THE PHANTOM THEATRES OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

A hundred years ago, Downtown L.A. was a West Coast version of Midtown Manhattan, or downtown Chicago.  The sidewalks were full of people, the streets were full of trams and cars.

And with the support of cinema industry, Broadway Los Angeles became the cinema version of Broadway New York.

Big glamorous movie theatres started to appear in 1910, and soon there was a string of them. Twelve movie palaces between Third and Ninth Street, on South Broadway, and a few more in the surrounding streets. Los Angeles, entertainment capital of the world. The star-studded premieres were divided between theatres in Hollywood and downtown. 

But concentration in L.A did not work out.  Starting with Miracle Mile, alternative urban centers appeared in different parts of the L.A. basin, and people had the option of avoiding Downtown L.A. if they wanted.....and they did. 

And if Downtown L.A. today is relatively unpopular for many reasons, Broadway is even worse. It is frankly considered one of the most rundown areas of downtown L.A. 

One of the biggest victims was those famous movie theatres.  All those regular customers disappeared into the residential wilderness. For years Broadway survived offering services to the Latino community, and they are still at it today. Some are churches, some are stores. Some are nightclubs.....Survivors include the Orpheum and the Mayan. 

 But the movies? the star studded premieres?   They are ghosts of a past that will not return. 

Is it worthwhile to see what is left?   Maybe. If you are a fan of fancy buildings. And you like ghosts. 
Please tolerate the area, which has complicated parking and very few people willing to provide public restrooms. 

Interested?  You can go to downtown in public transportation, as many people do today, and simply walk down to that magical stretch of Broadway. Don't worry, its relatively safe. While you are there, its worth seeing the Columbia Eastern Building, one of the nicest. Even if it never was a theatre.  

The City doesn't get it. As long as Downtown Los Angeles doesn't offer what the malls offer......

For more detailed info, go to the wikipedia page for The Theatre District. Los Angeles....