Next neighborhoods to gentrify?

[CESpeed]

I'm thinking that stretch of Sunset by Dodger Stadium. There's a neighborhood about a block in that has been declared a historical area and while the houses are gorgeous, the surrounding area leaves a lot to be desired and since it also connects to Silver Lake and is near downtown it would make sense to gentrify that area.

[streetscenes]

I was looking at some apartments in Gardena today and found a really cool area that could be a target for gentrification. The area is on Gardena Boulevard just west of Vermont and the 110. Nice street with small commercial properties, some older ones with apartments or offices above. Towards the western end there are more apartments mixed in. This area is centrally located with easy access to downtown via the 110 and also easy access to Torrance, the harbor areas, etc. Don't know if the Harbor Freeway busway has a stop nearby. I haven't done any research on what the housing prices are like in the immediate vicinity but it did strike me as an area that could have some gentrification.

[BRinSM]

There is also another area of town that I think is ripe for development. I'm not sure what to title this particular hood, but i'm thinking of the area around beverly/vermont (i think i may have heard the term 'melrose hill' used to describe this area). so much is going around this area in every direction, but not much is actually happening in this particular area. as you head north, you see the redevelopment of thai town. to the south, koreatown is cooling from its recent boom. to the east, downtown and silver lake have seen huge improvements recently and to the west is hancock park. not only is this area surrounded by development, it also has a subway stop, a central location, and an amazing housing stock of WW2 era apartment buildings.

[JMadison]

Gentrification is stupid. Really, why would anyone with any sense want to move into what may have been a crack house? Better to bulldoze it all under and start over. Even then, the crack will be in the dirt in your front yard. One a place is blighted, it's done.

[matt345]

Originally Posted by JMadison

Gentrification is stupid. Really, why would anyone with any sense want to move into what may have been a crack house? Better to bulldoze it all under and start over. Even then, the crack will be in the dirt in your front yard. One a place is blighted, it's done.

You obviously know nothing about the history of Silver Lake or Venice.

[LASam]

Originally Posted by JMadison

Gentrification is stupid. Really, why would anyone with any sense want to move into what may have been a crack house? Better to bulldoze it all under and start over. Even then, the crack will be in the dirt in your front yard. One a place is blighted, it's done.

I couldn't disagree with you more on this. These blighted areas often have excellent architecture which is hidden by neglect. Upon cleaning up these areas, they often equal or surpass anything we try to build today. We can't just give up on areas because they have fallen on hard times. The kind of thinking you are advocating contributes to sprawl which is one of LA's biggest issues. These areas you wish to abandon still have infrastructure which needs to be maintained with tax dollars. Those tax dollars are getting a very low ROI vs if the area were gentrified.

[Christine Joan]

Korea Town is definitely in the middle of gentrifcation. I'm looking forward to them building the new vertical mall at the corner of Vermont/Wishire.

[matt345]

Originally Posted by Christine Joan

Korea Town is definitely in the middle of gentrifcation. I'm looking forward to them building the new vertical mall at the corner of Vermont/Wishire.

Koreatown is a perfect example of why gentrification works. It's an extremely urban and dense area, I believe almost on the level of San Francisco. That's just something you're not going to find in those newer shiny suburbs like Santa Clarita or Thousand Oaks, which is why people are interested in investing in Koreatown again. Plus, some of the architecture there should be considered treasures to the city of LA.

[King0fthehill]

On a different note, why does it seem like LA lacks the simultaneous gentrification/revitalization of numerous neighborhoods that are going on in other cities? (namely: NYC)

[bhcompy]

I think it has more to do with demand and the focus of the police force and developers.