| The City of Los Angeles, situated near | | | | construction, with a more than 15 |
| the Pacific Ocean coast, surrounded by | | | | percent increase to approximately 28,000 |
| the San Bernardino Mountain Range, is | | | | persons. This amount surpassed estimates |
| the most populous city in California. | | | | and, with a higher number of housing |
| The city has come a long way since it | | | | units being built, has pushed the total |
| was established in 1781 by Spanish | | | | count to possibly be more than 40,000 by |
| governor Felipe de Neve. Building and | | | | the end of 2008. Unfortunately, the |
| construction has proceeded at a somewhat | | | | number of extant jobs in the area has |
| uneven pace since then. The downtown | | | | fallen to 418,000, down from an |
| area, in particular, is currently | | | | estimated 605,000 a decade ago. |
| undergoing something of a renaissance, | | | | This year, the City Council approved |
| with many historic buildings being | | | | widespread changes to the downtown's |
| changed into expensive lofts. | | | | zoning laws. Muchly desired by Mayor |
| Most major downtown department stores | | | | Antonio Villaraigosa, the changes will |
| once operated out of stand-alone | | | | accelerate more building and |
| buildings in the area. Many were closed | | | | construction by allowing for bigger and |
| in the 1970's and 80's, as there was a | | | | more closely-packed developments. In |
| movement away from stand-alones and into | | | | addition, builders who keep 15 percent |
| modern office parks and shopping malls. | | | | of their units for low-income residents |
| With the city's westward movement of the | | | | are to be exempt from certain building |
| commercial center, downtown LA was | | | | requirements and living spaces can be |
| lacking much nightlife until more recent | | | | constructed that are more than 30 |
| times. | | | | percent larger than existent zoning laws |
| Despite the fact that the building and | | | | call for. |
| construction process proceeded | | | | Interestingly, a number of the core |
| relatively quickly, the LA City Council | | | | downtown buildings date way back in the |
| made things even faster by enacting a | | | | turn of the century. Between then and |
| reuse ordinance, thus making it simpler | | | | the late 1050's, a rigid zoning law |
| for developers to convert vacant old | | | | restrained building heights at under 150 |
| office buildings to high-class lofts and | | | | feet, causing a fairly homogenous |
| luxury apartment complexes. A slew of | | | | skyline. Reportedly, it was done not for |
| professionals, fed up with the city's | | | | fear of earthquakes, but to maintain a |
| notorious traffic problems, were the | | | | uniform height in the area and to avoid |
| first to move in. | | | | New York City style congestion. None of |
| The number of residents in downtown LA | | | | these laws exist today, as a skyline |
| has grown since the early 2000's, in | | | | filled with tall office buildings bears |
| part due to all the building and | | | | evidence to. |