[Image from Carolyn Cole / LAT]
More Grand Ave coverage. The LA Times revisits the plan for Grand Ave's redevelopment and discovers Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center is the model for Grand Ave. But replicating its density and "upscale atmosphere" may prove to be a challenge. And let's not forget, the Time Warner Center in New York is considered "suburban" by city standards. They quote Jeffrey Inaba:
Time Warner, he said, "is essentially suburban in its logic. The ironic thing would be that [Los Angeles], a city that is largely suburban, aspiring to have its first urban destination, would be copying an urban city that has a suburban destination."
·Hello, Columbus: An L.A. Street Looks to a New York Circle [LA Times] Meanwhile, the New York Times provides a romp through LA for you and the kids. If you have kids. Otherwise, just skip to the next linkage. And they manage to do it without recommending Disneyland or Universal Studios. Today's Bobo parents wouldn't be caught dead in those corporate hell holes. Recommended sites for your future member of Mensa: a trip to Disney Hall and the Getty Center to appreciate the architecture. Because kids LOVE Meier.
·Turning Los Angeles' Traffic World Into a Kids' Adventure Land [The New York Times]
More New York Times goodness! This time, the Grey Lady takes a look at what it means to own an architecturally significant home in Los Angeles. Expect a loss of privacy, archi-razzi, Japanese tourists who want to take a picture with you, and your address on star maps. Additionally, don't expect to install that jacuzzi or renovate your outdated kitchen without the LA Conservancy there to induct you into the "movement" to adhere to period details. They don't mean to sound like a cult, really they don't.
·A Home to Its Owners, a Museum to Its Fans [The New York Times]