Half the field is OUT in the 2015 Curbed Cup race for the Los Angeles Neighborhood of the Year. This week we'll have two match-ups apiece on Monday and Tuesday, and by next week only four contenders will be left vying for the prestigious golden jpeg. Voting for each poll ends 24 hours after opening (and will be watched closely for any shenanigans). Let the eliminations continue!
West Adams rallied its troops in round one and won a pretty close race with North Hollywood. The neighborhood is not just one of the classiest architectural areas in the city, it's also transit accessible, and now it's even getting a grocery store. A developer announced plans this year to build an enormous complex by the Expo Line's Jefferson/La Cienega stop; it's set to have the tallest tower around and an enormous supermarket, among lots of other stuff. The 'hood also has a nice little arts scene, with Gallery 38 opening this year and The Landing moving into a new space. West Adams also joined its nearby neighbors in University Park protesting oil drilling in the neighborhood.
Frogtown had no trouble dispatching with Hollywood's not-at-all-gentrified Donut Time District in the last round. In contrast, Frogtown was a neighborhood on the brink in 2015. With revitalization of the LA River now a given, gentrifiers have moved in in force, not just flipping houses but also proposing huge, fancy developments. In response, the long-time residents have banded together and are working with the city to keep new development respectful to the area.
· Curbed Cup 2015 [Curbed LA]