More and more stories about the transformation of LA keep appearing (see the link to Christopher Hawthorne's recent LA Times piece on our blog). The most recent is on Huffington Post, where Kathleen Miles discusses 20 transformative projects — some in planning, some almost underway and most of them in downtown LA — ranging from plans to cap the 101 freeway in order to create more park space downtown to the 51-mile LA River greenway project, and including:
~ the first rail projects to reach the Westside (the subway and Expo)
~ hi-speed rail (well, hopefully)
~ the re-do of 4 miles of Figueroa downtown as a "complete street," with bus shelters and transit platforms, a bikeway, bike racks, more crosswalks, and trees and art
~ the upgrade of Union Station following a lengthy master planning process.

Miles writes: "Outsiders stereotype Los Angeles as car-addicted, polluted and lacking in public transit. But the City of Angels has undergone major changes over the past few decades.LA is moving toward a greener future, friendlier to pedestrians, metro users and bicyclists. There are various development projects planned, particularly in downtown and Hollywood, which are becoming more dense and vertically-built. These projects preserve historic architecture while adding apartments, parks, retail and entertainment. . . "

See 20 architectural renderings and project descriptions HERE.