DTLA in 2014: The year of the crane(s) (Los Angeles, San Diego: for sale, apartments)

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

DTLA becoming a metropolis? It's improving, but it can't even compete with downtown Milwaukee or downtown San Diego, let alone become the bustling jewel of urbanity that so many people keep claiming it will become.

Ummm no Downtown San Diego is nice, but not to the level of DTLA at all. Can't comment on Milwaukee.

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

Southern Californian residents hype up DTLA mostly because they don't know what a real bustling downtown looks like. Take a trip to NYC, Chicago, London, SF, heck, even Seattle, and you'll see that DTLA has a long, long way to go. A trip outside your city will really deflate the hype behind DTLA's renaissance (more of a recovery if anything else).

Lets see, I lived in Boston for years and worked in downtown Boston for much of that. DTLA is just about on the same level. Chicago, NYC, SF - they certainly are above DTLA. I'm fairly well-traveled in the US, I think I have been to about 20-30 major downtowns and DTLA is certainly in the top 10.

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by disposable2

Yes you are correct, whenever I visit cities like SF, Chicago, Boston, and even Seattle I think to myself how small LA feels in comparison, sometimes I even lie to people and tell them I'm from Seattle just so I don't get embarrassed.

If you're talking about downtowns, I lived in and close to dt Seattle and DTLA is much larger. Some also seem to forget what DTLA use to be. Back in the 80s, 90s there wasn't much to talk about. Now with the renovations of many of the old abandoned bldgs into apts and condos, the construction of all the new apts and condos, the explosion of people moving downtown, the growing nightlife scene, its incredible. Look at the all the subway/lightrail lines and stations that have come. Look at all of the retail that has come or is coming: Target, Brooks Brothers, Urban Outfitters, Zara, H&M, Wholefoods, Ross. Parts of dt like Little Tokyo and the Arts District have improved tremendously with restaurants and tons of apts u/c. Speaking of restaurants tons of great ones have opened throughout dt, and by far more than any other part of LA. I went on the free apt tour on Saturday and it blew me away. Just amazing. Grand Park, the Broad, Wilshire Grand, the Macy's Plaza renovation, the improving Grand Central Market, the Ace Hotel. Do you really go downtown? Not just work and go home, but have you really walked around and explored?

[iNviNciBL3]

I'm happy to see all these residential projects going up in American downtown's. Great that it'll be easier for people to experience life in the downtowns of our beautiful cities. LA seems to be doing this on a bigger scale. This is a nice project. the bloc downtown la | DTLA RISING with Brigham Yen

[GatsbyGatz]

Originally Posted by pwright1

If you're talking about downtowns, I lived in and close to dt Seattle and DTLA is much larger. Some also seem to forget what DTLA use to be. Back in the 80s, 90s there wasn't much to talk about. Now with the renovations of many of the old abandoned bldgs into apts and condos, the construction of all the new apts and condos, the explosion of people moving downtown, the growing nightlife scene, its incredible. Look at the all the subway/lightrail lines and stations that have come. Look at all of the retail that has come or is coming: Target, Brooks Brothers, Urban Outfitters, Zara, H&M, Wholefoods, Ross. Parts of dt like Little Tokyo and the Arts District have improved tremendously with restaurants and tons of apts u/c. Speaking of restaurants tons of great ones have opened throughout dt, and by far more than any other part of LA. I went on the free apt tour on Saturday and it blew me away. Just amazing. Grand Park, the Broad, Wilshire Grand, the Macy's Plaza renovation, the improving Grand Central Market, the Ace Hotel. Do you really go downtown? Not just work and go home, but have you really walked around and explored?

I grew up in SoCal and have spent plenty of time in DTLA. While I strongly disagree that LA is among the top 10 downtowns, I admit that current proposals will help DTLA. Honestly though, the actual "nice" parts of DTLA extend only over the span of a few blocks. Sadly enough, Pasadena's city core is more upscale and vibrant and offers more amenities than DTLA which is far more gritty.

Going back to your comment about DTLA being larger than Seattle's DT, Seattle's city core offers much more amenities and is far more upscale than DTLA. It also helps that Seattle's urban core doesn't have the massive dead zones that DTLA has. Skid row is a real thing and denying it's negative impact on much of downtown is negligent. Not to rub it in, I'm just defending that DTLA doesn't hold a candle to Seattle's city core.

[The Illusive Man]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I grew up in SoCal and have spent plenty of time in DTLA. While I strongly disagree that LA is among the top 10 downtowns, I admit that current proposals will help DTLA. Honestly though, the actual "nice" parts of DTLA extend only over the span of a few blocks. Sadly enough, Pasadena's city core is more upscale and vibrant and offers more amenities than DTLA which is far more gritty.

