Creation of L.A. 'Fashion Park' Pitched to City Officials
A major “fashion park” with creative, manufacturing and warehouse space as well as employee housing and a big stage for fashion shows could be built in downtown Los Angeles if the city follows recommendations recently unveiled by the Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee.
The committee was formed in October 2006 by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. It consists of business leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors. The committee spent the past 15 months identifying key growth areas and sectors that could improve Los Angeles’ economy with jobs and opportunities. Among eight areas singled out was apparel manufacturing.
The Jan. 23 report said an unnamed Southern California apparel company is behind the idea of building a fashion park, a concept growing in manufacturing bases such as Latin America and Southeast Asia. The company wants to relocate to an industrial site in downtown. The business pitched the idea of a central fashion park and corporate headquarters with housing for about 450 employees as well as a theater for fashion shows, an educational facility and space for other apparel companies.
LAEJC is supporting the idea because of the number of jobs it would create and retain. Though it does not manufacture locally, the apparel company is proposing locating its design, administrative and operational activities at the site. It already has more than 1,000 workers based in Los Angeles County.
The LAEJC is proposing working with the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency to optimize construction costs. It also said planning could begin as soon as this month.
The committee also recommended expanding the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach by expediting approvals of intermodal and green-growth projects associated with the ports and seeking alternative funding for infrastructure improvements, such as imposing tolls on several area bridges leading to and from the ports. It also recommended creating “truck only” lanes on the Long Beach 710, Interstate 15 and SR 60 freeways.
“The city of Los Angeles must adopt a stronger, more-proactive set of policies and priorities that strengthen its key industries, make better use of city-owned assets and ensure that government works effectively through innovative public-private partnerships,” said Russell Goldsmith, chairman of the LAEJC, in a statement before the Los Angeles City Council.
Other recommendations in the report include creating technology and entertainment zones to create incentives for those industries and expanding LAX.
“The report contains lots of good ideas and action proposals. I hope they come to fruition,” said Jack Kyser, senior vice president and chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. “Some of the steps would not be hard to implement, especially those involving the creative industries, but City Hall is also dealing with a constrained budget.” Kyser said a fashion park would expand the apparel industry, which in turn would expand the Los Angeles economy. “You would see lots of benefits,” he said.
—Robert McAllister
