Archive for the ‘construction and architecture’ Category
Need a Marathon Break? The Triangle Dig Continues Sunday
March 19th, 2010 | 
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It has been a great week for publicity surrounding Parkman Triangle. We got some coverage in Curbed LA! Some folks were not happy with the tone, but any coverage is better than no news, right? Many comments were also posted expressing enthusiasm for the project.Digging will continue on Sunday. We need to move more dirt from the berm to the middle of the site, so we hope to get many volunteers to make this quick work! We are asking people to show up anytime between 10am and 2pm. Bring work gloves, sunscreen, a hat, and a water bottle (in case we run out!). (more...)
Parkman Triangle Is A Reality
Yesterday, we had a fantastic turnout for our work on Parkman Triangle. I asked Ara Babaian to share his thoughts on this project. I will invite others working on Parkman Triangle to give their views and hopes for a plan that we hope catches on in LA. Let me start with Ara!--LK/GGP
On Saturday, March 13, 2010, over 20 residents of Silver Lake and a few others from as far away as Brentwood volunteered at the future site of Parkman Triangle to spread, mix and compact the fill dirt with clean base. Parkman Triangle will be a micro-park situated in this high-traffic, urban residential part of Silver Lake—an “urban lounge” of sorts where walkers will hang out for a few minutes, get some shade, and then move on. This urban lounge, to be called “Parkman Triangle” because of its triangular shape and its location at the intersection of Silver Lake Boulevard and Parkman Avenue, will provide much needed green space to this part of Silver Lake just south of Sunset Boulevard. But Parkman Triangle will do more than just add some green—it will also serve as the focal point for this part of Silver Lake which is not quite as developed as the areas near the Reservoir and at Sunset Junction. (more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, construction and architecture | 
Tags: Ara Babaian, Eric Garcetti, John Southern, Los Angeles, Office of Community Beautification, Parkman Triangle, Parkman Triangle Improvement Project, Parkman Triangle Park, Silver Lake, Silver Lake Improvement Association, Silver Lake Neighborhood City Council | 
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Preserving and Celebrating Salvador
As much as I love visiting large cities and national capitals, having limited time abroad often denies you the opportunity to view the true soul of a country. To me, Chicago presents visitors a near-perfect American city in architecture, culture, and spirit; Lyon reveals France's charm and cuisine; and Daejon allows you to glimpse everyday Korean life and a gateway to the country's spectacular nature. Salvador lacks Rio's glamour or São Paulo's constant business drumbeat, but this city of 2 million, capital of the state of Bahia, is arguably the heart of Brazil. Your initial impression of Salvador may be jarring, but that will quickly bloom into optimism and affection. (more...)Make the Winter Olympics Urban
We did not see much of the Vancouver Winter Olympics as we were in Brazil . . . though it was a delight to watch some events on Brazilian TV, which was uninterrupted by commercials! Whatever you may think of the Olympics, the athletic feats are impressive, the stories behind some of the Olympians are compelling, and it looks like Vancouver put on a great show. I'm not surprised--it's a beautiful city and the perfect place to showcase such an event. (more...)
Posted in International, air - land - quality of life, construction and architecture, politics |
Tags: 2014 Winter Olympics, British Columbia, Canada, environmental justice, environmentalists, green building, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Korea, Olympics, PyeongChang, Russia, Sochi, Vancouver, Vladimir Putin |
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Parkman Triangle Hits Pay Dirt!
Well, actually it was free dirt. It's been an eye-opening experience working on the Parkman Triangle Project. I've spent many hours this month calling contractors, from trucking companies to landscapers to plumbers to dirt companies. What money we have really needs to go to plumbing, so to save about $2500, we decided to see what we could scrounge up from contractors who are working on projects and need to dump their dirt. (more...)Parkman Triangle: Stage One!
I was thrilled to find out that work Parkman Triangle Park has finally started. I took the dog out for a walk to see for myself, and I like what's been done!
The asphalt has been ripped out, and soon the water main can be installed. It turned out to be quite a job. The workers who were at the site told me that it turned out there were two layers of asphalt: one was the original street, and then you had the top layer which has been home to illegal parking and Sunday flea markets for years. The workers seemed excited about this project, too: they had also worked on a similar greening project in East Hollywood. (more...)
Parkman Triangle-Demolition Monday?
GGP is in Brazil with little internet connection, but we have heard that demolition on Parkman Triangle may start on Monday--so stay tuned. Let's hope this finally happens. Since we cannot be there, please take pictures if this happens!!!!
Many thanks to John Southern and Ara Babaian for all their work.
Save the Date: Women in Green Forum, September 1-2, 2010
Are you an engineer, fully engaged in green tech issues, and often walk into a room full of men? Are you interested in eco-fashion? Perhaps you are a graduate student wanting to enter this space. Or maybe you have a passion for electric vehicles. And you probably aware that many of the green revolution has its roots in women like Rachel Carson.Have I got the conference for you, September 1-2, in Pasadena.
