Downtown strategic plan, Los Angeles

156 Pages·1993·8.2 MB·English

by  Los Angeles (Calif.). Downtown Strategic Plan Advisory Committee

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177
L7D69
1993
OWNTOWN
STRATEGIC PLAN
Los ANGELES
»ference Reference Refere
CREDITS
DOWNTOWNSTRATEGICPLAN
DOWNTOWN
STRATEGIC PLAN
Los ANGELES

DOWNTOWNSTRATEGICPLANADVISORYCOMMITTEE
'L^.
Letter of Introduction to the People of Los Angeles
The DowiUuwn Strategic Plan Advisory Committee puts fonvard with enthusiasm this plan about
MirnS./(jnls.(.of.tar the future ofthe centerofLos Angeles. The Plan addresses the fundamental economic, social
M311Utfti.CoOisiT and cultural issues ofour times. It recommends a group ofprograms and projects that will
Simii P.EliIAlvki"h benefit the entire region through the creation ofjobs, housing, educational and cultural
t/i^t'HC lioutHicr opportunities, and through emphasis on a new spirit ofcommunity.
]UniiA limi'iilUcks
M,iT}'KeAlliymCaCiJiiadtakcckr The Advisory Committee has a strong belief in the need for this strategic plan. We recognize the
RfKi't"RoilI'lCmhnroku reality of the ec'onomic and social interdependence of Downtown and all other parts ofthe Los
MichicTlomC.OClolninieirs Angeles basin. The power ofthis reciprocal relationship depends ujwn the well-being oi both
Arllmr Ikiimlki Downtown and the region. In this regard, it is necessary that Downtown itselfregain its full
Jiiauiu Dudley
Trms Emery health and vitality. During the past several decades Downtown's financial and industrial
CClairrilst/l.iieFleBslts'm/ districts have seen great success, but this center ofa powerful region is also a place of great
Cyrlce Cirifjitli
;Uhj"S.i //.jysid distress.
RollCTt ItOTii
Coil Hour The economic role ofDowntown is critical to the well-being of the region, but this economic
(iVcj; Hoxmnli
Maxene lotimtoii engine has an irregular and inconsistent rhythm. It is urgent that the opportunities for
lion Kaniier
Howard Klein Downtown to be an even more |Kiweriul economic engine be realized.
Sue larisEastin
Hyal W. Leslie Its deteriorating historic core is a drain on the center's spirit, and on the region as well. The
Hrenda Levin
Eitela Lope/ historic core could instead be a spark for the generation ofnew jobs and housing.
Jraeey Lovejoy
WiIlkliitanimsLlliidmday Downtown is a center for the distribution ofsocial services, but the number of homeless and
Donald Melntyre disenfranchised people has grown to be an overwhelming responsibility.
Marshall MeXoll
Stanley VI.meMsiiehoMlae.yljarn. The vital and exciting districts of Downtown are disconnected and isolated, and thus they
Georp Millhlen fall short of making the combined economic and cultural contribution that the center and its
Louise K. iViMl
Uek Seedteman adjacent neighborhoods rec[uire.
Mike \eely
Al \odal The great cultural and civic institutions ofthe City seem remote to many citizens and are
lames U'. \orlon
Larry Raucli less utilized and nurtured than they deserve.
ioe Rodriflnei
WilliamI).Iloss Tourism could contribute powerfully to the richness ofurban life and to economic well-
Candy Rni'i}
Dave Ryan being, but its growth is stultified by the perception ofan environment that is neither safe
Ron Salislmry
Dominie Sliamlira nor clean.
Roherl E. Sitberman
Artllur Snyder Transportation and access are in the process ofbeing improved by new transit systems, but
(lary Siiuier
Clirislopher L. Slewarl congestion continues to deter people from making discretionaryjourneys into Downtown.
AlTaiia
lolin E11r.ieWeWlellwinbieer The Downtown Strategic Plan identifies these challenges anil opporluiiilics and proposes a set of
lolm WC.harWliUetaWkoeor catalytic programs and projects for immediate and continuing implementation. Downtown, the
hier Woo center ofa powerful region, must be made healthy!
IraVrilin
Anthony V. K. Zaniora The sixty members ofthe Advisory Committee, representing a very wide range ofbackgrounds
Downtown and interests, have explored over a period offour years what is strong and viable Downtown, and
SIralegic
Phil what requires transformation. Working with a talented group ofconsultants and uilh the
c/oConummily cooperation and supimrt iif no! only the Community Redevelopment Agency stall, but also
Redevelopment representatives from many other City agencies, the Advisory Committee determined that a
Agenn'
354S.SpringStreet strategic plan was required. Such a plan is more about fundamental ideas, policies, and
Suite700 programs than about specific detail, and more about first steps than ab.iut precise codes and
LosAngel9es0.01C3A ordinances. It is the basis for a multitude ofindividuals, organizations, and public officials and
(213)9771706 agencies to work togetherover the next few years and decades.

