Curbed Cup Final Four: (6) Leimert Park vs. (10) Koreatown

Leimert Park

In the battle of the Parks, there was no contest: Leimert Park scored a definitive victory over Highland Park, winning nearly 65 percent of the votes. Maybe it’s the walkability of the neighborhood, originally laid out by the Olmsted Brothers (sons of the Central Park architect Frederick Law Olmsted), or maybe it’s the great community vibe that comes from being a long-standing incubator for black art, music, and culture—whatever the reason, Leimert’s been plowing through the competition since its first matchup against Frogtown.

Koreatown

Koreatown overtook Boyle Heights last week, securing 61 percent of the votes. The neighborhood is a destination, with foodie haunts, great bars and cocktail spots, and generally cool places to be, like the Line Hotel. The neighborhood could look a lot different in the next few years, with a slew of new projects in the pipeline. Most of the new additions to the neighborhood are likely to be residential, but there are a couple of hotels and mixed-users in the works, too. Koreatown’s a hotspot for sure. Is a construction boom, historic architecture, and established nightlife scene enough to help it win this year’s Curbed Cup?

The winner of today’s heat will square off with San Pedro for the Curbed Cup title! May the best city win.