Here it is: the 2015 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 games begin!
Willowbrook got some long-deferred attention this year: the new hospital on the Martin Luther King Jr. Medical Campus finally opened and work began on a major makeover of the Blue Line's creepy Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station. Plans were also announced for a new affordable housing project with a library and employment center on a barren, blighted lot near the MLK campus, and it's all part of a huge investment in the neighborhood that'll also include a community garden, streetscape improvements, bike lanes, and more.
Pacoima? Pacoima! The Valley enclave has been working hard to subvert the stereotypes, with lots of plans for greenery and walkability. The Pacoima Wash is already looking much nicer these days; this year, the community opened a public plaza under the city's People St. program, and it was announced that a CicLAvia will run through in 2016. There are also plans for a walkable strip of retail to serve as a Main Street. And don't forget the neighborhood's ever-evolving Mural Mile.
· Curbed Cup 2015 [Curbed LA]