Downtown Anaheim lofts slash prices for auction
By ERIC CARPENTER
2009-12-08 15:33:21

ANAHEIM - Nearly half of the lofts in a 129-unit project that opened in downtown Anaheim nearly two years ago will be offered at deeply discounted starting bids during an auction this weekend.

At the 1 p.m. Sunday auction, The Harbor Lofts project will offer 54 loft units – originally on the market for $350,000 to $540,000 – at starting bids of $165,000 for a two-bedroom loft and $210,000 for a three-bedroom loft.

Harbor Lofts, near Lincoln Avenue and Harbor Boulevard, is the latest Anaheim loft project to slash prices to unload unsold units during a depressed real-estate market.

Last March, developers of the Stadium Lofts, across Katella Avenue from Angel Stadium, offered 60 unoccupied units at up to 40 percent off original prices.

"This is becoming the new normal in this market," said Rhett Winchell, president of Kennedy Wilson's Auction Group, which is organizing Sunday's auction.

Loft projects are especially vulnerable during a down real-estate market because construction schedules usually require that the entire inventory comes to market at the same time, often creating a surplus, Winchell said.

Harbor Lofts opened in February 2008 and has sold 16 of 129 lofts so far. The lofts are in a four-story building surrounding a lushly landscaped courtyard. They feature granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, maple cabinetry and 9-foot-6-inch-high ceilings.

The lofts on the block have 1,035 to 2,452 square feet.

The idea of an auction is to put between 30 and 60 units for sale at prices that are fair to the seller and enticing to buyers, Winchell said. His company recently auctioned 55 lofts in downtown Los Angeles and 34 lofts in Pasadena.

In both cases, all of the lofts sold in one day; and Winchell anticipates all 54 Harbor Lofts will sell Sunday.

Potential buyers can tour the lofts and select their preferred location until 5 p.m. Thursday at Harbor Lofts main office, 435 West Center Street Promenade. The auction will be held at the Anaheim Marriott, 700 W. Convention Way.

(Those participating in the auction must pre-qualify and are advised to show up by noon Sunday.)

Officials with the Harbor Lofts are offering practice auction sessions to get homebuyers more comfortable with the process.

Lisa Keller, 32, said she and her husband, Marc, are in the market for a home and are considering a loft.

"We'd always pictured living in a house with the white picket fence and a yard," Lisa Keller said. "We've hesitated looking at the lofts in the past, because it doesn't seem like the best place for kids – and we're thinking of that down the line. But at these prices, it's something we're definitely looking at."

The auctioneer is opening up the auction to registered bidders online through a web portal.

For information, visit harborloftsauction.com.

405 Freeway: Major Nighttime Closures Scheduled in January for Widening

Nighttime commuters, take note. Beginning in January and lasting for two months, work in the Sepulveda Pass will affect traffic patterns, prompting lane closures and occasionally shutting down all lanes.

The $1 billion collaborative Metro-Caltrans project, which broke ground in May, will add 10 miles of northbound car pool lanes between the 10 and 101 freeways as it is the last chunk of car pool-less 405 there is. The project will also remove and replace three bridges over the freeway, widen 13 overpasses and structures, realign 27 on- and off-ramps and bring 18 miles of retaining and sound walls.

Work will begin on January 12 to delineate temporary traffic lanes. For about four weeks, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Caltrans is expected to close lanes and sometimes even close all lanes, the latter which will only occur between midnight and 5 a.m.

Beginning February 15th, concrete barriers will be placed on the 10-mile shoulder of the freeway to isolate the work zone from existing traffic. That will take about four weeks and prompt temporary lane and ramp closures. Work will once again take place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. with ramp closures beginning as early as 7 p.m. followed by lane closures as early as 9 p.m.

All work will take place on weekday nights. As the project nears, specific closure information will be posted on Metro's website.

Car pool lanes save drivers one minute per mile, according to Metro. The project is expected to be completed in 2013.

