Diverse Revitalization


Streetview of Westlake Theater.
Courtesy of Yves Marchand Romain Meffre Photography.
By the 1980s, Westlake had become divided by fast moving streets and enclosed by wide freeways, resulting in relatively isolated communities.  Evictees from Bunker Hill and other residents became distressed with deteriorated housing[1]. 40 percent of MacArthur Park’s population was below the poverty level, which was almost double the population below the poverty line in the City of Los Angeles.[2]  Although much of the recent history in Westlake has been characterized by high rates of violent crimes, dense living quarters, and tremendous poverty, it also marks the beginning of community revitalization.[3]

The 100th Anniversary of MacArthur Park in 1986 signaled a time for reform in the community.  Though poverty was pervasive, many residents wanted to turn their community around.   One of the first major changes occurred when the first council district was redrawn in 1988-89, and Gloria Molina was elected to represent the district.  For the first time, the district had elected a Latino.[4]  Molina fought tirelessly to ensure that the community had a voice in the MacArthur Park subway stop plans. As a result, several plans that did not serve the community’s interests were tossed out, and in 1991 the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Agency (Metro) built a Red Line subway stop at the site of former electric car terminus; it opened in 1993, reconnecting Westlake to the greater metropolitan area of Los Angeles via rail. 


All Nations Coalition, 1986.
Courtesy of Mike Sergieff.

Another community concern was the high levels of violence, which was made worse by police scandal. According to TIME Magazine, Rafael Perez, who was convicted for stealing six pounds of cocaine from LAPD headquarters and selling it on the street, revealed a “a dark, dime-store-novel world in which cops routinely frame the innocent.”[5]  Adding insult to injury, the City Councilperson Mike Hernandez was arrested in the park for purchasing and possessing cocaine in 1997.[6] Following these scandals, William Bratton was appointed as LAPD Chief in 2002. He was determined to eradicate crime in Westlake and partnered with a variety of agencies as well as community-based organizations (CBOs). He initiated the Alvarado Corridor Project, which utilized community-policing methods.[7]  The community continued to hold demonstrations and protests, including the noteable and horrific "May Day Melee."[8] Despite some setbacks, these interactions between locals and the LAPD have had some success: residents and merchants claim that the park is safer now. 

Street vendor near MacArthur Park.
Courtesy of GastronomyBlog.com.
With increased safety, the park itself, in addition to the wide sidewalks along Alvarado Street, Wilshire Boulevard, and 7th Street, provide ample space for the informal economy to flourish.  In 1994, a coalition of groups pushed for the legalization of street vending. The ordinance was passed in 1999, and established zones for street vendors to legally sell their goods.[9]

The community began to look for additional revitalization opportunities. An important component of this was the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance; it signaled a shift in development strategy by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA).  The repurposing of the Westlake Theater to apartments and the conversion of the American Cement Building into lofts in 2000 are a few examples of how funding has been leveraged to revitalize the area.  As the population in Westlake community continued to grow, the Los Angeles Unified District has further improved the neighborhood by building five schools.[10] In addition, Otis Art Institute has worked to install new public art in the neighborhood, including small-scale sculptures, refurbished lighted signs, and a myriad of murals. At the same time, median household income increased to $26,757 from $14,919 in 1990 dollars, indicating increased wealth in the area. 

In 2010, 68 percent of residents were foreign born—36.8 percent from Mexico and 17.2 percent from El Salvador—indicating that MacArthur Park remains a vibrant destination for all.[11]  The dynamic diversity that has shaped the history of Westlake will continue to energize the future of this unique area.


Westlake Demographics Breakdown.
Map prepared by Bianca Schulaker, 2011.
Data source: CRA LA, U.S. Census Bureau


[1] Park, E. “Korean town on the Edge, Immigrant Dreams and Realties in One of Los Angeles’ Poorest Communities.” Los Angeles: Self-published, March 2005: 6.
[2] Sandoval, Gerardo. "Immigrants and the Revitalization of Los Angeles: Development and Change in MacArthur Park." Page 64. New York: Cambria Press, 2010.
[3] City of Los Angeles Housing Profile Estimates.
[4] Sandoval, 6
[5] Cohen, Adam et al. “Los Angeles: Gangsta Cops.”6 March 2000. TIME Magazine.
[6] Sandoval, 81.
[7] Sandoval, 163.
[8] Reston, Maeve and Joel Rubin. "Los Angeles to Pay $13 Million to settle May Day melee lawsuits." Los Angeles Times. 5 February 2009.
[9] Dyrness, Grace, “Policy on the Streets: A Handbook for the Establishment of Sidewalk-Vending Programs.” 2001: 36-43
[10] Strawn, James. "Whose Park: An Architectural History of Westlake-MacArthur Park." Page 74. Acessed September 2, 2011. http://search.proquest.com/docview/193342302?accountid=14749.[10] Ibid.



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