DTLA at Intersection of Local and Global

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Cities, like all successful ecosystems, thrive on diversity. From the ancient Greek polis to the 21st century megalopolis, it is the dynamic mix of people, culture and commerce that is the catalyst for growth. Fittingly for a city, these catalytic reactions happen at the intersections: the intersection of market sectors; of neighborhoods; of streets and public spaces; and at the city’s intersections with the region and the world. Downtown Los Angeles today is a veritable case study in how all these intersections shape the city.

As evidenced by the Downtown Center Business Improvement District’s year-end market report and the record-setting 3,295 new units that opened in 2018, downtown’s residential market is a driving force behind the other sectors. The expanding population was the stimulus behind 2018’s blossoming retail market where top brands like Uniqlo, West Elm and Theory established a DTLA presence, and Apple announced plans for a flagship store at the historic Tower Theatre.

Appropriately, increasing numbers of tech and creative companies like newcomers Uber, Arup and Spotify are attracted by this growing talent pool and creative ecosystem. And the presence of these firms, is yet another reason to live downtown, with the unique opportunity to walk or bike to work.

New hotels, like The Nomad and The Mayfair, are emerging to take advantage of the creative industries and the increasing number of tourists drawn to DTLA’s vibrant entertainment and cultural scenes. Concurrently, AEG’s planned expansion of the Convention Center is a major driver behind the almost 9,500 hotel rooms proposed for the area.

Similarly, the intersection between downtown’s unique neighborhoods is another key catalyst for growth. South Park’s residential boom makes working in the Financial District more appealing, and 7th Street’s Restaurant Row feeds both. As each district grows, the distance between them shrinks, the boundaries blur, and they become more than the sum of their parts. South Park’s residential growth and the hipness of the Arts District enhanced the appeal of the Fashion District for new hotels Hoxton and Proper, and innovative institutions like Arizona State University, which leased the Herald Examiner Building.

Developers like Brookfield Properties recognize the opportunities and are diversifying into new sectors and neighborhoods. In the last year, Brookfield completed construction on Aliso, its first DTLA apartment community in the Arts District; acquired several more multifamily properties from Carmel Partners and Forest City; and expanded into the Fashion District with the purchase of California Market Center.

As DTLA’s social and economic influence grows, it also intersects with greater Los Angeles — as its largest employment center, the hub of its transit system, and the heart of its cultural scene. Increasingly, downtown is also being influenced by global intersections that shape all world-class cities — from the flow of foreign capital and tourism to the international art scene. 

From global back to local, it is at the actual intersections of our streets, sidewalks and public spaces that you truly see the evolution of DTLA. From new bike lanes and expanded public spaces, to the arrival of electric scooters and expansion of the Metro system, downtown is strengthening the links between its own neighborhoods and its connections to the rest of the region.

The final intersection defining DTLA’s evolution — the element that makes it so dynamic — is the connection between its past, present and future. People and companies are attracted by Downtown’s historic authenticity, engaged by its cutting-edge currency and energized by the vision driving it forward. They are all part the dynamic mix, present at any given intersection in the vibrant core of the city.

Nick Griffin, executive director, Downtown Center Business Improvement District.

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