Though it's one of the densest areas in Los Angeles, it's also one of the most transit-savvy -- with an ongoing commitment to going 'green.'
The Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles is a bustling hub of youth and working professionals, who, if nothing else, share one practice in common: commuting.
Home to corporate office skyscrapers and hotels as well as banks, real estate corporations and law firms, the district is just south of Bunker Hill - but the public transit system in place and its relatively decent air quality are fairly new phenomena.
LA’s Financial District as we know it came into existence less than two decades ago, when the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency sought to provide an alternative to the old Spring Street Financial District, which began to decline in the late 20th century. When it migrated west to Bunker Hill to become today's Financial District, many office buildings were left vacant. However, under an adaptive reuse ordinance, these offices were transformed into lofts and luxury apartment complexes - which led to an influx of new residents and increase in the overall population.
Today, 16 years later, the Financial District is home to 1,724 people in an area of 0.201 square miles. And with 8,579 people per square mile, its population density is actually denser than that of the city of Los Angeles as a whole, which only has 8,281 people per square mile, according to City-Data.com.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, composed of Metro Rail and Metro Liner, as well as LADOT, composed of the DASH and Commuter Express buses, provide subway, light rail and bus services throughout the Financial District and to other parts of Greater Los Angeles.
Light rail has driven much of the expansion of Los Angeles' mass transit systems, which have recently been at the forefront of infrastructure innovation, thanks to Metro.
With a service area of 1,433 square miles that’s only expanding, Metro in Los Angeles serves as a transportation coordinator, designer, builder and operator.
"Metro takes a holistic approach with Regional Connector, EV chargers, coordination with other partners within district regarding active transportation, as well as transit oriented developments," said Dr. Cris Leban, Metro's Executive Officer of Environment and Sustainability.
So what made companies such as Metro and LADOT realize the need for change and more earth-friendly transit?
Transportation emissions account for almost 40 percent of all emissions in California, according to Leban. Therefore, Metro’s commitment toward a better environment has begun with public transit that seeks to consistently innovate ways to reduce these emissions and promote a healthier atmosphere.
Metro's vision is to be the leader in “maximizing sustainability efforts and its benefits to LA County’s people, finances and environment,” according to its website, which also advocates tips residents can use to be more eco-friendly in their day to day lives.
To meet this goal, the agency has focused its sustainability efforts in countywide planning and environmental compliance and services. It also claims to be reducing 2.5 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions every day. And in the Financial District, its efforts seem to have been paying off.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the district typically hovers between "moderate" and "good." On Tuesday, October 13, the AQI high of 61 was considered moderate, and on Wednesday, October 14, the AQI high of 38 was considered good.
As for LADOT, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powers 100 percent of the Department’s Commuter Express fleet and 58 percent of the DASH fleet.
“The Department of Transportation strives to reduce transit emissions by replacing the existing 88 propane-powered transit vehicles by CNG-powered and zero-emission electric vehicles,” LADOT Transit and ITS Manager Julie Vasquez said.
Vasquez also noted that the Department currently regulates authorized taxicabs permitted to operate within city limits and mandates that 75 percent of each taxicab franchise’s fleet be powered by 'green' technology. It also regularly inspects these vehicles to ensure compliance with the city’s regulations and goals.
LADOT operates the second largest fleet in Los Angeles County and serves approximately 30 million passenger boardings per year.
In the Financial District, the area as a whole has transformed from a congested neighborhood solely for professionals to a more holistic, commuter-friendly metropolis in Downtown Los Angeles.
Despite this significant overall progress, however, officials say innovating and enforcing policies on going green and becoming more eco-friendly in the community is always a work in progress.
"There is no one solution to this issue, but this is a good start for discussion,” Leban remarked.