the NEW Downtown Los Angeles thread: the 100 suburbs have found their city, so roll over Dorothy Fuckin Chandler you shrill witch!!

Second Act for Linda Lea Theater

Investors to Give Rundown Movie House a New Plot Twist

by Kathryn Maese

The projector will roll once again in the long-dark Linda Lea Theater at 251 S. Main St., as part of a partnership between a new owner and a group of community arts leaders.
Plans are underway to reopen the Linda Lea Theater. The space at Second and Main streets has sat vacant since the 1980s. Photo by Gary Leonard.

The Little Tokyo Service Center Development Corp. (LTSC), along with local arts leaders who will operate the space, plan to revive the 500-seat theater with independent film screenings, film festivals, community events and possibly a rooftop bar. In keeping with the theater's Japanese history, a concessions stand will include items such as Japanese sweets, edamame, sake, soju and beer.

"It will be an independent theater, but we're not going to try and compete with places like Laemmles," said Nic Cha Kim, co-founder of Gallery Row, a collection of art exhibition spaces along Main and Spring streets. "We want to make the theater itself an experience."

Broker Sandy Bleifer of DownTown Enterprises represented the seller, the Los Angeles-based Grace family, and the buyer, an undisclosed family foundation. Escrow closed in late December. The purchase price was not released.

"We had maybe half a dozen interested parties, but because of the special nature of the project, the Graces were very attached to the property," Bleifer said. "They always wanted to see it come back to life. One of the things that attracted the new owners to the property was the opportunity to have an ongoing relationship with the Little Tokyo Service Center."

Kim will serve as artistic director, and will operate the theater along with fellow Gallery Row founder Kjell Hagen, and partners Jared Hungerford and James Kirst.

The 7,700-square-foot Linda Lea, which closed in the 1980s, was one of only three theaters in Los Angeles to screen Japanese language films. During its heyday in the 1960s, visitors would flock to see the latest samurai drama produced by the Toei film company.

"I always thought it was a beautiful building. Who wouldn't want it?" said Kim. "We've had this project in our minds for five or six years, and drew up plans to renovate it long before it was for sale."

The LTSC and the operators are applying for a $1.5 million grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment. The deadline is April. The dilapidated property is in need of extensive renovation, Hagen said, and the team is in the process of determining a timeline for completion.

"We're currently trying to get support behind us from many different angles, from the city to the L.A. Conservancy," said Hagen.

Eastern Columbia

Sells for $20 Million


The Kor Group last week closed escrow on the historic Eastern Columbia Building, which it plans to convert into condominiums. The company purchased the 1930 structure at 849 S. Broadway from Denly Investments for nearly $20 million. Ed Rosenthal of CB Richard Ellis brokered the deal, and said a $50 million renovation will start soon. The building is easily identified by its turquoise blue and gold terra cotta exterior and is about 70% vacant.

http://you-are-here.com/downtown/1930_eastern_columbia.jpg

http://www.wynnlocations.com/locations.html

The Palace theatre, one of the oldest movie palaces downtown, has also been bought, is being restored and will feature lofts on its upper floors. I don't know if the theatre part itself will be available for screenings.

Built as the third home of the Orpheum vaudeville circuit in Los Angeles, this is now the oldest remaining original Orpheum theatre in the country.  From its opening day in June 1911 until the move to its final location at 842 Broadway 15 years later, the greatest singer, dancers, comedians, acrobats and animal acts in vaudeville performed here.

http://you-are-here.com/theatre/palace.jpghttp://you-are-here.com/theatre/palace2.jpghttp://www.wynnlocations.com/palace-s/ext1.JPGhttp://www.wynnlocations.com/palace-s/theater3.jpghttp://www.wynnlocations.com/palace-s/2loft3.jpghttp://www.wynnlocations.com/palace-s/stairs1.JPG

http://www.wynnlocations.com/Website%20Pics/Theatres/Los%20Angeles%20Theatre/latheat.gifhttp://www.wynnlocations.com/Website%20Pics/Theatres/Los%20Angeles%20Theatre/DSCN0052_2.jpghttp://www.wynnlocations.com/Website%20Pics/Theatres/Los%20Angeles%20Theatre/DSCN0060_2.jpghttp://www.wynnlocations.com/Website%20Pics/Theatres/Los%20Angeles%20Theatre/DSCN0054_2.jpg

http://you-are-here.com/theatre/orpheum.jpg its back lot: http://you-are-here.com/theatre/orpheum2.jpg

linda lea: http://you-are-here.com/theatre/linda_lea.jpg

But these Wynn ppl also have it on their site...so I'm guessing on the upper levels: also lofts? This is all considerably east fwiw, as Spring is just one block away from Main, and to answer your earlier question Main, they are loft-ing 5th Street, or rather already have (the Los Angeles and San Fernando bildings, at 4th and Main.) So now you will know where to get drunk on Skid Row

Built in 1904, Farmers & Merchants is the first bank building in Los Angeles. Its founder, Isaias Hellman, was the leading banker to Southern California's growing agricultural and merchant economy. The bank's ceiling is a large barrel-vaulted glass skylight that was covered up during the bomb scares of World War II.

http://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/DSCN7283.JPGhttp://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/bank1.jpghttp://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/black2.jpghttp://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/vault1.JPG http://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/vault%20room.jpghttp://wynnlocations.com/farmers-s/bank3.JPG

okay thats all 4 now!!!

