The battle for the soul of Downtown Los Angeles is just getting started. As the L.A. Times reports in today's paper, forces pushing for a Champs-Elysees-style downtown (a.k.a. the Eli Broad-led Grand Avenue Committee) are facing off with Tim Leiweke's Times Square vision (a.k.a. his L.A. Live complex, as envisioned above, which breaks ground today).
When Grand Avenue was unveiled earlier this year, it had the feel of a coronation. Three former mayors and other prominent city leaders spoke of how the $1.8-billion project, with upscale shopping and high-rise condos, as well as a 16-acre public park, would give downtown its center.
Anschutz Entertainment Group will break ground Thursday on L.A. Live, a $1.7-billion tourist-oriented "sports-entertainment" hub featuring a 55-story convention center and hotel, 7,100-seat theater, broadcast facilities, 14-screen movie theater and nearly a dozen restaurants and clubs.
L.A. Live, however, has become a lightning rod for criticism.
Downtown hotel operators say that the proposed Hilton Hotel might hurt business by flooding downtown with too many beds. And some of the new loft and condo dwellers cringe at L.A. Live's resemblance to Universal CityWalk — saying downtown doesn't need a "Disney-style" tourist draw.
The two developments raise larger questions about downtown's future: Should the area be a dense urban mix of housing, social services and the businesses to support them? Or should it serve as a tourist destination, catering to out-of-town guests with hotels and other venues?
Meanwhile, the Daily News loves the L.A. Live plan, but doesn't much care for the proposed 56-story, 1,200-room hotel in the works adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center.
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