At 54 stories, the $750-million project would feature a five-star hotel, nearly 1,000 rooms, and luxury condominiums. It would be one of the largest buildings in LA.
"It has taken two decades to land a major convention hotel, but the agreement by Marriott International Inc. with local developers to operate two luxury inns in the same glitzy Las Vegas-style high-rise raises hopes for reestablishing the city center as a top tourist and convention magnet.
...With the recent construction of â€" and future plans for â€" thousands of condominium and apartment units, downtown Los Angeles has been evolving into an increasingly desirable housing market. The new homes have spurred the opening of dozens of restaurants and retail shops to serve the new residents."
One critic writes: "One has to get 90% of the way through about forty inches of breathless prose to find that, '[t]he project has attracted controversy because nearly half the cost will be financed by city subsidies and loans.' This is all standard. L.A.'s downtown has been trembling on the brink of revitalization for half a century and taxpayers have regularly been asked to shell out mega-bucks to redeem the long list of previous mega-project fiascos."
Thanks to Peter Gordon's Blog
FULL STORY: L.A. Convention Center to Get Major Hotel Tower

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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