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A few years ago toward the height of the real estate boom in Southern California I went to look at lofts in downtown LA. I love the idea of an open, industrial looking floor plan in a highrise defiant of earthquakes. For as long as I can remember, there has always been talk of revitalizing the area around the Staples Center…
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(BTW this is what happens inside the Staples Center:)
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But it’s not until recently, just as the market begins to nosedive, that the lofts, condos, and retail outlets start to fill out what used to be vacant or parking lots in downtown LA:
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So what was once before a ghost town after business hours is now a vibrant…ghost town. There’s still loud construction here and there in a very silent economy, and I can’t wait for LA to rise like a phoenix out of this popped real estate bubble’s ashes and reclaim its place in the sun. All this fabulous real estate shouldn’t sit unclaimed.
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We can’t really compete against the Chicago or Manhattan downtown skyline, but here are a few scenes from the streets of downtown LA–we’ll start the tour from one of the bridges marking the intersection of several freeways:
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Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Life can’t be too bad when you see those gorgeous palm trees, right? Look at them long enough and you’ll be lulled into a (false) sense of security that all of the tomorrows will arrive with blue skies. For me, the trees represent a calmness as well as a badge of survival, standing tall while providing shade in the middle of a challenging landscape. Very much like us tough Angelenos during these hard times.Â
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One of the best things that ever happened to downtown LA  is the Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry. This is a must see for everyone who comes here in my opinion, whether it’s to enjoy the architecture or a performance by the LA Philharmonic, or both.  Â
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This is where I leave you today. I’ll take you to China and Japan tomorrow!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxQeftLdexQ
the LA skyline looks pretty good to me 🙂 look at the height of those palms !! fab pix *L* !! vx