Going back to your comment about DTLA being larger than Seattle's DT, Seattle's city core offers much more amenities and is far more upscale than DTLA. It also helps that Seattle's urban core doesn't have the massive dead zones that DTLA has. Skid row is a real thing and denying it's negative impact on much of downtown is negligent. Not to rub it in, I'm just defending that DTLA doesn't hold a candle to Seattle's city core.

DTLA is definitely getting there though and LA is a place with many hubs and amenities, downtown isn't the end all be all. Taking the entire city into consideration is what puts LA ahead of places likes Seattle and SF in my opinion.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I grew up in SoCal and have spent plenty of time in DTLA. While I strongly disagree that LA is among the top 10 downtowns, I admit that current proposals will help DTLA. Honestly though, the actual "nice" parts of DTLA extend only over the span of a few blocks. Sadly enough, Pasadena's city core is more upscale and vibrant and offers more amenities than DTLA which is far more gritty.

Going back to your comment about DTLA being larger than Seattle's DT, Seattle's city core offers much more amenities and is far more upscale than DTLA. It also helps that Seattle's urban core doesn't have the massive dead zones that DTLA has. Skid row is a real thing and denying it's negative impact on much of downtown is negligent. Not to rub it in, I'm just defending that DTLA doesn't hold a candle to Seattle's city core.

No Pasadena's downtown is not more vibrant than DTLA.

[nslander]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I grew up in SoCal and have spent plenty of time in DTLA.

Just curious, how much cumulative time have you spent downtown in say, the last 10 years? I ask because I'm getting a familiar whiff of Orange County disdain for Los Angeles.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by munchitup

No Pasadena's downtown is not more vibrant than DTLA.

Pasadena is certainly cleaner overall, but I agree that doesn't necessarily mean it's more vibrant. You could argue that it is more upscale, but there are a lot of 'upscale' places in DTLA now.

[disposable2]

Originally Posted by pwright1

If you're talking about downtowns, I lived in and close to dt Seattle and DTLA is much larger. Some also seem to forget what DTLA use to be. Back in the 80s, 90s there wasn't much to talk about. Now with the renovations of many of the old abandoned bldgs into apts and condos, the construction of all the new apts and condos, the explosion of people moving downtown, the growing nightlife scene, its incredible. Look at the all the subway/lightrail lines and stations that have come. Look at all of the retail that has come or is coming: Target, Brooks Brothers, Urban Outfitters, Zara, H&M, Wholefoods, Ross. Parts of dt like Little Tokyo and the Arts District have improved tremendously with restaurants and tons of apts u/c. Speaking of restaurants tons of great ones have opened throughout dt, and by far more than any other part of LA. I went on the free apt tour on Saturday and it blew me away. Just amazing. Grand Park, the Broad, Wilshire Grand, the Macy's Plaza renovation, the improving Grand Central Market, the Ace Hotel. Do you really go downtown? Not just work and go home, but have you really walked around and explored?

I was being sarcastic, I currently live in Seattle but know LA very well, and there's no way in hell Seattle gives off a more bustling city feel than DTLA, most of the activity of DT Seattle is concentrated on 1st street and adjacent blocks, the rest of Seattle is nothing to write home about, Seattle has no answer to Los Angeles street, Broadway, LA live, 7th street, etc. Even LA's skidrow is more bustling than Seattles skidrow (where the name originated from), now I'm not saying Seattle is devoid of foot traffic because it does have it, its just that it's not as intense as LA's eventhough its mostly immigrants (although that's changing as well) which is what gatsby is pertaining to, which I agree that Seattle has more of an upscale/safe feel to it, but when you add in K-Town and westlake in to the mix than Seattle really has no leg to stand on.

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by disposable2

I was being sarcastic, I currently live in Seattle but know LA very well, and there's no way in hell Seattle gives off a more bustling city feel than DTLA, most of the activity of DT Seattle is concentrated on 1st street and adjacent blocks, the rest of Seattle is nothing to write home about, Seattle has no answer to Los Angeles street, Broadway, LA live, 7th street, etc. Even LA's skidrow is more bustling than Seattles skidrow (where the name originated from), now I'm not saying Seattle is devoid of foot traffic because it does have it, its just that it's not as intense as LA's eventhough its mostly immigrants (although that's changing as well) which is what gatsby is pertaining to, which I agree that Seattle has more of an upscale/safe feel to it, but when you add in K-Town and westlake in to the mix than Seattle really has no leg to stand on.

Actually my post was directed at Gasby.