orsini iii approved by cra, retail conditions imposed
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As G.H. Palmer Associates’ Orsini II nears completion on the south side of Cesar Chavez east of Figueroa, the third and final phase of the sprawling development moves closer to breaking ground.
On Thursday, the Community Redevelopment Agency approved the highly-contested Orsini III complex slated for the under-utilized parcels on Cesar Chavez’s north side. Back in August 2007, the CRA initially rejected a necessary land use change request by the developer, citing retail vacancy in the project’s other two phases and design concerns as causes for denial.
Orsini III will be nearly identical to Geoff Palmer’s other housing projects in the area with five stories of Italian-themed resort-style apartments containing over 200 units, 13,000 square-feet of commercial space and a 500-car parking structure.
A couple weeks ago, angelenic took a scrutinizing look at the commercial components of all Palmer’s developments dotting the western edge of Downtown. Weak merchant presence coupled with years of high vacancies implies the disobedient developer has little intention of ever filling the street-level retail required by the city, impairing new pedestrian life on the blocks surrounding his properties.
Preempting a similar outcome this time around, the CRA’s approval came with specific conditions to protect against a low retailer occupancy for Orsini III.
“Once the building reaches 75% occupancy, if tenancy in its commercial-retail space drops below 30%, Palmer must lower retail lease rates to match rates at similar Chinatown properties,” reports the Downtown News. (We’ve got him by the balls now!)
Furthermore, sustainable design features and more pedestrian-focused elements will be implemented into the mixed-use project — a far cry from the spiked window alcoves and above-street bridges common in Palmer’s other buildings.
Now if we can loose the grossly overused Tuscan-retreat concept, Palmer’s future developments could begin to truly benefit our neighborhoods on all planning fronts. He can start by assuring that BBQ King — a popular barbecue joint to be displaced by construction — will be offered a new home inside the 13,000 square-feet he’s now challenged to lease out.
-retail loss affirms palmer’s lackluster commercial presence
-CRA Board Approves Orsini III (LA Downtown News)
8 comments
I hope these new initiatives amount to something. I think the Orsini, Medici…etc. projects are banal and illogical. A couple of years ago as I was driving an Italian architect who was visiting LA he was perplexed and laughingly asked “Why does LA want to build complexes that mimic a psuedo-Italianate design that is not regional with names like Medici?” He though it was ridiculous and I had to agree.
Truthfully, I’d rather keep that side of Cesar Chavez just the way it is including the King BBQ joint.
Wasn’t the BBQ King supposed to move into one of the stalls of commercial space in Orsini II, allowing the developer to then clear out the land for Orsini III?
The CRA should ask the builder “why do you keep Xeroxing your apartment buildings all over downtown? Can’t you afford more than one architect, or more than one set of blueprints from him?”
Im glad the CRA is more proactive this time. The whole italian theme of these buildings is quite nasty.
It should be required that developers need to assimilate, compliment and add to the surrounding environment. Not stand out like a mirage in the desert ..lol
We should send Mr. Palmer a message by sending him bottles of BBQ sauce, as the Jericho fans sent peanuts to CBS.
I LOVED the italian theme of the Medici. If only one of the others would have been, maybe, polynesian themed, and another maybe Yellowstone-themed. That would have been great — and very L.A. (That is — retro L.A., when the Brown Derby still was a derby and Clifton’s Cafeteria had its Polynesian themed outpost.)
What power does the CRA have once it’s built? Do you really think they are going to monitor and enforce the retail conditions. I doubt it. Palmer is the clear winner here in my opinion.
Hey TIM, your Italianate, Yellowstone and Polynesian-themed apartment buildings sound quite Disneyesque and remind me of Walt Disney World’s hotels. No offense to you for thinking it as you are correct, LA is the capitol and original purveyor of themed architecture. With Hollywood in our backyard, what exactly is real anyway?
I think we should leave themed architecture to Disney and the fabulous 1920s as as they do/did it best. Whenever we attempt such fantasy design in our city’s commercial and residential architecture today, it’s instantly-dated kitsch, poorly built at that.
Contemporary architects should, of course, feel free to mine the past or some distant land for inspiration and then bring that inspiration to the modern drafting table as we must learn from the past. Yet what I see from Palmer’s fake-Mediterranean apartments is not inspired at all — they’re just cartoonish.
Mr. palmer is an asshole,, he has always been, trust me,, ive lived in his properties before, EVERYYYYYYYYYYYTHING is made up of low cost materials, his elevators break down 5 times a day, his electricity is neveerrrrrr wired correctly, just like the plumbing. in all honestly it looks amazing from the outside, but horrible in the inside, i dont even want to start talking about the management company he uses, HORIBLE!! thas why every other month he hired new management companies, why??? cus he cant afford or doesnt care to spend good money on a company that can handle such large of a complex. i have lived at the orsini for 2 years , lovely place, nice gardens, but sucks for its price.. his security systems also, suck, there has been freakin 22 burglaries in the building , and NONE have been cought on tape, WHY???? cus the camera system is analog and does NOT record… my rent is 2400. a month , and now i feel like its bullshit and not worth it,, do NOT get tricked into calling orsini, medicci, visconte, or even peiro your home, it will be hell for you in no time…..
I AM 100% AGREE GREG! THE ORSINI 1 & 2 IS HELL!!!! BIG HOLE