Despite it being a Monday evening, it’s a busy night at the FIG at 7th shopping complex in Downtown Los Angeles.
Small, round bulbs illuminate the tables and chairs below where diners tuck into Mendocino Farms sandwiches and fusion bowls from the food court.
As the evening marches on, the scene only becomes more hectic. A woman scurries down the staircase, juggling her tiny black puppy and her iPhone with her shopping bags. A gaggle of kids dressed in blue soccer uniforms scurry up the escalator, loudly expressing their excitement about their proximity to Sprinkles cupcakes.
Tonight’s scene is a far cry from what used to be here, thanks to the recent boom of construction and industry in Downtown L.A. Originally known as the Seventh Market Place, the 330,000-square-foot shopping center opened in 1986. Bullock’s and May Co. department stores anchored the complex, which housed mostly mom-and-pop shops before Target announced its store opening in November 2010. The mall was renamed 7+Fig in 2000.
Gensler is responsible for the shopping center’s modern aesthetic, including features like a sweeping stairway leading to Figueroa Street and removing the steel cloud that used to crown the complex, replacing it with a modern glass ceiling.
The boom of retail business and real estate in Downtown is only growing, as luxury grocery store Whole Foods is set to open a 41,000-square-foot store this November on Grand Avenue.
The employees of Fig at 7th have witnessed all the changes and Vannessa Wilson, 23, has worked at the shopping center for three years and is working as an attendant in the parking structure. As a child, she used to go with her mother to Macy’s to buy shoes. Although she likes the new improvements, she mentions that she misses some nostalgic elements of the mall’s past.
“I heard there used to be a little cobbler here who was so good.” Wilson said as she checked the time on her phone. “You have people who’ve been here for almost their entire life.”
Tony, who declined to give his last name due to security purposes, has worked as a mall security guard for the past seven years and has a different take on the situation. A veteran of the midnight to 8 p.m. “graveyard” shift, Tony is responsible for guarding the shopping center, the area in front of Ernst & Young Plaza and the immediate sidewalks surrounding the complex on 7th and 8th Streets.
Although Tony generally enjoys his work, he dislikes his level of exposure to the homeless, panhandlers and petitioners who congregate around the shopping center.
“Working outside you deal with all the nuts and the crazy people,” Tony mutters as he strokes the bulky radio attached to his belt. “Generally it’s not too bad, but we can only do so much before we have to call the cops.”
According to LAPD reports, crime has increased across the city this year and downtown has seen the largest increase. Additionally, Mayor Garcetti’s $100 million initiative to fight homelessness has yet to be fully effective. Like Tony, Wilson has also noticed an increased homeless presence around the shopping center.
When she was employed at Target, Wilson experienced hostility when a homeless man attempted to use a stolen credit card to buy groceries. Wilson claims the man grabbed her arm and accused her of being a racist when she refused to perform the transaction. Wilson claims this incident lead to her termination. A representative for Brookfield Properties did not reply to a request for comment about the company’s practices to protect employees from workplace harassment.
A petite woman strides toward Wilson’s parking podium, complaining about the growing line forming in front of the ticket pay stations. Wilson’s face crinkles into a frown as she tries to explain that each line moves at the same pace. Unsatisfied with Wilson’s answer, the woman scoffs and turns back to her friends, sneering at the podium. Wilson sighs. It's just another day on the job,
However, despite her unpleasant personal experience, Wilson thinks the developments and mixing of customers old and new are beneficial for the neighborhood.
“Generally, I think the developments are really good because they bring people together with their family and friends,” she said, motioning to a young family joining the ticket line, water bottles and gym bags in hand. “I like looking at the different people here.”