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Council District 14
Dear Friends:
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is a uniquely dynamic, exciting and thriving area of the City and I am honored to represent Downtown as a Los Angeles City Councilmember. It is amazing to think that just two decades ago, DTLA was in a steady state of decline. Buildings were vacant. Jobs were leaving the urban center. Very few people called DTLA home and the future vitality of our City center was in serious doubt. Today, DTLAs outlook as a viable, vibrant and growing community has improved dramatically. The Downtown News recently referred to DTLA as a boomtown. This apt description would have been unthinkable 20 years ago and is due to the tireless work of residents, developers, investors, business groups, civic leaders and concerned citizens. These early DTLA boosters sowed the seeds of growth, and today, despite the lingering effects of a national recession, those efforts are bearing fruit. Today, DTLA is not only the center hub of our Citys hospitality, entertainment and cultural activities, it is also home to some of the most interesting, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods in the country. DTLA simultaneously supports tens of thousands of residents, hundreds of thousands of daily workers and millions of annual tourists. While the DTLA improvements in recent years are profound, there is still much work to be done. As Councilmember for the 14th Council District, I have represented about 40 percent of Downtown since my 2005 election. The 2012 redistricting changed this. Now, all of DTLA, with the exception of the L.A. Live campus, is within Council District 14. The responsibility of representing the near-entirety of DTLA is a great responsibility, but one I take seriously. I believe a united DTLA is a stronger DTLA. Cohesive communities and consistency in representation improves prospects for continued growth, better connects our neighborhoods, and allows more thoughtful planning now and in the future.
First Quarter Report As we outline in this report, my priorities for DTLA build off of three main tenets: 1. Improving Downtowns Livability and Planning Its Future 2. Supporting Economic Development and Tourism 3. Connecting Downtowns Neighborhoods
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As Downtowns Councilmember, I am committed to working alongside DTLA residents, business members, civic organizations and citywide leaders to build on the foundation of incredible progress we have already experienced. I look forward to helping put plans, policies, programs and partnerships in place to ensure Downtowns future as a world-class urban core. As I reflect on my first months representing all of DTLA, I thought it important and useful for us all to survey the current landscape, acknowledge the work that has already been done and set a clear path and vision for what we want to achieve in the future. This report covers my offices three DTLA platform tenets. I hope it serves as a blueprint that can be used as we collaborate to ensure that Downtown Los Angeles grows stronger, more vibrant and is poised for a bright and prosperous future.
Sincerely,
Council District 14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Livability and Planning for the Future Parklets Spring St. Park Arts District Park Pershing Square Improvements Grand Park Opening City Hall Park Opening Planning Grants & Policies Changes in Funding Structures For Parks Permanent Supportive Housing Operation Healthy Streets Homelessness Funding New Schools Smart Development Economic Development & Tourism Bringing Back Broadway Substantial Economic Investment on Broadway Hotels and Tourism Recruiting Business Downtown Business Tax Holiday Extension Supporting Film Incentives New Helipad Guidelines Freight Transportation Supporting the Fashion Industry Connecting Downtown Neighborhoods More Bikeable Downtown More Walkable Downtown Neighborhood Identification Honoring Community Leaders Downtown Streetcar Regional Connector Union Station Master Plan 6th St. Bridge Redesign Competition 7th St. Bridge Accessibility Project 13 14 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 3 9 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8
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Like any other community, DTLA deserves clean and safe neighborhoods with parks, public spaces, schools and services.
-Councilmember Jose Huizar
Parklets
Councilmember Huizar is one of the City Councils biggest proponents of the Living Streets model, promoting greater pedestrian use throughout Council District 14 in order to create more dynamic and interconnected neighborhoods. In DTLA, land is scarce, but the need for open space is great. Utilizing already public areas such as parking spaces or red zones to create mini-areas of refuge can provide creative and cost-effective solutions. Our office worked with the Downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council, UCLA and City departments on launching the Citys first pilot parklets in Downtown. Youll soon see two parklets on Spring Street in DTLA. Parklets are often called outdoor living rooms or mini-plazas and have been fully embraced in other cities like San Francisco and New York City. In an ever-bustling area like DTLA, parklets will offer an opportunity to reclaim urban space for better livability. As part of the pilot project, two additional parklets are being constructed in El Sereno and Highland Park in CD 14, with plans to eventually bring parklets to neighborhoods throughout the City.
