used and mixed-income urban village with up to 1,400 units of Mixed-income housing & approx. 100,000 sq. ft. of neighborhood with shops, a much-needed grocery store, restaurants, community center, and green space. The area is set to serve low, very low and extremely low income families and unrestricted income households. The redeveloped Jordan Downs will include much needed neighborhood-serving retail, parks and a community center. The new vision promises to serve as a catalyst for the economic and social enhancement of the greater neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Comments can be submitted via email to sergio.rosas@hacla.org. The HACLA BOC meeting will be held on Thursday May 24th at 9:00 AM in the HACLA Board Room located at 2600 Wilshire Blvd, 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90057.

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HACLA

Jordan Downs Project

Obama “Center”

With every President comes a Presidential Library and leave it to the Bestest Greatest President ever to go above and beyond and not only create a Library but a “Center.”  Back in February former President Barack Obama announced to build his Presidential “Center” in his embraced hometown of Chicago.  Obama set his eyes on Jackson Park on Chicago’s south-side.  Obama explained how he met a girl, married that girl and started a family on the Southside.  Then went on to start his political career, and become president because of the South side so it was only right that his Center be built on the……..South side.  He not only has support from the Mayor of Chicago and the University of Chicago, but also million dollar donations from Shonda Rhimes, Ford,  George Lucas and Goldman Sachs just to name  a few.

The Center is to host and multitude of different spaces and amenities. A 235-foot-high, eight-story main building will house a Museum, which will house exhibitions about the Obamas in the context of civil rights, African-American, local, and national history.   A two story event space with winter garden and a restaurant will host such events Obama Summit; A two story Athletic Center that will host classes;, and of course the a two story Library,  that will house sans archives, and maybe even a branch of the Chicago Public Library.  Outside, these three building a paved plaza large enough for performances, and surrounded on their park sides by a playground, a bowl-shaped lawn and sledding hill, winding paths, and a garden.

 With though all this awesomeness is being proposed,  the project is being hit with resistance.  Protesters are posing questions about gentrification, jobs, equity (not sure about the complaint is about equity).  This would be so great if it actually came to fruition and would drastically change the aesthetics of what a Presidential Library is and how they can begin to benefit the communities they are built in.

Obama Center

Fight Against The Center

 

Proposed Development For Crenshaw And Expo

Metro and Los Angeles County staff are proposing to enter a six-month negotiating period with the developer Watt Companies to build 492 residential units and about 47,500 square feet of community-serving space on two parcels at the intersection of Exposition and Crenshaw Boulevards. The development — which includes commercial and retail units — is literally steps away from stations for the Expo Line and the future Crenshaw/LAX Line, which is scheduled to open in fall 2019. Here’s the staff report.

Under the proposal, 73 (or 15 percent) of the 492 residential units, will be affordable units for households earning 50 percent or less of the area median income. The community-serving space is envisioned to include a grocery store and restaurant space targeted for locally-owned and operated businesses. A business incubator-type space would be part of the development, as well as a mobility hub to provide bicycle and carshare connections for Metro riders. 

The proposal also includes nearly three acres of public open space that will also host community events. During the six-month period, Watt Companies will offer opportunities to the community to provide feedback on the proposed project. Watt will also seek out a community-based organization who can add additional local participation on their team.

Straight from TheSource….Literally

Affordable Housing Coming To Vermont And Manchester

The abandon parcel of land located on the northeastern side of Vermont and Manchester will be seized and developed into affordable housing, retail, Metro transit plaza, preparatory boarding academy, and a training center. LA Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy ruled April 26th, that LA County could use eminent domain to seize the land. Judge Murphy stated that owner Eli Sasson wouldn’t lose any rents and has failed to develop on the land. Los Angeles County will take possession of a four-acre property on May 7th. Owner Eli Sasson has left the land undeveloped since the 1992 Civil Unrest. Back in May of 2015, Former Councilmen Bernard Parks proposed a Vermont Entertainment District and even hosted a ground breaking event for the project, the website, of-course has been removed so I’m assuming those plans fell through. I welcome the affordable housing; I think that’s a much better use of the land.

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LA County Poised to Develop Vermont And Manchester Project

Gentrification**Cough** Excuse Me, I Mean “Cumulus”

 

I originally posted on this back in July of 2016 but since then Carmel Partners, the developers of the project, have released new renderings of the major 11.9 acre development at La Cienaga and Jefferson, dubbed Cumulus. The project is comprised of 30 story high rise, the first/only high rise in the area, a 7 story podium building, not sure exactly what that means, and also a grocery store and 100,00 square feet or retail space. Potential tenant would enjoy:

“1210 apartments offering lofty ceilings, oversized windows, full-sized washers and dryer, wood style flooring and high end appliances. The podium features 24-hour concierge service, 3,600 square feet of co-working space, and a 1-acre public park plaza. 100,000 square feet of landscaped courtyards showcase multiple viewing decks and expansive outdoor social areas featuring a resort style pool and spa. A state-of-the-art fitness center features cardio equipment, fitness machines, flat screen televisions, a spin room and yoga studio with Fitness-on-Demand technology. The tower boasts 24-hour concierge service and a roof top deck with multiple seating areas and sweeping view of Los Angeles. A roof top resort style spa is surrounded by daybeds, chaise lounges, and cabanas. The sixth-floor amenity deck features a pool and spa as well as a large indoor-outdoor amenity space with recreational lounges and private event rooms. ”

I don’t believe this was planned with the current residents of the area in mind.  And believe developers were at first trying to sell the area as Culver City.

