Leimert Park Archives - Across Los Angeles

I write a blog about Los Angeles. Mostly, I cover the places and history that formed us. It is not a career for me, but I do it only because I love this city so much.

I also know a lot about sports. So much so, I used to cover it in a previous life. I try to keep my blog void of social or political commentary because I don’t strive to divide people any further. At the same time, I feel compelled to address this incident with Donald Sterling. Not just because it appalls me, but because it could be used as a focal point to bring us closer.

I don’t have anything new to comment on his taped conversation. We all know it’s wrong. It’s despicable. There’s no place for it in today’s society. The question at hand is what do we do?

To start, we all know Donald Sterling can’t own the Clippers anymore. Not even anyone from his family. Even if the NBA doesn’t have the power to remove him, Sterling knows he has to sell. Every moment he holds onto this franchise, he loses value. His corporate sponsorship will flee and so will the fans. Imagine if you’re a free agent? Would you take this blood money? What would be left of this franchise?

The league should assume control of the Clippers, a la New Orleans Hornets(now Pelicans). The NBA doesn’t have the power to do so, but the pressure will mount in the following weeks that it’ll eventually come to this. While there would be an endless supply of suitors, the process is going to take some time to complete. Think McCourt’s sale of the Dodgers.

You don’t have to be new to the sports scene to recognize how bad the Clipper franchise has been. Historically bad. Even if you factor in their recent success, they’ve won only 37% of their games in their thirty seasons in Los Angeles. And it isn’t only by accident. You can see the signs. He doesn’t respect people.

Los Angeles Sports Arena

Under Sterling’s control, you could never truly say the Clippers were run bad because you questioned whether they were being run at all! They played in a sub-standard arena for many years with the bare essentials for amenities. Big name free agents would stay away and the ones that did come never seemed excited to be here. Their preparation was always a step behind because of Sterling’s reluctance to pay for a quality and quantity sized coaching staff. The team trained in gyms and health clubs until they got their own practice facility, eight years after the Lakers built one.

The list could go on. No matter how bad the team was run, they would still turn a profit with all the league revenue coming in. Even when moving to Staples Center in 1999 allowed a larger base of corporate dollars, the team continued to be a fixture in the NBA draft lottery. The Clippers had only one winning team in their first twelve seasons at the new arena, but were racking in much larger profits than the Sports Arena.

It wasn’t until Chris Paul’s arrival that the team’s fortunes began to change. With Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan’s development, the Clippers became not only a championship contender, but also the most exciting team in the league. Money was being spent on players, facilities and also acquired the highest paid coach in the NBA.

On the surface, it appeared like the Clippers were becoming basketball’s Camelot. Yet, no matter how good things were going, you could never completely buy-in because of Sterling’s history of decision making, questionable business practices and discrimination allegations. All that reared its ugly head last Friday.

No matter how this resolves itself, the Clippers will always mean Donald Sterling. He has been the only owner Los Angeles has known. You can remove the man, but not his legacy. In the same way you correlate the Celtics and Lakers with Red Auerbach and Jerry Buss, you have the exact opposite association for Sterling.

That’s why we must remove the Clipper name from this organization. This is an opportunity not only to rid us from the past, but to define a new future. To bring us more together. Let’s have a new team name that celebrates our city’s history, one we all can relate too.

My suggestion is to link the name with our rich black history. I may not have a name in mind, but looking into our past might generate some ideas. Honoring Jackie Robinson in some form is a good place to start. While it is known that he was a Pasadena native and UCLA student, few know he briefly played basketball for professionally integrated team. They were called the Los Angeles Red Devils which might serve as a proper name done right.

Central Avenue is a region that could be celebrated as it was known as the “Harlem of the West”. For the early half of of the 20th century,

Dunbar Hotel

this was the Jazz center of the city as many of the greats, such as Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington, would play here. The Dunbar Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as it used to house many of these musicians during the segregation era. Perhaps the name of the hotel or some of the artist’s names or musical styles could be incorporated into a new name.

We can also look further west to places like Leimert Park and the Crenshaw District to find inspiration. I always thought the Los Angeles Mavericks would have been a great name to honor the jazz club(Maverick’s Flat) if it wasn’t already taken. The possibilities are endless and I’m sure there are many that have better suggestions. I’m only trying to get the conversation started.

While finding the proper name might take some time, choosing the right one can have a sweeping effect on how the franchise is perceived. You can look towards the recent rebranding of the Nets colors and logo to see how quickly we’ve disassociated them from their New Jersey past. For the Clippers, I believe they can change their persona without relocating. They have to.

