Marriott’s New Downtown Project Is Two Hotels in One

Marriott’s New Downtown Project Is Two Hotels in One

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Despite the development boom underway in Downtown Los Angeles, tourism officials regularly complain that the city suffers from a shortage of hotel rooms.

The formal debut this week of a 23-story, 393-room Marriott hotel tower won’t quell those concerns, but area boosters do see it as a small but significant step toward fulfilling the demand.

A grand opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday, July 1, for a $172 million project that holds both a Courtyard by Marriott hotel and a Residence Inn in a single building. It is the first ground-up hotel project to open in Downtown since the 2010 arrival of the J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels at L.A. Live.

The dual approach is evident throughout the building at 901 W. Olympic Blvd. (where guests actually started checking in this month). Although the hotels share a lobby, the hallways leading to the guest rooms are visually split in two: The Courtyard half of the floor features a lively orange design theme, while the Residence Inn side holds a purple palette. Each side has distinct lighting fixtures, art, carpet and other touches.

Huge Project With 345 Housing Units Planned Near Olvera Street

Huge Project With 345 Housing Units Planned Near Olvera Street

While the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is a popular stop for tourists, the attraction and the surrounding neighborhood has been largely ignored amid the Downtown development boom.

That could soon change, thanks to an ambitious mixed-use development plan that aims to activate the area with housing, shops and restaurants.

The proposed development is a partnership between the County of Los Angeles and the La Plaza de Cultura y Artes Foundation, which operates a museum and cultural facility on Main Street across from the El Pueblo plaza. It will essentially connect El Pueblo to Fort Moore Pioneer Memorial, a small hillside park and monument at 430 N. Hill St., by extending the “historic paseo” and surrounding it with shops, eateries, cultural and educational spaces, greenery and housing.

Atrium Smoke Protection Solutions- What Are Your Options?

Atrium Smoke Protection Solutions

In recent years it has been a trend in modern design to open up atriums in order to let in more natural light, maximize the openness of interior space, and reduce energy costs. While this design feature is a definite plus when it comes to user satisfaction, the added space, especially when large atriums are considered, can make it difficult to manage from a fire and smoke safety standpoint. Additionally, there are a number of fire and smoke code regulations that must be adhered to, one of which requires that atriums be equipped with a system that automatically activates in the event of a fire.

Historically, architects, contractors and business owners were restricted to the use of traditional fore protection systems like rolling doors, exhaust systems that disposed of smoke or automatic sprinkler systems. Not only were these types of protection systems often visually unappealing, but they tended to involve significant costs as well. Thankfully, recent advances in technology have enabled the production of more attractive, cost effective solutions. Perhaps one of the most appealing solutions for atrium smoke protection is a smoke and fire barrier curtain.

Smoke and fire barrier curtains are an excellent smoke and fire protection option for atriums, stairways, escalators and other unenclosed openings. They can be used both horizontally and vertically to control smoke through the compartmentalization of open spaces which will allow the building’s occupants more time to safely exit the area. Barrier curtains are often a much more affordable choice for consumers on a budget as well. In some instances contractors, architects and business owners have been able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars by employing barrier curtains in their atriums instead of using older, conventional products.

Smoke and fire barrier curtains are not only cost effective smoke protection solutions, but they can be virtually invisible as well when they are not in use- unlike the unsightly conventional steel rolling doors and sprinkler systems previously mentioned, and they are quite possibly some of the most efficient products available for your atrium smoke protection needs.

Chinatown Mega-Project Being Considered

Chinatown Mega-Project Being Considered

Downtown-based Evoq Properties, best known for owning Alameda Square, is eyeing a mega-project in Chinatown.

The developer has proposed two options for three parcels adjacent to the Chinatown Gold Line stop, according to documents filed with the City Planning Department.

One plan for the project dubbed College Station, at 924 N. Spring St., calls for two towers, up to 20 stories, with 500 residential units and approximately 19,800 square feet of ground-floor retail space on the first parcel. The second plot would hold 100 affordable senior housing units spread across multiple four-story buildings and a 20,000-square-foot market, and the final parcel would have an eight-story building with 80 live-work lofts. The development would include 1,054 parking spaces.

