On to the General Election,                         LA Primary Results
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

On to the General Election, LA Primary Results

The results from the June 2, Los Angeles primary election have been certified, setting the stage for a general election in November with a historic mayoral runoff and major shakeups in key city offices. The election underscored a growing political tug-of-war between L.A.’s center-left Democratic establishment and the progressive movement.  

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Fica Fica Coffee DTLA Opens                         at 418 Pico Blvd.
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Fica Fica Coffee DTLA Opens at 418 Pico Blvd.

There is a new coffee establishment in the neighborhood!  Fica Fica Coffee DTLA is located on Pico, mid-block between Hope Street and Grand Ave.  The clean, modern but somewhat sparce shop offers comfort and privacy to patrons as well as a multi-varied menu of creative coffee and tea drinks. 

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4th of July BBQ at Cara Cara
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

4th of July BBQ at Cara Cara

There’s no better place to spend the 4th than on the lower deck of Cara Cara, where the downtown Los Angeles skyline stretches out in every direction and the smell of smoke from the grill hangs in the warm July air.

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Read the Leaves at Dahlia
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Read the Leaves at Dahlia

Some afternoons are made for slowing down. This summer, Dahlia at Downtown LA Proper invites you to do exactly that with Read the Leaves — a dreamy Sunday ritual that pairs an elevated afternoon tea service with the quiet magic of tarot.

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South Park Personality:                   Abdulkamal “AK” Abdullahi
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

South Park Personality: Abdulkamal “AK” Abdullahi

For more than seven years, Abdulkamal "AK" Abdullahi has called South Park home. You might spot him around the neighborhood catching the E Line to work, grabbing dinner and drinks at Prank Bar, or simply out running errands. But lately, many of his neighbors have come to know him for something else: bringing the flavors of his childhood in Nigeria to kitchens across the country.

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Oceanwide Plaza: Still Standing,             Future Still Uncertain
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Oceanwide Plaza: Still Standing, Future Still Uncertain

For South Park residents, Oceanwide Plaza has become more than a stalled construction project. It is now part of the daily experience of living downtown. The unfinished towers loom over Figueroa and Olympic as a constant reminder of both DTLA’s enormous potential and its very public failure

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Office Supply Warehouse Engulfed in Mother’s Day Morning Fire
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Office Supply Warehouse Engulfed in Mother’s Day Morning Fire

Bluebird Office Supply, 1225 Hope Street in the South Park neighborhood literally exploded in flames early on Mother’s Day morning.  The first alarm was turned in at 4:40 am when flames burst through the roof of the 100-year-old structure surrounded by several high-rise apartment buildings.

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Good Citizenship Begins                          with your Dog
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Good Citizenship Begins with your Dog

South Park loves its dogs!  When walking the streets of our neighborhood it is easy to imagine there are as many canine residents here as there are humans.  If you are a dog owner like I am, you must recognize that good citizenship and dog ownership responsibility are all wrapped up (sorry for the pun) in the subject of ...dog poop.

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The New Metro Purple “D Line” has opened to great fanfare and user excitement
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

The New Metro Purple “D Line” has opened to great fanfare and user excitement

The long-anticipated LA Metro D Line (formally known as the Purple Line) Phase 1 extension is now up and running!  Judging by the crowds using the new line on the May 8 opening day, the line is going to be a  popular way of accessing all the destinations off Wilshire Blvd. all the way from 7th Street Station to La Cienega and Beverly Hills.

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LA Convention Center Improvements Moving Along!
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

LA Convention Center Improvements Moving Along!

The multi-billion-dollar Los Angeles Convention Center Addition is starting to take shape!  After what has seemed an indeterminable time, construction is now moving into the above-ground stages and things are starting to get exciting! 

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Time is Running Out!                                    Vote in the Primary Election 
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Time is Running Out! Vote in the Primary Election 

 June 2 is Primary Election Day. Drop off your ballot at a ballot box. If voting by mail, ballot must be postmarked by June 2. If voting in person, go to the polls. Voting lets elected officials know you are paying attention, you care about your neighborhood and downtown, and you exercise your right to vote.

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South Park Condo Market Snapshot — May 2026
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

South Park Condo Market Snapshot — May 2026

The South Park condo market weakened further this period as inventory increased, sales activity slowed, and pricing reset lower. This monthly column tracks key metrics within the South Park BID boundary to provide a consistent view of supply, pricing, and buyer activity in the neighborhood.

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Fun in the Neighborhood                 Summer Bizaare at Wishbone Park
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Fun in the Neighborhood Summer Bizaare at Wishbone Park

So much will be happening at Wishbone Park on Sunday, June 7 from 12 noon to 5 pm! SPNA and Makers Market -Just Buy the Thing are hosting a neighborhood market – A Summer Bazaar – with handcrafted items along with South Park businesses and food and drink. Fourteen vendors have committed and growing each day.

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South Park Personality of the Month          A New Esthetician is in Town!
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

South Park Personality of the Month A New Esthetician is in Town!

Tanja Gylfadottir is a delightful person and a licensed Esthetician whose skills include facials, skin care therapy and consulting, eye-brow shaping and dyeing, eye lash dyeing, waxing, and coming soon, full body waxing. She is a skin care professional who specializes in cosmetic treatments to improve the health and appearance of skin for both women and men.

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Introductions:                                               Your SPNA Executive Board Members 
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Introductions: Your SPNA Executive Board Members 

 South Park Neighborhood Association (SPNA) added three members to the executive board in February. The board now consists of seven members who live and play in South Park and are devoted to the livability of our neighborhood. The 2026 Board reorganized in April.

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Editorial:                                                      Public Safety and Security Meeting Was…Inconclusive
Debra Shrout Debra Shrout

Editorial: Public Safety and Security Meeting Was…Inconclusive

A neighborhood meeting conducted on April 7 was billed as a Public Safety and Security discussion.  The meeting, a joint venture of SPNA, DTLA RA, and The South Park/Social District BID, had been called to discuss the recent street takeover on Figuroa Street and the knife attack on a pedestrian within the last 30 days. 

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