The Ovrom Factor

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Bud Ovrom, the still newly minted head of the city Department of Building and Safety, is the first to admit he has no background in engineering and construction safety. So shortly after taking the post, he bought two books to add to the mini-library in his 10th floor corner office at 201 N. Figueroa St.: Why Buildings Stand Up, and its companion, Why Buildings Fall Down, by structural engineers Matthys Levy and Mario Salvadori.

• It’s a Brick House

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Downtown-based developer Abraham Hassid hasn’t made a lot of noise about his new Arts District loft project.
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• New Twist for Norooz

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Every year in March, members of Los Angeles’ Persian community fill the Council Chambers in City Hall to celebrate Norooz, the Persian New Year. After the ceremony, which traditionally involves top local political and business leaders of all backgrounds and ethnicities, the crowds move to the lawn on Spring Street for a feast.
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Bike Messenger Activism Is a Dangerous Path

OPINION:DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The Downtown Los Angeles bike messengers are an oft-noticed part of the community. Notable for their ability to weave in and out of traffic and their pedal pushing up Bunker Hill inclines, most people wouldn’t think of them as community activists.

• The Power of Small Housing Complexes

  OPINION: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The residential revolution of the past decade has forever changed Downtown Los Angeles. The thousands of inhabitants who have settled in all parts of the area have not only created an evening and weekend street life that previously did not exist, but have become the customer base for restaurants, bars and scores of service businesses.
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• Let’s Make Downtown Count

  OPINION: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - What do you envision for Downtown over the next 10 years? Do you want a community with parks, updated infrastructure, well-funded schools and senior centers so that people can access the services they need? The answer is obviously yes. How can you help support this vision? The answer is also simple: Fill out your census form and mail it back.
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Live Green Festival

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day and Downtown Los Angeles, there is bad news and good news.

• St. Pat’s Survival Guide

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - If any single establishment in Downtown Los Angeles can be considered the expert when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, it’s Casey’s Irish Pub. After all, the establishment formerly known as Casey’s Bar & Grill now has the word “Irish” in its name.
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• St. Parties Day

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - If you’ve been saving up those sick days, could use a drink during your lunch break or want to party well into the night on Wednesday, March 17, Downtown Los Angeles has plenty of options. No matter where you look, you can find corned beef, green beer, whiskey and dark Guinness. Here are a handful of reliable Downtown spots in which to suss out the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
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