Homes, condos and land for sale and rent in Downtown, LA

A heritage of the city’s founding in 1781, Downtown Los Angeles today is composed of different areas ranging from a fashion district to a skid row, and it is the hub of the city’s Metro rapid transit system. Banks, department stores and movie palaces at one time drew residents and visitors into the area, but the district declined economically and suffered a downturn for decades until its recent renaissance starting in the early 2000s: Old buildings are being modified for new uses, and skyscrapers have been built. Downtown Los Angeles is known for its government buildings, parks, theaters and other public places.

The 2000 U.S. census found that just 27,849 residents lived in the 5.84 square miles of Downtown—or 4,770 people per square mile, among the lowest densities for the city of Los Angeles but about average for the county. The population increased to 34,811 by 2008, according to city estimates. As of 2014 the population of the district had grown to 52,400 residents, and 5200 residential units were under construction. The median age for residents was 39, considered old for the city and the county.

Downtown Los Angeles is almost evenly balanced among the four major racial and ethnic groups – Asian Americans (23%), African Americans (22%), Latinos (25%) and non-Hispanic Whites (26%), according to an analysis of 2010 census data made by Loyola Marymount University researchers.

A study of the 2000 census showed that Downtown was the second-most diverse neighborhood in Los Angeles, its diversity index being 0.743, outrated only by Mid-Wilshire. The ethnic breakdown in 2000 was: Latinos, 36.7%; blacks, 22,3%; Asians, 21.3%; whites, 16.2%, and others, 3.5%. Mexico (44.7%) and Korea (17%) were the most common places of birth for the 41.9% of the residents who were born abroad, about the same ratio as in the city as a whole.

Downtown Los Angeles is flanked by Echo Park to the north and northwest, Chinatown to the northeast, Boyle Heights to the east, Vernon to the south, Historic South Central and University Park to the southwest and Pico-Union and Westlake to the west.
Downtown is bounded on the northeast by Cesar Chavez Avenue, on the east by the Los Angeles River, on the south by the Los Angeles city line with Vernon, on the southwest by East Washington Boulevard and on the west by the 110 Freeway or Beaudry Avenue, including the entire Four Level Interchange with Highway 101.

Downtown residents aged 25 and older holding a four-year degree amounted to 17.9% of the population in 2000, about average in the city and the county, but there was a high percentage of residents with less than a high school diploma.

These are the elementary or secondary schools within the neighborhood’s boundaries:

• Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, LAUSD high school, 450 North Grand Avenue
• Downtown Business High School, LAUSD alternative, 1081 West Temple Street
• California Academy for Liberal Studies Early College High School, LAUSD charter, 700 Wilshire Boulevard
• Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School, LAUSD charter, 644 West 17th Street
• Abram Friedman Occupational School, LAUSD adult education, 1646 South Olive Street
• Metropolitan Continuation School, LAUSD, 727 South Wilson Street
• Para Los Ninos Middle School, LAUSD charter, 1617 East Seventh Street
• Jardin de la Infancia, LAUSD charter elementary, 307 East Seventh Street
• Saint Malachy Catholic Elementary School, private, 1200 East 81st Street
• Tri-C Community Day School, LAUSD, 716 East 14th Street
• City of Angels, LAUSD alternative school, 1449 South San Pedro Street (formerly Central High School)
• San Pedro Street Elementary School, LAUSD, 1635 South San Pedro Street
• Saint Turibius Elementary School, private, 1524 Essex Street
• American University Preparatory School, private, 345 South Figueroa Street

The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is at 800 South Hope Street, and the Colburn School for music and the performing arts is at 200 South Grand Avenue

• The Metro Expo Line was built in two phases and completed in 2016. The first phase of the project connected 7th Street/Metro Center Station downtown with Culver City via the former Pacific Electric Railway Santa Monica Air Line right-of-way. The second phase extended the line to Santa Monica. The Expo Line shares tracks with the Metro Blue Line north of Washington Boulevard, and shares both the Pico Station and 7th Street/Metro Center Station with the Blue Line.
• Los Angeles Union Station is set to be a major stop on the under-construction California High-Speed Rail system, though it will not be a part of the project’s Initial Operating Segment. The project would connect Northern and Southern California via the San Joaquin Valley, with service averaging 220 miles per hour (350 km/h).
• Under construction as of June 2016, the Regional Connector Transit Corridor will connect the Blue, Expo, and Gold Lines between the Little Tokyo/Arts District (which will be renamed “1st Street/Central”) and 7th Street/Metro Center stations.
• Work is planned to bring streetcar-style trolley service to Downtown Los Angeles via Broadway, connecting the L.A. Live development with the Grand Avenue cultural corridor and Bunker Hill.