September, 28, 2003 archives

• one bedroom plus space for work area (another room, an alcove of some sort, whatever)
• reliable high-speed internet service available (dsl preferred)
• close to grocery store/shopping
• close to metro red or gold line
• on-site laundry
• kitchen with ample counter space, gas range
• close to library
• close to good grocery store (something non-big-chain)
• close to gym
• directv-ready
• morning light
• hardwood floors
• private view
• good t-mobile gsm signal

i may keep adding things to the list, but these are the things that came to mind first. it is roughly prioritized.

right now, i’m leaning about 80% in favor of giving notice and forcing a serious search for new living arrangements.

as you might have guessed from the pictures, i spent time yesterday cruising around on the red and gold lines checking out some of the neighborhoods around various stations.

the places i think i’ll end up looking: downtown los angeles, los feliz, hollywood, north hollywood, and near the beach in san diego. that is roughly in order, although san diego is more of a wildcard than anything else. even though i’m totally unconstrained on where to live, thanks to my work-from-home job, there aren’t really any places outside of southern california that interest me enough to make up for the fact i would not have time to look into them seriously over the next month.

buying a house is not something i’m considering. although i’m not thrilled about paying rent, i’m also not necessarily planning on living in my next place long enough for buying a house to be anything other than a losing proposition given my expectations for the housing market. there’s also the little factor of my not really making or having enough to buy a house i’d want to live in.

the advantages of running ahead of schedule.

from today's daily news, a report that a valley entrepreneur wants to build a $100 million sports and music arena on land near the north hollywood red line station. while i would love to see that area developed (the three corners adjacent to the station are all undeveloped), this sounds like a colossally bad idea. such a venue, with 150 events a year, would thus be a giant black hole of wasted space 200 days a year.

i’ve been reflecting on that area in light of having read the death and life of great american cities. the major intersection to the south of the station, which is developed, is essentially 50% wasted: the television academy complex has nothing going on at the street-level, and the office building across the corner from it has the same quality. the other two corners are the tail ends of sides of the street that actually generate some foot traffic: restaurants, small shops, a pool hall, etc.

the area has great potential, but i figure what will happen is that some hugely planned development will end up being built around the subway station, sinking the existing small businesses in the area, and totally screw things up. a smart development plan for the area will need to figure out a way to effectively extend those two lively corners up to the red line station, not plop some cultural center next to the red line station and hope it all magically comes together.

(link via l.a. observed.)