Photos: USC Digital Archives

“Los Angeles, the first great modern metropolis with multiple urban cores, seems determined to remake its urban DNA — and fashion itself, to one degree or another, in the image of New York City. Bruce B. Brugmann, the populist publisher of the San Francisco Bay Guardian, coined the term “Manhattanization” in the 1970s to describe just what we’re seeing. Broadly speaking, it refers to a vertical urbanism in which the entire city serves as a bedroom for a dominant urban core that is chock-full of cultural attractions. Density is a premium value in a successfully Manhattanized city, producing economies of scale, extraordinary concentrations of skills and an entertaining street scene. Human activities are more important than sunlight, nature or individual privacy.”

-Joel Kotkin, “Why the Rush to Manhattanize L.A?”, Los
Angeles Times, August 12, 2007

Joel Kotkin has argued before that Los Angeles is unique in its car-centered, single family home, sunshine and backyard design. He decries those who would turn us towards a denser city, with pedestrian friendly shops, walking and public transit.

His recent L.A. Times article conjures up a city enthralled to big money developers who, in alliance with a sympathetic mayor, are planning and building a downtown that will resemble Manhattan.

But look at these 1930s images from the USC Digital Archives! They truly show a city that aspired, in its art deco buildings, to emulate Gotham. There are 10-story apartment houses that most likely housed middle class people, who enjoyed a clean, urbane and civilized city with parks, shops and restaurants within walking distance. Anyone who desired to go to the beach, could hop a Red Car and ride out to Venice!

1930’s Los Angeles was all about development and making money, just like today. But the city also encouraged, not only single family housing, but a variety of forms that allowed people to both own a car and walk to work. We are too crowded today, to imagine that a city of all cars and houses, where everyone drives, could possibly function well.

We will never be Manhattan. But we can be a little less LA as we try and build a better city.