Spearheaded by Jaime Nack of Three Squares Inc., The Women in Green Forum will bring together an international audience of women focused on environmental issues, including academic researchers, business experts, energy analysts, and technology developers. (more...)
Parkman Triangle Park in Silver Lake
At the corner of Silver Lake Boulevard and Parkman Avenue lies a 2000-square foot patch of asphalt that has lain empty for decades. Occasionally, trash is strewn across it; sometimes there are unpermitted weekend yard sales or flea markets; often cars are parked on it illegally. Years ago this space was paved over to make right turns off of Parkman to Silver Lake Blvd. safer, but the redesign left wasted space that currently does nothing for the local community.But soon, after two years of research, phone calls, and neighborhood activism, this barren space in Silver Lake, south of Sunset Boulevard, will become a vibrant park, thanks to the Parkman Triangle Improvement Project. (more...)
Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
That line ended the 1974 film, Chinatown, one of the great psychodramas of all time. Inspired by the catastrophic disputes over land and water that embroiled Southern California politics in controversy during the early 1920s, Chinatown should be on your must-see list if you have yet to watch it.It's funny how that term, Chinatown, is part of our American conscience. Part of it is that when about 1 in 5 of the earth's population has roots in that region, you are bound to run into a Chinatown, or at least a cluster of Chinese restaurants and businesses. You shouldn't miss San Francisco's Chinatown when visiting, though the real joy of this neighborhood is exploring its back alleys like Ross and Waverly. New York's Chinatown is vibrant and full of cheap eats in a city that's notorious for assaulting your wallet. Los Angeles still has a Chinatown, but drive a few miles east to towns like Alhambra or Rosemead if you want truly authentic food and a good foot massage. (more...)
The Real California
I spent MLK weekend in Fresno visiting an old college friend. The drive to Fresno is about four hours, and takes you to a completely different world than to which we are accustomed in Southern California or the Bay Area. We tend to be dismissive of this part of the state, but there is much that the San Joaquin Valley offers the visitor. For better or for worse, that bag of goodies you have snagged at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's most likely had its origins in this region, the true bread basket (or gift basket?) of America. Fresno County is the largest agricultural county in the nation; its neighbor, Tulare County, is number two. (more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, art and culture, construction and architecture |
Tags: Armenian, farming, Fresno, San Joaquin Valley, Tower District, travel |
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A Korean Winter Dream
Two events occurred after I left Korea that I wished I could have witnessed. First, the 2002 World Cup, though being there in 1996 when Korea the bid with Japan was interesting for Koreans' collective angst at having to settle for co-hosting that extravaganza. Second, last week much of Korea was buried in 10 inches (25 cm), of snow, a record since the country first gauged statistics in 1937. In addition to the traffic, I can only imagine the mayhem resulting from those trying to trudge through Myong-dong in platform shoes or delivering noodles or appliances on the back of a motorbike. Perhaps this was a case of best witnessing the news from the safety of television. However, what that odd weather pattern does remind us is of Korea's third attempt to host the Winter Olympics, this time in 2018 in PyeongChang. (more...)A Non-profit that LEEDs
The debate over climate change and energy independence is often divisive and polarizing. First we must confront the apathetic and the nay-sayers, which has not been easy in the USA with the purported "Climate-gate" bruhaha and our concern over 10% unemployment. The Obama Administration has not been very helpful with its "green jobs" rhetoric--I think every week we have heard of the push for "home weatherization" schemes, which leaves me with the image of former Avon salespeople tapping our walls to make sure they are properly insulated (is this really the best Obama & Co. can do?). Then you've got the debate over who should lead . . . corporations, or government? Well, what about non-profits? One organization with a stellar "green" record is the American Jewish Committee (AJC), a 103-year-old advocacy group with 32 chapters in the United States. (more...)Designing Outside the Box
Holidays are a wonderful time, especially if children are in the mix. You’d have to be a complete curmudgeon if you’re not moved when a child gets that gift he or she always wanted. The 1983 classic, A Christmas Story, sums it up best when Ralphie blurts out his desire for an “Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle,” which saved his holiday after his humiliating debut in his pink bunny suit.
Ralphie almost shot his eye out, which hardly seems a danger now considering scares involving children’s toys the last few years. Furniture is not much better: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), medium density plywood (MDF), chemicals in plywood, and petroleum-based compounds that go into furniture components are all just one reason we should be concerned about the air we breathe. (more...)
The Hanging Gardens of . . .
Yerevan.
Yes, that's right. The New York times just covered the opening of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. This US$40 million art center sits on top of the Cascade, an ostentatious yet delightful structure that sums up Armenia. As true with any nationality, being part Armenian, I had to visit the ancestral homeland, so I've done so, twice. And that was enough. But one of the best features about Yerevan is the Cascade: a decadent, grandiose temple mixing Soviet chic with Art Deco ornaments--and it works!
(more...)
Posted in International, art and culture, construction and architecture |
Tags: architecture, Armenia, Cafesjian Center, Cascade, Yerevan |
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