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community. Councilmember Huizar is committed to ensuring that the community continues to be the focus. CD 14 staff has met with park stakeholders to ensure the features of the park reflect the needs of the community. Recognizing that local demographics have shifted since the parks inception, CD14 has worked with the Department of Recreation and Parks to add playground equipment for Downtown families to enjoy. The Spring Street Park is scheduled to be completed by summer 2013.
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Huizar now serves on the Grand Avenue Joint Powers Authority and is represented by his staff on the Grand Avenue Advisory Board. Council District 14 is committed to being a collaborative partner with the Donec Music Center, which oversees Grand Park. We look forward to working, with your input, to ensure that this interdum open space is as functional, enjoyable and welcoming for DTLA as it possibly can be.
Pellentesque:
The Southern California Association of Governments recently awarded the Downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council with a planning visioning grant, the first award of its kind to a neighborhood council. The Department of Recreation and Parks is managing a Proposition 84 funded Downtown Open Space Planning Grant, which was awarded to the former CRA. These two grant opportunities will provide the Downtown Community the chance to develop a cohesive vision and plan for realizing even more innovative ways to create parks and open spaces in DTLA.
Consectetuer:
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Genesis and the Downtown Womens Center. Our office has been working closely with them to ensure plans that have been in the pipeline for some time are completed and that they will be open soon.
LA Department of Public Works employees during Operation Healthy Streets on Skid Row
Encouraged by CD14, the City has deployed trash receptacles in Skid Row where previously there were none. Our staff is fully engaged in the Operation Healthy Streets Task Force and is working with various city departments, as well as community groups, on ensuring that we continue to focus on improving the cleanliness of Skid Row.
Homelessness Funding
Homelessness is one of the biggest issues that DTLA faces. In order to work toward effective solutions, it is imperative that our community receives the adequate resources we need. Research shows that homelessness rates are most influenced by poverty, lack of affordable housing and overcrowding. However, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development does not consider these factors when determining homelessness funding for the Downtown community. HUD utilizes two outdated formulas that were created for community development grants in the 1970s. In a time of limited resources, we must ensure that future funding be directed in the most effective way possible and distributed in a manner that has the greatest impact. Councilmember Huizar garnered City Council support on a resolution seeking a change to the McKinney-Vento formula that determines federal homelessness dollars. Los Angeles does not get its fair share of these scarce funds and as the Downtown city representative for Skid Row, Councilmember Huizar is committed to advocating for homeless-funding reform.
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Smart Development
While Downtowns economy is on the upswing again, we want to make sure we support smart development that makes good, long-term sense for Downtown. We are at a critical juncture in building the housing we need for a sustainable Downtown community. Currently, smaller units appealing to single individuals dominate the local market. As housing is developed in the coming years, we need to work with developers to build more family-size units, with family recreation space, so Downtown residents can find ample housing options to suit them through all the phases of their lives. Our office is working with the Planning Department on developing the new Downtown Zoning Code, the first phase of the Citys Comprehensive Zoning Code Revision. Downtown is also a focal point of community planning through funding negotiated as part of the Farmers Field community benefits package should that proposal come to fruition.
My goal for Downtown development and revitalization is to take the blueprint weve used through our Bringing Back Broadway initiative and apply that successful formula to other areas of Downtown
- Councilmember Jose Huizar
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DTLA is home to billiondollar industries- we need to protect and build on that investment to ensure that it remains here.
- Councilmember Jose Huizar
In the coming months, we will be releasing $800,000 for a Facade Lighting Program for Broadway buildings, which will help make the street safer, more welcoming and pedestrian-friendly at night.
