| For decades, California has been known as a land of | | | | that still dominate the area north on Beverly |
| lots of cars and long commutes--commutes that turn | | | | Boulevard. The actual boom began in 2004, when gas |
| freeways into endless parking lots. But with the price | | | | prices began to rise rapidly. |
| of gas heading above $3.00 a gallon, even Californians | | | | Suddenly, both small and large builders began to |
| are beginning to look into the possibility of living closer | | | | realize that consumer sentiment concerning urban |
| to downtown areas. | | | | living was beginning to change quickly in California. So |
| The trend toward revitalizing downtown areas isn't | | | | builders in Los Angeles, Burbank, and Long Beach |
| new. Witness the rebirth of such downtowns as | | | | began to rethink the concept of urban residential |
| Detroit, Michigan, or Portland, Oregon. But Californians | | | | living and went to work to fill the growing demand |
| seemed to buck that trend, continuing to move | | | | for livable spaces closer to downtown areas. In 2005, |
| farther and farther from their jobs and commuting | | | | the boom really took off, including a 325 percent |
| on congested, pollution-spewing freeways for hours | | | | increase in new attached housing units in various |
| on end. But that may be coming to an end, because | | | | Southern California downtown areas in just one year. |
| the Golden State seems to be experiencing the | | | | Numbers like that were bound to attract more |
| rebirth of many of its downtown areas, as well. | | | | builders to cash in on the trend. That was the case in |
| Such areas as Hollywood, South Bay, and San | | | | places like Inglewood, where the urban building boom |
| Fernando are seeing building booms in their | | | | is now in full swing, driven by people who no longer |
| downtown areas, and even downtown Los Angeles, | | | | want to fight California's world-famous |
| the automobile capital of the world, has begun to | | | | traffic--especially people who work at Los Angeles |
| emerge from the ashes of neglect and apathy. The | | | | Airport (LAX). |
| boom is being drive by high gasoline prices and less | | | | So it appears that California is being forced to join |
| willingness on the part of people to commute long | | | | the rest of the nation in revitalizing its downtown |
| distances in heavy traffic. | | | | areas, which will be a boon to everyone |
| In Los Angeles, the area around CBS Television City | | | | involved--including Planet Earth, which will see less |
| is growing by leaps and bounds, including a new | | | | pollution as Californians take to the highway in fewer |
| upscale mall and several nicely designed multifamily | | | | and fewer numbers. |
| structures that fit in well with the elaborate mansions | | | | Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. |