Civic Center WELCOME HOME

Ever since the LAPD moved into their new headquarters in 2009, questions have lingered about the future of the department’s former home. Now we finally have a chance to get a look at the options on the table. Yesterday, the LA Downtown News linked to the city’s long awaited draft environmental impact report studying the potential uses for Parker Center. The DEIR focused on three different alternatives for the site: To judge these alternatives, the DEIR used the following criteria: If you think that the above criteria seem to point towards “Demolition and Build,” you would be correct.

Back in July, the Los Angeles Times announced that Downtown’s long awaited Federal Courthouse had finally broken ground. The 10-story edifice, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), will rise from the corner of 1st and Broadway. SOM and Clark Construction want to make sure that everyone can see the $400 million project under construction, so they installed a webcam across the street. There’s not much to see yet, but the lot will eventually be home to 24 courtrooms and 32 judge’s chambers.

Amongst the first developers to cash in on Downtown LA’s 21st century residential boom, Geoff Palmer has lined the Central City’s freeway ring with his Italian Renaissance themed apartment buildings. True to form, his newest projects both overlook the 110, albeit in very different parts of the neighborhood. The Lorenzo, which stands seven stories tall, occupies the majority of a city block bounded by Flower Street, Adams Boulevard, Grand Avenue and 23rd Street.

Construction on Downtown’s $400 million Federal Courthouse has moved at a leisurely pace since work commenced in August 2013. Now, with the arrival of a tower crane at 1st Street and Broadway, the long awaited Civic Center mega-project is finally going vertical. Scheduled to open in 2016, the project comprises 600,000 square feet of floor area, calling for 24 courtrooms and 32 judge’s chambers. Designed by SOM, the 10-story mid-rise is commonly referred to as “the Cube,” due to its stout, boxy profile.

The proposed Downtown LA Streetcar officially moved to its next phase this morning, when the Los Angeles City Council’s Transportation Committee voted 5-0 to allow Los Angeles Streetcar, Inc. (LASI) to contract out the preliminary engineering work for the project. Meeting attendees expressed overwhelming support with the project, including several positive public comments. A recent estimate from planning and engineering firm AECOM raised eyebrows when it estimated the total cost of the proposed streetcar at $281.6 million - a far greater total than the $125 million figure presented to voters in 2012.

Renderings of four competing designs for the First & Broadway Civic Park in Downtown Los Angeles were presented at a public meeting earlier this week. The four teams competing were led by AECOM, Brooks + Scarpa, Eric Owen Moss, and Mia Lehrer + Associates, with several other firms supporting each lead. The proposed two-acre green space will comprise a full city block of the Civic Center, bounded by 1st Street, Broadway, Spring Street and Grand Park.

Late last year, Grand Park was awarded a My LA2050 Grant from the Goldhirsch Foundation for the purpose of building a permanent shade structure at Olive Court, the gathering space between the park’s iconic fountain and its main performance lawn. After receiving more than 50 submissions, officials have determined a list of three finalists for the inaugural design, which will be featured in the space for two years. The winning artist will receive a $15,000 commission.