Why has Hollywood continued to stay so sketchy and gritty? (Los Angeles: apartments, condos)

[destroycreate]

What reasons led Hollywood to become so grungy and sketchy? Given it's glorious past, you'd think it'd have experienced some sort of resurgence way sooner than it has. I know now that luxury condos have been going up left and right, but still, it's not nearly as nice as other parts of LA. It's dense, walk-able, connected well via transit and has the bones to really be a chic urban destination. Is there a reason why it has remained so rough around the edges?

[nightlysparrow]

Here's $6,600 a month for a new 2-bed apt next to Capitol Records in the heart of Hollywood. Things are changing fast now.

https://la.curbed.com/2018/4/23/1727...se-rent-photos

Walkability and nearness to transit have only recently become desirable in Los Angeles; they used to represent poverty.

[JustMike77]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

What reasons led Hollywood to become so grungy and sketchy? Given it's glorious past, you'd think it'd have experienced some sort of resurgence way sooner than it has. I know now that luxury condos have been going up left and right, but still, it's not nearly as nice as other parts of LA. It's dense, walk-able, connected well via transit and has the bones to really be a chic urban destination. Is there a reason why it has remained so rough around the edges?

Hollywood never had a "glorious past" unless you're referring to the film business, none of which actually happens in Hollywood. A few blocks south of Hollywood Boulevard was always full of drugs and hookers. It's definitely improving now with the new expensive developments, but you just can't ask all the sketchy people to move. It'll take some time for them to become priced out.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Don't worry,. I predict a Hollywood ending.

[V8 Vega]

Hollywood was noted for being full of weirdos even back in the 60's

[Miss Pip]

Hollywood is filled with desperation and broken dreams. It's a good place for homeless people with all the tourists and foot traffick. That will never go away.

[jm1982]

I used to live in Hollywood , it’s a unique place for sure .

It’s sketchy but there is a big police presence in the area because it’s a big tourist area .

Hollywood has a big homeless problem for sure . There is a ton of development going on also in East Hollywood too which I could see gentrifying in the near future .
Some of it already is to some degree .

[Exitus Acta Probat]

What jm1982 said.

Even in the first part of the Doors movie, Hollywood was a little funky, and that took place in the 60's. Around 1990-91 I hung out on The Strip and it was the same deal. One time when coming out of Guitar Center with a new crash cymbal I almost had to throw it at a homeless guy to keep him away from me.

[tijlover]

A few years ago, I read of a developer who was proposing to build an urban village, NYC style, in Hollywood, 2 50 story towers and a couple of 30 story towers. In the article: this must pas through various neighborhood committees before it's approved or broken ground for.

And? My guess, given all the anti-density, anti-development Nimby's in the L.A. area it will take 5 years before this project goes through all these Nimby committees, and the end result: Cut those 50 story towers down to 10 stories and those 30 story towers down to 5 stories.

You'd have to be the most masochistic developer to propose an project in the West L.A. area!

And then there's the historical (hysterical) preservationists to contend with!

Nope! You can't tear that motel down as Elizabeth Taylor or Marilyn Monroe slept in one of those rooms one night!

[saybanana]

White flight is the reason for Hollywood neighborhood decline. The wealth and prestige moved to the westside and into the valley especially when the freeways like the 101 went into the valley. Places like Studio City and Toluca Lake became popular. Hollywood studios moved and grew in the valley or westside like Burbank, Studio City, Century City, Fairfax District, Culver City.

Subway opened in the 90s, and development you see today started in the 2000s especially around Hollywood Highland with Loews hotel and other hotels, and the mall. And now most of the bigger development around Hollywood Vine (because it is less touristy area and more of the nightlife area). But most development is happening between Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd and La Brea to the 101.

Hollywood is so large of an area to gentrify in one decade or two. Way too many competing areas gentrifying like Koreatown, Hollywood, Downtown, and smaller areas like North Hollywood, east Hollywood, Echo Park and other areas. Even then, it wont likely attract the kinds of shopping that the westside has from midrange retail to designers. They are just too close, so they bring in the Forever 21s, and Ross, DSW shoes. IT will take time before you start to get more retail choices but currently tourism shops and independent shops like sexy clothes, smoke shops, and luggage stores make most of the business.

I can see Downtown getting all the retail stores from low to high end because there is nothing within 10 miles that can compete. you have to go to Glendale Galleria or Old Pasadena or The Grove for most retail shopping if you lived near Downtown. But Hollywood is too close to Melrose, West Hollywood and the Grove.