Extra, Extra: LA Has a Dense Urban Center

Award-winning research conducted by University of Southern California graduate Samuel Krueger shows that Los Angeles really does have a gooey chocolate - whoops...dense, urban center.

1 minute read

December 3, 2012, 9:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Dennis Romero discusses Krueger's findings, as reported in his master's thesis for the Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) program at USC this year. "Krueger mapped out the city according to the density of amenities including 'entertainment, full-service restaurants, hotels and motels, trendy hangouts, and high culture.' For a control, Krueger "tested his thesis on New York and Chicago to ensure that expected central density would result, which it did."

"The result is essentially a heat map of such density, says Krueger, "and it shows a contiguous urban core along that Krueger calls the 'The Wilshire/Santa Monica Corridor [PDF].'"

Krueger's thesis, "Delimiting the Postmodern Urban Center: An Analysis of Urban Amenity Clusters in Los Angeles," won the UNIGIS 2012 Academic Excellence Award and the North American Regional Science Council’s 2012 Graduate Student-Author Paper Competition.

Friday, November 30, 2012 in LA Weekly

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

4 hours ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

5 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

6 hours ago - Cities Today