#GentrificationAtItsFinest

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SB 827 Shot Dead

Legislators killed SB 827 in a 6 to 4 vote during the first committee meeting Tueday April 24^th 2018.  SB 827 was an ambitious bill proposed by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) that would have drastically change zoning laws to increase construction of four and five story buildings near major transit/rail stations and frequently served bus stops.  The bill was originally introduced in January and was immediately hit with opposition.  Opponents of the bill claimed it would jeopardize the character of neighborhoods and lead to traffic and parking pains.   The bill was targeted towards single family neighborhoods where dense development was prohibited.  Wiener and pro-housing groups argued that the state had to intervene because decades of slow-growth policies by local governments have created a devastating housing shortage.   The lack of affordable housing has formed into a huge problem bringing California into an extreme housing crisis but many thought this solution was a little too drastic.  Although the bill was defeated many believe this is just the beginning of extreme measures to solve California’s Housing Crisis. 

 YIMBYS Defeated as California Transit Density Bill Stalls 

SB 827 is Dead. But California still can – and should- build more Housing Near Transit

SB 827 fails In Committee

 

 

LA Rams And Chargers Stadium Taking Shape

The LA Rams and Chargers Stadium are beginning to take shape.  The 70,240-seat arena will be the first indoor/outdoor stadium to be built, a clear roof above but open on all sides, no walls, so guest will enjoy the feeling of being outside yet protected from the elements.  The $2.6 billion stadium will be the largest stadium ever built at 3.1 million square feet.  The stadium is actually a giant whole in the ground; the base of the stadium is a 100ft in the ground rather than the normal max of 30ft due to the proximity to LAX.  The LA Stadium will have the largest video screen at 120 yards (dubbed Oculus) just about the same size of the football field it will be hovering directly above.  The LA Stadium will be opening in 2020 and is planned to host the Super Bowl LVI, 2023 College Football National Championship, and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

Construction

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Renderings

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Live Construction Cam

Stadium Construction

Oculus 

LA Rams Stadium Beginning To Take Shape 

Inglewood Stadium Video 

 

 

Carson Stadium Moving Forward

Carson’s City Council recently approved the two NFL team stadium that is to be built at the intersection of the 405 and 110 freeway, making the stadium on step closer becoming tangible.  The two-team football venue intended to house the Chargers and the Raiders is sporting new looks as well that includes a more airy, open layout and a tower over 100 feet tall that, on occasion, will shoot lightning bolts.  The updated plans show that the oval-shaped, roofless stadium will have a “contiguous exterior” with a large opening at its base. The seating would be arranged in a U around that gap, which the architects believe will “help surround the field with noise.” Seating colors are still being decided, but it’s possible that they’ll be clear so they can “reflect the color of lights shining on them.”  The most exciting feature of the updated Carson design is obviously its 115 to120-foot-tall tower, which will be encased in glass, topped with a cauldron, and transformed depending on which team is playing. When the Chargers are on the field, lightning bolts will zap around inside the tower’s glass enclosure. When the Chargers score a touchdown, lightning will shoot out of the top of the tower. When the Raiders are having a home game, the plan is for the cauldron to fill with fire, like the Olympic flame

Carson Greenlights Stadium

New Stadium Design

The latest renderings for the joint football venue come from Manica Architecture. Their version of the stadium is intended to recall the LA Coliseum, but was also inspired by the fluid movement of sports cars (that rendering with a Porsche in the foreground really drives this connection home).

The most exciting feature of the updated Carson design is obviously its 115 to120-foot-tall tower, which will be encased in glass, topped with a cauldron, and transformed depending on which team is playing. When the Chargers are on the field, lightning bolts will zap around inside the tower’s glass enclosure. When the Chargers score a touchdown, lightning will shoot out of the top of the tower. When the Raiders are having a home game, the plan is for the cauldron to fill with fire, like the Olympic flame, as a nod to the late Raiders owner/manager Al Davis. (Unfortunately, “The plan would not call for the flame toburst up from the tower in the event of a Raiders touchdown,” which just seems unfair.) If the Carson stadium ever hosted a Super Bowl, the plan is to turn the tower into an enormous Lombardi Trophy.

Vermont Entertainment Center Development – South LA

Councilmen Bernard Parks announced and hosted a ground breaking this week for a massive entertainment development at Vermont Ave and Manchester Ave.  From the renderings it seems to be a promenade type shopping/entertainment center.  Hopefully this will be a catalysts for the development in the area.  This area was impacted hard from the riots  in the early 90’s and has remained a blighted area ever since so seeing this development be initiated definitely brings hope for the area.  The project is being lead by Councilmember Bernard C. Parks and Sassony Properties.  The development is slated for completion winter of 2016.

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VEC – Vermont Entertainment Center