If you were working downtown where would you live? Why? I have no children (yet), so that is not an immediate concern.
Somewhere I could keep horses: Porter Ranch, say.
If you hate being stuck in traffic, then live downtown. Yuck. (Either way.)
If you’re young, downtown is now a very hip place to live. Los Feliz/Silverlake is also nice and close (20 minutes in traffic).
Yuck? Downtown LA is right now one of the hottest spots in the city. It’s as trendy as it gets, full of new bars, gastropubs and cafes at every corner, new ones popping up every other week. Lots of refurbished sexy lofts in old warehouse style buildings and very vibrant night and day scene with a youthful feel. If your idea of downtown LA evokes images of Skid Row and shady drug dealers, that’s kind of decade ago. There a still pockets of sketchiness, but it has been revitalized tremendously. Rent tends to be quite steep. No room for horses, which is not OP’s priority.
Silverlake and Echo Park are very close, so that the commute is short but don’t have the same urban feel as downtown - more typical LA style dwellings, lots of space, perhaps a nice outdoors patio which is a must in SoCal, can be in a hilly area with sweeping views of the mountains or Hollywood Hills if you’re lucky, close to green spaces with many hiking options if you’re near Dodgers Stadium or Griffith Park. I’d pick that.
I’m assuming downtown is same as city centre.
If that’s the case why would such a large/prosperous city like LA have sketchy areas in it’s centre?
Yuck in my opinion (which is what was solicited). I’d be claustrophobic in downtown . . . anywhere. Suburban, at worst, or rural. I understand that others’ opinions will differ.
To each his own.
Ok, i googled it and it says city centre.
So how is urban different from city centre?
When cars became an affordable thing for the middle class/wealthy most American cities saw these people leaving for the suburbs. The areas were kind of abandoned and became lower class with the associated problems (crime). Recently a trend has been to revitalize these areas and the middle class/wealthy are moving back into the cities.
^
Ah ok, got you. Is urban the area between the 2 or something?
Referring to this.
This is, of course, assuming that you like “trendy” and “new bars” and “gastropubs” (whatever that is).
I think you’re showing your age (or lack thereof) with this post.
Im in agreement with S2000 on this one–downtown is the pits. (True in all cities in TX. Can’t imagine that LA is that much different.)
Mistype on my part. (Posting before having eaten any breakfast or lunch: not recommended.) I’ve corrected my post.
They’re pubs that serve food. Sorta like, y’know, pubs do.
You did not elaborate in your first post what you find so negative about downtown LA - you just said yuck. Downtown used to be a scary place after 5 pm a mere 10 years ago, but it’s been wonderfully revitalized. I thought that’s what your “yuck” referred to - Skid Row, homelessness and crime. I agree with you though that if you’re in LA, there are neighborhoods that give you better access to nature and a lot more space than downtown does.
How much does it cost to rent in downtown LA (close to the financial center)?
I’ll make a note that as I mature, I should expect my lifestyle to conform to your boring stereotype.
I think $2-3k to get an oversized loft, less for standard 1-bedroom or studio apartment… overall dirt cheap compared to NY or SF
^ I’m guessing Newport is a bit more? I have been thinking about moving to SoCal. Not sure how vibrant their finance community is though.
Don’t hate, bro!!!
I just think that as you mature, you won’t find bars and dance clubs and gastropubs quite as exciting as you used to. You’ll learn to like things like playing with your kids and pruning your tomatoes and stuff. (Especially in LA, where tomatoes never die.)
Santa Monica
And expensive compared to so many other places. I really can’t imagine paying that much.