Infrastructure

As urban downtowns and their transit serving systems begin recovering from the pandemi’s impact on urban street life, cities have begun blessing innovative ways to utilize their streets and manage their curbs. VXNews shares here excerpts from a recent Curbivore L.A. panel masterfully moderated by Laura Bliss of Bloomberg News that included: Jordan Justus (Co-Founder & CEO, Automotus), Marcel Porras (Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, LA Metro), Debs Schrimmer (Senior Advisor, Joint Office of Energy & Transportation) and Gene Oh (CEO, Tranzito). The panel’s focus; actual examples of the ways varying metropolises are transforming their streets, curbs & public transit systems to better serve the evolving needs of their citizens.

Amidst a flurry of bills, executive orders, and local measures reshaping the housing narrative in California and Los Angeles, assessing the true impact of these legislative endeavors remains a challenge. At a recent Curbivore event, Randall Winston, Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure for Los Angeles, spoke to the attendees hoping to shed light on the ongoing discourse surrounding LA’s housing landscape and the incoming Capital Infrastructure Plan. VX News shares here the full address given by Winston, in which he discusses the implications of Executive Directive 1, the supply-demand paradox facing California, and UCLA's recent acquisition of the Westside Pavilion shopping mall.

As cities grapple with the challenges of urbanization, transportation remains a central concern in fostering sustainable, vibrant communities. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the recent passage of Healthy Streets LA (HLA) with two key figures at the forefront of this transformative initiative: Michael Schneider and Yuval Bar-Zemer. In this exclusive interview with VX News, Schneider, a driving force behind the HLA campaign, offers insights into the significance of this ordinance and its far-reaching implications for urban mobility, while Yuval Bar-Zemer, renowned for his extensive involvement in the Arts District and community initiatives, shares his perspective on the campaign and its potential impact on Los Angeles' diverse neighborhoods.

In the bustling landscape of real estate and economic advisory, HR&A stands out as a beacon for equitable and sustainable community development. In an exclusive interview with VX News, Judith Taylor, a Partner based in HR&A’s Los Angeles office, sheds light on the firm's multifaceted focuses. Drawing from her roots in the Inland Empire, Taylor shares insights into her passion for placemaking and density, advocating for sustainable growth and vibrant communities. As California grapples with a housing crisis, Taylor underscores HR&A’s commitment to not just building housing, but to crafting resilient communities that foster economic opportunities.

VXNews shares an excerpt from "Ten Across Conversations," a podcast series hosted by Duke Reiter which engages environmental reporter Rosanna Xia, delving into the urgent challenges facing California's coastline. The episode addresses the unique threats of massive waves battering the West Coast, emphasizing the pressing need for the state to prepare for significant sea level rise within the next 30 years. Xia, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, draws from her on-the-ground experiences and her book, "California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline." The conversation navigates the complexities of terms like "managed retreat" and explores the philosophical debate between prioritizing property value and life safety in the context of climate change.

Recently it was announced that the city of Inglewood would be the recipient of a $1 billion-dollar federal investment for the Inglewood Transit Connector project. In this exclusive VX News interview, Inglewood’s Mayor, James Butts, provides an update on Inglewood's 1.6-mile people mover project. Emphasizing the project's broader impact on the local and regional economy, given multiple international events already booked through 2029, Mayor Butts challenges the miss-perception of who will use mass transit, envisioning Inglewood as a globally attractive sports and entertainment capital. Reflecting on Inglewood's transformative & successful economic recovery, Mayor Butts also shares a vision for the city's 2030 legacy, highlighting generational wealth creation and renewed infrastructure investments.

The LA River is 50 miles long of, mostly, undeveloped land which touches 17 different municipalities. Many interested constituencies, for years, have hoped to take advantage of the potential opportunities of the waterway. In 1996, LA County developed its first master plan to address these opportunities. The plan, which was last updated in 2022, includes many goals, among them flood control, more parks and recreation, affordable housing and river access. VX News presents this excerpt from a ULI panel moderated by SOMOS founder Alfred Fraijo, featuring Mark Pestrella, the director of LA County Public Works, who updates the Plan’s buildout, the history of the waterway, civic engagement of stakeholders, governance issues, and the sheer amount of potential to be found along the LA River.

The I-10 freeway, which stretches from California to Florida, passes through the U.S. Sun Belt and, along its way, many of the United State’s largest and most impactful urban cities, among them Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, and New Orleans -- cities which are simultaneously facing record homelessness, unprecedented weather, and housing crises. VX News recently interviewed Wellington Reiter, founder of 10 Across, a thought network committed to fostering sun belt city collaborations along the Interstate-10. Reiter elaborates on: an upcoming Los Angeles 10 Across Summit (Dec 5-7th); as well as ASU in DTLA; and of the obvious need for civic minded people addressing the nation’s challenges: water, climate mitigation, energy transition, resilience, affordable housing and governance.

VX News interviews Scott Kratz, Senior Vice President of Building Bridges Across the River and 11th Street Bridge Park Director, on the decade-long project as it is about to break ground early next year. Kratz talks of the importance of fully engaging with affected communities early and often to create community-centered civic spaces. Kratz also opines on civic lessons learned & applicable to repurposing and extending the life of other federal infrastructure investments, e.g., the Los Angeles River Revitalization project.

As the process to begin pulling together the City of LA’s yearly budget moves forward this fall, LA’s City Council is also beginning efforts to seriously explore a Capital Infrastructure Plan (CIP), a document that provides a long-term, unified direction for investment in a city’s infrastructure. VerdeXchange News spoke with Investing in Place’ Executive Director, Jessica Meaney, on how the city’s budgeting could better address the needs of the city, improve equity and be more transparent. Meaney opines that the current way of doing things is failing to serve residents and why her organization’s work to push for a Capital Infrastructure Plan for the City of Los Angeles has been so important.