For the past generation, L.A.’s downtown steadily lost much of its political, cultural, and financial clout to the city’s influential Westside, which emerged as a symbol of Southern California health, wealth, and glamour. But by the 1990s, too much of a good thing had brought sky-high real estate prices and epic traffic jams to the Westside. Young, urban professionals and creative types began to look east, colonizing neighborhoods in and around downtown–and, in the process, transforming downtown L.A. into a hotbed of fashion, food, culture, and financial services. Major retail and hotel developments sprung up downtown; the Lakers and Kings moved there; and Disney Hall’s success paved the way for The Broad. New rail lines now connect downtown to more of Southern California, putting downtown at the center of many people’s workday commutes and making it a more attractive recreational destination. Is the balance of power in L.A. shifting from the Westside to downtown? And how is that changing everything from development patterns and traffic to job creation and politics? Architect Thom Mayne, restaurateur Bill Chait, Los Angeles Times arts & entertainment editor Laurie Ochoa, and UCLA urban planner Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris visit Zócalo to discuss downtown’s rebirth and how it might change life in Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Pouliot.