little tokyo shopping center plan comes into focus
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Contrasting with the conceptual imagery released for the Little Tokyo Shopping Center (by SLAB Architecture) in which the mall at 3rd and Alameda got a bright cover-up (lipstick on a mall?), new renderings from ZellnerPlus Architecture show a more carefully planned project, reports Dezeen Design Magazine.
Recently, many owners of ’80s-era malls are ripping off the roofs and adding travertine and glass in an attempt to rebrand formerly faded structures as “lifestyle centers.”
While the plan for Little Tokyo doesn’t go that far, early designs show that the open-air trend would be followed. A similar redesign is going forward for Santa Monica Place, the shopping center at the foot of the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
Triangular aluminum paneling, which brings to mind BP’s Helios “green gas station” on the Westside, would cover the facade and walls, with new pavers throughout. Bridges would help increase connectivity to the existing parking garage.
But the most striking aspect of the redesign are the new windows and a large, open corner entryway that would connect the mall to the street in an attempt to be more inviting to the neighborhood.
As we wrote previously, plans include replacing Mitsuwa Market with Korean grocer H Mart and a day spa; an anchor electronics retailer would be brought in as well, a first for Downtown.
What do you think of the new plans?
All renderings by ZellnerPlus via Dezeen.
Thanks to reader Klaus for the tip. Got one of your own? Let us know!
40 comments
Stunning! A major and welcomed improvement.
Hopefully they integrate a good amount of greenery as well.
Best Buy downtown would be great!
YES!! BEST BUY!! we need one so bad..Also replace that big lots with Target..it seems so simple just do it! ha
This mall needs a roof top restaurant or access to the roof.
The Views of downtown would be spectacular.
well i thought it was going to be korean now
Westbrook: It is. The owners are going for a mix of Korean and Japanese businesses.
Glad to see a few comments encouraging big box stores such as Best Buy and Target.
Thanks, but really you put a Target anywhere its going to bring sales and people.. is that not what we need?? and who does not like Target??
I agree, please open up a Target ASAP. I’m sick of driving down SM Blvd to go to the one off of La Brea. A Best Buy would be cool too.
Design looks good and much more inviting. Hopefully they can attract some better stores and restaurants. I would love to see the bowling center re-open with a cool-hip vibe like Lucky Strike.
hey #7 Rich
if you had ever spent a day in your life you’d know Koreans and Japanese hate each other.
Hey Jason, if you ever ate sushi in LA you’d realize it’s mostly Korean-owned.
Same for a large portion of the business in Little Tokyo.
Next!
what we could really use is some more stores that white people like.
Like what? REI? http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/11/87-outdoor-performance-clothes/
Rich, no disrespect brother, but look up sushi in wikipedia and tell me where it’s from.
tks
I’m very aware of where sushi comes from. That still doesn’t respond to my contention that a great deal of sushi joints are Korean-owned. Not all Japanese and Korean people hate each other, I hope you know.
That’s like saying Latinos won’t vote for Obama.
rich - go ask 20 people what country they think of when you say the word sushi. I’m telling you 99% of the time the answer is going to be Japan.
Had killer spicy tuna last night BTW.
everyone post their favorite sushi here:!
definitely a great development and improvement to the center.
Jason: You’re missing the point of what Rich is saying. Of course everyone knows that sushi is Japanese, but he’s saying that several sushi places in LT and, furthermore in Koreatown, are Korean-owned.
By the way, to insinuate that Japanese and Korean people hate each other is a little radical. I think the Little Tokyo mall, after it’s gone through its transition, will be great marriage of the two cultures under one roof.
Stephen Friday, you made my day.
Jason: like what was said, you are missing the point. Duh, we all know where sushi comes from. Rich was saying that many sushi joints in LA are run by Koreans.
It looks a lot better then the dreary mall that’s there now, but getting rid of Mitsuwa in little tokyo seems a little strange since it’s the only reason that most people go to that mall in the first place. Japanese people like korean food, but I think they might notice if they can’t get the food they’re used to, they’ll all move to torrance. I prefer keeping the korean stores in k-town and the j-shops in j-town.
Can these same architects please do something for Macy’s fortress as well? That would be the bomb.
Ah those Koreans. Gotta hand it to them. Fifteen years ago they owned liquor stores in South Central. Today they own sushi joints throughout the city. What an upwardly mobile bunch they are.
As for the previous poster’s yearns for a Lucky Strike-like bowling alley downtown, the Lucky Strike opening at LA Live might satisfy that craving.
