The possible re-development of the Victorian era, 388-acre Veterans Affairs facility in Westwood is something that should concern all Angelenos. The property is the last large open space between downtown and the Ocean and sits in the midst of the ugliest and most expensively congested section of Los Angeles. Speeding cars along ten lane wide Wilshire Boulevard roar by, while thousands of other vehicles mostly sit in traffic on the San Diego Freeway.

Along with the Federal Building, the district outside of the perimeter of the Veterans’ property is one of the least appealing sections of the city. A pedestrian cannot walk along any of the enormous streets here. A mirrored skyscraper with a blank face looks like a cheap slut on the corner of Wilshire and San Vicente. The gruesome commercialism west of San Vincente, with its cheap plastic signs and discordant, clashing styles of marble skyscrapers, pink stucco mini-malls and oblivious and aggressive mobile phone users in SUV’s, epitomizes what is most wrong with the lifestyle of Los Angeles.

Amidst all this speeding nothingness is the verdant beauty of the Veterans property. Old trees, a lovely if decrepit chapel, and low rise buildings, are a vestige of a slower time when spending time outdoors meant sitting on a shady porch, reading a book..

The most pressing need for Los Angeles is the construction of housing, but it must be done first by laying down a grid and a plan that ties new development into an existing public transportation area. The Veterans property is poorly served by public transportation and can ill afford any additional cars and delivery trucks pouring into a new “mini-city” like Century City or the Grove.

One hopeful sign is that a non-profit group, Veterans Park Conservancy is trying to raise funds for a restoration of the fire damaged Wadsworth Chapel and a new memorial park.

According to the LA Times, “The nonprofit conservancy was formed in 1989 in response to the threat of commercial development. It is raising funds for a 16-acre memorial park at the corner of San Vicente and Wilshire.

The conservancy and the VA are collaborating on stately new fencing featuring columns and wrought iron. As envisioned by designer Mia Lehrer & Associates, the park would feature two rolling meadows ringed by trees, with pathways, gardens and open space for recreation and educational uses. “

These are the type of the plans Los Angeles needs, ones based not only on balance sheets and corporate profits, but for the future needs of all Angelenos.