El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciuncula-September 4, 1781
Olvera Street
The founding of Los Angeles and it's location had a huge impact on the original concepts of how it would be designed. Los Angeles was one of the few North American cities which was strategically planned before development started by Governor Felipe de Neve. In the original design of the city Governor Felipe de Neve decided that he would follow the guidelines and urbanization codes in the Laws of the Indies. [1] In the original location of the pueblo, Olvera Street as it now is know as, became the center of this new city. Its location moved to higher ground after flooding had impacted the development of the pueblo. Along with it's new location, the pueblos' grid was rotated to match a compasses corner points rather than following a north-south axis due to the 1573 Laws of the Indies. This type of design was based off of Roman planning techniques. [2]
As time passed by and Los Angeles began to expand a law was passed which stated that a church and government house had to be built at the end of each corner of this central plaza. The reason this occurred was so that instead of the city developing more organically there would be a more orthogonal grid established. [3] One of the final impacts the original Spanish Pueblo had on development was in the way the Ranchos were developed as both private and public land which now can be seen as the traces of the city's current boulevards.
As time passed by and Los Angeles began to expand a law was passed which stated that a church and government house had to be built at the end of each corner of this central plaza. The reason this occurred was so that instead of the city developing more organically there would be a more orthogonal grid established. [3] One of the final impacts the original Spanish Pueblo had on development was in the way the Ranchos were developed as both private and public land which now can be seen as the traces of the city's current boulevards.
Wilshire Boulevard- The city's spine
The reason why this boulevard is so important to the design of the city is because it links downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. By creating this main boulevard it serves as main artery for the city in which it can provide both civic and commercial destination for the city's residents, as well as serving as a filter for people to travel to its adjacent residential neighborhoods.[4] This boulevard was also coined with the name as the linear city because there was such a high amount of development
Water
One of the most important commodities and element which has helped shaped Los Angeles to the megalopolis which it is now is the creation of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Before the creation of Los Angeles Aqueducts, the majority of the water which supported Los Angeles came from an underground water reservoir that flowed through the Los Angeles River. As the city began to expand the city quickly exhausted its water supply and was looking for another place in which to get its water from. Then in September 1904 William Mulholland and Fred Eaton travel to the Owens Valley resevour and decided that the resevour would be capable of supporting a city ten times the size of the current Los Angeles. The problem which they faced was that the federal government was already investing money into the Owens Valley due to the Homested Act. [5]
The Owens Valley farmers were highly invested in the federal government developing their land but in return they were pushed aside as J.B. Lippincott advised the Department of Interior of Los Angeles to invest in the Owens Valley. Water in Los Angeles has become one of the most important commodities for Los Angeles because allowed a rapid development for the city to occur. Los Angeles before the investment in the Owens Valley reservoir was mainly a desert, once the water was imported a lot of the desert land now became farm land which would grow food that would also support the growing population of Los Angeles. Manufacturing in Los Angeles was also able to grow which would provide jobs to the new population of Los Angeles. [6]
The Owens Valley farmers were highly invested in the federal government developing their land but in return they were pushed aside as J.B. Lippincott advised the Department of Interior of Los Angeles to invest in the Owens Valley. Water in Los Angeles has become one of the most important commodities for Los Angeles because allowed a rapid development for the city to occur. Los Angeles before the investment in the Owens Valley reservoir was mainly a desert, once the water was imported a lot of the desert land now became farm land which would grow food that would also support the growing population of Los Angeles. Manufacturing in Los Angeles was also able to grow which would provide jobs to the new population of Los Angeles. [6]
Design Principles after the 1994 Northridge Eartquake
On January 17, 1994 the Northridge earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley, which is just north of Los Angeles, causing a great amount of structural damage. In the event there were 57 deaths, 9,000 injuries, and 25,000 dwelling became uninhabitable [7] The total cost of the damage came out to be approximately $48.3 billion. After the earthquake it became a time for the city of Los Angeles to be able to improve some of the communities which were greatly affected by the disaster.
Due to the economic recession which was happening during the period it was not that difficult for residents to find a new place to live since there were many vacant apartments available. Of the damage created the freeways were considered to be a high priority for the city. They thought by repairing the freeways first it would ensure that business would still be able to maintain their customers, even through the economic recession. [8] Then they decided that housing reconstructions would evolve over time with the addition of new policies. The city found that it was more cost effective to rebuild a unit rather than demolish a site and create new housing. In the city of Hollywood there were able to use the earthquake to clear out several crime-ridden apartments.[9] Though what was seen was that a lot of these buildings which were redeveloped also caused for their to be a rise in the cost of the unit. Overall, even though the earthquake did cost a lot of damage, it also served as a catalyst to be able to begin redevelopment of a few neighborhoods and increase the well being of these communities.
Due to the economic recession which was happening during the period it was not that difficult for residents to find a new place to live since there were many vacant apartments available. Of the damage created the freeways were considered to be a high priority for the city. They thought by repairing the freeways first it would ensure that business would still be able to maintain their customers, even through the economic recession. [8] Then they decided that housing reconstructions would evolve over time with the addition of new policies. The city found that it was more cost effective to rebuild a unit rather than demolish a site and create new housing. In the city of Hollywood there were able to use the earthquake to clear out several crime-ridden apartments.[9] Though what was seen was that a lot of these buildings which were redeveloped also caused for their to be a rise in the cost of the unit. Overall, even though the earthquake did cost a lot of damage, it also served as a catalyst to be able to begin redevelopment of a few neighborhoods and increase the well being of these communities.
References
1-4. Rodolphe El-Khoury and Edward Robbins. Shaping the City: Studies in History, Theory and Urban Design (New York: Routledge, 2004).
5. William L. Kahrl, "The Politics of California Water: Owens Valley and the Los Angeles Aqueduct, 1900-1927." California Historical Quarterly Vol. 55, No. 2 (1976): 98, accessed on July 30, 2013, http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/25157626?uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102193606763.
6. Aquafornia. "Where Does Southern California's Water Come From?", Aquafornia, April 29, 2008, http://www.aquafornia.com/index.php/where-does-southern-californias-water-come-from/ (accessed on July 30, 2013).
7-9 OLSHANSKY, ROBERT B., LAURIE A. JOHNSON, and KENNETH C. TOPPING. "Rebuilding Communities Following Disaster: Lessons from Kobe and Los Angeles."JSTOR. Alexandrine Press, n.d. Web. 31 July 2013
5. William L. Kahrl, "The Politics of California Water: Owens Valley and the Los Angeles Aqueduct, 1900-1927." California Historical Quarterly Vol. 55, No. 2 (1976): 98, accessed on July 30, 2013, http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/25157626?uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102193606763.
6. Aquafornia. "Where Does Southern California's Water Come From?", Aquafornia, April 29, 2008, http://www.aquafornia.com/index.php/where-does-southern-californias-water-come-from/ (accessed on July 30, 2013).
7-9 OLSHANSKY, ROBERT B., LAURIE A. JOHNSON, and KENNETH C. TOPPING. "Rebuilding Communities Following Disaster: Lessons from Kobe and Los Angeles."JSTOR. Alexandrine Press, n.d. Web. 31 July 2013