Lightwell Mural Underway

The lightwell mural is underway. Here is a photo from one of the interior-facing units. More construction update photos to follow shortly.

Festival de la Gente

The 8th Annual Festival de la Gente was this past weekend on the 6th St. bridge that connects Downtown LA and Boyle Heights. For two days the bridge was alive with art, music, dancing and celebration of Dia de los Muertos. If you were lucky, you could have even seen Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa dancing in the streets.

Performing amid larger-than-life paper maiche skeletons, Aztec suns and serpents by Tony Dominguez were Quinto Sol, Upground, Redbone, Santos de Los Angeles, Union 13, and Chalo Eduardo and the Samba Pimps. The crowd danced around Dia de los Muertos altars, live painting exhibitions, the Dia de los Muertos vintage car show, and vendors selling a variety of clothing, jewelry, and books. A variety of authentic foods were offered throughout the festival. Saturday night wrapped up with LA's own fiery Phoenix Projekt in an astounding acrobatic performance.

Part of the proceeds will benefit Arte Calidad Cultural Institute, a non-profit academy providing art education and job training in the Hispanic community for employment in the arts and entertainment industries.

New York Times talks Downtown Real Estate

The NY Times recently featured an article about yet another transformation of an historic downtown building, the former Broadway Department store in the Broadway-Spring Street historic district. Another example of the ongoing revitalization of Downtown L.A. from a major national news outlet.

Downtown Bars at Night

So as not to leave local downtown residents high and dry, Los Angeles Gridskipper.com has compiled a list of local downtown bars that are happening long after the rush hour traffic has thinned. For those of you wondering where you might want to grab a late night cocktail, now you know.

A View from D.C.

Major national news outlet, The Washington Post, recently wrote about the growth of Downtown Los Angeles: Angeleno's New Refrain: 'I love (Downtown) LA'. Among many of the topics covered in the article is how Downtown L.A. is one of the hottest residential real estate markets in Los Angeles. What was once forbidden territory is now hip, trendy and well, relatively safe.

There are people out on the streets at night. Restaurants, clubs and cafes are buzzing after dark, long after the Suits have left their offices for the day. There are some who decry the increased property values and rents for having yet again, gentrified (yuppified?) an affordable urban live/work environment. However, most downtowners will agree that it is a very welcome evolution with the new Ralph's Fresh Fare supermarket heralding the way.

Many in L.A. are truly interested in an urban, live/work lifestyle where the car is not the center of one's existence, and Downtown L.A. is now that viable option.

LA Live opens at the Nokia Theatre

The first phase of the much anticipated grand opening of the LA Live Entertainment Complex begins this Thursday, October 18th. It all starts at the $100 million Nokia Theater, featuring six nights with mega acts The Eagles and The Dixie Chicks. This state-of-the-art venue will providing amazing sound, lights, and 7,100 intimate seats. Theater managers hope to book over 125 top acts per year. Check DowntownLAmix.com to see featured events currently scheduled at the Nokia Theatre.

LA Live will not only entertain Los Angeles for many years to come, but will also do wonders for the local economy. Many believe that this could be the biggest lift to Downtown business since the Staples Center opening nearly a decade ago. Read the article at DowntownNews.com for more information.

The Nokia Theatre is the first piece of the historic LA Live project to reach completion. Over the next three years, LA Live will add a Ritz Carlton Hotel, Convention Center Headquarters, 14 screen cinema, shopping mall, bowling alley, several nighclubs, and an open air plaza. For more details click here.

A Night Under the Stars

Celebrate with us this Saturday, as the Roosevelt co-hosts the LA Femme Film Festival's street party in Downtown LA. We will be closing down 7th Street between Flower and Hope from 9 PM to 2 AM, transforming the space into an upscale urban lounge. The festivities will include 3 of LA's hottest all girl bands, 2 DJ's spinning eclectic urban mixes, great food, and an open bar. If you're interested in joining us for this special night, you will need to RSVP. To do so, please visit www.rsvlt.com/rsvp and enter the word "mix" as the referral code. For more information on the LA Femme Film Festival, check out LAFemme.org.