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