For South Park residents, Oceanwide Plaza has become more than a stalled construction project. It is now part of the daily experience of living downtown. The unfinished towers loom over Figueroa and Olympic as a constant reminder of both DTLA’s enormous potential and its very public failure

Bluebird Office Supply, 1225 Hope Street in the South Park neighborhood literally exploded in flames early on Mother’s Day morning.  The first alarm was turned in at 4:40 am when flames burst through the roof of the 100-year-old structure surrounded by several high-rise apartment buildings.

South Park loves its dogs!  When walking the streets of our neighborhood it is easy to imagine there are as many canine residents here as there are humans.  If you are a dog owner like I am, you must recognize that good citizenship and dog ownership responsibility are all wrapped up (sorry for the pun) in the subject of ...dog poop.

Complaining about a bad sidewalk, graffiti in the neighborhood, dumping of a couch on the sidewalk?  An easy way to report the problem is MyLA311.

The long-anticipated LA Metro D Line (formally known as the Purple Line) Phase 1 extension is now up and running!  Judging by the crowds using the new line on the May 8 opening day, the line is going to be a  popular way of accessing all the destinations off Wilshire Blvd. all the way from 7th Street Station to La Cienega and Beverly Hills.

The multi-billion-dollar Los Angeles Convention Center Addition is starting to take shape!  After what has seemed an indeterminable time, construction is now moving into the above-ground stages and things are starting to get exciting! 

 June 2 is Primary Election Day. Drop off your ballot at a ballot box. If voting by mail, ballot must be postmarked by June 2. If voting in person, go to the polls. Voting lets elected officials know you are paying attention, you care about your neighborhood and downtown, and you exercise your right to vote.

The South Park condo market weakened further this period as inventory increased, sales activity slowed, and pricing reset lower. This monthly column tracks key metrics within the South Park BID boundary to provide a consistent view of supply, pricing, and buyer activity in the neighborhood.

So much will be happening at Wishbone Park on Sunday, June 7 from 12 noon to 5 pm! SPNA and Makers Market -Just Buy the Thing are hosting a neighborhood market – A Summer Bazaar – with handcrafted items along with South Park businesses and food and drink. Fourteen vendors have committed and growing each day.

Tanja Gylfadottir is a delightful person and a licensed Esthetician whose skills include facials, skin care therapy and consulting, eye-brow shaping and dyeing, eye lash dyeing, waxing, and coming soon, full body waxing. She is a skin care professional who specializes in cosmetic treatments to improve the health and appearance of skin for both women and men.

 South Park Neighborhood Association (SPNA) added three members to the executive board in February. The board now consists of seven members who live and play in South Park and are devoted to the livability of our neighborhood. The 2026 Board reorganized in April.

A neighborhood meeting conducted on April 7 was billed as a Public Safety and Security discussion.  The meeting, a joint venture of SPNA, DTLA RA, and The South Park/Social District BID, had been called to discuss the recent street takeover on Figuroa Street and the knife attack on a pedestrian within the last 30 days. 

While the first-round of 2028 Olympic/Paralympic ticket sales for LA residents have ended, there will be a future round.

The primary elections are just over a month away. Do you know who you are voting for?

The top three issues in the California governor’s race: 

 The issues of (1) public safety and mental health incidents, (2) housing and the continuing homeless crisis, and (3) disaster recovery and climate resiliency after the Palisades fire have emerged as the top three issues in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race. 

LA City Attorney is a nonpartisan race. The city attorney is one of LA’s most powerful offices. The job of LA City Attorney includes prosecuting misdemeanors, advising politicians on local legislation, defending the city against lawsuits, and enforcing consumer protection laws, including tenants’ rights.  The city attorney’s office, with more than 1,000 employees, advises on policy issues from policing to housing to homelessness.

The race for City Controller is between the incumbent - Kenneth Mejia, and Zach Sololoff. Mejia, first elected in 2022, has built his platform on radical transparency and making city data accessible to the public. Sokoloff is positioning himself as a results-oriented manager who can bridge the gap between information and impact.

The South Park condo market remains slow, though we are beginning to see some modest improvements in transaction activity and pricing. This monthly column tracks key metrics within the South Park BID boundary to provide a consistent view of supply, pricing, and buyer activity in the neighborhood.