Please understand that a significant portion of Hollywood street traffic is directly related to the 101 and 405: people trying to avoid or get on them heading/coming from all directions. In my
conceptual map, I envision Hollywood/Highland as a major transit hub for the line making the loop LosAngelesBeauty suggest (Silver) and one coming directly from the south (Pink), to compliment the line coming from the west (Red) and one extended north (also Red).
And while I agree there need to be more and better maintained tourist spots on Hollywood Blvd, tourist have to eat and they come wanting to spend money. So while I don't think the area should turn into 3rd Street Promenade or Old Town Pasadena, a multi-story Disney Store (a la San Fran's FAO Schwartz/Time Square's Toys R Us), a multi-story Lego Store with a Hollywood/Southern California/movie focus, a multi-story Planet Hollywood restaurant (how funny is it that there isn't one) and ground-floor studio broadcast are types of "corporate" projects that would fit well on the boulevard and compliment the atmosphere we're trying to revitalize. Fit that in with a new retro Brown Derby restaurant (brown hat, dark wood, leather booths, celebrity sketches and all), renovated theaters, museums, and more Beaux Arts hotels, with one of them on top of a (dare I say it) casino and we begin to a create a boulevard that begins to live up to the hype. Because right now, I don't think anyone who lives or visits here would say that it does.
Also, why does it matter what's above the retail? As I see it, the only reason to oppose the new condos, is the apparent shortage of Class A building space in Hollywood. But even then there are plenty of parking lots looking for life and single-story commercial strips on Hollywood, Sunset and their north-south connecting streets destine for the wrecking ball.
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