AP: Hollywood's construction plan has several weapons up its sleeve

Los Angeles (USA) - Hollywood, the mythical territory where film drama was born, suddenly finds itself in a real drama, where expensive real estate and people with connections to the local city hall play a role. The plot in this case focuses on whether it is already time to liken this Los Angeles suburb to New York City and erect tall skyscrapers here.
The city’s planning commission recently unanimously approved a new plan that allows the construction of buildings in Hollywood with 50 or more floors. The skyscrapers are expected to be connected by a subway lying directly beneath the famous Walk of Fame. The proposal will be presented to the city council in February or March, where it will face its first public hearing before approval.
In the valleys and hills that make up the majority of the residential areas of Hollywood, the plan has already sparked a strong response from residents of homes ranging from huge villa complexes to small century-old apartments. Several residents have already banded together in associations to oppose the plan.
Critics fear that the construction of skyscrapers will lead to a significant increase in traffic, which local residents experienced when luxury hotels and nightclubs like Sky Bar moved in. Moreover, the atmosphere of the area will be destroyed and safety will worsen. They fear they will become prisoners in their own homes, with narrow streets blocked by cars day and night and emergency vehicles unable to reach them.
"I love living in Hollywood. I adore the madness," says Patti Negri, chair of the Hollywood Civic Association. "I don't care when Hollywood and Highland are closed for filming, or when the streets are closed for a show at the Hollywood Bowl. That's why I live here and accept the minor inconveniences that come with it. That's part of the deal. But the new plan is not part of the deal," Negri states.
Negri has lived just off Hollywood Boulevard for 20 years and claims that the implementation of the plan would mean blocking the neighborhood for several hours every day, not to mention blocking views.
Marlon Boarnet, a director at the University of Southern California, believes that the plan illustrates Los Angeles' transformation from a car-centric city to a more mixed-use city where people live and work in skyscrapers and use public transportation. "Los Angeles will have to grow up. There is population pressure, pressure on land prices, and the fact that there are almost no available lots left," he reminds.
Over the last decade, Hollywood has somewhat expanded, undergoing a transformation that has driven away drug dealers, prostitutes, and has become one of the most popular and tourist-frequented places in the city.
Some local residents who oppose the new plan admit that they welcomed the mentioned changes. Musician Chuck E. Weiss has observed over the years how gangs that once roamed the night have gradually been replaced by families walking their dogs. This change has brought new, albeit significantly smaller, problems to the area. At night, they no longer hear gunshots, but they find dog waste on the streets. "But if dog poop is the trade-off for gangsters, I’ll take the former," he adds.
A concern for him and other opponents of the plan is the construction of more high-rise buildings, similar to those already standing here. The 73-story building at the most famous intersection in Hollywood is not only hard to miss but is also plastered with enormous billboards on all sides. "It's horrific. It has always been at odds with the local atmosphere," Weiss expresses a sentiment shared by many.
Planning Commissioner Woo understands these complaints. "It's unfortunate because many buildings here are quite similar, and many people think the new ones will be similar," he says. "We hope that the new plan will encourage architects to design prettier and more imaginative buildings for Hollywood," he adds.
At the same time, however, council members promise that alongside the construction of high-rise buildings, stricter rules for population density will be implemented. "We will definitely maintain the two-family neighborhood rule," says councilman Tom LaBonge. "In some areas, such as around subway stations, density will need to be higher," he admits.