Great Streets Challenge

How can design be used to promote economic development in neighborhoods across Los Angeles?

As part of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Great Streets Initiative, the 2016 Great Streets Challenge  selected seven winners to receive outreach funding and professional technical assistance as a resource to help re-imagine main streets across Los Angeles.

The winners include four “pop-up” projects—Grant Housing & Economic Development Corporation and Watts Re:Imagined, Proyecto Pastoral, Thai CDC, and West Angeles CDC—and three “build” projects—Pacoima Beautiful, Pico Great Street Collaborative, and South Robertson Community Foundation.

Serving as the economic development consultants for all seven winners, LA-Más has been providing design and strategic resources directed by the priorities and values set forth by the community partners to promote economic development along the selected project areas. Pop-up project winning community partners received either local business maps to highlight nearby businesses and cultural destinations or event passports encouraging attendees and community members to explore playful demonstrations of potential pedestrian safety strategies.

LA-Más will continue working with the build project winners through 2018 to develop design strategies and pilot initiatives to promote local economic development alongside the City’s $1.5 million investment in larger infrastructural changes.

In addition to our wonderful community partners, LA-Más is partnering with the Great Streets Studio, MIG, and LADOT Artist in Residence Alan Nakagawa.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Check out the Local Business Maps here!