A mall is a mall. The renderings show just another sterile, antiseptic space of which downtown has too much of. I wish these architecture firms would really bust open the box and design something more inviting for human beings. Also I agree with Adam about keeping “j-shops in j-town”. Its great that we have such a huge and vibrant K-town and its also a boon to have different communities in the city. To that end, I hope that Little Tokyo can thrive in its current state and perhaps the Gold line extension will bring the revenue it needs to keep the japanese shops alive.
I’m really surprised by the editors of this blog’s patience for dealing with comments like jason q’s. The comments are so bad they almost come off like he’s in on the joke. As for the Best Buy and Target proponents: MOVE TO WEST HOLLYWOOD. Leave downtown to us, you know you don’t really like it down here anyways. Admit it.
Jason Q - why are you lashing out at Rich for saying the shopping mall will house both Korean and Japanese businesses? He doesn’t own it but even if he did, the fact that some Korean business owners and some Japanese business owners decided not to hate each other (as you claim they do) in order to share commercial space is actually good.
Also, should we just accept your sweeping statement? And say, “oh they hate each other. that’s that.” Remember where you are, the most diverse city in the most diverse country. You don’t get to just decide you don’t like another nationality and be spared their existence. That sort of went out of style with the whole Hitler thing…
dudes, you’re getting a little preachy on your boy here.
Say what you will, but I’m telling you, Sushi is japanese and it’s delicious.
here’s a riddle:
Can a Japanese sushi chef make and serve delicious yellowtail even if he knows all the cash is going up the hateful Korean overloads? i don’t know, i don’t really make it my business. i just like chowing down!
big ups to Eileen for comment #26
This is an improvement. Somewhat. Better than what’s there now, fa shue.
And where’s my kosher sushi???
Ryan: I live downtown, and I would like the opportunity to shop for everyday products I need without getting in my card and heading 10 miles out of the downtown area.
I do not understand the “leave downtown alone” remarks a lot of people have. All the construction downtown, all the new residents pouring in, but for one reason or another some people don’t want businesses to follow.
to eileen #26
these renderings display this type of geometric architecture that is very current.
i don’t think comments like “a mall is a mall” is very productive to the discussion. why do you resign yourself to that idea?
this craptacular cinderblock structure may become something interesting to walk to. also, the city may finally fill the potholes on alameda that ate my friend and his mini cooper.
Brian: I’m curious what you can find at Target and Best Buy that you currently cannot find downtown? I live near 6th and Spring and am looking out my window at an appliance store. If I were to walk 3 blocks I could find my way to the Smart & Final.
My point is that wouldn’t it be a better place to live without the Best Buys and the Targets? Mom and Pops, my friend. They’re here, and they’re selling the products you need.
There are neighborhoods out there that offer big box stores already. Why not move to those if a Target is that important?
7thmateo #32:
I am in full agreement that is it a Zeitgeist design. Unfortunately it is also a design that will probably not age well (just as the current building was a standard for the ‘80’s - it is now the anachronism that we are trying to replace). I think the architects should give it more thought and create something that is inviting for people not just to shop, but to hang out. I would love for it to become another destination to walk to.
I take the Metro to downtown everyday would love to see all of downtown become walkable and open for exploration.
On a final note - potholes suck.
“Westbrook: It is. The owners are going for a mix of Korean and Japanese businesses.”
Incorrect.
Oh man, these comments…. guys, the Koreans are squeezing the Japanese merchants by over doubling their rents and other underhanded tactics that save them the expense of evictions.
It’s not going to be a blend of styles.
Spectre… Proof?
for proof one need only ask the merchants in the mall - they are getting squeezed out and are quite vocal about it. Mitsuwa will be gone in a matter of months according to one shop owner I talked to.
The writing is on the wall; these new owners have no interest in maintaining anything Japanese about this mall.
I don’t mind if Koreans open businesses in Little Tokyo. What bugs me is that their current plans for LTSC completely ignores where the complex is located. This is the historical core for the Japanese American community and has been for more than 100 years. Now these new Korean owners are jettisoning all the Japanese business in favor of Korean businesses, save an electronic anchor (the day spa will be Korean too). I’m so pissed at what the new owners plan on doing, I guarantee that I will NOT be spending a cent of my money anywhere in that complex!
BTW………..the many of the other businesses that operate in Little Tokyo that are owned by Koreans all sell JAPANESE products.