LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0

[LAofAnaheim]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I think perhaps me using the phrase 'post-gentrification' might have not been the wisest idea. There are people that would readily argue that downtown will always be gentrifying, at least in some part. It's too open ended of a phrase, too loosely defined. And so, let me clarify:

It's not that I don't believe that downtown can't be improved, or that this is the best that downtown can get, as I believe the exact opposite, that there is room for untold improvement, and the best that downtown can be is still far off into the distance. Downtown, for me, has had this stigma of being a sort of an 'experiment', a 'fad', where a few hipsters (there I go using that word again) live in some brick-walled lofts and generally act artsy and harmless. Downtown, according to this stigma, won't take hold as a real neighborhood. I feel like this has changed, that downtown is a real, permanent, important neighborhood, and that L.A. proper has realized this. Just look at the rate new developments sell or lease out- The Jeffries has been on the market for a few short months and is already over half leased. From what I saw today, downtown is no longer 'revitalizing', but is officially 'revitalized'. Yes, there are areas that need to be improved (Broadway, the Lower Historic Core), but taken as a whole, downtown has finally reached critical mass.

I don't think LA is officially "revitalized". I live at 9th/Flower and the blocks bounded between Figueroa - Olive - 7th - 9th need significant improvement for me to suggest that. It's so barren of a walk from 9th street the subway at 7th street. 7th street, Spring St, Main St, Broadway, etc... are all happening areas, but there are definitely deadzones between activity centers. Until you get people walking off a linear path and crossing over streets/boulevards to other points of interest, then I will say "we've made it". Right now, it's still a linear activity center with Spring St and 7th St being the anchors. We need more retail and nightlife on all other streets.