DOWNTOWN: After putting in some windows at the base of 600 Spring (to the objection of a few downtowners), developer Barry Shy has added some eyelashes to the structure. These look to be either balconies or awnings. As previously covered, this building is being converted into apartments. [Curbed Staff]
DOWNTOWN: Ashley Zarella, who chairs the Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Neighborhood Council, passes on word that her committee has received a $15,000 grant from the American Institute of Architects’s SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) program. A team of outside experts (lawyers, hydrologists, economics, urban planners, for instance) will come this spring to study downtown, she tells us.
After poking and prodding at downtown, the group will send in a report this fall that offers tips on sustainability. For instance, suggestions could include everything from making the different neighborhoods of Los Angeles more connected, ie, connecting LA Live with the Historic Core, to implementation of a tree program along Skid Row to teaching local businesses how to better use the city's trash services, said Zarella, noting that Culver City was granted a similar grant to much success. More about the cities that received the grants here. We're just impressed downtown has a Sustainability Committee. [Curbed Staff]
Press Release: Sustainability Committee selected to receive the 2009 AIA
SDAT Grant to aid in the development of a community greening strategy and
“toolkit”
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected the Sustainability
Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council proposal for
its 2009 Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) grant. A team of
volunteer professionals (such as architects, urban designers, planners,
hydrologists, economists, attorneys, and others) will work with community
decision-makers and stakeholders to help develop a vision and framework
for a sustainable future. This grant will bring approximately $15,000 in
professional assistance and resources to assist the Sustainability
Committee in its development of a community greening strategy for the
Downtown Los Angeles neighborhood.
The SDAT process will further the objective of the Sustainability
Committee to create a community greening “toolkit” that any stakeholder
can use to contribute positively to a greener urban environment. The
Sustainability Committee is currently working to identify resources and
programs available to the public, develop a program of outreach and
community education to increase accessibility, and create opportunities
for new programming and partnerships to meet our goals for a more livable,
affordable and efficient urban center. The Sustainability Committee of the
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council encourages public participation
throughout this process.
The grant will fund multiple visits and consultations from the SDAT
volunteer professionals and a report highlighting the strengths and
weaknesses of the community with regard to sustainability, as well as
opportunities and obstacles to change. The Sustainability Committee and
the SDAT will address issues of accessibility and walkability downtown, to
create connections between existing nodes of development and valuable
cultural resources, and seek to develop strategies to improve overall
efficiencies and public health for a more sustainable future. The
Sustainability Committee is currently seeking community partners to help
us initiate this exciting process for Downtown.
The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council represents all downtown
stakeholders, whether they live, work, own a business or actively involved
in a local organization. If you have any questions or comments, please
contact Sustainability Committee Chair and Private-Sector Workforce
Director, Ashley Zarella, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA at ashley.zarella@dlanc.com
or 917-974-1891. Thank you for your time and interest.
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