Two Seven-Story Apartment Towers Planned Near Herald Examiner Building

Two Seven-Story Apartment Towers Planned Near Herald Examiner Building

South Park stands as Downtown’s hottest neighborhood for new residential projects, and the trend continues with plans for two apartment complexes from developer Forest City.

The intersection of Eleventh and Hill streets would see the construction of a seven-story residential building adjacent to the rear of the Herald Examiner building. The complex at 156 W. Eleventh St. would feature 177 studio to two-bedroom apartments and would have 7,300 square feet of retail/commercial space on the ground floor, according to plans filed with the city.

Amenities in the project, which will be presented to the board of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council on Wednesday night, would include a pool deck, courtyard and gym. The project would also offer 276 parking spaces (with two levels of underground and two levels of above-grade parking) and 201 bicycle parking spaces.

2nd image building in LA

Photo Courtesy of Harley Ellis Devereaux

Renderings show pockets of white stucco framed by dark red facade articulations, and the design from architecture firm Harley Ellis Devereaux includes a pedestrian paseo between the project and the Herald Examiner building, with hopes of activating foot traffic on the block.

Why Do Elevators Need Smoke Protection?

Why Do Elevators Need Smoke Protection?

In this day and age, many buildings are equipped with elevators in order to make the navigation of various floors more simple. Hospitals, apartment buildings, office buildings, hotels and various other types of buildings have elevators that serve as their main form of vertical transportation. Elevator shafts typically open to all of the floors in a building, and in the event of a fire, those shafts can serve as a chimney- spreading dangerous smoke from one area to the next. This can make safe evacuation nearly impossible for individuals who are on upper floors.

Since failure to install a high quality smoke containment system at all elevator openings can be detrimental in an emergency, it is essential that contractors and building owners research their smoke protection options. There is a wide variety of smoke containment systems available on the market, and while most are extremely effective in preventing the spread of smoke through elevator shafts, all are not created equally. In order to obtain maximum protection from smoke, consumers should opt for a smoke containment system that offers effective protection from both fire and smoke, does not require power in order to operate, and is able to be synchronized with the building’s fire safety system.

Smoke Channeling With Fire & Smoke Curtains

Smoke Channeling With Fire & Smoke Curtains

It is often desirable to direct smoke into certain zones for extraction. This is formed using small, rapid drop and often zone controlled banks of curtains. The major requirement for this type of curtain is fast deployment, minimum deflection and a high degree of tolerance to hot smoke. Smoke channels should be installed with consideration given to their intended use in conjunction with large extract systems.

How Smoke & Fire Curtains Can Help Contain Fires

Forming fire compartments requires a curtain to have good levels of Integrity- the I Classification – and low levels of Irradiance of Heat- the W Classification. Curtains installed to form a compartment must be able to provide a physical barrier to the fire and prevent heat flux transfer of levels sufficient to ignite materials either side of the compartment. BLE Curtains provide the highest levels of protection certified fore use around the world.

Smoke & Fire Curtains Provide Great Levels of Smoke Containment

Smoke compartments are formed to prevent smoke spreading throughout a building. They must be impermeable to smoke leakage within set criteria, but also offer a level of resistance to heat. In particular protection must be provided to the rapid build up in heat caused by hot smoke hitting the barrier, a scenario in which some types of glass will shatter. BLE curtains provide excellent levels of smoke containment as well as high heat resistance.

Smoke & Fire Curtains Provide External Fire Escape Protection

A number of buildings still utilize an external staircase running down a building to allow escape from each floor. However if the fire is on a lower floor then this means of escape is compromised. The installation of a BLE Curtain with IP rating allows curtains to be installed to the exterior of the windows in the zone of the external escape route providing protection to the stairs from smoke, irradiance of heat and high temperatures as well as naked flames.