The Downtown That Doubles As A Movie Set

"Downtown Los Angeles is Hollywood's favorite off-lot location. Every day (and night) of the week, there's a movie, series or commercial shooting in the 65-block central business district.

The allure? Backdrops that range from gritty industrial warehouses to 19th-century facades to modern, glass-walled towers."

"However, downtown's build-out of new residential units, geared toward the upscale renter and buyer, means a new era for production. In 1999, the city passed an adaptive reuse ordinance that allowed for the renovation of empty and often derelict buildings into residential use.

More than 7,000 new residences are expected to augment an additional 7,500 units in various stages of construction, adding to downtown's estimated 29,000 current residents.

This means production crews -- accustomed to doing their own thing, whether finding ample parking, setting up production base camps in empty lots, closing streets, employing low-flying helicopters or simulating gunplay -- have needed to become sensitive to new neighbors."