L.A. Streetcar Announces Fundraiser and Video Campaign (Source: blogdowntown.com)

_{Link: blogdowntown.com/2010/05/5346-la-streetcar-announces-fundraiser-and-video}

L.A. Streetcar Announces Fundraiser and Video Campaign

By ERIC RICHARDSON 
Published: Friday, May 14, 2010, at 10:59AM

Eric Richardson [Flickr]

A streetcar travels through Portland's Pearl District.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Downtown streetcar may not be scheduled to make its first runs until 2014, but L.A. Streetcar, Inc. is looking to make a big push in 2010 with a fundraiser and a promotional video.

The September 30 fundraiser will be hosted by Councilman Jose Huizar, philanthropist Eli Broad, shopping mall developer Rick Caruso and AEG CEO Tim Leiweke.

"We know that a fundraiser isn't going to build the streetcar, but it does allow us to do critical near-term things," explains Dennis Allen, L.A. Streetcar, Inc.'s Executive Director.

He credits Huizar for getting the together the group of heavy hitters to host the event. "He reached out to them, but they understand the significance of what it means for Downtown."

Some of the money raised from the event will go toward increasing the project's visibility with the Downtown public and property owners.

An ad campaign using kiosk space donated by CBS Decaux went live at the end of March, and Allen says the result has been a big uptick in hits to the project's website and new fans on Facebook.

To continue that outreach effort, the project is looking for those who are interested in going on camera to share their thoughts about what a streetcar could do for Downtown.

The promotional video will combine local sentiment with footage of systems in cities such as Portland and Seattle. Allen says that understanding the impact of those systems really requires seeing them in action, and he hopes the video can simulate that. "We asked, how can we bottle that experience and bring it down here?"

Also included will be 3-D renderings of what a streetcar might look like on the streets of Downtown.

Those interested in being interviewed can sign up on the streetcar project's website. Filming will take place on Saturday, May 29.

"Save the Date" information for the September fundraiser can also be found online.

The proposed first phase of the streetcar is intended to connect Bunker Hill and L.A. Live via the Broadway corridor. It is currently estimated to cost around $100 million to complete. Approximately $10 million of that has been raised so far, though the project could get a big boost at the end of June if itreceives a $25 million grant from the federal government.

Streetcar Project for Downtown a Vision without Funding... Yet (Source: LAist)

Link: Streetcar Project for Downtown a Vision without Funding... Yet - LAist

Streetcar Project for Downtown a Vision without Funding... Yet


Photo by LA Wad via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr

Yesterday the nonprofit that has taken the lead to build a streetcar in downtown Los Angeles by 2014 held a public meeting to update the community on the latest developments and present the options they could take next. LA Wad at MetroRiderLA attended the meeting and heard some interesting facts:

The meeting was a “thinking out loud” session, as the hosts stressed that there is no funding sources, no operations plan or any official commitment from either the city or L.A. Streetcar Inc. to hold to the project timeline. Despite this seeming like a daydream, the streetcar workshop was professional in its presentation material, above right, and the knowledge of the project’s leaders.

A Broadway streetcar is estimated to cost $95 million to build, with $18 million included as a contingency. Annual operating costs are projected at $4 million to $6 million a year. Again, an operator has not been selected since Los Angeles Streetcar does not know if it would turn the project over to LADOT or Metro if it is completed. Schibuola indicated that Metro has the know-how and equipment to maintain rail cars and track, but of course Metro would also be expensive.

Three conceptual routes were released earlier this month and it seems most business owners are in support of this project as well as downtown councilmembers Jan Perry and Jose Huizar. The conceptual routes basically travel between L.A. Live and the Walt Disney Concert Hall via South Park and the Broadway/Hills corridors.

By Zach Behrens in News on July 30, 2009 11:45 AM

Downtown streetcar meeting today (Source: MetroRiderLA)

Downtown streetcar meeting today | MetroRiderLA

Downtown streetcar meeting today

Contributed by Wad on July 29th, 2009 at 3:07 am

Heard about those plans to run a streetcar along the streets of downtown Los Angeles, possibly Broadway?

If not, you can hear about them today. Los Angeles Streetcar Inc., the group leading the streetcar charge, holds an open house starting at 4 this afternoon. The group has invited Los Angeles council members Jan Perry and Jose Huizar to speak at around 6 p.m.

It is at the Bradbury Building, one of downtown’s finest architectural gems, at 304 S. Broadway, on the 5th floor. It is near the Pershing Square Red and Purple Line station, and let me just save the time and say that there are dozens of Metro and municipal buses running through downtown near there and not have to link to every schedule.