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Post by metrocenter on Oct 8, 2010 10:06:28 GMT -8
There are several developments planned or under construction next to the Expo Line. Some are Expo-inspired TODs, while others are just coincidental densification along the corridor. - Luxury student residences and shops at Figueroa/Expo, near Expo Park/USC station.
- Museum of Natural History restoration, near Expo Park/USC station.
- Eric Owen Moss developments, Samitaur Tower and possible residential high-rise, near La Cienega/Expo.
- Casden property (possible Target+residential), near Sepulveda/Expo station.
- Bundy Village, near Bundy/Expo station.
- Agensys development in Santa Monica, near Bergamot station.
This thread is for reporting on these and other new development near the Expo Line. |
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Post by metrocenter on Oct 8, 2010 10:09:49 GMT -8
(Article from Palisades Post, here.) Eric Moss Rattles Architectural Conventions
By Mary Rourke, Staff Writer
2010-10-07
The new and tipsy-looking Samitaur Tower on National Boulevard in Culver City begs the question; what is it for? Unless you know before you see it that the architect is Eric Owen Moss. Count on him to rattle expectations of what a building can be.
Five-stories of bent steel, partly wrapped in semi-sheer acrylic, the tower overlooks a stop on the light-rail Expo Line planned to extend from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City.
This latest construction by Moss is at the corner of Hayden and National and can only be viewed from the outside, for now. It opens to the public in early 2011, a year or more before the Expo Line is expected to roll through the area.
It would be easy to mistake the tower for a traffic-control center with an open-air staircase cutting through the middle. The fact is, the building is a mixed-use structure with two amphitheaters, five open-air platforms that suggest observation decks, and indoor spaces for restaurants and displays. The acrylic wrapper allows light to shine through it. Passers-by might see a sculpture exhibit silhouetted on one level and a cocktail party on the next.
In his office a few blocks from the site, Moss sits at his cluttered desk with a sculpture of a knight in armor at one end and a copy of 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's exploration of self-mastery, at the other.
Moss seems to like answering questions about his industrial-looking construction. He is a teacher and the director of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in downtown Los Angeles. His office is filled with photographs and models of projects that make perfect sense, once he describes them. One prize winner is a proposal by Moss and his team to revitalize part of downtown Los Angeles by, among other things, turning the concrete-bedded L.A. River into parkland. (See the Palisadian-Post feature, 'Building Like It's 2106' February 1, 2007).
'It's O.K. to ask whether or not it's a building,' Moss says of the Samitaur Tower. 'It doesn't follow conventional formulas for commercial or residential structures. You could call it an urban park.'
The developers, Frederick and Laurie Samitaur-Smith, see the tower as a prototype and hope to build others like it along the train line.
'They experiment with questions, like, 'What is a contemporary building? How is it used?'' Moss says of his clients, who have been redeveloping the area near the tower for more than 20 years. 'They are interested in architecture that shows a progressive point of view.'
Moss, who lives in Pacific Palisades with his architect wife, Emily Kovner, and their two sons, isn't predicting a break with convention for his own town where single-family dwellings and low-rise condominiums prevail.
Samitaur Tower is part of a plan for other lifestyle options. 'The idea is to use architecture strategically, to create a certain kind of neighborhood,' Moss says. In this case, one designed with a light-rail transportation system included.
'There will be a good transportation system,' Moss says, without a doubt. 'Over time, it will improve.'
If it takes longer to complete than anyone thinks it should, 'it's not all that dire,' he says. 'L.A. is at the beginning of its history. It's an adolescent.'
For a creative thinker, to design buildings for a young city has its advantages. 'Where things are not working, there are venues for re-imagining and trying unusual things,' he says. 'Samitaur Tower is an example of it.'
Other structures in the works are also a response to the Expo Line, he says. One is a high-rise condominium at the corner of Jefferson and La Cienega, with ramps leading from street level down to the train stop.
The proposed building rises 200 feet above ground in a neighborhood where most structures are not more than 45-feet high.
'L.A. has expanded laterally,' says Moss, who was born and raised in Los Angeles. 'Higher density construction allows people more options for the way they live. If it comes with a reinterpretation of freeways and trains, we might have a very different kind of city.'
Downtown Los Angeles is a step in that direction, but Moss has other ideas. He thinks about high-rise schools with five athletic fields 'stacked' on top of one another. He is working on a plan for a high-rise urban farm.
'Why truck food from Fresno?' he wonders. 'People could buy organic vegetables, grown in their neighborhood.'
Where others see train tracks, Moss sees a city of the future. |
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Oct 8, 2010 22:57:54 GMT -8
There's a big housing development happening near the 23rd street station (23rd and Flower). It looks like the housing complex will be completed by the times the trains are rolling next year. I don't have any more details on this project. I cannot find out if it's affordable housing or more USC housing.
