Something Opens Downtown... Cue the Kotkin Naysaying

I suppose if I were a mean person, and was talking about someone who has to commute to Chapman College, while living is Studio City Adjacent Valley Village, I would aspire towards living in the Marina, though I would keep it underwraps that I am still kicking myself over not buying when I had a chance for that little place on a Venice Walk Street.

But, to be fair....the Forum was build to house the Lakers at a time when rock venues were places like the Whiskey. It was built to replace the Sports Arena, and it was handy to Hollywood Park. I guess when one is working at Chapman College, they don't get too excited when you make four for four Fallacious Arguments.

Having moved to Downtown to get as far away from the Valley as possible...some ten years ago, I can sympathize with Joel. And encourage him to pursue a future in working for Valley Succession, while he makes a tour of vitalized Downtown areas in places like Portland, Seattle, Chicago, and....NEWARK and DES MOINES and Louisville, while he picks up on the jive on this wacky urban pioneer thing!

Quick note to add that Kotkin's argument regarding the Forum is kind of funny.

Again, in the early seventies, when the Forum was built, it was representative of a movement to take big sports venues out of the inner cities, in to the largely white suburbs. Irony abounds, because we know what happened to Inglewood.

This movement away from scary urban environments which drove Jack Kent Cook to the suburbs had nothing to do with music.

But it is interesting the Kotlin's subtext is pretty clear...and just as contemptable as his other coded pronouncements on various urban subjects.

Looking at the writings of Mr. Kotkin (with whom I unfortunately share my first name), it's clear that he hates big cities. But why?

Let's look at the evidence. He is pro-secession for the Valley. He loves Marina Del Rey (not a city at all but an unincorporated area of L.A. County). He is rabidly against rail transit. His career is primarily as a reporter for the financial sector. And on and on.

I'm just guessing, but I would say the man's primary motivation is his intense opposition to property taxes. I believe Kotkin resents the cost of big cities. He feels suburbanites are being forced to subsidize cities, without seeing any benefit.

And because of this resentment, Kotkin takes every opportunity to make cities sound hopeless and antiquated. And he's not above making arguments are ridiculously illogical and based on contorted statistics.

Conclusion: everything Kotkin says should be taken with a grain of salt. "Consider the source" is my motto. Unfortunately, the L.A. Times seems to lack this level of critical judgement.

The Congress for the New Urbanism has an excellent analysis of Kotkin.

If Joel doesnt like cities, he should move to Sacramento. Why live in the second largest city in America if you dislike its dynamics?

Anyhow. I think LA live has already been successful. We will have 9 new sky scapers, 4 adaptive reuses, and maybe half a million sq ft of developable ground level retail. We also have some 10,000 more residents and will have two grocery stores.

I dont care about the concerts. I care that residents are making downtown their home. This place has 13 million people and expats from all over routinely come to LA. There is a huge pool of buyers that can consider moving downtown. Many will care that there are now NEIGHBORS and GROCERY STORE and a Theatre and a few places to eat rather than being near LA live when they make their decision to buy downtown. all the care about is energy and life.

Any how. I am not worried. If hollywood can turn around, downtown can too. Plain and simple.

What is most disappointing about the L.A. Times piece is not the inclusion of Kotkin, but that all of the people quoted. None of them, except the drummer from the band, seem to comprehend that a profound change is going on in downtown Los Angeles. Moreover, this change has been ongoing for near a decade. None of the people quoted live downtown or spend significant time downtown. They are all come across as utterly clueless as to the reality on the ground. The man-on-the-street interviews come across as perfunctatory and self-fulfilling. (Life is too fast downtown for a 21-year old. Who is this person who presumably still lives at home with their parents.) The assumptions of all the people involved in this story seem to be about a decade out of date.

The Nokia Theater opening is not the beginning of a change downtown. It is part of the incredible series of changes happening at so many levels. Again, these changes have been ongoing for near a decade. The article sets up this narrative of downtown boosters vs. urban naysayers. It then looks for quotes from distant 'experts' to flesh out the story. A few phone calls and voila the story is done. I'd think it would be better for the journalists to get out of their office and off the phone and do some investigating and reporting.

What is more aggravating is that the L.A. Times is smack in the middle of downtown. Yet, none of its editorial staff seem to have any idea of what is going on in their own backyard. I wonder how many of the staff at the L.A. Times even lives within ten miles of downtown. Something very interesting is happening downtown. Too bad the Times is still phoning it in while they idle in traffic.

David, that last paragraph summarizes my feelings exactly. how could a major newspaper in the middle of a huge societal change, not have any positive stories? why do they keep quoting the same idiot? who says hes an expert? he commutes 45 minutes or more to work, lives in a far away suburb and is against rail. he sounds like a dunce to me, not an expert! why cant the LA Times do positive stories about LA like the NY Times for New York, or the SF Papers for SF? all we get is negative news and Brittany Spears Updates.

Ten to fifteen years ago, Kotex-Man had interesting observations regards Downtown L.A. Interesting that with the arrival of Tom Gilmore and the big spread in the Sunday Times Magazine about plans for Fourth & Main and all of the ensuing changes, K-Man changed his tune 180 degrees. I think he's just got a reactionary streak. A subway to the west side??? Someone west of LaBrea must have pee'd on him big time. So he went to O.C. instead.

I don't think we need to respond to 'haters' of Downtown by hating on them in return. Let's just enjoy this Downtown renaissance without having the need to respond to every negative article or person who is critical of it.

Derrick,

I wish it were that easy! Unfortunately, negative perceptions -- if they're not battled immediately -- can have consequences for the local economy because of tourism, real estate, and exploration.

If someone bought a ticket to Nokia for a concert in a couple weeks and they read the LA Times piece, they may not even try to explore the greater Downtown area after the concert's over. That's just another couple businesses that may not get that extra revenue Downtown.

Multiply that by several thousand, and you get the idea. It's good to talk about what's wrong with these tired hacks (Kotkin) who can't possibly comprehend what's going on here. You and I may see change every day, but thousands of potential customers don't.

Downtown businesses need all the help they can get, if we want to see more expansion and more retailers coming in.

Rico A

Unfortunately our newspapers and media all have a Suburban bias to them. Most people in LA Metro area, live in suburban style... therefore the stories and news coverage generally favor those communities. Downtown doesn't have enough population and sway to create that newsbuzz. Look at the life and times section and all you see is big houses with big front lawns.

And it's a known fact that most editors live in the suburbs and drive that "Long March of Delirium" from far flung suburbia.

It's ok, nobody reads that ridiculous fish-wrap anyway...

Yeah, who the hell reads the LA TIMES... not I, said the Walrus. LA Downtown News is the ONLY new source I trust now... everyone else is part of some big media conspiracy. :)

Really?

maybe whitman forgot to encase his comment in tags. either that or he just doesn't recognize paid advertising masquerading as news.

I had him as a Professor @ Pepperdine. Debbie Downer comes to mind.

Why people listen to him is beyond me.

Kotkin taught at Pepperdine? Now I'm just embarassed for my alma mater...

What Joel said was very ironic because Kotkin's way of urban planning is more suited for Cincinatti than LA.

Kotkin's urban planning is not suitable for anywhere in the 21st century. Think about it, we have 6.5 Billion people on Earth. How can we continue to live in sprawling "pocket communities"
when land is a scarce commodity ? With gasoline and oil prices topping record highs, people will sooner turn against Kotkin and his alchemist nonsense... Bring on the torches and pitchforks !!!