FELICITY WHEN CAN WE HANG OUT??! I STILL HAVEN'T MET YOU YET - LET'S GO TO THE EDISON.

SPENCER CHOW TOLD ME YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO PASS MY HOTNESS HANGING-OUT-WITH REQUIREMENTS, THAT I STRICTLY ENFORCE ON ALL TRANSPLANTS

"transplant"

You were the one asking us for LA advice just the other day.

Yeah we need to bump the LA #4 thread and organize something. Has tremenoid had the kid yet?

Haha, ok Spencer-by-proxy. So glad I am on the "A" list.

tremendoid has had the kid, as of about 3 hrs ago. wife and baby resting. happy birthday sarah naomi :D!!!! *collapses* good night!

congrats dude!

Major Congrats, duuude!

http://www.yehey.com/ecards/images%5Cthumb%5CBaby-Wave.gif

p.s. what is your baby's email addy (for top secret newborns-only borad)?

CONGRATS TREMENDOID!!!

HAHA - that's awesome you found that old thread! I had already lived in LA for years then but was new to Hollywood Tourist Central - and as this is my 5th anniversary in this apt, oh how I can reminisce about the rent before those ZILLION dollar lofts being built down the street caused it to increase (jumped up again this month :(
and will again annually.. i'm really starting to wonder how much longer this studio is going to go before comparing with something even in new york - it's ridiculous here.

Rah Tremendoid! Yay baby!

You have also been given 2 thumbs up and a clearance from NYU/Library Mary... so Felicity how am I supposed to get in touch with you - are you on Spencer or Remy's social networking menu... my current email is v i k t o r i a n . x @ geemail USE IT

I IM MR. TABREN LAST NIGHT - but Arthur wrote back when I wasnt here we must rope him into our socialization plans

IF none of you are doing anything this week every night from Monday to Thursday is the AFI showcase @ the Arclight --> MY FILM IS PLAYING TOMORROW night - 7:30 PM

i am technically only supposed to pass this along to "industr foax" due to a finite # of seats but since no one cares ...RSVP HERE -> http://www.afi.com/showcase/

FREE BOOZE AFTER ALL THE SCREENINGS AT AFTER-PARTY

thanks guys booze/glitz it up for me laxorz. peace

aw, massive urban economic development project can't secure a loan!

Grand Avenue Construction Pushed to 2009
Developer Delays Phase One Completion Another Year

by Anna Scott
Staff Writer
Developer Related Companies has announced that it is delaying construction on the $3 billion Grand Avenue project until next year, a company official said Monday afternoon. The company previously planned to break ground this summer.
Under the revised schedule, phase one construction would begin on Feb. 15, 2009, and finish in 2012 instead of 2011 as previously anticipated.
Initially, Related intended to begin construction on the project in October 2007, but the schedule has been pushed back multiple times.
The latest rescheduling stems from the difficulty in securing a construction loan in the ongoing credit crunch, said Related of California President Bill Witte. The previous schedule, he said, was based on the assumption that Related would be able to secure construction financing based on partially completed construction documents.
"As the financial world tightens and tightens, it's clear that's not going to be possible," said Witte.
"Nothing has changed in the timing of the documents," he added. "What has changed is our assessment of whether we can get a loan right now."
The developer plans to finalize construction documents for the Bunker Hill complex, which will include design details and help determine building costs, by the end of the year. Related will then move forward with demolishing a multi-level parking structure at Grand Avenue and First Street, probably in November, Witte said. Related previously intended to demolish the structure this past March, but decided to wait in lieu of the current fiscal situation. He said the parking structure, currently closed, could reopen in the interim.
"No one wants to have a big hiatus between the time we complete demolition and the time we start excavation," said Witte.
Plans for the approximately $1 billion first phase of the Frank Gehry-designed project, officially dubbed The Grand, call for a 48-story Mandarin Oriental Hotel & Residences with 295 rooms and 262 condominiums, a 19-story residential tower with 126 market-rate apartments and 98 affordable units, retail, a nightclub and a 16-acre Civic Park.
Construction on the park, Witte said, will proceed as scheduled, with groundbreaking slated for next spring and completion in 2011. The budget for its "base" design is $56 million, though additional amenities will cost more, officials have said.
Witte said that in June, Related will go before the Grand Avenue Authority, which is overseeing the project, to ask for formal approval of the construction delay.
Contact Anna Scott at a✧✧✧@downtownn✧✧✧.c✧✧.
www.downtownnews.com.

but yay the civic park is still going ahead! will it have a "ramble" for cruising?