Entries tagged 'downtown los angeles'

I took this photo back in 2005 of a building at 3rd and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles as it was just starting to be converted into residential lofts. Gutted, full of promise, and destined for better things. I can relate.

some people can’t seem to wrap their heads around the idea that an event like the red bull soapbox race isn’t a free pass for the nearby businesses to rake in money, much like the downtown art walk isn’t.

i have probably been guilty of making similar statements about other people’s businesses before, and will be in the future. but it is good to remember that leaving money on the table is often reasonable and justifiable.

loftseven, a relative newcomer to the downtown art walk has announced they will no longer be participating because of vandalism and crowd control issues. bert green fine art closes at 6pm on art walk nights. (notable because the gallery is right on 5th and main, considered by many to be the hub of the art walk, and bert founded the art walk.) we no longer stay open late on art walk because of the issues with dealing with the crowd.

but the downtown art park seems to be going strong, and there seem to be spaces willing to host no end of one-day gallery shows while they wait for the right permanent tenant.

and you can’t walk a block with running across at least one gourmet food truck. (ah, for the heady days when little radio and tom gilmore tried to chase off the fabled kogi bbq truck before they were quite so fabled.)

i’m not sure what my point is. perhaps just that the art walk experience is an evolving one, and it isn’t for every business.

the rowan lofts are having an auction on february 8, 2009 to try and get enough units sold so that they don’t have to follow the path of some other recent developments and open as a rental property. this article in the downtown news has a bit more of the details.

i am starting to get the itch to own instead of rent. the place we are in now is feeling very temporary, and that hasn’t helped motivate us to unpack everything.

unfortunately, most of what we would have for a down payment is currently tied up in paint, canvas, brushes, and other art supplies.

there would be something to ending up back at 5th and spring.

famima!! is becoming the abc store of downtown los angeles.

it is hard to believe that it has been four years since the last time i had jury duty. it seems like i get called all the time. i report at the stanley mosk courthouse at 7:30am tomorrow. you know how i said before that it would be great if there was some way you could do the orientation beforehand and not have to show up so early? there is, and i didn’t do it. i am dumb.