Los Angeles Downtown News has published a comprehensive article about efforts to revitalize downtown Los Angeles, which includes the original western terminus of Route 66.
Unlike previous efforts to boost downtown, Councilman Jose Huizar and the 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative seem to actually be making some headway.
Among the initiatives quests is to establish a streetcar line and build a large parking garage. Both, along with new standards for signs, lighting, landscaping and buildings, will foster a more pedestrian-friendly area. Downtown’s historic theaters particularly want the garage, as street parking is often insufficient at night.
The city’s budget crunch in the wake of the recession scuttled the parking-garage plans at least temporarily. But local officials remain hopeful.
The back-up plan is an automated parking system, which would use machines to lift and park cars in stacks. It would occupy less space than a conventional garage. Funds have not been secured.
Still, Jessica Wethington McLean, the executive director of Bringing Back Broadway, said it’s not a question of “if” new parking will be built, but rather how. She said officials are pursuing public-private partnerships for the facility. […]
More than $7 million in work has already taken place, with sidewalk repairs on portions of Broadway between Third and Fifth streets. […]
Other parts of the plan call for wider sidewalks, transit stations and reducing traffic flow to three lanes, with two running north and one heading south. The streetcar is slated to run along the southbound curb.
“Obviously people want to see a more pedestrian-friendly Broadway,” Huizar said.
Huizar also wants the vacant upper floors of buildings used again, possibly for housing.
As for the streetcar, about $10.5 million of the $100 million project has been raised. Huizar had hoped to have a streetcar line running by 2014, but that’s likely been pushed back by the recession.
Still, the idea of making downtown L.A. a more pedestrian-friendly environment would make it stand out from the rest of that car-centric region.
(Hat tip to Scott Piotrowski)