Andrea Thabet, Ph.D. Bunker Hill, CicLAvia, Civic Leadership, Committee of 25, Future of Cities, LA Music Center, LA Politics, LA River, LACMA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Uncategorized, urban renewal

Is L.A. Designed to Work?

Outgoing L.A. Deputy Mayor Rick Cole recently remarked that "L.A. is not designed to work." Could he be right? Is L.A. too big for true civic engagement? Or do projects like CicLAvia and the L.A. River Revitalization prove this contention wrong? Before I delve into my opinion regarding this question, let me provide a little context for Cole's remark. … Continue reading Is L.A. Designed to Work?

Andrea Thabet, Ph.D. Bunker Hill, Civic Leadership, Committee of 25, Dorothy Chandler, LA Music Center, LA Philharmonic, LA Politics, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Uncategorized, urban renewal

The L.A. Music Center Turns 50!

 The Music Center is…both highly accessible and highly visible, giving Los Angeles a new visual axis….the center is recognized as a milestone in the city’s cultural aspirations….[making the city] a new center of culture that has passed Chicago and is getting ready to challenge New York. [1]  - Time Magazine, 1964 Los Angeles…is a center of … Continue reading The L.A. Music Center Turns 50!

Andrea Thabet, Ph.D. Chavez Ravine, Civic Leadership, Committee of 25, Dodger Stadium, Elysian Park, Grace Simons, LA Convention Center, LA Politics, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Times, Recreation and Parks, Uncategorized, urban renewal

The L.A. Convention Center in Elysian Park? The Importance of Studying ‘Never Built’ Projects

This week's post was written for a guest blog post on American Planning Association-L.A. section's blog, found here.  What if the L.A. City Council had followed through with a plan to build a convention center in Elysian Park? What would the park look like today? How would it have affected traffic, especially during baseball season? And what … Continue reading The L.A. Convention Center in Elysian Park? The Importance of Studying ‘Never Built’ Projects

Andrea Thabet, Ph.D. Bunker Hill, Civic Leadership, Committee of 25, Dorothy Chandler, LA Music Center, LA Philharmonic, LA Politics, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Uncategorized

Castro, Kennedy, and Chandler – How the Cuban Missile Crisis stole L.A.’s Big Moment

The L.A. Music Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season with a number of commemorative events--including a rededication ceremony on October 1st to "celebrate the transformative role of the performing arts center in Los Angeles." [1] So what does this have to do with the Cuban Missile Crisis? Few people, if any, know that President Kennedy … Continue reading Castro, Kennedy, and Chandler – How the Cuban Missile Crisis stole L.A.’s Big Moment