Business as usual

For many years, LA's Broadway has been the only part of downtown untouched by local redevelopment plans and also the most lively. The nearby areas that have been less neglected by officialdom are dead zones in comparison. But this morning's LA Times reports that "L.A. plans Broadway face-lift."

Jane Jacobs had some things to say about all this (Pierre Desrochers' recent essay is a propos). Interestingly, Jacobs has practically achieved guru status on redevelopment issues, but that seems to be inadequate. Spontaneous success is not in local planners' playbook and local politicians are incapable of just sitting on their hands and leaving well enough alone.

There is other people's money to spend and there are re-election campaigns to fund.