Living in L.A.: Revitalizing Downtown

Downtown Los Angeles, more precisely El Pueblo, is the place where the city was founded by Mexicans in 1781. Over the last century the city center has experienced times of rise and times of fall.

With the massive move to the suburbs especially after World War II, Downtown Los Angeles became a place where fewer people lived, fewer business headquaters were situated up to a point where it was described as deserted.

But in recent years, Downtown has returned. In 2006, a demographic study counted 28,878 residents, but in 2008 the number had increased to 39,537 inhabitants.¹

Certainly a big impact had the simultaneous establishment of major construction projects.

In South Park, the entertainment complex L.A. Live together with the L.A. Convention Center and the STAPLES Center has created a whole entertainment neighbourhood as well as stimulated the opening of further residences, shopping facilities, restaurants and cafés.²

The $ 2,5 billion L.A. Live project includes concert halls, movie theatres and the Grammy Museum.

Another major investment has been the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Bunker Hill. It was designed by Frank Gehry and with its opening in 2003 became the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. With its striking exterior it has been manifested as "an internationally recognized architectural landmark"³.

On the other hand, these new entertainment offers are not cheap to enjoy and therefore cater only to a certain part of the population.

A Lonely Planet travel guide published in 2008 with specific focus on Downtown Los Angeles invites visitors to discover the revitalized and diverse neighbourhoods of the city center in the new, progressive way:

"And subways in Downtown LA? Really? Yes, really. Despite the city’s love affair with the automobile, your own Downtown LA experience can very well be car-free – try our worldclass public transit or simply hit the pavement and experience Downtown LA’s pedestrian friendly tours and events."

________________________________________________________________

^{1  "Downtown Los Angeles Demographis Study 2008", p.6.}

2 UrbanLand

3 Los Angeles Philharmonic