CRA Approves University Gateway

In May I wrote a post about the controversial University Gateway project at Figueroa Street and Jefferson Boulevard. The proposed development, adjacent to the University of Southern California campus, would replace an automobile dealership with an eight story mixed-use complex containing 421 student apartments, 83,000 square feet of retail, and 770 parking spaces.

My post, which supported University Gateway, garnered the attention of Curbed LA when it featured the "Stop University Gateway" Web Site as well as a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, though my viewpoint never saw ink. Yesteday, "Downtown Central City East Blogger" Dan Garza linked to my post when he reported that the City's Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved the project in a contentious public hearing. You can read about the CRA's decision at Mr. Garza's blog or at the Los Angeles Times.

I think the CRA made the right decision, and I hope that the University Gateway project spurs further redevelopment along the Figueroa Corridor, linking Downtown to USC. The project must now be considered by the City's Planning Commission and the City Council, and I encourage those bodies to support the CRA's decision.

While I believe University Gateway should proceed, future projects along the Figueroa Corridor must include homes and services for local residents not affiliated with the university. The destiny of North University Park should not be dictated by the desires of USC, but rather by an inclusive and comprehensive vision that allows the community to become a diverse, vibrant, and compelling urban place for all Angelenos.