The Wyvernwood Garden Apartments, a large-scale low-rise development opened in 1939, are at the center of a preservation debate. Lauren Walser gives us the case for keeping them.
Built according to Ebenezer Howard's Garden City model, the Wyvernwood development in East Los Angeles now houses a majority-Latino community. Lauren Walser writes, "Each of the 143 buildings is built around grassy garden areas, so that residents walk out their front door and into a park-like setting, rather than a busy street. The buildings, minimalist in design with low-pitched roofs, are positioned to let it plenty of sunlight and fresh air, while still giving each unit a sense of privacy."
"Since 2007, the residents of Wyvernwood have been fighting its demolition. The complex's owner, Miami-based Fifteen Group Land and Development LLC, has proposed to level Wyvernwood and replace it with a $2 billion development."
The article quotes Adrian Scott Fine, director of advocacy at the Los Angeles Conservancy. "'There's a housing crisis in Los Angeles, no question about that,' Fine says. 'And we need to address it. But we want to look for a win-win opportunity, where we can create some density without total destruction and loss. There's an opportunity for change, but how do you manage change in a way that doesn't call for a complete loss of community?'"
FULL STORY: The Fight to Save Wyvernwood, L.A.'s First Large-Scale Garden Apartment
Why L.A.'s Boyle Heights Matters to Anti-Gentrification Activists
The historically Latino working class neighborhood is a frequent touchstone in debates over gentrification in Los Angeles. That history goes back decades and colors residents' perceptions.
Lessons for YIMBYs From Boyle Heights
In the wake of a very pro-development March election, Los Angeles seems ready to embrace change. But not everywhere. In low-income Boyle Heights, residents have been more militant than most against encroaching gentrification.
East Los Angeles Community Groups Prove that Community Planning Matters
The landscape of community development in Los Angeles today differs vastly from even a few years ago. Two groups in East L.A. are developing solutions to accelerating gentrification and displacement and a compounding affordable housing crisis.
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