^ Dang, I just saw that report on the news... Good thing I don't go anywhere near there on a regular basis.

bmwracer wrote:

^ Dang, I just saw that report on the news... Good thing I don't go anywhere near there on a regular basis.

Yup...it seems like it might be a clusterf*ck for a while starting next month.

Tu_triky wrote:

405 Freeway: Major Nighttime Closures Scheduled in January for Widening

I'm so glad I don't live anywhere near there. Doesn't sound fun at all.
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MissMonika wrote:

I'm so glad I don't live anywhere near there. Doesn't sound fun at all.

No doubt. It's going to be ugly for a while around the West side.

Tu_triky wrote:

No doubt. It's going to be ugly for a while around the West side.

It's already ugly. But I never go down the 405 except by bus. Let the driver fight the traffic while I kick back with a book and Mai-K on my Ipod. The express bus has the nice cushioned seats and if you get tired of sitting you can walk around. Anyway I only go that route on the way to the beach and the beach season is over.

ralphm1999 wrote:

It's already ugly. But I never go down the 405 except by bus. Let the driver fight the traffic while I kick back with a book and Mai-K on my Ipod.

Well that's the smart thing to do if it comports with your schedule.

Tu_triky wrote:

Well that's the smart thing to do if it comports with your schedule.

When you're retired there is no schedule. The world is open to you 24/7.

Tu_triky wrote:

Yup...it seems like it might be a clusterf*ck for a while starting next month.

After experiencing traffic jam after traffic jam on 405 and 5, I now use the 210 to 57 way to get to the OC and beyond.

dochira wrote:

After experiencing traffic jam after traffic jam on 405 and 5, I now use the 210 to 57 way to get to the OC and beyond.

Smart....yeah the 405/5 interchange is bad...but not as bad as 405/101 interchange....pain, sheer pain.

I think the 405 is always ranked in the top 3 or 5 most congested highways every year.

Los Angeles tops list of 99 metros losing jobs

Wednesday, January 6, 2010, 10:35am PST

Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - by G. Scott Thomas of Buffalo Business First

Ninety-nine of the nation�fs 100 biggest labor markets lost jobs during the past year -- with the Los Angeles area suffering the nation�fs sharpest decline in raw numbers.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana area saw 194,900 jobs slip away between November 2008 and November 2009, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Chicago and New York metros were close behind with losses of 186,600 and 186,100 jobs, respectively.

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura lost 11,000 jobs during the period, and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario lost 55,200.

Complete statistics for America�fs top 100 markets can be accessed on Buffalo Business First, a sister publication of Los Angeles Business from bizjournals.

The only major market to add jobs was McAllen-Edinburg, Texas, which is located along the Mexican border. Its employment increased by 2,700 since November 2008.

Youngstown, Ohio, registered the sharpest 12-month decline in percentage terms, dropping 7.2 percent. Detroit, Las Vegas, Boise and Phoenix all fell between 6 percent and 7 percent.

^ Sobering.

bmwracer wrote:

^ Sobering.

Guess we're getting hammered over here...not like it's hard to notice. I drove down Melrose Avenue a couple of weeks ago...where the Melrose Strip is, you know famous for all those funky/trendy clothing stores and sidewalk cafes/restaurants, between La Brea and Sproul...well I literally saw at least 6 EMPTY storefronts that were all adjacent to one another....and that was only one side of the street. Never seen that in all the years I've lived in L.A.

Fly the faded skies.

==========
Goldstein: TSA Agents Caught On Tape Using Drugs
Reporting
David Goldstein
LOS ANGELES (CBS) �\

TSA agents are there to keep the skies safe. but we uncovered an afterhours party where TSA agents were allegedly caught on tape using drugs. It comes as LAX is beefing up security in the wake of the Chritsmas bombing attempt.

On a day the mayor was touting security ... "Here at LAX we're ahead of the curve on security measures."

And the local head of TSA acknowledged the burden of keeping travelers safe ... "The TSA has a huge mission to protect America's transportation network."

We expose TSA Agents -- busted for drugs! In a party caught on tape. One the agency doesn't want to talk about.

I asked an official, "Does this tape trouble you." They replied, "I told you I cannot comment on that incident."

The investigation began late last year when a TSA Agent was arrested for allegedly counterfeiting parking passes here at the employee parking lot. In his house, police found a videotape. On it was an afterhours party where other TSA agents were allegedly using drugs.

These are the same people in charge of screening our bags. Making sure travelers are safe. But perhaps high on drugs.

TSA sources say the tape was turned over to investigators. Each employee identifired was ordered to take a drug test. TSA won't say how many, but each one who failed was fired.

Larry Fetters, the Federal Security Director at LAX says, "We don't tolerate drugs. We don't tolerate narcotics." He wouldn't talk specifics, but said the agency has random drug testing, and claims the employees would have been caught even without the video.

He said, "It's just as likely they would have been tested coming to work."

I asked, "How can you say that?"

And he replied, "How can I say that? As a former deputy LAPD chief for 31 years, I can tell you that drugs and alcohol abuse are a problem in our society."

But these people would have been found absent this videotape?

"Eventually" he said.

But how long is eventually?

"Well, when are we going to find someone that works for your corporation?"

I told him my corporation isn't at the forefront of security as his agency is.

"Look, you're right."

None of the employees was charged with any crimes. Even the TSA agent caught counterfeiting parking passes wasn't prosecuted because no one he sold to would come forward.

But the incident was kept under wraps. Even from the mayor.

Said Villaraigosa, "This is the first I've heard about it."

I asked if the alleged drug use troubled him. "I think it would trouble everyone."

Everyone of the traveling public....who depend on TSA agents, baggage screeners, to keep us safe.

^ All the more reason why I'm nervous about flying on a plane.

bmwracer wrote:

^ All the more reason why I'm nervous about flying on a plane.

HAHA. Maybe if they shared their drugs with you, it might take the edge off!

J/k!

Seriously, ridiculous though, especially in light of the failed bombing attempt on Christmas.

Study ranks L.A. as most congested in U.S.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's no surprise. A new study shows traffic congestion in Los Angeles is worse than any other city in the country.

L.A. drivers waste the most amount of time stuck in traffic, and of all the bottlenecks in the country, the northbound 101 Freeway at Los Angeles Street in downtown is ranked No. 7 in the country, according to INRIX's 2009 National Traffic Scorecard.

"It's getting worse every year. It used to take maybe 40 minutes, now it's taking definitely an hour to get to work," said Ana Martin Del Campo, who commutes from La Puente to downtown L.A.

INRIX tracks traffic times by monitoring GPS devices in more than 1.5 million vehicles. The company found that commute times, which had dropped in 2008 were back on the rise in 2009, as the country crept out of the recession.

The study shows that despite the bad economy, traffic increased 2 percent from 2008 through 2009, thoroughly freezing important freeway arteries. The INRIX study indicates the average commuter in Los Angeles wastes 86 hours a year stuck in traffic.

The worst time to be on the roads is Thursdays between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., according to the study. At that time, a driver on the 110 North at 8th Street is moving an average of just 6 miles per hour.

While the evening commute worsens, the study claims congestion has eased during the morning rush hour nationwide. One reason is that more people are out of work and not driving.

According to the report, the Top 10 most congested cities in 2009 were:

1. Los Angeles
2. New York City
3. Chicago
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Dallas, Texas
6. Houston, Texas
7. San Francisco
8. Boston
9. Seattle
10. Philadelphia

(Copyright ©2010 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Tu_triky wrote:

Study ranks L.A. as most congested in U.S.

bmwracer wrote:

I daresay one might need to take the whole box at once to have any effect.