***Update
Well actually not. Scaffolding was being unloaded by a truck but there is no sign of it anywhere. I don't see any work going on yet. On the bright side, a trash can was installed in front of the building at 9th and Broadway and the sidewalk was cleaned up.
The Flyaway Bus, a great way to get to LAX from downtown and back. Costs $4 per person and takes approximately 25 minutes because it uses the carpool and bus only lanes. It stops at Union Station and all the bus islands at LAX with green signs. It runs every 30 minutes. There is longterm parking available for your car at Union Station. Other Flyaway Buses are available for UCLA and Van Nuys. The link above will give you all the details.
We've used the Flyaway Bus a few times now and have been very happy with it, but it is a silly name.
Z.
After writing the post below entitled Broadway Revitalization as compared to Blade Runner, I submitted it to Mr. Rutten of the LA Times.
Kindly, he responded:
Dear Mr. Seirafi:
Thanks for this. I'm certainly not arguing tht Broadway be left as it is or that it would not be wonderful to restore the theaters. I'm simply saying that, as we go about doing whatever is done with the street, the city needs to give equal consideration to those who already use the street and to where their economic activities can continue to occur.
Tim
Timothy Rutten of the LA Times, writes an opinion about the revitalization of Broadway. A plan heralded by residents, business owners, stakeholders and just about everyone who lives in LA. His piece is:
"L.A.'s 'Blade Runner' plans"
Will we allow the movie's nightmarish view of downtown to come true?
If you consider his opinion, Broadway would remain the same, because changing it would be a nightmare. He proposes preserving the graffiti, broken windows, flashing strobe lights, bacon wrapped sausage cooking on shopping carts, strip clubs, merchandise spilling out on sidewalks, public urination, trash, a desolate evening scape and dilapidated buildings. In my opinion letting the Historic Core of LA fall into such disrepair is the nightmare. Most cities take care of and receive many benefits from the historic and cultural centers.
No one has proposed changing Olvera street because it truly is a gem and represents Los Angeles well. What is currently on Broadway does not. This kind of resistance to progress has currently put in jeopardy the much anticipated Grand Avenue project. With continued harassment by opponents of the project it has been delayed several times now and we have a giant hole in our civic center to show for that.
I don't disagree about the 14 story light show billboard but to call the collective effort of residents, business, and city leaders to revitalize Broadway "a nightmare" is irresponsible.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, that the beautiful building where they shot the most memorable scenes in Blade Runner is on Broadway called the Bradbury building. It's a good thing it didn't meet with the wrecking ball like so many other historic buildings along the Broadway corridor. By leaving the status quo we only invite more urban flight and the destruction of our collective history.
Z.
The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) has
embarked on its 2006/2007 Citywide Parks Needs Assessment
(Assessment) that will examine current and future recreational needs
in the City of Los Angeles. This Community Needs Assessment is the
first step in developing a citywide park master plan and a five year
capital improvement plan.
The foundation of the Assessment is to engage community leaders,
stakeholders, users and the general public to gain detailed insight
into current and future needs for the recreation and parks system.
The overall objective for the Needs Assessment includes:
* Address needs for additional recreation facilities and park land
*Identify improvements to facilities to meet current and future
demands
*Prevent future maintenance issues
*Offer positive alternatives to an increasingly dense and urbanized
population
The consulting team of Mia Lehrer + Associates with PROS Consulting,
LLC (MLA/ PROS Team) has been retained to work closely with the
Department to conduct the process. The MLA/PROS Team is also joined
by The Robert Group who will assist in organizing and implementing
the public participation program.
The MLA/PROS Team will utilize existing contacts and relationships of
RAP, City officials and MLA/PROS Team members to identify
stakeholders, gather their input, and disseminate information to help
gain consensus on key strategies and recommendations. This process
is broad, gathering both qualitative and quantitative information
from which these strategies will be developed.
An additional meeting for Downtown Los Angeles stakeholders has been
scheduled for January 30, 2008, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the LADWP
Cafeteria, located at 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles. It is okay if you
can't arrive at 6:30 p.m. - it IS important that you attend. So, if
you arrive late, no worries - just be there.
If you are unable to attend, you can still provide input by
completing the online survey, which is located at:
http://losangeles.prosconsulting.com/Online%20Survey.htm
This could be a great next step in bringing more recreational space
to downtown! Whether it be saving Gladys Park, bringing a dog park
to downtown, a community garden to a pocket park - don't assume that
someone will bring up your idea.
Hope to see you there,
Ginny-Marie Case
DLANC Boardmember, Historic Core Resident
VP, Outreach and Communications
213.248.0698 or ginny@ginnycase.com
Hi!
Several EC homeowners attended this morning's function which launched
the Bringing Back Broadway initiative. It was a great event held at the
Los Angeles theater. Most of the movers and shakers were present
including the Mayor.
Bringing Back Broadway will create a plan for a vibrant Broadway
district that provides entertainment, eclectic cultural amenities and
diverse retail options for Downtown residents and visitors to one of
Los Angeles' most remarkable historic areas, while serving as a central
focus for revived downtown streetcar transportation.
Many details can be found on www.bringingbackbroadway.com
The items that are of most interest to our building are, naturally, the
cleaning up of Broadway - all the way down to Olympic,
removal/replacement of signage and they intend on bringing back the
streetcars.
Best regards,
Bill
Bill Cooper
The Loft Expert!
www.TheLoftExpertGroup.com
I just got a disappointing email from Zip car saying that they are no longer offering car sharing in Los Angeles except on college campuses. So after they bought out Flexcar (merged as they called it) they got rid of all the cars without any warning at all.
Screw you Zipcar and the shared car you drove in on!
We had gotten rid of our second car and since November we were happy monthly members of Flexcar. There was an announcement of a happy merger in January. We got our new Zipcards from Zipcar and were shocked to find out that fees had tripled. We begrudgingly joined because it was still better than owning a second car, barely. Then a few days later we got this email canceling the service in LA except for colleges. You haven't made any friends in LA Zipcar.
-In loving memory of Flexcar
Z.
11/30/07, 11:29 AMI wanted to share a very cool service that has started around the country for vehicle sharing. You can rent a car from Flexcar by the hour. It works great if you work from home and don't drive much but once or twice a week you need a car to run an errand because public transpo in LA is a joke.
The best deal I found was to get a membership which costs $30 a month and the cars cost $3 per hour. So a typical run to the grocery store and a friends house for 4 hours would cost $12. That includes gas, insurance and maintenance!
If you think you'll use a car less than twice a week you might go with no membership. The cars will range from $6 to $10 per hour. So for the occasional user that might work best.
GOING GREEN with Flexcar or Without
So that's cool but you also want to be environmentally responsible for the emissions you are pouring into our atmosphere. Flexcar has teamed up with TerraPass to offer a CO2 offset. On their website you can enter your car model and estimated driving range which will give you an estimated pounds of C02 you are putting out. You can pay them to help fund an offset to those emissions and you can sleep soundly at night knowing that you've helped future generations with a serious climate challenge.
Z.
