What really bugs me with the majority of developments these days is the lack uniqueness. In the end, it's all money and how to conservatively save it and how to make a lot of it. The above apartments have some pizazz to them, as evident by the way they are titled and the typography choices. How cool would it be to say, "Hi, I live in the Lamartinique," or "Yeah, I live in the Halli House." (okay, I can't really read what the first letter is). And look at the Fulton Terrace, you can't miss that one driving on the street. "Just look for the apartment with huge ass numbers."
This is character. Character does not exist in places called The Plaza or Woodglen. Generic names and generic design are covering this city. Central air would be nice at times, but I love the fact that my apartment has a different floor plan for just about each apartment. My door to door neighbour's apartment is world's away from mine. Catty-corner to her is something utterly different than both of ours. And this is what I love about the older 1950s/60s apartment buildings in Sherman Oaks and all over the city.
Developers who are comfortable designing homes suitable for Huntington Beach, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Pomona, etc, come to Land Use meetings in L.A. with these tacky designs for apartments that look like Hampton Inns. They may fit the character of those cities, but in LA... get a little more creative.
I'm not saying we have to save these places. I'm just saying that the new ones should have a little more character before 50 years from now.
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