|
Photo from blogdowntown
Article from blogdowntown by Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Downtown Film Festival returns for its second run August 12 – 22, with a lineup long in dark themes mixed with a bit of comedy.
Photo: One of three route options from LA Streetcar, Inc.
Article from blogdowntown by Eric Richardson
From Curbed LA by Dakota.
Hands down the most enviable feature of the 5,716-square foot penthouse at KMD Architects-designed Carlyle on Wilshire, that under-construction tower along the Wilshire Corridor, is the view from the bath tub. Who wouldn’t be content just to sleep in that tub every night? Not that there is a single bad view from this two-story, 23rd floor penthouse, on the market for $12.575 million, and the most expensive of the six penthouses available. This penthouse has a crescent shape and wraps around the side of the building, and that first shot is the view from the balcony off one of the sitting rooms. More captions below the photos.
One of four luxury towers currently selling units, Elad Properties’ 78-unit tower will be done in about a month and half. In terms of notable amenities for the whole building, if you are one of those people who happens to like Dale Chihuly, there’s a $1 million sculpture that’ll dangle in the lobby. There are so-called maids quarters on the lower floors available for purchase (these are small units, but still probably far larger than your apartment). There’s a communal wine cellar, and a pool and outdoor seating area behind the building. As for potential buyers, we hear it’s a mixed crowd that’s expected to come: Overseas, locals, and the older, downsizing set. Apparently there’s also a trend among those who live along Wilshire Boulevard to always move into newest building, so perhaps the Wilshire Boulevard hoppers will come in here. And in case you were wondering about sales, the marketing team isn’t releasing sales figures. And monthly HOAs:* Around $2,500 for a two-bedroom, around $3,500 for a month for a three-or four and half-bedroom. And over $4,000 for penthouses.
Photo from LA Times
Read the LA Times article detailing the effect Michael Jackson’s death has had on the Los Angeles community. Many hotels have seen unseasonal capacity in the days following Jackson’s death and leading up to his public memorial service. The city has even issued a public plea for donations so that Los Angeles taxpayers will not have to foot the huge police and security bill for the Staples Center event.
Photo from Downtown News
Article from CurbedLA by Dakota: http://la.curbed.com/archives/2009/07/httpwwwdowntownnewscomarticles20090702newsdoc4a4d3fc7e0e84736729749txt.php
Given how many false starts there have been at the former Embassy Hotel, that old hotel at 831 Grand Avenue owned by New York-based developer Chetrit, news of progress should be treated with plenty of skepticism. But the lumbering hotel, once home to old friend downtown dog and site of a now-canceled luxury hotel, is stirring once again. The Downtown News is reporting that late last month, developers showed a presentation for renovations to the Cultural Heritage Commission. Sounds like standard renovations and facelifts, but here’s more via the News: “One of the most significant changes could come to a vacant plot immediately south of the hotel. Fenced off and occasionally overgrown with weeds in recent years, it could house a pool, deck and green space.” (Because the hotel is a Historic-Cultural Landmark, all changes must be approved by the Cultural Heritage Commission). According to the News, there’s been no budget announced for the project. Meanwhile, these designs sound far different than the ones talked about last fall: Back in November, a source said that Chetrit was trying to get entitlements for 844 Grand–the parking lot across the street–with a plan to build a hamster tunnel aka sky bridge connecting new condos with the hotel across the street. · New Plans for Historic Hotel [Downtown News] · 9th and Grand: Strange Developments Afoot [Curbed LA]
