clock menu more-arrow

LA River

City votes to acquire 41 acres known as the ‘crown jewel’ of LA River’s revitalization

by Jenna Chandler

A former industrial site, the soil will have to be cleaned up before it can be turned into parkland. But the acquisition is a big deal—the land is central to the river’s restoration.

New, 2 comments

Aerial photos show off the strange beauty of the LA River

by Elijah Chiland

The under-appreciated body of water looks stunning in images captured by photographer Chang Kim. Taken using drones, the images capture segments of the river as it passes through LA’s diverse landscape.

New, 0 comments

Trendy tenants moving into new Frogtown mixed user

by Elijah Chiland

The two-building former industrial property has been converted into retail and creative office space by developer RedCar Properties. Now, such tenants as Philadelphia-based La Colombe Coffee Roasters are moving in.

New, 6 comments

Councilman comes up with way to fund LA River upgrades—it could generate $50M

by Bianca Barragan

Some of that money could fill in funding gaps for an epic, $1-billion restoration project.

New, 1 comment

Part of LA River bike path closed weekdays until March

by Elijah Chiland

The Army Corps of Engineers is facilitating a big cleanup of part of the LA River and to facilitate the work, LADOT is closing a stretch of the river-adjacent bike trail Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New, 6 comments

The 20-year-old LA River Master Plan is getting an update

by Elijah Chiland

The LA County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to update a planning document mapping out the revitalization of the LA River for the first time since 1996. The move is apparently intended to reconcile disparate visions for the river's future.

New, 4 comments

There's a new plan for Studio City's contentious LA River-adjacent golf course

by Bianca Barragan

The latest plan calls for constructing 200 apartments on a smaller segment of the property, which would also gain new paths and access points to the Los Angeles River. The river borders Weddington to the south.

New, 5 comments

A whopping new, $252M price tag for LA River's 'crown jewel'

by Bianca Barragan

City analysts say the most expensive part of overhauling a 40-acre parcel that's central to the river's restoration plan—which calls for it to become a public park—will be "soil cleanup" to remove lead, arsenic, and other contaminants.

New, 14 comments

Newsletter

By signing up you agree to our terms of use.
Send Curbed LA a tip

Flashy Atwater Village-Griffith Park bridge is way over budget

by Bianca Barragan

Local real estate mogul Morton La Kretz, owner of Crossroads of the World, offered to kick in much of the costs, but that was when the project was estimated to cost $5 million. Now the figure is at $13 million.

New, 10 comments
Map
  • Maps

Mapped: Where to Find LA's Public Art Biennial

by Bianca Barragan

This weekend, LA's first citywide public art show will open, and it all centers on the theme of water. Installations will spring up across the city, at places like the LA River, Echo Park Lake, and Hansen Dam, and be up for the next month.

Fireworks set the LA River in Frogtown ablaze last night

by Bianca Barragan

Though it burned for less than an hour, the fire in the LA River looked scary as heck. Allegedly started by fireworks, the blaze didn't cause any injuries. We hope this is not a new trend.

New, 11 comments

City approves 11-mile makeover of the LA River

by Elijah Chiland

On Wednesday, the LA City Council approved the ambitious Alternative 20 plan, backed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to restore and revitalize an 11 mile stretch of the LA River between Griffith Park and Downtown.

New, 3 comments

Video: Frank Gehry on the LA River

by Bianca Barragan

The starchitect and his team are studying myriad aspects of the LA River as part of Gehry's effort to master plan the 51-mile waterway. Now, he's dropping knowledge via his new website, the LA River Index.

New, 7 comments

The LA River bike path is finally open again

by Jeff Wattenhofer

Since February, the bike path has been closed from Fletcher Drive to the 134 freeway. But the path might not be a smooth ride just yet, cyclists should watch out for "concrete and jagged rock."

When Will the LA River Bike Path Fully Reopen?

by Jeff Wattenhofer

Though barriers are being removed right now, there's a chance that it might be July before things are really opened up.

Hundred-Year-Old Hobo Markings Hidden On LA River

by Elijah Chiland

Anthropologist Susan Phillips has found numerous examples of "hobo graffiti" beneath a bridge constructed in 1913, including the signatures of "Oakland Red," "Kid Bill," and the most famous hobo of all: "A-No. 1."

New, 4 comments

Watch: All the Fun Stuff to Do on the LA River

by Bianca Barragan

The LA River's recreation zones open on Memorial Day, and the possibilities for riverside diversion are endless. A new video showcases a few of the awesome activities that people can do on the river, from kayaking to capoeira.

