Metro is once again considering building a 9 mile stretch of subway under Vermont Blvd, the 2nd busiest street in Los Angeles ( I believe 2nd to Wilshire, but don’t quote me) Metro has been talking about this for years, as I first posted on it back in 2011 but I think due to the Olympics Metro and LA City are maxing out on all ideas that can truly turn L.A. into a World City.
The abandon parcel of land located on the northeastern side of Vermont and Manchester will be seized and developed into affordable housing, retail, Metro transit plaza, preparatory boarding academy, and a training center. LA Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy ruled April 26th, that LA County could use eminent domain to seize the land. Judge Murphy stated that owner Eli Sasson wouldn’t lose any rents and has failed to develop on the land. Los Angeles County will take possession of a four-acre property on May 7th. Owner Eli Sasson has left the land undeveloped since the 1992 Civil Unrest. Back in May of 2015, Former Councilmen Bernard Parks proposed a Vermont Entertainment District and even hosted a ground breaking event for the project, the website, of-course has been removed so I’m assuming those plans fell through. I welcome the affordable housing; I think that’s a much better use of the land.
The Crenshaw Boulevard Streetscape Plan, designed to go hand in hand with the construction of the Crenshaw-to-LAX rail line, lays out an ambitious vision that will transform the look and feel of this historic street from concrete-heavy and car-centric, to “green” and pedestrian friendly.
The plan, which was funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority but created by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning calls for renovations and street beautifications that will stretch for 8.5 miles– from I-10 Freeway to 79th Street – with the aim of supporting vibrant neighborhoods around transit stations, where people can live, work and shop, all within a safe and pleasant walk to transit stations.
Although residents and commuters will experience some inconveniences during the construction of the rail line, set to begin this year, there are efforts underway to heed community concerns, including the creation of a small business mitigation plan to help businesses affected by the construction.
SouthLA 