Forty-five + South Park residents and several downtown residents attended CD14 Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s Drop-In event on Monday, March 24 at the South Park BID office from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Déjà vu. On March 10 at 1:43 am, 100 LAFD firefighters returned to the scene of a November 25, 2024, fire on Flower Street south of Pico to tackle another fire. The new fire included two unoccupied buildings, heavy flames, and smoke resulted in shutting down the Metro Blue (A) and Gold (E) lines running through Pico Station. Debris from the fire caused the Metro lines to remain closed the rest of the day after the fire was contained.

The Los Angeles Police Department reports crime is down, but issues related to quality of life have increased. The report came at the March 20, meeting of the Central Area Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) held at the Central Station near Skid Row attended by four South Park residents and the LAPD senior lead officer covering South Park, Silvia Padilla.

Ysabel Jurado, CD14 LA City Council Member, speaking at the State of the Neighborhood hosted by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC), noted that downtown is “not as vibrant as it used to be.” She asked the audience to “share with me your vision of the future.” With a $1 billion deficit in the LA budget due to the wildfires, Jurado said we need to form partnerships and “think outside the box.” She is currently on a listening tour in neighborhoods in her district. She was in South Park on March 24. See related article in this newsletter.

  Local businesses are what define a neighborhood.  Taking out-of-town visitors to your favorite neighborhood restaurant or running errands close to home are literally what define a neighborhood. 

The South Park neighborhood is rapidly growing in population density while experiencing a shortage of green space for residents. South Park desperately needs its namesake: A Park – actually it needs Parks - multiple parks.  With the new leadership at CD14 headed by Ysabel Jurado, now is the time to press for more open space for South Park – The Social District.

The sparkling new Olympic + Hill Residential Tower by Onni at Olympic and Hill is nearing completion and is now accepting lease inquiries.  Certificate of Occupancy and first move-ins are projected for July 1, 2025.

  Did you attend the amazing Frost and Fir Holiday Market last December on the patio at Audiograph on 12th at Olive? An amazing experience – trees and lights and snow and vendors with holiday gifts and foods with amazing scents and children’s activities and Santa. It was a winter wonderful enjoyed by all. Well….

Voting in the DLANC election is different than voting in other LA elections. Below is how to register to vote and then how to vote.

  Nine candidates running for 3 seats for a South Park resident position on the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) were asked to contribute answers to the following questions. Their answers are as submitted – no edits.

When voting for Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) candidates in the April 22 election, in addition to voting for South Park representatives, you will also vote for three representatives for downtown-wide positions. You will vote for two area-wide representatives, one at-large representative, and two social service provider representatives for the Downtown Council. Below are the candidates running for these positions.

A recent survey of Downtown Stakeholders show that 67 percent of the respondents say they love downtown LA, but only 44 percent think downtown is moving in the right direction. The survey was conducted by the Downtown LA Alliance, formerly known as the Downtown Center Business Improvement District.

The Scene, SPNA’s monthly newsletter, pays tribute this issue to Virginia Wexman who died in mid-March. Virginia was a contributor to The Scene from the very first issue. She wrote articles about transportation. She was an advocate and user of the bus and rail system and chaired the Transportation Committee for the League of Women Voters.

The LA City Council recently received a community impact statement supporting a postponement of the Los Angeles Convention Center expansion until after the 2028 Olympic Games. The reason for the postponement centered on the massive damage from recent wildfires which will put a strain on city resources also needed for the convention center expansion.

Developer Relevant Group presented a proposed mixed-use development at 1220 S. Hope Street to the Planning and Land Use Committee of Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC). The proposal is for an eight-story building with 531 studio apartments, parking for 109 vehicles, and 7,000+ square feet of ground floor commercial space. Twenty-seven of the apartments would be for low-income households.

 The proposed hotel project at 1130 S. Hope, opposed by Luma and Evo HOAs, has moved forward with the filing of permits on February 13, for an eight-story hotel with rooftop deck, one level basement, and retail space at ground level.

“The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy of any rich country, which was not true for most of the 20th century. The U.S. has the highest murder rate of any rich country and the world’s highest rate of fatal drug overdoses. It also has one of the lowest rates of trust in the federal government and among the highest rates of youth depression and single-parent families.

South Park Neighborhood Association is very excited to welcome The Gallery, a groundbreaking dining and entertainment destination redefining immersive experiences. Located at 330 W. Olympic Blvd. at the corner of Olive, The Gallery is more than just a restaurant—it’s an artful fusion of cuisine, music, and cutting-edge visuals designed to transport guests into a world of sensory delight. 

  EVO is a premier luxury condominium complex offering modern living with a strong sense of community at 1155 S. Grand. Opened in 2008, EVO features 316 units across 27 floors, including three subterranean parking levels.

   A pre-Valentine Day event with cardiologist Dr. Marc Girsky on February 11 at Ten50 hosted by SPNA (South Park Neighborhood Association) and Dignity Health California Medical Center provided answers to a range of questions regarding heart healthy topics.