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Post by jeisenbe on Oct 5, 2010 22:42:21 GMT -8
More evidence in support of the 4th/5th street Financial District station:
Today I took the 720 from East LA to the Blue Line (My 5th Metro vehicle of the day!). Google Maps told me to transfer to the Red Line at Pershing Square, but that would have caused a 4 minute wait for a train, for a 1-station trip.
I chose to walk from the nearest 720 stop, instead. But the eastbound 720 (and all the other east-west buses that go thru Downtown on 5th and 6th streets) has it's closest stop at 5th and Grand, 5 blocks from the end of the Blue Line. Of course, the bus could stop at 5th and Flower, but that would still be a 3 block walk
With a station between 4th and 5th, there could be only a 1 block walk north to the station from the westbound 720 (and 18, 16, 316, etc). Eastbound you could walk 1 (really 2) blocks south from 6th to 7th and Flower. But currently transfers from the westbound buses are a long walk away.
I also was reminded that the huge Library Tower (US Bank building) is only 1 block east of Flower, between 4th and 5th, right next to this potential station. The Wells Fargo building and several other >40 story buildings are also closer to this stop.
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Post by tobias087 on Oct 6, 2010 16:14:54 GMT -8
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Post by jeisenbe on Oct 6, 2010 20:52:39 GMT -8
A 4th entrance for the Metro Center station, at 6th and Flower, would be a great option for bus transfers, as well as those walking farther north.
There are already emergency exits in the sidewalk, so it might not cost much to put in a staircase, when the construction happens to the north.
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Post by wad on Oct 16, 2010 5:17:17 GMT -8
However, if you dug due south from the 7th/Fig mezzanine exit you'd end up at the 7+Fig underground shops (or whatever it is they're calling it these days, it's been a while.) You have until the end of the year to enjoy it. All of the tenants that aren't on the street level are being told to leave so a "big box store to be named" can move in. It'll likely be a Target.
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Oct 16, 2010 6:27:59 GMT -8
You have until the end of the year to enjoy it. All of the tenants that aren't on the street level are being told to leave so a "big box store to be named" can move in. It'll likely be a Target. However, if you dug due south from the 7th/Fig mezzanine exit you'd end up at the 7+Fig underground shops (or whatever it is they're calling it these days, it's been a while.) Not all.....only four tenants have been asked to vacate. And there are more than 4 tenants below street level. Source: LA Downtown News
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Post by James Fujita on Oct 16, 2010 8:27:40 GMT -8
Bit unfair to knock me for a comment I made on Sept. 15 (wow, a full month ago), with a story which came out on Sept. 17, wouldn't you think? Target, eh? I'm not a huge fan of theirs, but I'm not going to complain about a large retailer moving in. Okay then. I modify my stance. We still have an underground mall at 7th/Fig, only now Target is the anchor. It's still less than a block from the 7th/Metro Center station, which might make it a useful subway exit point (obviously, there'd be some logistics to work out, but even so...). In other words: "If you dug due south from the 7th/Fig mezzanine exit, you'd end up at Target." ;D
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Post by wad on Oct 17, 2010 4:56:53 GMT -8
Not all.....only four tenants have been asked to vacate. And there are more than 4 tenants below street level. One of them is George's Greek Cafe. The owners said they are out by the end of the year. However, George's is toward the Figueroa side of 7+Fig. The Target would be anchored in the Robinson's May/Macy's space, which is the opposite direction.
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Post by James Fujita on Oct 18, 2010 13:59:26 GMT -8
I must admit I've having a hard time figuring out how Target fits into the scheme of the 7+Fig shopping center. If Target is going into the Robinson-May Co. slot, then it shouldn't need that much more room. (I'm doing a lot of this by memory, with Web searches for help). And like Wad said, George's doesn't appear to be on the correct side of the mall, so maybe they're moving out for other reasons? There was a George's Greek Cafe in Long Beach, too and they moved, but they weren't pushed out. Is this going to be a two-story Target? If so, they'll need cart escalators.
