Downtown Los Angeles: Is it's revitalization redefining the way people look at Los Angeles? (Montebello: condos, live)

[bophisto]

I agree a lot is happening in DTLA. I think it still has a way to go, but its amazing all the new places that have opened up and people actually wanting to live downtown.

There is a lot of history..and I hope that the old buildings are not torn down but just cleaned up and renovated/etc .

It would be nice to actually have downtown as a tourist/historical destination...instead of tourists going to Staples Center/LA Live and thinking that is downtown L.A

There is a lot of opportunity with the empty theaters ,etc to really do something big and world class

I would imagine once the economy gets going it'll get stronger too.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by joshualevi

The renovation I am reffering only is mainly for the Macy's at Macy's Plaza, but not the mall. They really need to pull out of that space and move into a historic building on 7th or on Broadway.

And stick it to NYC with a Thanksgiving Day Parade in L.A.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by bophisto

It would be nice to actually have downtown as a tourist/historical destination...instead of tourists going to Staples Center/LA Live and thinking that is downtown L.A

There is a lot of opportunity with the empty theaters ,etc to really do something big and world class

I would imagine once the economy gets going it'll get stronger too.

This is happening already. The "Ace Hotel" group purchased the old United Artists Theater on Brodway. They will convert the old office space into 180 hotel rooms and the theater will be programmed with entertainment.

Unfortunately, many tourists that go to downtown LA go to LA Live and think they've seen downtown LA. As you correctly state, that is NOT at all representative of Downtown.

The Ace Hotel deal on Broadway (along with the other renovation projects on that street) should help focus more attention on the historic parts of downtown.

Originally Posted by bophisto

I would imagine once the economy gets going it'll get stronger too.

That is true. But since the economy tanked in late 2008, downtown has CONTINUED to improve greatly, esp. in the retail/restaurant/bar category. Now more hotels and residential proejcts (including a 30+ story project by a Canadian firm) are on the way.

[pwright1]

Give tourist a little more credit. I've met tourist at Disney Hall and the Music Center, Olvera St, Grand Central Market, on the subway, at our library, at the top of City Hall....and the list goes on!

[Chicano3000X]

One question I wanna ask though..

Why didn't they think of this 20 years ago??

[nslander]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

One question I wanna ask though..

Why didn't they think of this 20 years ago??

Development in general? Partly because investors didn't think there were enough people with the means to rent and buy new or converted spaces in scary downtown LA. It required a number of leaps of faith, and the change in public perception is significant in itself.

[LA/OCman]

You are starting to see a lot of tourists in the Historic Core and Little Tokyo. The few times I have eaten at The Spice Table, there are always foodies from around the world eating there...many staying in local hotels. Plus, the chef at The Spice Table was just named the by Food and Wine as the best new chef in Los Angeles. I believe that places like the Lazy Ox, Church and State, Rivera, Baco Mercat, the Gorbals, Drago Centro, Perch, Umamicatessen have made DTLA a foodie paradise...with many more to come like Mo Chica and the new restaurant opening soon at the former Angelique location.

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

One question I wanna ask though..

Why didn't they think of this 20 years ago??

The reason things are happening now is because "they" thought of it 20 years ago. I lived downtown probably at the tail end of its worst era in the early '80s. There was a "they" back then that had a vision of development. Had it happened overnight it wouldn't be genuine. You don't just build stuff or tear down things, or refashion streets, and that lesson comes from maturity. Be grateful for it.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by pwright1

Give tourist a little more credit. I've met tourist at Disney Hall and the Music Center, Olvera St, Grand Central Market, on the subway, at our library, at the top of City Hall....and the list goes on!

I agree but I have also met tourists that only went to LA Live, thinking this was the thing to do in Downtown LA. Maybe this group is not representative but I have met a few like this.

[Marv101]

There's also a Courtyard By Marriott/Residence Inn combo going up across the street from LA Live; they'll open in the summer of 2014.