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A Sign District for Broadway will encourage the restoration and re-creation of historic signs, blade signs and painted wall signs. Additionally, after years of discussion and planning, the Downtown LA Streetcar will connect Downtowns neighborhood destinations with historic Broadway as it serves as the spine of the proposed route. (details on page 14)
Unique retailers are announcing plans on Broadway all the time and a number of buildings have recently been purchased for redevelopment as creative office uses, which Councilmember Huizar thinks is a strong market for Broadway. Broadway is open for business, and the transformation of the street is evident more and more each day.
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A number of major corporations have staked a claim in Downtown in recent years. Price Waterhouse Cooper recently announced a 15-year lease renewal with Brookfield, just days before Brookfields Fig at 7th City Target opened. These are the fruits of labor that came before Councilmember Huizar began to serve a majority of Downtown as councilmember. Our office is committed to building on these early successes. Our goal is to support existing businesses as we assist entrepreneurs and developers in bringing new business, jobs and services throughout Downtown.
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For decades, the world's visionary architects have lamented that the City of Los Angeles codes inhibit ability to create high rises befitting Los Angeles style and importance on the world architecture scale. While an iconic skyline is something Councilmember Huizar wants to see Downtown, the first consideration must be for fire life safety and the protection of our citizens and firefighters. In consideration of new advancements in technology of constructing and providing fire life safety in new high-rise today, Councilmember Huizar has called on the Los Angeles Fire Department to reexamine its policy for helipads while maintaining the utmost modern fire-life safety standards. As we develop our skyline even further with increasing development Downtown, it can be with iconic, world-class architecture, instead of all flat roofs.
Freight Transportation
In 2012, $3.8 million in Metro funding was secured to improve Alameda Street in DTLA, which is a key corridor for freight transportation that is vitally important to our local manufacturing and retail economies. With the funding, Alameda will be repaired and repaved, with the long-term improvement goal of removing the decades-old and unused rail line embedded in the pavement.
Designed and Made in Los Angeles is more than a logo, its a testament to DTLAs growing influence in the fashion industry worldwide.
Winning design that will be the official hang-tag for made in L.A. clothes
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With an emphasis on multimodal transportation options, DTLA is poised to have the most forward-thinking public transportation system in the City
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First Quarter Report More Walkable Downtown: Complete Streets Working Group
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In 2011, the Downtown Neighborhood Council created a Complete Streets Working Group to engage with Citys Bicycle Master Plan implementation and generate ideas for initiatives to promote holistic, multimodal, "complete" streets in DTLA. Our office had already been working with Shared Spaces and local community partners on parklet prototypes for York and Huntington Boulevards. Before long, DLANCs Working Group had brought together a talented group of planners, architects and designers, who volunteered their labor to create parklet designs. Beyond the pilot parklets, which will greatly affect the pedestrian experience on Spring St., the Department of Transportation will soon begin a series of pedestrian improvements on Main St., including curb extensions at several intersections, as well as installing new bicycle lanes. Councilmember Huizars office is engaged with Neighborhood Councils, BIDs, and City Departments to explore ideas to support the increasing number of pedestrians and bicyclists sharing the streets of DTLA.
Neighborhood Identification
With the Bringing Back Broadway initiative, Councilmember Huizar has focused on a number of efforts to emphasize the historic character of this important corridor. Similarly, throughout DTLA, Councilmember Huizar is proud to support a number of community place-making efforts, such as the Arts District and Little Tokyo Streetlight Medallion programs, which help identify these two distinct communities.
