The clock is ticking on submissions. The deadline is midnight Friday. We need you to email us immediately at la@curbed.com with your nomination. In addition to a brief description of why you're nominating the building, your submission should include one of the following: 1. a picture. 2. a web link, or 3.Local Live Link. Remember: Nominees must be from the CITY OF LA.
A panel of judges will select the winner and runner-ups. The winner, announced in APRIL, will receive a free dinner for four at Shakey's Pizza AND prominent mention on Curbed LA.
With downtown's revitalization, we haven't received very many nominations from the (formerly?) blighted area. Which is amazing, considering the last "revitalization" took place during the 80s, which gave us so many beautiful landmarks worthy of submission. We don't think you're trying hard enough. But we did receive this one, which raises the ire of many a downtown dweller:
Macy's Plaza is not merely ugly. Aside from its aesthetic offenses, Macy's Plaza obliterate its environs more so than any other structure in LA. Its blank facade--replete with wrought-iron fences to prevent homeless from camping at the street level--towers over an entire city block with only one nearly hidden entry on Hope and nary a window. I am convinced that it is the single biggest impediment to the vibrancy of South Park. It creates a wasteland between the Financial District and South Park and cuts off what would otherwise be a natural corridor for redevelopment. Finally, if blight wasn't enough, it houses the two functions that bring an urbanist's heart to a quick boil: the underground space is a (hopelessly lame) mall, and the six above-ground floors are all parking garage.
For all the fanfare about Downtown's rebirth, the single best thing anyone could do would be to tear it down.
Macy's: consider yourself on notice.