Alexander Friedman
Recent Posts
West Hollywood’s La Brea Streetscape Project: A Missed Opportunity
| | 7 Comments
Last year, the city of West Hollywood completed planning for the La Brea Streetscape Project. This ambitious plan includes “design, installation and construction of streetscape improvements to a .375 mile segment of La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood,” as quoted from Metro’s The Source. In addition, the project promised to transform La Brea into a […]
Welcome to “The Avenue Hollywood”, Another Anti-Pedestrian Project
| | 14 Comments
Mixed-use developments are rising all over Los Angeles, particularly in Hollywood and West Hollywood. Some buildings look better than others, though sadly none show the classic architectural spark that once existed in the early 20th century. Nevertheless, most new projects aim for common goals: sustainability and improved pedestrian infrastructure. But not all mixed-use projects follow […]
Failure of L.A. MTA Rapid Buses: Welcome to Rapid 704
| | 23 Comments
The City of Angels is noticeably transforming. Our once car-centric town is becoming less car-dependent. Public transit is having a comeback. Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructures are improving. New rail lines are being built, existing ones are being extended. Service on trains is increasing. Service on buses is also increasing. …Or is it? Actually, the Rapid […]
Op/Ed: A Quick-Fix to L.A.’s Mass Transit: Bring Back the Trolleybuses!
| | 26 Comments
[smooth=id:17; width:600; height:200; timed:true; arrows:true; carousel:true; links:true; info:true; align:center; frames:true; delay:9000; transition:crossfade; open:false; text:Thumbnails;] Images of trolley buses from around the world, collected by Alexander Friedman. Los Angeles is the 2nd largest city in the United States., both in population and size, and is still notorious for its “car culture.” Unlike other major world cities, […]
De-Uglifying Hollywood: How to Make Our City Pedestrian-Friendly
| | 53 Comments
Tourists arriving in Hollywood from all over the world are fascinated, at first. The Walk of Fame, historic Hollywood and Vine, glamorous Hollywood & Highland shopping center and Grauman’s theater – all of these attractions make an impression… …Unless you deviate a block or two. Once you accidentally leave the tourist area, real Los Angeles […]
Five Mega-Projects that Will Transform La Brea
| | 43 Comments
Hollywood is changing. People traveling along La Brea Avenue have probably noticed there’s a lot of construction happening. Considering that the area has been stagnant for a while, new construction is immediately noticed by anyone familiar with the corridor. And it’s no wonder; many abandoned buildings, parking lots, and blighted areas have been neglected for […]
The Good, Bad and Ugly of the New Trader Joes at Third and Fairfax
| | 30 Comments
The grand opening of the new Trader Joe’s near the famous Grove and Third Street Farmers Market took place in mid-May. The intersection is now a welcoming site! The grocery market certainly pleases the eye more than what stood on the site previously: a vacant lot, and occasionally Christmas tree field. Los Angeles is flourishing with […]
From Russia, with Transit Love
| | 5 Comments
View of a departing Moscow subway train. All Photos: Alexander Friedman I just returned from a trip to Moscow and noticed an interesting trend. Despite the economic slowdown, which Russia is also certainly experiencing, their public transportation is not only as efficient as it’s always been, but – it keeps getting better and better. Unlike […]