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Next Stop: Wilshire and Crenshaw?
This lot could serve as a subway station. Photo by LA Wad via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Metro has intimated that they'll be voting on a preliminary line for their proposed Wilshire extension later next year, and hopes to connect their "current terminus in Koreatown to the Westside," explains MetroRider LA. But where the stops will be are still very much in flux; "one of the stations along the line is still kept as optional: Wilshire Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard."
Why not put a stop there? Area residents who call historic neighborhoods like Park Mile, Windsor Square, and Windsor Village home are opposing the proposed station, fearing a subway station would mar the original vision of their community. The HPOZ protection also limits development, which means future additions to the area capitalizing on the station's presence will be slim to none. And already the area is a bit barren in terms of retail and other transit rider-friendly amenities.
However, as the extensive and detailed MetroRider LA piece points out, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for this possible stop. There is a significant corridor of apartments and condos nearby that may house riders with needs that trump the wishes of the "mansion dwellers" in the more affluent segments of the area. There are also offices and schools that can be served here. And in a time of land shortage in so much of our urban space, there are some lots already in the area that could well serve as stations.
So, next stop: Wilshire and Crenshaw?
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