Reasons for Optimism in Cultivating LA’s Social District

I entered this new year prepared to answer the clear challenge keeping me up at night: strategically using our organizations resources to support neighborhood bars, restaurants, cafes and breweries – our district’s social institutions – and attract new ventures to invest alongside us in our aspirations to cultivate L.A.’s Social District.

Despite challenges, there are reasons for optimism. An estimated 95,000 residents live downtown and over 17 million visitors spend time in our neighborhood. Earlier this year Dignity Heath - California Hospital’s $215 million expansion in our district culminated with the opening of their Grand Tower – offering expanded care and services to our community. New restaurants like Culturas, The Gallery, Mafia Sushi, Toastique, and the highly anticipated Javier’s, are opening and will need our neighborhood’s support – much like Pine and Crane, Cow Café, Dreads, Audio Graph, Lazy Dog, Craft, El Cholo, Prank, and many others still do. 

The infusion of an expected 4,000 new office workers beginning this summer should help these businesses thrive and attract others. And before the Olympics and Paralympics in 2028, downtown will be an important destination as our city hosts an NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl, and World Cup.

As we looked ahead to the New Year, we prepared to welcome, support, promote, and help businesses succeed in the Social District – with wind forming at our back and wearing our optimism proudly on our chest. And then the Morrison Hotel burned. And the wildfires started. And several events cancelled. And restaurants closed for a few days. And hotel occupancy dropped, despite of the sudden need for shelter. And while the fires have been contained, most of the world believed the whole of Los Angeles to be devastated.

Of course, we know this to not be the case. Last night we hosted the GRAMMY Awards in the heart of our district. This is a day our neighborhood usually shines because of pure star power. Yesterday the GRAMMY spotlight emanating from Crypto.com Arena shined on businesses in the Palisades and Altadena that were impacted by the fires and broadcast a call to action to rally in support of these businesses.

Our team created a restaurant support program at the beginning of the wildfires and purchased meals from local restaurants to distribute to first responders and evacuees. We collected and delivered truckloads of household donations from residential buildings like Luma, EVO, E11even, and AVEN. We’ve used our social media and newsletter to support residential buildings like Emerald and the Eden, that quickly structured short-term leases and furnished units for evacuees.

But our perplexing challenge – our ground floor vacancy – could be our most valuable contribution to those businesses impacted by the wildfires. We have space for the martial arts studio, restaurant, design shop, bakery, sneaker shop, or vintage goods store. We have residents and visitors eager to discover what communities in the Palisades and Altadena appreciated about these Angeleno-owned and operated small businesses that gave those places character and authenticity.

Nearly 20 years ago, I lost my home and business when the levees protecting New Orleans broke following Hurricane Katrina. Not just me, but nearly everyone I knew, lost everything. And places that were part of generations of routines and rituals – the types of places that can help make up your identity and define you as a person, or family – were gone in a night. 

My family operated a photography studio in New Orleans that was started by my grandfather in 1948. During the three years after Hurricane Katrina, while homes and infrastructure were rebuilt in New Orleans, the photography studio operated 500 miles away in Atlanta. And when my father could, he reopened the business within a mile of the house he rebuilt in New Orleans. His displacement was temporary, but only because he found a place that allowed him to create revenue and stay engaged with customers while he rebuilt.

I also lost a business, but turned my focus to rebuilding places. I share this personal anecdote to be clear – the community we’re building in the Social District will be here for residents and businesses of Altadena and the Palisades as a respite during recovery. We are prepared to create programs to support those that are displaced, much like we immediately recognized the urgency to support our restaurants through these challenges. And if our ground floor vacancy can be a devastated entrepreneur’s opportunity to stabilize their business while they rebuild, we are eager to put our wind at your back and optimism in your spirit. We have 95,000 residents, 17 million visitors, and a team that’s eager to know how we can support you.