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Post by matthewb on Oct 12, 2010 18:36:27 GMT -8
It would be great if they could get somebody to build over the 110 between Flower and Figueroa south of 23rd. This is not uncommon along the Massachusetts Turnpike. It basically pays for a deck over the freeway by giving a developer air rights. If this were combined with a requirement for fronting Figueroa and having ground floor retail, it would be a really great way to enhance the area and make the best use of the land around the new station. I started thinking about this because they're trying to figure out the future of Figueroa and this would help to connect that section of Figueroa with the Expo Line. |
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Post by bzcat on Oct 14, 2010 8:39:22 GMT -8
A deck over the 110 along Figueroa corridor between Adams and Expo is a great idea... we can reclaim some of that space for parks and retail space.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Oct 14, 2010 8:57:26 GMT -8
A deck over the 110 along Figueroa corridor between Adams and Expo is a great idea... we can reclaim some of that space for parks and retail space. As you may know there are proposals for something like this in Santa Monica on the 10 and in Hollywood on the 101. Very wonderful ideas for the use of space in my humble opinion. The location you propose has the HOV aerial structure which dead ends rather abruptly (like they just stopped construction) at this location. It is my understanding that the plan was to connect this facility to the El Monte Expressway through downtown. A freeway park here would interfere with those plans however, I don't think there are any serious plans to complete Harbor Expressway because of cost and the dismal ridership of the busway that traverses the expressway. In some circles it is derisively called the billion dollar failure" Anyway, I like your thinking. Check out Freeway Park in Seattle for a successful example of a freeway cap park . I've been there and it's awesome. |
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Post by bzcat on Oct 14, 2010 9:16:25 GMT -8
Yep... I'm going with the assumption that Harbor Transit Way will never be completed to the El Monte Busway because the cost/benefit does not compute. Having bus-only lanes in Downtown streets connecting the two is a much better idea (and we already have rush-hour bus only lanes on Figueroa!)
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Post by rubbertoe on Oct 14, 2010 10:33:04 GMT -8
Yep... I'm going with the assumption that Harbor Transit Way will never be completed to the El Monte Busway because the cost/benefit does not compute. Having bus-only lanes in Downtown streets connecting the two is a much better idea (and we already have rush-hour bus only lanes on Figueroa!) It's not so much the Harbor Freeway Transitway that I would be worried about losing as much as the carpool lanes. Right now the 110N carpool lanes end right there at USC, with the stub actually in place to continue them. There is always a huge bottleneck there for cars traveling North. I'm not aware of any plans to extend those carpool lanes further toward downtown, but would hate to build something like a freeway deck that would make it even more difficult. When the 110 Express Lane project starts up in 2012, they will have tolls being paid to use the 110 for the stretch where the carpool lanes start all the way down to the Artesia transit center. I'm not sure what they plan on doing with the money raised by those tolls, but maybe it would be possible to use the money to extend the carpool lanes (or at a minimum the Northbound lane) the extra 1 mile to the 10, or even the 2.5 miles to downtown. Use the money generated by the road users to make the road more usable. I drive a lot from Pasadena to Torrance down the 110. On the way back, there are often times traffic is flowing freely everywhere along the route except that stretch from the carpool lane end to just past downtown. In my fondest dreams, I see those carpool lanes not only extending to downtown, but also having a single lane available going North that goes past the downtown traffic and dumps you into the Pasadena freeway past where all the traffic is. Why something like this isn't already in the Measure R road planning is beyond my comprehension. RT |
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Post by bzcat on Oct 14, 2010 11:18:54 GMT -8
The bottleneck is created by the red light on Adams, not the end of the carpool lane per se. When I used to carpool from Cerritos to Century City, we would exit the carpool lane at 39 St and to get around the bottleneck. There is a relatively easy and cheap fix... make sure the carpool lane exits north of Adams directly onto Figueroa Way, which is currently a bus only lane that leads to Figueroa St, but it is wide enough to accommodate both a bus only lane and carpool lane. We can re-build the carpool lane exit so that it clears Adams and coms down on Figueroa Way. The current configuration is a temporary exit ramp on the assumption that the carpool lane will continue Downtown... if we are sure that won't happen, it's time we construct a better designed exit.