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Convention Center, the Financial District, 7th Street Restaurant Row, the Jewelry District and Grand Avenue. The streetcar would run seven-days a week, approximately 18 hours a day. Much like other cities that have invested in modern streetcar systems, the Downtown L.A. Streetcar will have a transformational effect on DTLA and its continued revitalization. It will link our neighborhoods and make Downtown more pedestrian-friendly. An AECOM study projects that the streetcar will generate $1.1 billion in development, create more than 9,000 jobs, more than $24.5 million in annual tourism spending, and create additional revenue for the city. Councilmember Huizar is honored to champion the streetcar, which along with City departments, Metro and the non-profit Streetcar Inc., is a true example of a public-private partnership with significant benefits for the community. After several years of dedicated planning and robust community input, a route has been selected and the environmental studies are getting underway. Registered voters in DTLA recently voted in favor of the streetcar in a special mail-only streetcar election. Their support provides half of the $125-million in capital needed for streetcar construction through a not-toexceed $85 million bond, which includes $62.5-million in streetcar capital for construction, bond issuance costs, two years of capitalized interest, and other related costs. With voters 73% in support, these important local funds will now be leveraged to secure federal funding for the remainder of construction costs. If all goes well, we hope to be under construction by 2014, and riding the Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar by 2016.
Regional Connector
The Regional Connector is arguably one of the most important transit projects in the City. It will allow someone to ride from Pasadena to Long Beach, or Boyle Heights to the Westside without ever getting off the train. That is huge progress for Downtown and the entire Los Angeles region. Metro has been planning for this project for years and CD 14 has been involved every step of the way. All three Regional Connector stations (2nd and Hope, 2nd and Broadway, and 1st and Central) are within the new boundaries of CD 14. As the project moves forward, Councilmember Huizar will continue to advocate for a successful project that is built respectful of community needs and desires.
This plan is another exciting project with the potential to increase public transportation in Los Angeles, as well as connect different parts of DTLA in a significant way. As the Downtown Councilmember and a Metro Board Director, Councilmember Huizar and his staff are
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actively involved in the Master Plan, which includes internal design elements as well as development on adjacent properties. Councilmember Huizar wants to ensure that the Union Station Master Plan is designed to maximize the iconic stations transportation potential, as well as better connect and compliment the iconic station and its properties to the surrounding areas, such as El Pueblo, Little Tokyo, the Arts District, and Chinatown.
This $401 million project will provide an opportunity to reconnect the communities of DTLA and Boyle Heights while also making the bridge a destination point with arts and cultural programming around the bridge. With one percent of the budget for the bridge replacement project mandated to be spent on art, Councilmember Huizar has introduced a motion to establish an Arts Advisory Committee of stakeholders on both sides of the river to work with the Department of Cultural Affairs and make recommendations on art and cultural programming on and around the bridge.
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As we look to the future of Downtown, as its success depends on good policies, solid investment, and the ability to link and connect Downtowns distinct neighborhoods, its ultimately about serving the people who live, work and play Downtown. Fortunately, Downtown has an amazing and talented array of residents, property owners, businesses and boosters who love DTLA, want to make it better and know how to create opportunities while collaborating with others. As we move past our first few months representing a majority of Downtown, you have my commitment that my office, the CD 14 Downtown team and I stand with you to help realize Downtowns next stage of success and long-term prosperity. From the large-scale projects throughout Downtown, to the ongoing vibrant and flourishing residential, restaurant, and entertainment districts, its a dynamic and important time to represent Downtown. I look forward to partnering with you in the coming years as we work together on a better future for Downtown. Please contact our Downtown team if you have specific questions, or call our City Hall office at (213) 4737014.
Councilmember Jose Huizar, Councilmember.huizar@lacity.org Paul Habib, Chief of Staff, paul.habib@lacity.org Sara Hernandez, Downtown Area Director, sara.hernandez@lacity.org Miguel Vargas, Downtown Field Deputy, miguel.vargas@lacity.org Tanner Blackman, Planning Director, tanner.blackman@lacity.org Jessica Wethington McLean, Executive Director of Bringing Back Broadway, Director of Downtown Economic Development, jessica.wethingtonmclean@lacity.org Martin Schlageter, Policy Director, martin.schlageter@lacity.org Rick Coca, Communications Director, rick.coca@lacity.org
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