Story highlights Downtown Los Angeles has transformed from a business district to a center of culture

Iconic art deco buildings have been repurposed, and the dining scene has exploded

(CNN) Not long ago, it was hard to imagine downtown Los Angeles as anything more than a gritty, rundown neighborhood.

Dilapidated abandoned structures made up the fabric of the region, which consists of 16 districts and spans 5.84 square miles (15 square kilometers).

Come night time, the streets were deserted as the workforce, from industries as varied as finance and retail, made its escape to greener pastures such as Orange County.

But it hadn't always been that way.

At the turn of the 20th Century, downtown was a desirable location and iconic buildings -- such as the Million Dollar Theater and the Biltmore Hotel, which still stand today -- were constructed.

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