On This Date in Downtown

Take a look back in time, checking out what's been posted on blogdowntown on any given date.

blogdowntown on November 20

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| 2009 | | 2008 | | 2007 | | 2006 |

2009

LAPD's Mounted Patrols Honored for Their Work on Downtown Streets

By Ed Fuentes — 02:17 PM

IMGP0065 Ed Fuentes

They may look a little out of place sauntering through Downtown streets, but LAPD's mounted units have proven themselves an important part of neighborhood policing.

The horses have become a common sight in Skid Row, where mounted officers have been an integral part of the Safer Cities Initiative. — Continued Inside...


Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice Opens 2009-2010 Season

By Eric Richardson — 01:20 PM

Downtown on Ice Kickoff Eric Richardson

The first of Downtown's two outdoor ice rinks had its official opening this morning, as Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice returned for its 12th season. The ice is open seven days a week through January 18, 2010.

An hour on the 70 foot by 50 foot sheet of ice is $6, plus $2 for skate rental. — Continued Inside...


Faulty Railing May Have Led to Alexandria Death

By Eric Richardson — 08:41 AM — 4 Comments

Spring Street Police Tape Eric Richardson

A failed fire escape railing may have led to the death of an 87-year-old resident of the Alexandria this morning.

Spring street was closed for over two hours this morning as police investigated what they are calling an accidental fall. They believe that the man was leaning on a railing which gave way, causing him to lose his balance and drop approximately nine floors. They do not believe the incident was a suicide or that foul play was involved. — Continued Inside...



2008

Downtown On Ice Opens

By Ed Fuentes — November 20, 2008 — 1 Comment

DOWNTOWN ON ICE.jpg Ed Fuentes

Downtown on Ice is officially open. The new skating season kicked off moments ago after a morning press conference and a warm-up by the Orange County Youth Performance Ensemble. Pershing Square's ice rink will be open seven days a week through January 19. — Continued Inside...


New City Church Moving to New LATC

By Pamela Rouse — November 20, 2008

New City Church New City Church of LA

New City Church is on the move again. The "come as you are" Downtown church is soon to be in its fourth home, moving just a few blocks up Spring street.

Pastor Kevin Haah made the announcement yesterday on his blog. Haah, responding to the ever-growing and changing needs of his congregation, has inked a deal that will have the New City Church holding services in the spacious New LATC -- which Haah calls his "dream venue" -- starting December 7. — Continued Inside...



2007

Sixty Seven Years Ago: Broadway Welcomes Santa Claus

By Eric Richardson — November 20, 2007 — 14 Comments

Broadway Christmas Parade On this day in 1940 thousands came out to celebrate as the Christmas Carnival Youth Pageant welcomed Santa Claus to Broadway (parade pictured at right). The queen of the pageant "waved her magic wand" at 7th and Broadway to illuminate 25,000 lights in Downtown street decorations.

A different article from this date in 1930 talks of "two hundred Douglas fir trees, each thirty feet high" being placed on Downtown streets as part of Christmas ornamentation.

Today? Well, we've got some nice lights at Pershing Square but little else. The city and business improvement districts have looked at plans to light up Downtown, but to date little has come of it. This year will see the lighting of City Hall, though, as we noted back in July.



2006

Fast Food and Beer

By Eric Richardson — November 20, 2006 — 3 Comments

Subway with Beer Eric Richardson

One of the things that spurred me to put together the map of Downtown liquor licenses was my amazement at Downtown fast food chains that serve beer. That's a concept I hadn't run across elsewhere.

Did you know that Downtown has four fast food establishments with draft beer? Three are Carl's Jr's, and one (pictured) is a Subway.

The three Carl's Jr's are at Macy's Plaza (7th/Flower), California Mart (Main/Olympic) and Citigroup Plaza (5th/Flower).

Can you name where the Subway is?

Update (11pm): Jonathan correctly identified the Subway as the one in the Bonaventure Hotel, on the 6th floor. Two types of beer on tap and a variety of bottles.


History Lesson: Downtown's Sunkist Building

By Eric Richardson — November 20, 2006 — 3 Comments

Sunkist BuildingThere's really no end to the fascinating things you can find when you start digging into the history of Downtown Los Angeles. Yesterday I was wandering through photos in the USC Digital Archives and came across one that showed the Sunkist Building.

The building, which sat at the corner of Flower and 5th, was built in 1935 by the Sunkist Corporation as their headquarters. Less than four decades later it was torn down, paying the price for Downtown's skyscraper boom. — Continued Inside...