theLoftsearch Blog

On the Fast Track

Huizar, Broadway Proponents Speed Up Streetcar Effort

Approximately 120 people attended an Aug. 14 workshop on a Broadway streetcar. Initial plans call for the route to connect the historic corridor with L.A. Live and the Grand Avenue project. Photo by Gary Leonard.

by Anna Scott

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Downtown Los Angeles could see a working streetcar system sooner than anticipated, as city officials have fast-tracked a proposal to bring back a trolley that would connect Broadway to the L.A. Live entertainment district and the Grand Avenue project.

Originally pegged as a 10-year endeavor, those involved with the streetcar effort now hope it could open in half that time. "We think it's realistic to have it under construction within two years, and have it up and running within four and a half to five years," said Russell Brown, head of the 23-member Bringing Back Broadway Streetcar, Parking & Transportation Committee, a group of stakeholders and transit experts studying transportation issues along the historic corridor.

Despite the renewed enthusiasm and momentum, however, there are several hurdles to clear before the project comes to fruition. Challenges include scraping together the more than $60 million in estimated costs and completing the extensive studies required before settling on a route.

The current effort to bring a streetcar to Downtown after a 45-year hiatus grew out of 14th District City Councilman Jos/ Huizar's Bringing Back Broadway initiative, an effort to revive the faded street, that launched in January. Since then, the streetcar has taken on a life of its own.

The turning point, said Huizar, was an April trip to Portland and Seattle, where he led a delegation in studying the streetcar's effect on economic development and traffic in those cities.

"When I originally thought of Bringing Back Broadway, I thought the streetcar would be a cherry on top of a sundae," Huizar said. "But after the Portland trip, I recognized that the streetcar was actually the driving force behind renewed economic development." Now, he said, he sees the streetcar, along with reviving the street's historic theaters, as the top priorities on Broadway.

On Aug. 14, a community meeting on the streetcar effort brought approximately 120 people to the New LATC on Spring Street. The next day, the Bringing Back Broadway Trustees, a group of 30 government leaders, property owners and other stakeholders, approved the formation of a nonprofit organization to handle the design, construction and eventual operation of the Downtown streetcar.

"Moving forward with this nonprofit is a significant step that answers a very basic question," said Huizar. "People were asking, 'Is the streetcar going to be run by the city? By Metro?' It will be run and accountable to the nonprofit that we form."

Events

Staples Center

photo by Christian Pondella/Shazamm/ESPN Images

Photo by Christian Pondella/Shazamm/ESPN Images.

Big Air and Moto X Step Up are two competitions that fans of the X Games are very familiar with. The first one is pretty self-explanatory: BMX bikers and skateboarders fly off an 80-foot ramp and hang in the air as long as possible. The Moto X Step Up is the high jump for dirt bikes, where the rider has to clear a bar that's raised higher and higher - and still land upright. Catch all the freestyle tricks and extreme sports action at the Staples Center July 31 and Aug. 1. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. There's also a party, benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research and the Staples Center Foundation, on July 30 at the Staples Center City View Terrace with a bird's eye view of the ramp and the chance to mingle with X Games stars. Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St. For the X Games, (213) 742-7340 or staplescenter.com. For the party, (213) 742-7166 or staplescenterfoundation.com.

It is time to go green. And by that I mean eco friendly! This week, the L.A Convention Center is hosting the Eco-Business Expo. The place to be if you are interested in green technology, with the event aiming to put the latest in sustainable practices on display for curious consumers, business owners and investors. Visitors will have a chance to peruse a model home inspired by self-described "organic architect" Eric Lloyd Wright.

The Convention Center itself, under General Manager Pouria Abbassi, has invested in green infrastructure - it is spending $3 million to make the sprawling, 4.1 million-square-foot venue more energy efficient. The facility also purchases 20% of its electricity from renewable sources offered by the DWP and powers 15% of its expansive South Hall with 3,400 solar panels mounted to the roof.

Green West Expo runs May 20-22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St. Entry is $70-$150. Registration information at greenwestexpo.com.

(extracted from Los Angeles Downtown News http://www.ladowntownnews.com)

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The cost of a owning a car keeps climbing each year. Here are some stats that may help you decide if Zipcar would work for you.

Car Ownership   Car: Something similar to a Chevy Impala or Ford Fusion. Car payment (including depreciation) $283 Finance charges $62 Insurance $80 Gas $78 License, registration, taxes $45 Maintenance and tires $46 Parking (estimated by Zipcar) $175 Total: $769/mo* $769/mo is a lot of money! That's about 101 hours or 13 days of Zipcar driving. Zipcar   Car: Whatever your whim – a VW Jetta one day, a BMW the next. If you drive a lot $311/mo Several trips each week and a weekend trek out to the country (10 two-hour, 2 three-hour and 2 daily/24-hour reservations) If you drive a fair amount $162/mo A couple trips each week (6 two-hour and 2 four-hour reservations) If you don't drive much $36/mo About one trip a week (4 one-hour reservations)