People used to look at me like I had two heads when I talked to them about my fascination with Downtown L.A. More often though people nod and say, “there’s two groups moving down there, the gays and the Koreans.” That’s funny because with the current housing market, I didn’t know anyone was moving. But we’ve always had an advantage in that regard. Most of us don’t get someone pregnant accidentally which gives us the opportunity to plan our lives and become financially stable. Anyway, I’ve always been fascinated with Downtown. The architecture is like nothing you can find being built today and now with all the changes it seems to be an exciting place to be.

Although the new Fresh Fare Ralph’s was exciting for Downtown residents, the most exciting change right now is LA Live. Many of my friends still haven’t heard of it. It’s Los Angeles’ answer to Time Square. Just think, we will actually have somewhere to watch a ball drop on New Year’s Eve. Somewhere other than The Grove will have a Christmas Tree. The project is being build next to the Staples Center. You may have already seen ads for the new Nokia Theater which opened up there. Upcoming concerts include Mary J Blige, John Mayer, Enrique Inglesias and Bjork… go on and tell me there’s nothing gay about that lineup. ESPN is also moving their broadcasting center down there and it will be broadcast live on the exterior of the building much like Time Square. We’ll see lots of shopping, new condos, restaurants, and much more. Most of this will be done by 2009.

There are some complications still Downtown though.

- The cost of living is pretty steep. It shows lots of promise, but let’s be honest, it’s still a developing area.

- Public transportation is only so-so and the traffic gets pretty bad. We need more Metro trains. The City recently shut down businesses that had been offering petty-car service.

- The area lacks strong political leadership. Yes the police force has been working to “clean up” Skid Row. However there have been numerous attempts to revitalize areas that become victim of cheap store fronts such as The Broadway District. In the 1910s and 20s, Downtown Los Angeles’ Broadway was home to twelve beautifully built vaudeville and motion picture theaters including The Roxy, The Orpheum, and Sid Grauman’s Million Dollar Theater. Over the years, people moved out of Downtown and the district diminished. A walk down Broadway today feels like a second rate Venice Beach. Music blares into the streets and t-shirts sell for $1.99 in the lobbies of the once glorious theaters. There has been a strong movement to try to revitalize the area for a while. Steve Needleman, owner of The Orpheum Theatre, did a fine job restoring his theater. But politicians need to strive to bring more investors into the area. They also need to light the streets and come up with a solution for parking. Lastly, policies that were implemented are not being carried out correctly. Taxes that were allocated for developing parks in Downtown weren’t earmarked properly and nobody is sure how or where to apply the money. We need a political leader to take an interest in Downtown. Of course as more people reside in the area, that’s bound to happen.

- The area needs a little bit more of a gay scene/community. It’s very gay friendly and there are lots of gays there but there’s still room for growth.

But those of us that move there will be pioneers. Besides, problems aside there’s lots of great stuff Downtown… even without L.A. Live. Here’s some of my favorite Downtown places:

The Central Library - Practically a museum filled with books. Check out the Getty display and the Grand Ballroom, have lunch at Pino Grille and then get yourself a book or two — they have plenty.

505 Flower - Across the street from the library is the underground shopping center which I’m hoping will be hooked to the Metro train someday. Great Irish Pub and a 24 Fitness inside.

St. Vincent’s Center - You’ve never seen so many diamonds in your life. An amazing group of shops in the Jewelry District.

St. Vincent Court - A beautiful alley also in the Jewelry District where you can grab lunch. The architecture feels like you’re in Europe. Antique statues and a charming cobblestone road.

McCormick and Schmick - Yeh, I love stuff near the library. You’ll find it north of the library. They have a fantastic happy-hour and a drink menu with historic drinks sorted by the dates in which they were popular. It’s an amazing experience.

Chinese Herbal Remedy Stores - I once came across one that sold a cure for “penis shrink”. Ah, language!

Grand Central Market - 40 Vendors make up this unique market. It’s like the L.A. Farmer’s market on steroids.

Pershing Square - Great concerts and crazy modern architecture surrounded by beautiful high rises. By the way, happiness is owning a loft with a balcony next to Pershing Square.

The Edison - It used to be a power plant and now it’s one of the hottest clubs in the area. Very gay friendly too.

So there you have it, enough talk about Downtown to get you through several stimulating conversations with friends. I’m feeling strongly that I might move there. We’ll see in the months to come. I’ll keep you all posted.

 Email this post  Print This Post

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Matt Falber is the Editor-in-Chief of Real Gay L.A. Matt was formerly an editorial assistant at Frontiers Magazine. He served as a regular contributing writer for Frontiers for two years and also wrote for IN Los Angeles, its sister publication. Matt has a flare for the arts and when we don't have him chained to his desk, he can be seen singing and acting in various L.A. venues.
Email this author | All posts by Matt Falber

Sponsored Links: