Does anyone have any information about the status of work in Los Angeles? Good firms? Good areas to look for an apartment? I'm a struggling architect looking for good design, livable pay, and modest digs out west. I appreciate any advice anyone can offer.
Thank you.
Santa Monica is a great place to look at if you have a high budget paying for rent. Otherwise, I would say Mar Vista, Palms, Culver city are some other great area to live. Rent is not as expensive range from $700 studio - $900 1 bedrm - $1300 2 bedrm... but they locate almost in the middle of LA. You could save tones of of time on traffic...rather than traveling from south to north or west to east side.... Avoid living in Downtown, unless your office is around there. The intersections of those many freeways there is a mess.
"Avoid living in Downtown, unless your office is around there. The intersections of those many freeways there is a mess." - obviously never lived there. You can get great ex-industrial spaces (still) downtown, just look near the river (!) and not in the newly developed luxury "Loft" buildings. You can get to any part of LA from downtown fairly quickly once you learn the way around. Plan work and home so that you always go north in the morning or east in the morning, never the other way around. Valley to LA commuter traffic is the worst thing imaginable.
But, if you are moving to LA for the first time, I would agree you should start on the west side. Its beautiful, and still somewhat affordable around Culver City and the neighborhoods nearby. Architectural offices are all over LA.. and work seems to plentiful lately.
it all depends on the scene you want to live in and where you end up working. if you work downtown, you might want to check out silverlake, echo park or los feliz. if you work on the westside you might want to look at venice, and culver city is pretty nice now. la is a difficult place to know and love right away. it takes some time. so if you are a newcomer i would suggest an area where nightlife and dining aren't going to be a huge effort to find, such as the places i mentioned. but as for garywg's recommendations, mar vista and palms might be a bit lonesome at first.
whatever you do, don't get yourself into a crosstown commute. you will immediately regret it.
just for perspective on the job market.... at USC's last firm fair, there were 60 firms there, each looking for at least one full time and one intern, and only 70 graduating seniors... It's picked up out here a lot, I don't know anybody who has had trouble finding a job this year.
yes, lots of work, affordable housing still available in places - work not so great in my opinion but it's getting better... if you're into sports and nature, you probably won't like LA (unless it's surfing and you live close to the beach), but otherwise it's a great place to live. i love the ocean and grew up near it but hate the westside - read the other threads and you'll see many different opinions on places to live and work. if at all possible, find a job first and then your apartment - you do not want to comute in LA.
i must defend la against rudolphs claim that it is no place for sports and nature. I have never seen such a large city with more options for hiking (stunningly beautiful hikes!) and climbing and surfing of course, right inside the city! and there is no type of sports team you cant join either. and if you are willing to drive a couple of hours, there is nothing you cant find. skiing, water skiing, mountain biking, river rafting, hot air ballooning...etc. however, you must be willing to seek these things out. no one is going to greet you at the airport and ask you to join his sofball league.
ok, maybe i should say, if you like leisurely hikes through green shady landscapes, or want to be able to jog on a nice relatively flat path which is beautiful and safe, LA isn't the best. I've lived here for 10 years, and we often hike in Griffith Park or along the river, as well as occasionally going camping out of town, snowboarding, etc., but lately we have been contemplating moving somewhere where we can more or less walk outside our door and experience the beauty of nature.
We live on the eastside, which culturally is great - we love our neighborhood, people, resources, convenience, but to get to the mountains or beach, esp. on a week-end, we're looking at at least an hour with a good dose of traffic thrown in. I have some friends that mountain bike, dirt bike or snowboard fairly often near LA, but you have to be willing to drive to get there and they are all very sporty - I'm more the wimpy type but I love walking...
san pedro is actually a very interesting place...lots of nice (albeit sketchy) neighborhoods there. And many small great restaurants.
But its still kinda far from LA, in terms of both distance and life, I would not mind having a second house there, but it's not that great for a primary place of living
May 6, 05 12:42 am ·
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Work/Life in L.A.?