Los Angeles is a very separated place. Few things unite us, but sports tends to cross all lines. If you’ve ever attended a championship parade, you’ll notice people from every race, religion and neighborhood. That’s how easy it is to bring us together. Let’s not let Donald Sterling tear us apart.

One of the more intriguing parts of Los Angeles to me is the Leimert Park/Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills area south of the 10 freeway. Maybe people have been scared off by the stories of gang violence and the like, but when you drive by the shops, churches and homes you sense a proud community that has a depth of culture many places lack.

By over a two to one ratio, this region largely serves the African-American community. It is filled with many modest sized family houses with the coziness of a 1930′s & 40′s upcrop. The area is ripe with unique small businesses, boutiques and murals that a majority of our neighborhoods lack(I live in the valley). It is fifteen minutes away from the beach, downtown and the airport(sans traffic). Expo Rail has been a successful transit alternative and soon the Crenshaw line will give more north-south options.

This area seems to be emerging out of its remnants of urban decay, but it still has a long way to go. Crime is still a major problem. You’ll find your fair share of abandoned buildings and unfulfilled construction. Which brings me here.

Back in 2008, I started working in the community and people who would see me with a camera knew that I was part of some type of redevelopment effort. Many conversations were had, but the universal message I got was that people were seeking the same kind of amenities that any community would want. Most of us take for granted the pleasant little communes we call shopping malls, but many would travel to such places as Fox Hills, Westside Pavilion or the South Bay Galleria to have an experience that was safer and more upscale.

Ultimately, they wanted to all this in their own backyard and who can blame them? We’re all Angelinos who hate traffic.

Santa Barbara Plaza(or Marlton Square) is a largely vacant collection of properties that lies directly west of the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Plaza. Surprisingly, the Grove/Farmer’s Market combination is roughly the same size. Santa Barbara Plaza was borne largely out of the 40′s and 50′s, but even thirty years ago people were starting to look into its redevelopment.

Slowly, businesses started to move out while providing the opposite action of attracting the homeless with some bringing their campers. Ownership problems plagued the plaza and the portion owned by the Community Redevelopment Agency was put into limbo since Governor Brown dismantled the organization. It can be much better explained in this article from the Leimert Park Beat.

Santa Barbara Plaza

While many of the dilapidated buildings have been demolished since that time, the question begs what will come of this land?

Part of the answer may lie with its neighbor. Crenshaw Plaza was facing abandonment issues of its own as stores and restaurants started to close one by one(although I think the Blockbuster died from natural causes).

The addition of the Magic Johnson Theaters in the mid nineties brought hope to the area, but still businesses failed. In 2006, the plaza was bought by Capri Capital and extensive changes were made.

The exterior was either renovated and/or modernized. The theaters transformed into a Rave pictures complex that makes you think of a developing Glendale.

A new Staples supplanted a Sizzler. A Buffalo Wild Wings correctly replaced the antiquated practice of renting videos and even a Chipotle popped up!(Quick question: is getting a Chipotle now the Jump the Shark moment when you’ve arrived?)

Lastly, Post & Beam is the type of restaurant I’d love to have in my neighborhood. Upscale California cuisine by an accomplished staff at non-Rodeo Drive prices. So much right has seemed to happen that you’d almost think that Westfield sprinkled their pixie dust on it.

Can this happen to Santa Barbara Plaza? Currently a few buildings exist and I’m too afraid to check if they’re operating or not(I’ve only been able to make it halfway through season 2 of Breaking Bad).

On the west side of the lot, the first “phase” of redevelopment was to start in 2003 with a new three building Senior Housing facility. Only one actually got built, but it remained unopened due to bankruptcy. The property was vacant long enough that when funding was restored, the building needed to be refurbished.

As for the rest of the 22 acre lot, Kaiser Permanente bought the eastern half to construct new office space over a year ago, but there is yet to be a shovel put into the ground.

While Los Angeles seems to have picked up where it left off from the development boon halted by the recession, will someone take the mantle to create the vision here so many have hoped for? Even people new to the area can see the potential of growth. With the Crenshaw Line soon to come, one would hope something will be done while the impetus is still there.

Across Los Angeles

Another Perfect Day

Tag Archives: Leimert Park

To cleanse us from Sterling, we must remove the Clipper name!

Crenshaw evolving: Looking at the future of Santa Barbara Plaza