CurbedWire: Jefferson @ Hollywood Construction, Architecture Competitions
HOLLYWOOD: Here’s the latest construction shot of the Jefferson @ Hollywood, that rental development going up on Highland Avenue, across the street from Hollywood and Highland. Texas-based developer JPI is behind this project, which now has a web site up and running. And looking at the development, you can see some sort of winged crest-looking thing rising off the top. Rendering here. [Curbed Staff]
LOS ANGELES and BEYOND: If you’re an architect with too much time on your hands, please do take in this handy list of competitions that the folks at Archinect have place together. Bohemian Flats Boathouse Student Design Competition, anyone? [Archinect]
Las Vegas: Glittery, But CityCenter is Not the Greatest Project in the World
Via LV Lover
Speaking of Dubai-funded projects: Las Vegas is opening parts of its mammoth CityCenter project this week. The $8.5-billion, 67-acre retail, gaming, and residential neighborhood (including parks) has a retail component designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, who told the Los Angeles Times: “My first impression was, ‘This was either completely crazy or the greatest project in the world’… It turned out to be the latter.” (Hubris alert!)
You can argue with Libeskind’s opinion, but you can’t argue with the fact that CityCenter is being touted as the largest privately funded construction project in North America. Last week, USA Today wrote about CityCenter, describing it as “Xanadu” and talking up its cultural aspects, which include numerous art installations by people like Maya Lin (the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial) and Frank Stella. Oh, and there’s a Cirque de Soleil production about Elvis. The project’s first component, a 57-tale residential, nongaming, nonsmoking tower called Vdara, opens tomorrow with an invitation-only Vanity Honest party.
And is that a Libeskind design below? Honestly, this thing is so huge that we have no thought what we’re looking at. More photos via flickr:
· Vegas Gambles on CityCenter [LA Times]
· Las Vegas’ Huge Gamble Prepares to Open [USA Today]
PriceChopper: So Many Windows in Playa Del Rey
Whoever took the photos of this four tale house in Playa Del Rey chose it’s ok that the fridge is missing, but that the foosball table should certainly make the cut. Those are respectable priorities. This many-fenestrated house has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a movable kitchen island, and two fireplaces. “La Piece de la Resistance,” according to the listing, is the “Super Room w/ panoramic windows and views.” There’re also pictures of a pool, but no pool mentioned in the ad. Google Maps seems to have captured a pre- or mid-remodel image of the house (second photo), which was originally built in 1966. August’s asking price was $1.395 million; a chop takes it down to $1.295 million, $330 per square foot.
· 7957 West 80TH St [Redfin]
Grand Ave: Related Cos: Don’t Worry About Dubai’s 40 Percent Stake in Grand Ave
You’ll remember that back in 2008, Related’s Grand Ave project got an infusion of cash from Dubai’s Istithmar, a subsidiary of Dubai World, the conglomerate currently making headlines because they’re looking to restructure $26 billion of debt. Back in 2008, as part of their $100 million investment, Istithmar took a 40% stake in the now-delayed Frank Gehry-designed downtown project. Given the uncertainty with Dubai World, we caught up with Bill Witte, President, Related of California. “Everyone’s been calling,” he said, referring to inquiries about the Dubai-Grand Ave connection. Indeed, it’s a slow news day. It’s this or Tiger or more ginger attacks. While Witte confirmed that Dubai still has a 40 percent stake in the project, he said he couldn’t go into details about the agreement with the investors (”It’s inside baseball stuff”). But he did say this: “The current situation should not have any impact on the Grand Avenue project.”
Additionally, today’s Bloomberg reports that the Istithmar arm won’t be affected (at least for now). Here’s the paragraph that mentions Istithmar: “Dubai World said it started “constructive” talks with banks to restructure $26 billion of debt, including liabilities owed by units Nakheel World and Limitless World. Debt from subsidiaries such as Infinity World Holding, Istithmar World and Ports & Free Zone World will be excluded from the negotiations because those companies “are on a stable financial footing,” Dubai World, one of the emirate’s three main state-related holding companies, said in a statement.”
Nevertheless, the press continues to ruminate on what will happen, and the Associated Press ran a tale linking Dubai World with investment in US hotels, including the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas. On more pleased news, Witte confirmed the summer 2010 date as “rough” date for a ground-breaking for the Grand Ave Civic Park.
