Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, appearing at an Oct. 21 panel hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, said that the goal of downtown’s revitalization effort is to restore “the excitement of an earlier time.”

“We’re trying to capture the essence of what downtown was – an incredible city center,” she said, “a destination that had balanced land uses, interesting venues and great architecture.”

The changing downtown landscape was the focus of the panel discussion titled “The Transformation of Los Angeles: From the Public Lens,” which took place on the top floor of City Hall’s Bradley Tower. The event was part of the SPPD Dean’s Speaker Series.

“SPPD’s connection to local government in Los Angeles has been a defining characteristic of our school since its establishment in 1929,” said SPPD Dean Jack H. Knott, who moderated the event. “And we are committed to continuing this tradition of advancing innovative public leadership today.”

Panelists included Bud Ovrom, deputy mayor of Los Angeles; Vince Bertoni, deputy director of the Los Angeles planning department; and Hal Bastian, vice president and director of economic development for the Downtown Center Business Improvement District.

Throughout the discussion, members of the panel offered their vision for the future of downtown and also analyzed issues facing the city’s plans for growth and development.

In particular, public transportation emerged as a key concern amid the city’s widespread traffic congestion.

Perry, who serves as chair of the Exposition Light Rail Authority, noted that the city is in the process of expanding the Metro Blue Line to Culver City and, ultimately, connecting it to Santa Monica.

“For the people who say, ‘I can’t get to downtown,’ this will be the light-rail alternative way to get there, and it’s a positive (mode of transit) in terms of air quality,” Perry said.

Bertoni added that public transit is growing increasingly important as Los Angeles continues to develop on “dual tracks.”

“It is developing as a regional center and as a neighborhood – and those are two different types of development,” he said. “Transportation is critical to both.

“In the future, the viability of neighborhoods will be integrally linked to their proximity to good public transit, because that’s going to be the only way of getting around. It’s an issue that needs to be solved both region-wide and in our neighborhood plan for downtown.”

The speakers also addressed the roadblocks confronting downtown’s revitalization plans.

Ovrum said that the “fractioned” governance system in Los Angeles – especially with regard to the sometimes disparate relationship between the city and the county – can slow down redevelopment projects.

Another potential obstacle is the nation’s current financial meltdown.

According to Perry, funding for the Grand Avenue development project has felt the sting of the declining economy.

However, Bastian said that interest in downtown among real estate and retail brokers remains high.

“Although there are challenges in the market, there is no diminution of interest in downtown as a marketplace – and we are really exited about it,” he said.

In addition, the panelists explained how policies tied to downtown’s transformation have helped fuel innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors.

For example, the adaptive reuse ordinance, which took effect in 1999, allows for the conversion of underutilized commercial buildings for apartments, condominiums and mixed-use facilities.

According to Ovrum, the ordinance “ignited the ability of the private sector to take those buildings and renovate them.”

“Here was a policy the city adopted that triggered like wildfire and caused a great many of buildings to get recycled without government subsidy,” Ovrum said.

Bertoni agreed, stating that “adaptive reuse is a great example of how the private sector is ready to make the investment in the area without financial commitment from the city.”