Is downtown quiet? (Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica: home, neighborhood, median income)

[Key West]

I have only been to Hollywood BLVD, and that was only for a few nights, so I haven't seen much of Los Angeles. I've heard downtown is nothing like New York City's.

[munchitup]

No it's not quiet. In fact it can often be unpleasantly loud.

[jm1982]

I guess you are asking if DTLA L.A is like Lower Manhattan? ...I don't think anything else in the U.S compares to manhattan..

Definitely a lot less people walking around, but some parts can be busy and it depends on the time of day...but nowhere near the busyness of Lower Manhattan.

One thing I think is cool about Downtown L.A is a lot of people don't really know about it much..even people that live in L.A..

Many many more people know about Lower Manhattan...

Not many tourists in DTLA...yet.

[PDF]

Downtown LA is nothing like Lower Manhattan. But it can get pretty lively down there. The nightlife isn't as good as say Hollywood, but I've had a good time at a few bars there.

It may be touristy, but I love LA Live. Keep coming back. And then there are a few neat daytime attractions downtown.

I say check it out.

[GatsbyGatz]

DTLA has a prevalent working class identity, with most of the stores and restaurants catering to low-income folk, and the majority of its population and pedestrians being working class. Foot traffic can occasionally be busy around a couple streets and blocks, but truthfully DTLA is not vibrant outside of that small area.

While there is a great desire for DTLA to become the center of LA's urban heartbeat, it has a long way to go. You certainly won't find the amount of well-to-do people channeling down the city streets that you'll find in Santa Monica, Westwood, Pasadena, etc. Visit DTLA in 10 years and I'll say that it might rival those other urban centers, but not as of today.

And no, DTLA will NEVER stand up to Manhattan. It still trails far behind other urban centers like SF, Chicago, Philly, etc...

[Borninnycliveinnyc]

Downtown LA is my favorite part of LA

[JohnG72]

Its not quiet.

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

DTLA has a prevalent working class identity, with most of the stores and restaurants catering to low-income folk, and the majority of its population and pedestrians being working class. Foot traffic can occasionally be busy around a couple streets and blocks, but truthfully DTLA is not vibrant outside of that small area.

This is entirely untrue. Avg income of a DTLA resident is >$80K.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - While there may be no such thing as an average Downtown resident circa 2011, the collective base of people living in the community have some pretty clear characteristics: They are affluent, though not as rich as they were a few years ago. They tend to have jobs. They frequently drive alone to work. And they want Trader Joe's to open in Downtown Los Angeles.

Although Downtown has continued to grow since the economic downturn began, with new residential complexes, restaurants and entertainment options, the community has not escaped the pain. The figure most indicative of hard times is the falling household median income: The $86,300 for Downtowners today is down from $89,900 in 2008.
Still, Downtowners seemed to fare better than many others. The survey said that the median income for all respondents dropped nearly $7,000, from $92,200 three years ago to a current $85,500. The median income in L.A. County in 2007, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the study, was $54,828.
Other indicators came in how people spend their money. Three years ago, 95% of Downtown residents ate out for lunch at least once a month, and 96% had dinner out during the same time frame. The new study put those levels at 89% for lunch and 92% for dinner

Big Numbers and Big Money in Downtown Survey - Los Angeles Downtown News - For Everything Downtown L.A.!: News

[GatsbyGatz]

^ Yeah, DTLA is definitely a magnet for the rich and well-to-do...



And just to make everyone certain of it, that photo is taken within downtown boundaries.

[JohnG72]

I understand you dislike pertinent facts.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

^ Yeah, DTLA is definitely a magnet for the rich and well-to-do...



And just to make everyone certain of it, that photo is taken within downtown boundaries.

True but there are areas like the Historic Core, Arts District and South Park which have some of the highest rents in the city. Downtown LA (like the city of LA itself) is a tough place to nail down with a few descriptive words - some of the richest people in the city call it home and some of the poorest in the country call it home.

I really enjoy DTLA, it feels like a very unique place and I think we are lucky to be able to witness a major city's downtown transition at an incredibly rapid pace. Downtown Los Angeles in 2020 is going to be one awesome neighborhood, and certainly one of the best downtowns in the United States.