DOWNTOWNSTRATEGICPLANADVISORYCOMMITTEE
The Plan proposes program initiatives for economic growth antl for social well-being, as well as
physical projects to create the settings capable ofattracting new investments forjobs, housing,
tourism and entertainment, industry, and commerce. These ideas will only be realized by a
change in the way that various parties recognize their individual roles and responsibilities, and
by their active collaboration around specilic actions. Implementation ofthis Plan will not only
require the active participation of indixiduals representing the public and private sectors, but
also dedication to the principle that no actions in the future can have single-purpose origins. We
strongly encourage a new understanding that we must all keep in mind: 11 we are to succeed,
only those policies and actions that serve a bundle ofrelated purposes deserve full consideration
and support.
Although many ofthe first steps recommended in the Plan can be diicclh implemented by City
Council action and by other agreements that require onlv inciflental e\penditures. other actions
and projects will re(|uire funding. We intent] that the majoritv ot the funds necessary for the
implementation ofthe Plan come from resources generated from within Downtown itself. Private
investments will be required for most ofthe specific projects and programs to go fonvard.
However, in order to accomplish critical economic and social objectives, emphasis must also be
placed on maintaining and enhancing Downtown-generated tax increment revenues, that is,
"raising the cap."
In the end. implementing the strategic programs and projects ofany plan requires dedicated and
well-posilioned leadership. The Mayor and the City Council must define and adapt the roles of
all agencies, and especially that ofthe Connnunity Redevelopent Agency, in coordinating and
implementing the Downtown Strategic Plan. This Plan cannot be accomplished without clear
designation ofan executive public agency with a responsibility and mandate to coordinate its
implementation.
The Downtown Strategic Plan is a powerful strategy, not only for Downtown but also for the
region. The Downtown Strategic Plan Advisory Committee strongly advocates its careful reading,
enthusiastic approval, and earliest possible implementation.
On behaHOIllie Downtown Strategic Plan Advisory Connnittee:
Rol)erlS. Harris
Cii-Chdir

THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS
In 1989, the Mayor and City Council of Los Angeles appointed a ThemainbodyofideasoftheStrategicPlanwasdevelopedduringa
citizencommitteetoaddressthecurrentconditionsofDowntown senesoffourcharrettes, intensefour-dayworksessions, heldduring
Los Angeles, and to establish a vision and plan of action which the summer and fall of 1992. Each charrette was preceded by a
would helpguidetheCity'sdecisionsin determiningthefutureof month'spreparationinthespecificsubjectmatterofeachconsultant's
Downtown over the next 25 years. expertise and was followed by a month's work of clarification and
production of materials generated during the charrette itself. The
Thecommittee included representatives and keydecision-makers
four-dayworksessionswerededicatedtotwopurposes:Enablingthe
from privatebusiness, propertyowners, the preservation commu-
members of the consultant team to interact with each other and
nity, the development community, housing and homelessness
setting up a process that allowed the exchange of ideas among
advocatesandsocialservicesproviders,artsandcultural represen-
DSPAC, staff and the entire consultant team.
tatives and members of civic organizations. They represented
many and diverse points of view but a common interest in the Throughout the process, the DSPAC representatives involved
affairs of Downtown. membersoftheirconstituencygroupsand soughtthe inputfrom
the communityat large. The publicwas regularlyinformed ofthe
The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was directed by
plan through the news media and through six public presenta-
CityCounciltoactastheprimarystaffresourcetothecommittee.
tions held on the work in progress.
Professionals from other City agencies, plus a consultant team
representing experts in architecture, urban design, landscape Followingthecharrettes, theLead Consultantdevelopedtheplan
architecture, transportation, homelessness and social services, through a series of drafts. Dunng this time, the collaboration
housing, preservation, finance and economic development, as- between DSPAC and Consultant Team brought together an
sisted the committee. In 1991, the boundaries of the study area extraordinary diversity ofviewpoints. Throughoutthe Plan devel-
were expanded. Representatives from Central City East and the opmentprocess, DSPAC decisionsweremadebyconsensusrather
East Side Industnal Area were appointed. than voting. All ofthe needsrepresented bycommittee members
were thus resolved in order to reach agreement.
TheDowntownStrategicPlanAdvisoryCommittee(DSPAC)deter-
minedthatgiventhesizeandcomplexityofDowntown,astrategic
approach to the planning process was the most appropnate
course of action. The committee focused on those critical issues
whose resolution would redirect the future direction of Down-
town. Bylimiting the Plan to a fewcritical recommendations, the
City and private interests could most effectively manage their
time, staffand financial resourcesto implementthe most impor-
tantprovisions. Itwasclearly understood fromthe beginningthat
the Plan's ultimate vision would require implementation work
over many years by all interested parties.
The DSPAC initially developed a vision statement, andthenthree
Committee subgroups spent several months preparing a list of
Key Elements by topic area. The Consultant Team began its
deliberations by preparing briefing papers and identifying op-
tional solutions to each of the Key Elements. These papers were
discussed with both Committee members and other invited spe-
cialists during a half-dozen Round Table sessions. The published
results ofthese meetings became the basis for the development
of the Strategic Plan, as it enabled the DSPAC to better under-
stand the interrelationships between important planning issues
such as economic development, building and urban form,
homelessness, historic building revitalization, open space design,
and transportation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY DOWNTOWN?
I. 1 Cleanliness 33
Defining the Role of Downtown within the Region 3 Homlessness & Social Services 33
The Employment Center ofthe Region 4 Access
A Major Revenue Generator forthe Region 4 Transportation 34
The Industrial Heart ofthe Region 5 Community
The Central Focus ofthe Region 5 Open Space 36
The Region's Government Center 5 Residential Neighborhoods 37
The Region's Center of History and Culture; Historic Resources 37
A Unique Retail and Tourist Base 5 Environment 38
A Developing New Residential Base 6 Education 38
The Largest Resource ofSRO Housing and Social Arts, Culture, and Religion 39
Services in the Region 6 Neighborhood and District Strategies 41
The Future ofthe City and the Region 6 The City
Civic Center 44
CONCEPT FOR CHANGE 7
II. Bunker Hill 45
Principles 9
Financial Core 46
Interrelating The City, Center City and
South Park 46
The Markets 11
Convention Center 47
Providing for Continuity and Change 11
The Center City
Weaving a Whole Outof Parts 12
Upper Center City 48
Taking Catalytic Actions 12
Mid-Center City 49
Establishing Physical Frameworks 12
TABLEOF Lower Center City 49
CONTENTS
The Markets
III. FIRST STEPS 13
Safe and Clean Streets 15 Central City East 50
A Competitive Playing Field 16 Seafood, Cold Storage Market 51
Downtown Development Facilitation 17 Toy and Small Electronics Market 51
Other Industries 51
Coordinated Public/Private Action 17
Economic Growth 18 Housing and Social Services 51
South Markets 52
Marketing 19
Advocacy & Leveraging of Public Resources 19 Flower Market 53
Produce, Food Processing and
Industrial Policy 20
Downtown/Neighborhood Jobs Connection 21 Wholesale Groceries Market 53
Garment Market 53
Education & Community Facilities Network 21
Green Streets & Parks 22 Other Industries 53
Downtown Neighborhoods 22 Adjacent Areas 54
North 55
Historic Building Policy 23
Homeless Policy 23 East 55
South 55
IV. NEXT STEPS 25 West 55
Downtown-wide Strategies 27 Project Strategies 57
Economy Economy
Employment Development 28 Grand Central Square-Phase II 60
Industrial Development 29 Market Square 62
Office Market 29 California Mart Renovation & Expansion 64
Retail Base 30 Convention Headquarters Hotel & Hotel Distria 66
Tourism 30 7th Street Retail District 68
Equity Broadway Theater Entertainment District 70
Governance 31 Access
Social Responsibility 32 Downtown Rail Transit Alignments 72
Safety 32 Eastside Truck Staging & Traffic Management 74