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Post by Justin Walker on Oct 14, 2010 11:39:28 GMT -8
There's a big housing development happening near the 23rd street station (23rd and Flower). It looks like the housing complex will be completed by the times the trains are rolling next year. I don't have any more details on this project. I cannot find out if it's affordable housing or more USC housing. If you are referring to the 2700 South Figueroa St project, it will be a seven-story tower with student apartments and retail space. It is scheduled to be completed in June 2011. As far as a cap park over the Harbor Freeway, the City of LA has already launched its Harbor Freeway Cap Park Feasibility Study. Metro is coordinating with them on this because the HOT Lanes project includes a study to connect the northbound Harbor Transitway lanes directly to Figueroa (a vast improvement over the existing Adams off-ramp). |
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Post by bzcat on Dec 8, 2010 17:10:17 GMT -8
Looks like USC is now in serious negotiation with the State to buy the land under Coliseum and Sports Arena. I imagine USC will eventually want to redevelop all the surface parking lots in the future... something to think about in relation to the Expo/Vermont station if there are future developments there. wearesc.com/news/story.php?article=3915 |
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Post by wad on Dec 9, 2010 5:51:43 GMT -8
something to think about in relation to the Expo/Vermont station if there are future developments there. if I were SC, I'd consider redeveloping the Exposition Park area to include an off-street bus transit center and making it downtown's southern flank. Obviously, the site would need to be in proximity to an Expo Line station. Vermont would be the better location. In other words, you know all those routes that park under the 10 Freeway at Venice Boulevard? Move that down about a mile, and make it a place where people can board. And since Exposition Park is mostly parking spaces, some of that space can be given over for bus parking. |
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Post by rajacobs on Dec 9, 2010 10:59:06 GMT -8
Regarding the Samitaur Tower, and the unusual architecture that Owens is erecting and "promulgating" -- perhaps such architecture could play a role in a strictly "office park" / business environment, but in the Hayden tract location, for me, it doesn't work--because visually it negatively impacts surrounding residences.
...Walking North of Exposition in the residential area, what's visible of the Samitaur development makes one feel as if your on the edge of an alien settlement. Samitaur detracts from the neighborhood. There no sense of transition. It's "OK here's residential and there's something from outer-space." To my sense of taste, Samitaur architecture doesn't work well for the Hayden tract.
I'm also concerned regarding the intention of putting visuals on the Samitaur Tower. First, it'll be a distraction to traffic and to those in the residential area. Second, it potentially introduces some glitz and light pollution. For my taste, what's needed is some more conservative, long-lasting architecture that enables the Hayden tract to blend in with the residential areas to the north and south.
Regarding the visuals--assuming the architect's intended use of the tower goes through, I'm hoping that the visuals will be artistic and of longer duration (30 seconds or more) rather than rapid fire eye-poppers mixed with advertisement. There's enough of that all over town!
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Post by metrocenter on Dec 22, 2010 16:17:25 GMT -8
From Downtown News: Mount St. Mary's College Expands Downtown Campus
School Buys Parking Lot From Neighboring ChurchPublished: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 2:51 PM PSTDOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Mount St. Mary’s College has purchased the St. Vincent de Paul Church parking lot adjacent to its Downtown Doheny Campus. School officials said, in a statement, that the purchase meets “the future needs of the campus while preserving the historic nature of the West Adams Boulevard neighborhood.” Terms of the sale were not disclosed, but the statement indicated that the purchase was done in part to preserve it from future private development. “The lot purchase maintains the Catholic identity of the neighborhood,” the statement said. The area, bound by West Adams Boulevard and 23rd Street, just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway, includes the college, church, St. Vincent School and Stimson House, owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. “This acquisition will have a long-term beneficial impact on the entire neighborhood,” college President Jacqueline Powers Doud said in the statement. “We do not have current plans to build on the lot. The college will continue to use the land for parking.” The college plans to make the lot available for St. Vincent parishioners attending liturgical services and other official church functions. This purchase, along with the College’s acquisition of 745 W. Adams Blvd. in 2009, increases the size of the Doheny Campus by more than 15 percent. |
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Jan 13, 2011 22:43:12 GMT -8
Proposed apartments along Expo Line in South L.A. draw comment from backers, foes
L.A. Planning Commission delays action on the 919-unit Lorenzo project near USC. The developer touts job creation and neighborhood enhancement. Opponents say the site should be used to offer healthcare services.From LA Times 1/14/10 www.latimes.com/health/healthcare/la-me-south-la-palmer-20110114,0,5881038.story
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 14, 2011 8:02:43 GMT -8
I disagree with critics who say the area needs more clinics. On the other hand, I think Palmer's housing complexes are just horrible. They are big ugly fortresses that are anti-pedestrian and anti-community. Just look at Sunset Blvd. near Figueroa, where all his buildings are. ( link, then look at streetview) |
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 14, 2011 8:15:47 GMT -8
Here's an image from curbed.la:  It looks like the tower has been removed from the project. |
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Post by bzcat on Jan 14, 2011 12:27:27 GMT -8
That was a very ugly tower rendering. Glad it is not going to happen...