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Post by bobdavis on Oct 18, 2010 18:30:54 GMT -8
Regarding two-story Target stores: they've had one for years (going back at least to the 1990's and maybe the 80's) in downtown Pasadena. It's a modified ex-Robinson's store, and has elevators especially designed to accommodate shopping carts. It's not far from the Gold Line Lake Ave. station. There's a new double-deck Target in Azusa; it will be even closer to the Gold Line at the upcoming Azusa station.
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Post by tobias087 on Oct 18, 2010 18:40:23 GMT -8
There's also one not far from my home in the valley, not far from CSUN
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Post by wad on Oct 19, 2010 4:42:25 GMT -8
And like Wad said, George's doesn't appear to be on the correct side of the mall, so maybe they're moving out for other reasons? There was a George's Greek Cafe in Long Beach, too and they moved, but they weren't pushed out. I'm a frequent George's customer, and one of the owners said that the property manager didn't extend its lease. They wanted to stay, but they have another location already set up. The George's Greek Cafe in Long Beach moved to the former Mariposa spot a block down on Pine for a good reason: it was successful. The new location offered more dining area and it had a full liquor license. The old George's is now occupied by Omelette Inn, which now opens beyond the afternoon hour. BTW, the downtown L.A. George's is owned independently of the Long Beach area establishments. Those are owned by the Loizides family. The downtown L.A. site was sold a few years ago, but the new owners kept the name and recipes.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Oct 19, 2010 8:34:51 GMT -8
I was downtown this past weekend and walked from 7th & Metro station to the Public Library.
It is of course very disappointing that the 5th & Flower station isn't going to be there.
However, the walking distance itself was not unreasonable and should not be considered a "deal breaker" for the line.. Having lived in New York and London, the distance from 7th & Metro and the financial district was not different from distances I would normally walk from train stations in both of those cities.
I support keeping the 2nd & Broadway station to allow a direct connection with the coming streetcar. (Now if they would only have the courage to designate the lane the streetcar runs in as "transit only".)
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Post by metrocenter on Oct 19, 2010 9:20:28 GMT -8
No this is definitely not a dealbreaker. I think this station would have been good for commuters, but of course the greatest value of the connector is the connection itself.
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Post by James Fujita on Oct 19, 2010 16:06:37 GMT -8
As disappointing as it was to see this station disappear, it definitely wasn't a deal breaker for me.
Surface level on Second might have been a deal breaker. That one alternative (I think it was 7) with the crazy curve away from Little Tokyo definitely would have been.
The surface-level wye at 1st/ Alameda wouldn't have been a deal breaker for me, but it was a deal-breaker for a lot of people, so here we are.
To be honest, I was more enthusiastic about the Bonaventure station than I am about 2nd/ Broadway. But I had my own personal, selfish reasons for that.
As far as station distances are concerned, I don't think there is one single magic distance which can apply to all stations. I do think downtown stations can be much closer together than midtown or suburban stations, and I am still of the belief that you can never have too many station entrances.
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Post by pithecanthropus on Jan 17, 2014 21:06:50 GMT -8
I voted 5th/Flower off the island. It's only two blocks away from Metro Center; why would we need another station so close? Instead perhaps they need to expand Metro Center itself, based on likely growth in traffic there once the Regional Connector is online. I took these yesterday at about 4:30PM: Crowded platform on upper level of 7th Street Metro Center Crowded train arriving.
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Post by bzcat on Jan 21, 2014 14:24:56 GMT -8
I voted 5th/Flower off the island. It's only two blocks away from Metro Center; why would we need another station so close? Instead perhaps they need to expand Metro Center itself, based on likely growth in traffic there once the Regional Connector is online. I took these yesterday at about 4:30PM: Crowded platform on upper level of 7th Street Metro Center Crowded train arriving. What do you mean by "expand" Metro Center? There is no more physical space so the station cannot grow in size. The only way you can change the station is to add more access points but as we discussed over 3 years (!) ago, improving access to Metro Center will make over crowding worse, not better. The area needs a 2nd station soon or later, that's not a question in my mind. The only question is how soon?