New, 1 comment

How to Fun it Up on the LA River This Summer

by Bianca Barragan

For the third summer, Angelenos will have two recreation zones open to them along the LA River, beginning this Memorial Day. Starting May 30, the LA River will be open from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, for summertime fun.

Meet the Artists of the LA River Biennial Show

by Elijah Chiland

Mayor Eric Garcetti has revealed the artists selected to create pieces for LA's new public art biennial, set to open along the LA River this summer. They work in sound, sculpture, performance, and many other media; here's a look at their art.

Inner Tube Race on the LA River This Weekend!

by Pauline O'Connor

LA-zy River is the brainchild of comedian Kurt Braunohler and writer/actor Lauren Cook, who were inspired by the rafts of El Niño-related news coverage promising storms of Biblical proportions. Little rain showed up, but it's enough for tubing.

How the Elite Have Co-Opted the Future of the LA River

by Adrian Glick Kudler

Now that activists and organizers have made the river appealing again, the rich and powerful are swooping in.

New, 6 comments

Saddle Up to an Equestrian Ranch in Atwater Village For $2.15 Million

by Pauline O'Connor

Sited next to the LA River and the 5 Freeway, the 1.2-acre property accommodates up to 38 horses

New, 3 comments

Exploring the River Confluence Where Modern LA Was Born

by Bianca Barragan

In the latest installment of his online series, unstoppable explorer/historian Tom Carroll of Tom Explores Los Angeles uses some wacky and fun 360-degree video tech to lay out his argument that the confluence of the Los Angeles River and the A...

Los Angeles Abandons Plans to Rehabilitate Prime LA River Site For 2024 Olympics

by Adrian Glick Kudler

The LA 2024 Olympic Bid Committee has abandoned big, ambitious plans to build the Olympic Village on a long-coveted site along the LA River near Downtown LA, and instead will (if Los Angeles wins the bid) house athletes on UCLA's campus. Womp...

LA River Around Griffith Park Getting Temporary Barriers to Prevent El Niño Flooding

by Bianca Barragan

A set of storms moving through Los Angeles earlier this week dumped tons of rain across town and brought flooding to streets and freeways in some parts of the city. To avoid even worse rain repercussions along a section of the LA River where an...

LA River Flood Control Project Put in Jeopardy Just as Huge El Niño Storm Hits

by Bianca Barragan

With the flooding and river-like conditions created on Los Angeles streets by just a day of steady rain this week, it's easy to imagine how a whole winter of El Niño storms could really do some damage to Los Angeles. The city hasn't delayed on...

Scientist: We Should Just Let the LA River Flood Sometimes

by Bianca Barragan

The soon-to-be-revitalized Los Angeles River is the concrete flood control channel that it is today because in the early days of the city it flooded frequently and disastrously, often enough and with devastating enough consequences that the Army...

Mapped: Every Building in Los Angeles Designed By Frank Gehry

by Bianca Barragan

Starchitect and generally feisty dude Frank Gehry has been working in Los Angeles for more than 50 years, and is still going strong with a handful of big new projects underway in the city. He doesn't seem to be slowing down, but 50 years in the...

LA Closing 12 Miles of Gaps in Bike/Walking Paths Along the River's Valley Section

by Bianca Barragan

Biking the LA River can be scenic, but it can also be frustrating, as there are often breaks in the path. Just riding from Elysian Valley to the river's headwaters in Canoga Park, a cyclist could encounter about 12 miles of interruptions in trails...

Can the 2024 Olympics Save the Most Contentious Piece of Land on the LA River?

by Bianca Barragan

If Los Angeles wins its bid for the 2024 Olympics, it could finally bring to a head a years-long battle over a key property on the eastern side of the LA River known as Piggyback Yard. Los Angeles's Olympic bid book names Piggyback as the site for...

LA Getting $25 Million from California to Buy 40-Acre Parcel Along the River

by Bianca Barragan

The state of California is kicking in $25 million towards helping LA buy an over-40-acre property that's sandwiched between the LA River and the existing Rio de Los Angeles State Park in Glassell Park and Cypress Park. The LA Times reports that...

Frank Gehry Tells People Who Are Worried About His LA River Plan to "Grow Up"

by Bianca Barragan

The LA River is a sensitive subject for many of the gentrification-fearing people who live near it and for those who've worked for years and decades toward revitalizing it. So it's understandable that when it was revealed that Frank Gehry had been...

More Stories