Does anyone have any information about the status of work in Los Angeles? Good firms? Good areas to look for an apartment? I'm a struggling architect looking for good design, livable pay, and modest digs out west. I appreciate any advice anyone can offer.
Thank you.
I'd suggest you search "Los Angeles" on the discussions page. Several threads about just these topics have been amassed.
Santa Monica is a great place to look at if you have a high budget paying for rent. Otherwise, I would say Mar Vista, Palms, Culver city are some other great area to live. Rent is not as expensive range from $700 studio - $900 1 bedrm - $1300 2 bedrm... but they locate almost in the middle of LA. You could save tones of of time on traffic...rather than traveling from south to north or west to east side.... Avoid living in Downtown, unless your office is around there. The intersections of those many freeways there is a mess.
"Avoid living in Downtown, unless your office is around there. The intersections of those many freeways there is a mess." - obviously never lived there. You can get great ex-industrial spaces (still) downtown, just look near the river (!) and not in the newly developed luxury "Loft" buildings. You can get to any part of LA from downtown fairly quickly once you learn the way around. Plan work and home so that you always go north in the morning or east in the morning, never the other way around. Valley to LA commuter traffic is the worst thing imaginable.
But, if you are moving to LA for the first time, I would agree you should start on the west side. Its beautiful, and still somewhat affordable around Culver City and the neighborhoods nearby. Architectural offices are all over LA.. and work seems to plentiful lately.
it all depends on the scene you want to live in and where you end up working. if you work downtown, you might want to check out silverlake, echo park or los feliz. if you work on the westside you might want to look at venice, and culver city is pretty nice now. la is a difficult place to know and love right away. it takes some time. so if you are a newcomer i would suggest an area where nightlife and dining aren't going to be a huge effort to find, such as the places i mentioned. but as for garywg's recommendations, mar vista and palms might be a bit lonesome at first.
whatever you do, don't get yourself into a crosstown commute. you will immediately regret it.
just for perspective on the job market.... at USC's last firm fair, there were 60 firms there, each looking for at least one full time and one intern, and only 70 graduating seniors... It's picked up out here a lot, I don't know anybody who has had trouble finding a job this year.
yes, lots of work, affordable housing still available in places - work not so great in my opinion but it's getting better... if you're into sports and nature, you probably won't like LA (unless it's surfing and you live close to the beach), but otherwise it's a great place to live. i love the ocean and grew up near it but hate the westside - read the other threads and you'll see many different opinions on places to live and work. if at all possible, find a job first and then your apartment - you do not want to comute in LA.
i must defend la against rudolphs claim that it is no place for sports and nature. I have never seen such a large city with more options for hiking (stunningly beautiful hikes!) and climbing and surfing of course, right inside the city! and there is no type of sports team you cant join either. and if you are willing to drive a couple of hours, there is nothing you cant find. skiing, water skiing, mountain biking, river rafting, hot air ballooning...etc. however, you must be willing to seek these things out. no one is going to greet you at the airport and ask you to join his sofball league.
ok, maybe i should say, if you like leisurely hikes through green shady landscapes, or want to be able to jog on a nice relatively flat path which is beautiful and safe, LA isn't the best. I've lived here for 10 years, and we often hike in Griffith Park or along the river, as well as occasionally going camping out of town, snowboarding, etc., but lately we have been contemplating moving somewhere where we can more or less walk outside our door and experience the beauty of nature.
We live on the eastside, which culturally is great - we love our neighborhood, people, resources, convenience, but to get to the mountains or beach, esp. on a week-end, we're looking at at least an hour with a good dose of traffic thrown in. I have some friends that mountain bike, dirt bike or snowboard fairly often near LA, but you have to be willing to drive to get there and they are all very sporty - I'm more the wimpy type but I love walking...
thanks for all of the great information all of you who responded.
i appreciate the help.
best.
SAN PEDRO BAY-BEE!
San Pedro is old and busted.
san pedro is actually a very interesting place...lots of nice (albeit sketchy) neighborhoods there. And many small great restaurants.
But its still kinda far from LA, in terms of both distance and life, I would not mind having a second house there, but it's not that great for a primary place of living
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