The opening last month of EaCa Alley (for East Cahuenga) signifies the commencement of a new program poised to remake Hollywood's 26 alleys as dining, shopping, and cultural destinations.
Growing out of the master's thesis of planning student Sarah MacPherson, who had been at the Business Improvement District for 13 years, and backed by such prominent local officials as City Councilman Eric Garcetti, "the passage between Selma and Hollywood Boulevard has been paved with attractive red bricks; 13 trash bins have been eliminated; and the businesses lining the east side of Cahuenga have begun placing tables and chairs in the alley, although a few permits are still needed before the bulk of businesses can serve food and alcohol outdoors," reports Gelt
As major redevelopment projects such as a proposed new downtown football stadium and convention facility continue to dominate local real estate headlines, the alley project resonates with a series of small-scale interventions that the city is spearheading to incrementally improve pedestrian environments throughout the area.
However, with EaCA Alley's $800,000 cost having been supplied primarily by the City of LA's now-defunct Community Redevelopment Agency, the prospects for future renovations are in doubt.
