An Insider's View On The Renaissance Of Downtown Los Angeles

Within the last two months, major announcements have been made regarding the massive Grand Avenue project near the Music Center and the Los Angeles Live/convention center hotel development to be built next to the Staples Center. The Planning Report presents an interview with Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry, in which she elaborates on these and other planned landmark projects, as well as what they portend for creating a 24/7 environment in downtown Los Angeles. The Councilwoman also notes the work which remains: housing the homeless.

"Land costs downtown, as opposed to the Westside, are significantly lower such that people are now realizing the opportunity by developing downtown. We have more land that is assembled or could be assembled. And even in cases where there are brownfields, there is a different view in how to take land that was considered to be previously contaminated and remediate it. But, the biggest difference down here is that there is not any entrenched nimbyism to obstruct development."

Thanks to Chris Steins