The arts district in downtown Los Angeles is transforming its industrial buildings into trendy boutiques, restaurants and hotels. The concern is that gentrification will drive out low-paid artists who can no longer afford to live there.
"It was far more exciting for me to be in a place that wasn't already 'there,' so to speak," said Yassmin Sarmadi, who began building her restaurant Church & State seven years ago. She not only works, but also lives, in the arts district. Of gentrification, she said, "I think it's inevitable. It brings a tear to my eye, but it's also progress." Scott Johnson, an architect who also lives in the art district, appreciates the neighborhood's "roughness most suburbanites would find off-putting" in a time when "we're getting bombarded with fake stuff." Los Angeles's arts district has drawn comparisons to New York's meatpacking district and will likely face the same fate of gentrification from its industrial past, "[b]ut for now, the arts district is in a sweet spot of transition for many," writes Roger Vincent.
"When the arts district loft conversion trend took off in the mid-2000s, landlords realized they could get more rent from tech and design companies than they could from warehouse and manufacturing businesses," says Vincent. He adds, "With so many prosperous newcomers making the neighborhood into an urban frontier with hip amenities, some residents are laboring to keep art in the arts district." Commercial rents in the arts district can top $2 per square foot per month, more than prices paid for nearby high-rises.
"It's already too pricey for the majority of artists," said Daniel Lahoda, owner of Lala Gallery. "We will endure the increases as long as we can because we love the neighborhood so much."
FULL STORY: Downtown L.A.'s edgy arts district is neighborhood in transition

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie