Table Of Content

if'l HT 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