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Jan 22, 2014 13:11:12 GMT -8
I work in the DTLA Financial District, technically speaking the 2nd/Hope Station will be the second and centrally located station in the Financial District. It will take a lot of the rush hour pressure off of 7th St/Metro Center, how? Bank of America tower, Wells Fargo Plaza tower, Figueroa Courtyard, and several other towers (like US Bank) are within a short 1-2 block walk from the 2nd/Hope (or the proposed Grand Ave portal). I am personally excited for this station to open up because it will cut out a short bus ride many of us Financial District riders take on either Line 60 or the LADOT Dash A. The 5th/Flower Station was the right one to cut because it does little to serve the central part of the Financial District. Now that I think about it, the Regional Connector will probably gut LADOT Dash A ridership... Also, the 2nd/Broadway station will be a fabulous one with the new Federal Courthouse under construction (and sure to be busy) on the opposite corner and with the Bringing Back Broadway road diet/pedestrian improvements extending from the south up to it. The street enhancements will be in place before this extension opens. 2nd/Broadway Station will also be the only direct connection to the LA Streetcar on the Bunker Hill portion and a convenient alternative to to Civic Center/Grand Park Station for crowded Grand Park events.
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Post by masonite on Jan 22, 2014 13:34:24 GMT -8
I work in the DTLA Financial District, technically speaking the 2nd/Hope Station will be the second and centrally located station in the Financial District. It will take a lot of the rush hour pressure off of 7th St/Metro Center, how? Bank of America tower, Wells Fargo Plaza tower, Figueroa Courtyard, and several other towers (like US Bank) are within a short 1-2 block walk from the 2nd/Hope (or the proposed Grand Ave portal). I am personally excited for this station to open up because it will cut out a short bus ride many of us Financial District riders take on either Line 60 or the LADOT Dash A. The 5th/Flower Station was the right one to cut because it does little to serve the central part of the Financial District. Now that I think about it, the Regional Connector will probably gut LADOT Dash A ridership... Also, the 2nd/Broadway station will be a fabulous one with the new Federal Courthouse under construction (and sure to be busy) on the opposite corner and with the Bringing Back Broadway road diet/pedestrian improvements extending from the south up to it. The street enhancements will be in place before this extension opens. 2nd/Broadway Station will also be the only direct connection to the LA Streetcar on the Bunker Hill portion and a convenient alternative to to Civic Center/Grand Park Station for crowded Grand Park events. I agree. I think people just see the Regional Connector as a way for people to avoid transferring and forget about the value of the new stations, especially in a hilly Downtown area where people don't want to walk far.
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 29, 2014 7:43:08 GMT -8
I work in the DTLA Financial District, technically speaking the 2nd/Hope Station will be the second and centrally located station in the Financial District. While Downtown's Bunker Hill contains many of LA's major financial offices, it is NOT part of the Financial District. Bunker Hill is north of 5th Street: the Financial District is south of 5th Street. The flatlands south of Bunker Hill have been known as the Financial District since the old Financial District (on Spring Street) was abandoned in the 1950s-1970s. Bunker Hill is separated from the Financial District not just by distance, but by the giant hill. It's need for a station is without question. But it really does nothing for the Financial District. The main reason to build a station at 5th/Flower is to allow Financial District commuters to use a different station from the massively-jammed transfer station at 7th/Flower.
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Feb 5, 2014 11:22:21 GMT -8
I work in the DTLA Financial District, technically speaking the 2nd/Hope Station will be the second and centrally located station in the Financial District. While Downtown's Bunker Hill contains many of LA's major financial offices, it is NOT part of the Financial District. Bunker Hill is north of 5th Street: the Financial District is south of 5th Street. The flatlands south of Bunker Hill have been known as the Financial District since the old Financial District (on Spring Street) was abandoned in the 1950s-1970s. Bunker Hill is separated from the Financial District not just by distance, but by the giant hill. It's need for a station is without question. But it really does nothing for the Financial District. The main reason to build a station at 5th/Flower is to allow Financial District commuters to use a different station from the massively-jammed transfer station at 7th/Flower. Again 5th & Flower St does nothing if you work in the dense cluster of over 40-story towers atop Bunker Hill as I do and experience. It blends together with the Financial District (via an interesting series of pedestrian bridges) regardless of its designated descriptor and the presence of Wells Fargo, Bank of America, KPMG towers. Just sayin'
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