· Dubai World to Restructure $26 Billion of Debt (Update3) [Bloomberg]
A Sign of the 5: There are new Caltrans signs up…
There are new Caltrans signs up on the 110 North, marking the intersection of the freeway with the 5 North. Franklin Avenue points out that there was no sign for the 5 there at all until 2001, when artist Richard Ankrom posed as a Caltrans worker and installed “Guerilla Public Service”–an Interstate 5 logo and the word “North” squeezed onto a 110 North sign. Caltrans liked it so much they left it up until they got around to doing their own version. [Franklin Avenue, image via]
Transportation: Gold Line Lake Station in Pasadena Adds Watchtower, Remains Deafening
Brigham Yen’s Pasadena-based blog updates us on the construction improvements to the Lake Avenue station—intended to make the stop more pedestrian-friendly and in-line with original renderings. Last week, a fancy clocktower was added to the stop, and Yen says “canopy shades (probably made out of solar panels) will most likely be the next part of upgrades that will be installed before construction finally comes close to wrapping up.” Commenters on Brigham’s site still complain about the shrieking noise of freeway traffic that commuters endure while waiting for the train—this part of the Gold Line runs in the middle of the 210 freeway. And not to be a Debbie Downer, but only a week and a half ago, the Highland Park-based 90042 blog bemoaned the sorry state of the HP Gold Line station, noting rampant tagging and a long-broken lamp.
· Gold Line Construction Update [Curbed LA]
· Excellent Gold Line News: Lake Avenue Makeover [Curbed LA]
Just in Case, Millions Prepare to Flee California: What’s being called a satirical…
What’s being called a satirical response to last year’s gay marriage ban, John Marcotte, a married Sacramento man, is trying to get a measure on the ballot that would ban divorce in California. “Since California has chose to protect traditional marriage, I reckon it would be hypocritical of us not to sacrifice some of our own rights to protect traditional marriage even more,” the 38-year-ancient married father of two said. Marcotte needs 694,354 signatures by March 22 to get the measure on the ballot, and to date, he has “collected dozens” including one from his own wife. [ABC7]
Brad Pitt-itecture: Point/Counterpoint: New Orleans on Brad Pitt’s Make It Right
[Image of GRAFT and Morphosis houses via <a href="The New York Times]
The New York Times took its Cultured Traveler column to “the Brad Pitt Houses” in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward this weekend, and the resulting buzz is that some people in the neighborhood are miserable with the affordable, subsidized houses commissioned and built by Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation. (LA-based firms Morphosis, Gehry Partners, Pugh + Scarpa, and Atelier Hitoshi Abe have contributed designs.) Writer Fred A. Bernstein quotes James Dart, a Manhattan-based, New Orleans-raised architect, who calls out the designs for “not [being] grounded in the history of New Orleans architecture.” A Pitt House neighbor, who lives in a non-Make It Right house, compares the houses to New York’s skyscrapers, because they’re elevated to withstand flooding (except for Mayne’s Float House, which floats when it floods). Bernstein agrees: “The goal of porches is to make a sense of community, and that’s hard to do when neighbors and passersby are literally overshadowed.”
The Atlantic’s Wayne Curtis was far more forgiving of Make It Right’s work this month in an article about small private developers rebuilding New Orleans. The Times’ “sprawling, angular buildings in bold hues not usually seen outside a gelateria” are The Atlantic’s “modern, colorful, and modestly sized homes” (Although Curtis does add the cluster of houses looks “like a farm where they grow houses for Dwell magazine.” Zing! He doesn’t like that the project has clustered so many distinctive structures in one area, comparing the effect to “an orchestra of timpani.”). Curtis lists the criteria given to Make It Right architects, which were developed with displaced residents’ input: “use the city’s existing narrow lots…elevate houses out of the way of future flooding and include rooftop access to simplify rescue; feature prominent porches or front stoops for socializing; and use materials that are tough enough to survive hurricanes but that also approach “cradle to cradle” reusability.” And he points out that a design by Dutch firm MVRDV, which “looked not unlike the houses that had collapsed after Katrina,” is the only one that hasn’t been picked by a buyer yet.
Make It Right might be a small excellent for New Orleans and a small terrible, but in all the discussion, let’s not overlook this really weird fact from Curtis in the Atlantic article: “Brad Pitt is the city’s most innovative and ambitious housing developer.”
· Brad Pitt’s Gifts to New Orleans [NYT]
· Houses of the Future [The Atlantic]
Grinch Wins in Atwater*: First, the estimate for their…
First, the estimate for their Christmas tree lights was too expensive, and then Atwater Village ran into permitting problems so the neighborhood will have no lights on its annual Christmas tree this year, reports Eastsider LA. But keep in mind that tree frugality is a huge theme this season. UPDATE: Really, Christmas is saved. [Eastsider LA]
New to Market: Tree House on Woodrow Wilson Drive
Luxist points out that the well-known Tree House, a two-bedroom home that’s belonged to both Ellen DeGeneres and Heath Ledger, respectively, is back on the market. It sold back in June 2008 for $2.5 million, and after a partial remodel, is now listed at $3.695 million. The listing drops a “zen retreat” reference, which begs the question: Has anyone really been to a zen retreat? Anyway, here it is: “Celeb Sanctuary. Very special Shangri-La remodel with exceptional privacy. Stunning forest-like view from tremendous deck with incredible outdoor screening room and other areas of added living space. So close to everything yet feels as though you are on an enchanting zen retreat. Handsomely redone kitchen and baths. Certainly worthy of its “star” history.”
· 8010 WOODROW WILSON Dr [Redfin]
· 8010 Zen Retreat [Official Site]