Economic Activity on LA Great Streets A Case Study of Western Avenue and Program-wide Implications
what I’m asking... How can the Great Streets Initiative help encourage vibrant economic activity that is relevant to the local community?
what I found... The “existing local community” is racially and economically diverse, though generally stable and dense. Politically, Western Ave is a contested space, touching three different council districts and four neighborhood councils. This contestation makes neighborhood capacity building more challenging, but not impossible.
Business density along Western Avenue appears to affect business sales volumes. And the top performing industries are those with pedestrian serving uses, including food, retail, wholesale, and health. However, within this, there appears to be an over-supply of beauty and furniture stores that are underperforming.
demographics
business density and sales volumes
why it matters...
Hollywood
Silver Lake
• The challenge is how to improve the quality of streets as public spaces for the existing local community that avoids displacement. • Often, the city focuses on large scale capital projects to improve neighborhoods, but this might encourage displacement. • What if, instead, the city focused on economic activity as the starting point for improvements?
13
• Site Analysis of Western Avenue (with neighborhood, business, and street characteristics • Inventory of possible interventions • Examples from other cities
20k - 75k
Low Concentration
75k - 130k
Mid-Low Concentration
130k - 190k
Mid Concentration
190k - 430k
Mid-High Concentration
Food Retail Wholesale Health
Westlake
Mid City
0.5 Miles
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year Est. Race, Gender, Age and Ethnicty survey
how I answer it...
Level of Density
430k and above
10
±
SALES
Highest Performing Industries:
4
0.125 0.25
Kernal Density
High Concentration
Mid Wilshire
0
Sales Volumes
Source: Dunn and Bradstreet, 2013 Survey
Some initial recommendations:
examples from other cities 125th Street in Harlem focused on the existing market by collecting data and conducting surveys. Then focused on small projects that helped encourage business and neighborhood capacity. Now, the area is a vibrant WestAfrican influenced commercial district. The Mission District (led by Invest in SF through the Mayor’s Office) focused on community building, city coordination and
1
Phase the approach, starting with increasing neighborhood capacity and business capacity.
2
Focus on increasing business density, perhaps through attracting other food uses.
3
Help improve the “furniture district” on Western Avenue by finding ways to improve the quality of goods and appearance.
SWOT analysis before any infrastructure investments were made. The area is home to a vibrant latino commercial district.
Melrose Ave, & Western Ave.
Lilly O’Brien-Kovari Faculty Advisor: Vinit Mukhija Client: LA Great Streets