Is L.A. really that bad? (San Diego, Carlsbad: home equity, smog, condos)

[kh501]

Los Angeles is a magical place for someone young and single and looking for excitement. Los Angeles is not a good place for someone without a lot of money who wants to live in a safe yet affordable area. Those two words do not go together in L.A.- safe and affordable.

[irwin]

Originally Posted by kh501

Los Angeles is a magical place for someone young and single and looking for excitement.

Move to NYC or for that matter Boston, D.C., Philly, etc.

Anywhere on the East Coast is better than the sprawling, grid-lock, soulless wasteland that is LA.

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by CiXeL

i used to dislike LA because i was born and raised there so all i saw were the problems...

so i moved to miami

WHAT A MISTAKE!!!!!

you guys dont know how good you have it.

I post a lot in the Florida forums because I lived there for a few years when I was a kid. My parents couldn't stand living there (my dad was in the military and was stationed in Winter Park/Orlando). My mom especially got all freaked out by the flying cockroaches AKA palmetto bugs. Oh, and that hot, humid, muggy weather.

As soon as my dad's service in Florida ended, we hightailed it back here to California, and haven't looked back since. Yes, I DO know how much better I have it.

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by JJG

Well I'm not really going to move there anytime soon. But if I was, where would be the cheapest place to live, what is the safest neighborhood (if there is any), and should I just move outside the city?
Really, right now, this is just a "what if" thing.

Well, "cheap" and "safe" don't go together in very many neighborhoods in the city of L.A. proper. You'd have to go outside of Los Angeles County if you want safe, like Orange County. But then, most of that area isn't exactly cheap. What are you willing to spend on apartment rent? How much are you willing to spend on purchasing a home, if that's your goal?

[Des_Demona]

This is a funny comic I found that really sums up the answer to this question and it's about relocating to LA too! How relevant. I hope the image shows up.

[tanster]

L.A is really not that bad thats the past lets look at the future
alot of new development is going on in downtown Los angeles
L.A live
In a revitalization effort that mirrors the massive resurrection of Times Square in New York City over the past decade, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) broke ground on L.A. Live, a $1.7 billion tourist-oriented “sports-entertainment” hub. The plan features a 55-story convention center and hotel, 7,100-seat theater, broadcast facilities, 14-screen movie theater and nearly a dozen restaurants and clubs.
Syska Hennessy Group is playing a prominent role in this revitalization effort. Syska is the utility master plan MEP consultant, MEP consulting engineer for a new broadcasting facility, MEP consulting engineer for Nokia Theatre and MEP/security/elevator consulting design engineer for the parking garage.

As a merger of sports, public assembly and entertainment, the L.A. Live development benefits from Syska’s ability to draw from our expertise in sports entertainment, master planning, hotel, performing arts, office, restaurant, retail, convention facilities and broadcast facilities
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/corporate...os_angeles.asp




construction on the l.A live


Ritz-Carlton / Marriott Marquis part of L.a LIVE
quote from L.A downtown news
"It's dizzying to think about how many new housing projects are coming online or have recently opened in Downtown Los Angeles. About 7,200 residences are being built, with another 16,700 in the pipeline, according to the Downtown Center Business Improvement District."



the eastern columbia being refurbished by the Kor Group
a 30 million renovation

and many more historic buildings In the historic core

guys want to move to L.A move to downtown
L.As future looks bright

[tanster]

more info go to http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=147965

Originally Posted by vicecityguy

This will highlight some of the new development projects in downtown LA. Most of these projects are either approved, planned or in development, however some of these project's status is unknown... but are possible given the revitalization of downtown and the increase in demand for both residential and office space.

In addition to these projects there are many adaptive re-use projects of historic buildings being renovated as lofts/condos/apartments. These projects are numerous and at various stages. As new projects are added or new renderings are available I will update this post.

LA Central (45 and 33 story towers)


Lucia Tower (31 Story Condo Tower)

Architect: Archeon Group
Developer: The Cimmarustis

1027 Wilshire (48 Story Tower)


St. Vibiana Lofts (41 Story Tower)


Ritz-Carlton / Marriott Marquis (54 Story Hotel/Condo)


Trinity Towers (31 stories)


Concerto at Figueroa and 9th street (Two Towers, 27-story towers and a 5-story building)
Developer: Sonny Astani


The City House (60 stories)


The Olympic (50 stories)


8th & Grand (40 story tower, 24 story tower, and 15 story tower)


Fig South
Developer: Williams & Dame Development Inc
Description: 2 towers, 34 and 24 stories with 300+ total condos.


Metropolis (Tower 1 - 30 story condo, Tower 2 - 30 story condo, Tower 3 - 30 story hotel, and Tower 4 - 45 story office building)
Developer: IDS
Architect: Arquitectonica


Grand Avenue (Four to Six Towers from 25-65 Stories)


Glass Tower (25 stories)
Northeast corner of 11th and Grand


Pacific Stock Exchange Towers (30 stories each)


Olive Street Tower (35 stories) (on hold?)


LAPD Headquarters


Federal Courthouse (16 stories, but over 400 ft)


8th & Figeroa Office Tower


Park Lofts - 9th & Hope (41 Story Tower)


Zen Tower (50 stories)

Developer: Kawada Group

Residences at 9th & Flower (37 stories)


Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Tower (19 Stories)
NW corner of Flower and Olympic
Description: 110 dormitory apartments and 65,000 square feet northeast corner of Flower Street and Olympic Boulevard.


Hanover Tower (27 stories)
Northeast corner of Olympic and Figueroa


755 Tower


Elleven (13 stories)


Evo (24 stories)


Luma (17 stories)


Hope Street Condominiums (25 stories)


The Medallion (Two 11 Story Towers)

[JJG]

Those are some nice pics on LA development. I'm from Fort Worth, TX and we don't really get that much (everything just goes to Dallas, which is totally unfair). I'll agree on one thing, LA is a good place for the rich and famous, but if that happens to me, I still wouldn't move there because:

1. I'm mostly getting negative responses abbout the city on this post and...

2. I just can't really see myself in the smog and traffic, Y'a know.

It may be the land where (some) dreams come true, but you guys are answering my question. And that answer is ....Los Angeles, California is a terrible place to live in.

P.S. I should have guessed Compton is the cheapest part of the area to live in. And NO I don't want to live there.

[aliali]

I agree those pictures are very cool and promising. But what is crazy is that, normally when cities are rejuvenated or go through a revitalization efforts, you typically are able to buy it fairly cheap. However in this case in LA, the prices are already so expensive to buy in these new developments that it is already pricing in the fact that these areas are already rejuvenated and very safe and happenning.

[LivingLikeAGradStudent]

Actually, the areas are priced to reflect their close access to L.A.'s amenities, not that the neighborhoods are necessarily nice.