Ugly L.A. Deserves a Makeover

In this editorial for The Architect's Newspaper, Lubell asserts that the city hasn't paid close enough attention to livability issues.

"The first step on that road would be approval of the proposed design guidelines recently put forward by the LA Planning Department. The guidelines are a checklist of smart urban ideas, including narrower, more walkable streets, activated street fronts, and more neighborhood-sensitive architecture. This is not new thinking, and much of the rules wouldn’t be binding, but they’re an important tool in gaining momentum for building a more livable city. Efforts to derail the proposal, which will soon go up for a vote, have come largely from groups that argue that the guidelines might spur overdevelopment. That’s nonsense. There’s always going to be development. It just needs to be carried out responsibly."