By Blessen Sealey, Desiree Plascencia, Fernando Leiva, and Brian Winbush
July 11, 2024
Being founded in 1781 by forty-four settlers of Native American, Black, and European descent, the beautiful city of Los Angeles is bound to have gone through major renovations to keep up with the industrial, fashionable, and urban trends occurring throughout the years. LA being an intricate, vast place has led many cities to take their own approach to society’s ever-changing ways. While many cities have kept the aged, deteriorated buildings as places of reminiscence, other cities have taken a modernized approach. How can we reconcile with the old versus the new?
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Photo by Fernando Leiva, Van Nuys
Located in Van Nuys, the Valley Plaza Tower was one of the first towers to be built after LA’s repeal of the 150-foot building restriction during the 1960s. Then part of the bustling Valley Plaza mall, it is now owned by Wells Fargo and remains one of the few occupied buildings in what was once the largest mall on the West Coast in the mid-1950s.
Photo by Brian Winbush, La Brea & Prairie Intersection
The Wesley is the name given to the new, modern apartment complex parallel to Sofi Stadium. The complex’s website exhibits its extensive list of amenities including a terrace from where you can find incredible views, a fitness studio, and a pet spa. This project is a consequence of a greater project by the city of Inglewood to implement as many residences by building apartments instead of large homes. This is the city’s approach to modernizing as it attracts people from all over the world to visit its entertainment venues. “I don’t like it but I know there’s no room to build houses [and] to build single-family homes,” Wendy Ortega, a lifelong Inglewood resident states. “I know [the city] has to build up [but] as a single-family homeowner, views are obstructed.”
Photo by Blessen Sealey, King’s Market
King’s Market sign. This market is a staple in the neighborhood, and like most stores, the quality of the building is declining. The sign itself is weathered and fading, a symbol of the neglect that has befallen the once-vibrant market. It’s disheartening to see the gradual decay of a place that holds so many fond memories for many people. The shopkeepers don’t have the money for the necessary repairs, so its condition is only going to worsen.
Photo by Desiree Plascencia, La Mexicana Meat Maket
La Mexicana Meat Market at 7:52 p.m. near sunset. This local market in the El Sereno community shows its age with a bit of a run-down appearance, but it remains a great spot for fresh meats and authentic ingredients, cherished by locals.
Photo by Brian Winbush, The Forum
No art piece could truly depict how iconic the Forum is, but unfortunately, it’s become the most worn-down entertainment venue in the city of Inglewood. The photo shows rust forming on the entrance sign and traffic signs that have been used numerously. The 57-year-old venue is best known for being the home to the Los Angeles Lakers from 1967 to 1999. Despite hosting The Pop Out: Ken and Friends on June 14, 2024, the venue has lost many of its potential performers to the brand-new arena down the street. The Intuit Dome is set to open on August 15, 2024, hosting many music artists such as Bruno Mars, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, and Usher. These artists are the type of performers the Forum has had selling shows out for the past five decades. The state-of-the-art arena is a way for Inglewood to modernize and attract people globally.
Photo by Brian Winbush, Sofi Stadium
The nearly six billion state-of-the-art stadium really put Inglewood back on the map after losing the Lakers two decades prior. According to a KTLA report, Sofi has been ranked first in the world for touring. It doesn’t get newer than the sleek, shiny steel and the glistening, clear lake that makes it up. The buzz and tourism this stadium creates have urged Inglewood to modernize the city so the entirety of it could look similar to Sofi Stadium.
Photo by Fernando Leiva, Van Nuys
The Valley Plaza Mall was once the largest mall on the West Coast and the third-largest mall in the United States during the mid-1950s. After decades of competition with nearby malls, a perceived rise in crime, and economic decline from the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Valley Plaza mall remains largely shuttered. In the background is NoHo West, a new mall and apartment space that opened in 2021.
Photo by Fernando Levia, Van Nuys
Left: once frequented by locals, the Regency Valley Plaza 6 Theater offered discounted tickets for movies and was a popular spot to visit at the Valley Plaza mall. Like the rest of the mall, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, competition from other theaters, and the Covid-19 pandemic led to the Regency’s decline. It officially closed its doors in 2021.
Right: one street over the Valley Plaza mall, the Regal Theater opened its doors in 2021, attracting residents from nearby neighborhoods to the Noho West mall (Photo by Merlone Geier Partners).
Photo by Desiree Plascencia, El Sereno
As the sun sets in El Sereno, the vibrant mural on the side of A&A Market captures the spirit of the community. The artwork features a classic car cruising through a colorful landscape, with palm trees and a city skyline in the background. The market shows signs of age, and its long-standing presence in the neighborhood. A&A Market remains a beloved spot for locals, offering the “Coldest Beer.”
Communicating Change 