Mariachi Plaza hotel as seen from San Diego

[tags]los angeles, boyle heights, gold line, mariachi plaza, union-tribune[/tags]

The hotel is across from Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. The Metro Gold Line will have a stop here in 2009, which explains the tore-up streets.
Credit: Darryleasy via Flickr 

The San Diego Union-Tribune came up to Los Angeles to write about the Boyle Hotel, a dilapidated complex across the street from Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. Mariachis compete among themselves, and for work, at the intersection of First Street and Boyle Avenue. Many of them live in inexpensive quarters at the hotel.

The East Los Angeles Community Corp. purchased the hotel in hopes of renovating it and keeping it affordable for the mariachis. Urban planner William Fulton said in the article that the nonprofit purchased the building before the Gold Line extension opens in two years, as light rail is likely to boost property values in the poor Latino neighborhoods. Many businesses are already revitalizing First Street east of Alameda Street and west of the bridge.

“No question that when the Gold Line extension opens, East L.A. is going to be hot,” Fulton told the U-T. “When market forces get whirling, it is very difficult.”