A Peek Inside the ImaginAsian Center

Great update and pics - loved the Bollywood film note. Looking forward to the opening and congrats to ImaginAsian for choosing Downtown LA for their second theater location.

Just curious, am I the only person who sees the same 3 drug dealers right there at the phone adjacent to the (former) Linda Lee and the...er...now I can't recall the words on the space next to it...Radical Zips? Zippers? Whips? Something like that.

I walk my dog past there twice a day, and for months that one spot has had the same guys dealing. It's so sketchy.

I don't mean the area is sketchy...I mean that it's the same 3 people that is sketchy. Anyone who regularly walks that street can tell that it's a little tiny hub of dealing. Within a half a block of that one little alcove, those fellows have this system in place.

Jeff - were you in dt la before Pete's Cafe & all other retail on 4th & Main? That's how bad it was (way worse!). But now look. With progress and development, that changes. It looks sketchy now, but imagine once the theater opens. (hint: think 4th & Main)

jeff, come on. those guys are cool. just say hi. they won't bite. i've walked my dog past them for three years now and no one's offered me drugs. i've seem them hanging out in front of the jalisco these days since their linda lea alcove disappeared, though i doubt they're gay.

am i the only one that will continue to be bitter about imaginasian's complete demo work on linda lea? oh wait, they preserved those posters from the lobby. . . great.

What, is the Jalisco gay or something?

Also: did they at least perserve the old Linda Lea signage? Anyone know?

The "old" Linda Lea signage is from the 1960s. Not very old.

And yes, Jalisco is a gay bar.

I've been downtown for 7 years (I was born in L.A. though...so I came down here in my teens as well). So, yes, I know it's not as bad as back when.

I find those guys to be predators. When I walk past them, I make sure to look at them straight in the face, hopefully so they know, that I know what they are up to and that I have a good memory. :}

Brian, I don't disagree that they won't bite (or offer me drugs), but I would not personally go as far as calling them cool.

They prey on the weakest people in our neighborhood. And the main couple of people never carry, so they won't be the ones who serve time. The ones who get caught are in some cases not even junkies. Just people within a few blocks doing it to get money for food or avoid intimidation.

Clearly there are plenty of us who walk past these folks and this activity and it's just part of the 'theme' of that part of the block. I was more or less curious if I was the only person who knew the main characters.

The main dude is that 9 foot tall guy.

The ImaginAsian Theater will be a welcome addition to Main Street, along with the new attractions at Main and Second Street.

Those of us who live downtown can make it whatever we want and I choose it to become a great place to live - work - play.

Bring on the movies and popcorn!