Here it is: the 2013 Curbed Cup race for the Los Angeles Neighborhood of the Year. Round one of our tournament features 16 'hoods vying for the coveted golden jpeg--we'll have two matchups every day through Thursday, then take a look at our tournament bracket on Friday. Voting for each poll ends 24 hours after opening (and will be watched closely for any shenanigans). Let the neighborhood on neighborhood carnage begin!
It's a year that started with a prediction that the Arts District would become LA's version of New York's Meatpacking District and ended with news that a park is on the way to Hewitt Street, and in between, the Urban Radish grocery store opened: The AD is without a doubt the neighborhood to beat this year. Work on the sinewy One Santa Fe--a signature project for the neighborhood--is well underway, the huge Megatoys project returned with very pedestrian-friendly plans, as did another huge mixed-user, Barker Block is getting ready to deliver its last phase of development with lofts and townhouses, and the city announced an "iconic" new Sixth Street Viaduct (that will also include plenty of public spaces for the AD). Signature AD celebrity Vincent Gallo opened the door for button-down types when he sold his fabulous penthouse unit at the Biscuit Lofts to a Fox executive, and there are even rumors of a Soho House. Meanwhile, Bestia was the hottest restaurant of the year, beloved Stumptown and Umami both opened, and the adorable boutiques have begun to move in. On the downside, the Business Improvement District--which was responsible for trash collection, security, and PR efforts--was shut down courtesy of a lawsuit.
With Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Downtown all thoroughly gentrified, it only makes sense that Historic Filipinotown is next in line. This year saw a tiny flurry of development in the in-betweener neighborhood, which in turn generated a potential ordinance to block new demolition or development until the neighborhood can get its shit together to prep for the coming changes. Meanwhile, the Bootleg Theater has been expanding its programming and the best neon sign in Los Angeles--the HiFi giraffe--just celebrated its first anniversary a couple months ago.
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