For as long as anyone can remember, Downtown Los Angeles has been a 9-to-5 CBD. Workers drove into downtown, filling in the new skyscrapers built in the 80s in the Financial District, and a mass exodus ensued at 5pm. After employees quickly dashed back home to the suburbs, Downtown LA became a veritable ghost town inhabited only by the entrenched social dysfunction of Skid Row. Downtown LA was forlorn and the Historic Core–bounded by 3rd St, Los Angeles St, Olympic Blvd, and Hill St–sat hollow without any sign of hope for a brighter future.

I remember those days when Downtown LA seemed beyond any chance of repair. On occasion as a high schooler, I would drive through Downtown LA, touring an area that seemed utterly fascinating, with beautiful architecture and a true urban city grid–a treasure–yet completely ignored. Our city’s heart was essentially dead. And moving back to LA after studying at UC Berkeley where I would frequently venture into San Francisco’s lively urban core, I dreamed of LA resuscitating our own urban heart back to life.

Fast forward to 2011, and my dreams are coming true. LA’s Historic Core (aka “Old Town Los Angeles”) is now becoming a bona fide neighborhood with thousands of residents that have moved in over the last decade. Beautiful historic buildings after historic buildings have been converted to lofts and condos and have become the solid foundation for revitalization.

I took many of these pictures during the last art walk, which happens on the second Thursday of the month. They give us a glimpse into the future of Downtown LA with streets filled with shops and pedestrians, and the possibilities of accomplishing the Holy Grail of LA, restoring the heartbeat back to our city’s urban core.

Night Toast @ 653 S. Spring St.

LA Cafe @ 639 S. Spring St.

Coffee Bar @ 600 S. Spring St.

Emperory @ 600 S. Spring St.

SixHundred @ 600 S. Spring St.

Stanton James @ 600 S. Spring St.

Round 2 LA @ 600 S. Spring St.

Salon 6 @ 548 S. Spring St.

KapSoul @ 548 S. Spring St.

Spring Street MAC @ 600 S. Spring St.

Syrup & City Grill @ 611 S. Spring St.

The Falls @ 626 S. Spring St.

The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles @ 453 S. Spring St.

Buzz Wine Beer Shop @ 460 S. Spring St.

Bolt Barbers @ 460 S. Spring St.

Rosslyn Lofts @ 451 S. Main St.

(Sub)Urban Home @ 101 W. 5th St.

Cotrutza Fine Art @ 446 S. Main St.

LA Lofts in Old Bank District

Pete’s Cafe @ 400 S. Main St.

Blends @ 125 W. 4th St.

Spring Street Park

Silo Vodka Lounge @ 221 W. 7th St.

Los Angeles Brewing Company @ 750 S. Broadway