Quote:
Originally Posted by Shwayze1994
I looked at the street view of what Google maps says is the Arts District and it's not that walkable. Like there are hardly any sidewalks, lots of broken up front walls to the streets. It doesn't have a particularly inviting feel to it. Honestly. I could think of better artsy areas in smaller cities that are more interesting on the street level than this arts district.
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Here's the thing.
The Arts District is filled with old industrial warehouses converted into clean and hip interior spaces, so Google Streets is not going to give any sense of anything inside those buildings.
The Arts Districts is home to some of the most famous restaurants and cafes in the United States. Third wave coffee shops are found in every block (Blue Bottle, Stumptown, Blacktop, Bulletproof Coffee). Urth Caffe (over 4000 reviews on Yelp), Wurstkuche (over 7000 reviews on Yelp), Pie Hole (over 2400 reviews on Yelp), Bestia (over 3000 reviews on Yelp), and Church & State (over 1000 reviews on Yelp) are examples of why the Arts Districts is getting recognition as a hot spot in California. Many restaurants open til midnight, and many high-end bars and brewery draw massive crowds every night.
There's reasons why so many developers chose Arts District. When the
Barker Block released 68 new condos, there were 2,800 that were interested in it. The area is also highly secured. Theres excess demand in the area.
A foreigner passing by the Arts District may see it as an area of abandoned buildings. Southern Californians treasure the Arts District as an island of hidden gems tucked inside cool industrial buildings; fashion bloggers and celebrities frequent the area for shoots. And if you personally visit the place, you'll get a sense of its character. To disagree with you, me having been to many arts districts and hip industrial areas of other cities, the Arts District is on top in terms of things-to-do and character. I can spend a day there at a cafe, then to art galleries and museums, walk along the river, have fun at an arcade, go bar-hopping, and then go to a music venue all walking-distance. Perhaps this place you criticize may actually be your favorite if you step foot in the area.