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Post by jdrcrasher on Jan 14, 2011 18:09:56 GMT -8
Glad it is not going to happen... I'm not. Just change the architect. |
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 28, 2011 8:29:59 GMT -8
Here is a new rendering of the new high-end student housing which will be built on the old Chevron site at Figueroa/Expo (practically on top of the Expo Line trench).  From curbed.la: Well, behold a rendering of that project, which broke ground yesterday. What's coming: 56 apartment units in a six-story building (five floor of residential and one of street level retail, and all over 3 levels of below grade parking.) No word yet on prices for these rentals (Trojans also like to bemoan the lack of affordable housing around USC.) The press release from Suffolk Construction, the contractor on the jobs, states there isn't enough student housing in the area. From the release: "This new facility is being developed in response to the significant shortage of on and off campus housing resulting in students being forced to find housing further from campus. Surveys conducted of USC students and their parents indicate that the number one complaint about USC was the lack of safe, high quality, affordable housing near campus." Agree, Trojans? |
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Post by jamesinclair on Jan 28, 2011 14:31:58 GMT -8
What are the plans for the expo trench? Will it always be an incredibly ugly hole?
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Jan 28, 2011 16:41:17 GMT -8
What are the plans for the expo trench? Will it always be an incredibly ugly hole? How is it ugly? It's probably going to be the most precious thing to Expo Line users. Notice how politicians would beam about the 1.7 mile Boyle Heights tunnel, but didn't make much fuss about the remaining street running portion weeks leading up to the opening of La Linea de Oro? Heck, every Metro announcement about the upcoming Gold Line eastside extension stressed the fact of the 1.7 mile tunnel. I'm pretty much guaranteeing we'll hear the same about the trench weeks leading up to the opening.... |
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 28, 2011 17:36:12 GMT -8
Whatever the aesthetics, the Expo trench will allow the Expo Line to move from USC toward Downtown, instead of getting bogged down in that difficult intersection.
Anyway, many parts of the Expo, which some may consider "ugly", will look much better once the line is finished. Landscaping and other finishing touches to the line will be added as one of the last steps of the project.
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Post by matthewb on Jan 28, 2011 21:25:58 GMT -8
I think James might have been wondering if something would get built above the trench, rather than suggesting that rail should have been at grade instead.
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Feb 10, 2011 20:55:35 GMT -8
Lorenzo has been approved slated for Flower and 23rd, near the 23rd street station.... www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lorenzo-development-20110211,0,2032849.story?track=rss. 900 apartments near the rail station..pretty sweet. Only problem is this developer loves his high parking! However, I did hear previously he receied a 10% reduction in parking due to proximity to mass transit. |
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Post by jeisenbe on Feb 11, 2011 21:50:30 GMT -8
Lorenzo has been approved slated for Flower and 23rd, near the 23rd street station.... www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lorenzo-development-20110211,0,2032849.story?track=rss. 900 apartments near the rail station..pretty sweet. Only problem is this developer loves his high parking! However, I did hear previously he receied a 10% reduction in parking due to proximity to mass transit. Unfortunately, the 2:1 MINIMUM ratio of parking spaces to residential units is set by the city. At least the developer asked for a 10% reduction in that requirement. (There will be 3200 parking spaces for 1400 residential units and 34,000 sq feet of retail/clinic/etc, so that is less than the usual minimum!) Source: cityplanning.lacity.org/eir/LorenzoProject/DEIR/DEIR%20The%20Lorenzo%20Project.htmlIn much of San Francisco, new developments will have a parking MAXIMUM of less than 1 parking space per unit. In Los Angeles, we at least need to give developers the OPTION to provide less free/subsidized parking, if we want to make transit a good option, and keep new developments affordable (underground parking costs $50,000 per space) |
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Post by jamesinclair on Feb 12, 2011 18:18:18 GMT -8
Thats an obscene amount of parking
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Post by bzcat on Mar 3, 2011 15:57:28 GMT -8
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Post by James Fujita on Mar 3, 2011 16:05:10 GMT -8
That is a fairly big-sized lot. Although I note that it doesn't include the parcel immediately adjacent to Pico.
Such a parcel would have to be worth a lot, and there's a lot that the right person could do with a lot directly between the convention center and the light rail station.
Let's hope that the new owner notices the Blue Line next door... a lot like that would be too valuable to be wasted on just a parking structure. Even in this economy, a person could make a lot of money with retail or even homes.
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Apr 7, 2011 11:24:02 GMT -8
More attractions on the Expo Line in 2011 - 2012...as the UCLA Bruins will be calling the LA Sports Arena home for next season, while Pauley Pavilion gets a re-do. UCLA basketball will be another destination on our Metro rail line and right next to USC/Expo Park station! (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/04/ucla-basketball-bruins-sports-arena-pauley-pavilion.html)
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