L.A. streetcar workshop May 22 at the Orpheum

If you live or work in downtown L.A., you've probably heard of Bringing Back Broadway, an initiative to revitalize the historic Broadway district. The backbone of Bringing Back Broadway is a plan to revive the L.A. streetcar -- a plan that's under study by the city, with the help of consultants from IBI Group.

Now Angelenos can learn all about the streetcar, because a streetcar workshop is coming to L.A. Based on the book "Street Smart: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century," the workshop is actually the last in a series of four national streetcar workshops. The previous one happened in the Pacific Northwest last month and was attended by a couple dozen streetcar-curious Angelenos -- including Eric Richardson of blogdowntown.

When: Thursday, May 22, 8 am - 4 pm, followed by a reception. (draft PDF schedule here)
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, Los Angeles.
Cost: $25 for L.A. residents and business and property owners; $75 for everyone else. The price includes a continental breakfast, lunch and reception; those paying $75 also get a free copy of the "Street Smart" book.

What do streetcars do for business? For Mike Powell of Portland bookstore Powell's Books, who spoke at the Portland workshop, getting a streetcar on his block meant just one week of disrupted business due to construction -- followed by a 300% rise in property values. So sign up for the workshop to learn how streetcars can stimulate the local economy and create walkable, vibrant, de-car'd neighborhoods around the U.S. -- because we may be seeing new ones in downtown L.A., as well as in Pasadena, Culver City, Beverly Hills and other SoCal cities.

According to the organizers, this workshop will allow everyone, whatever their interest, to talk with national streetcar experts about topics ranging from environmental benefits to urban density. Speakers include L.A. City Council members Jose Huizar and Jan Perry, who'll make a case for the streetcar as a catalyst for turning Broadway into "one of L.A.’s most important neighborhoods." Michael Dilijani of the L.A. Theatre will talk about "the vision of downtown property owners for the reinvention of Broadway, L.A.’s historic streetcar corridor." In addition, Powell and other speakers will discuss Portland's and Seattle's experiences with streetcars.

Register for the streetcar workshop here and join the discussion.

Comments

[russell Hollenbeck]

There are plans to expand the streetcar system in Portland. I am fortunate live in a city with excellent public transportation. That is how I keep a smaller footprint.

Here's a link:
http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/