An Inside Look at Boyle Heights’ Gentrification

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Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda ExpressCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.which has pastrami and tacos!Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Nobody is calling for help from this payphone in Boyle Heights.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Boyle Heights' classic burger stand signsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.The Sixth Street Viaduct Project will bring a dedicated art space and parks to Boyle Heights.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.The mix of old-school and new-school Boyle Heights is exemplified by the popular bar Eastside Love.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Murals in Boyle Heights record the community's struggles.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.The many businesses in Boyle Heights still cater to a mainly Spanish-speaking clientele.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Rumors have swirled over the last decade that the art deco Boyle Heights Sears will be repurposed as housing.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Grafitti covers a wall mural on Gallery Row in Boyle Heights next to the new Sixth Street Viaduct Project.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.WalgreensCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.has signage in Spanish and English.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.New bicycle flowers have bloomed in Boyle Heights near Mariachi Plaza.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Boyle Heights has amazing 1920s and 1930s architecture.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Next door to Walgreens in Boyle Heights is an old-school neighborhood pharmacy.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Blakk Braine Tattoo Studio in Boyle HeightsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Casa Fina opened up in May across from Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Boyle Heights has amazing 1920s and 1930s architecture.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.A storefront for sale in Boyle HeightsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.A storefront for sale in Boyle HeightsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.One of the only for-sale signs seen in Boyle HeightsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.UTA Artist Space in Boyle Heights has been targeted by community groups who are against the "artwashing" of the neighborhood.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.2015 saw the opening of the Garage Lounge & Skate Shop on First Street in Boyle Heights.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Denim Exchange is an old-school business.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.A Maserati parked near Gallery Row in Boyle HeightsCarnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.Gallery Row in Boyle Heights is the target of many protests by anti-gentrification groups.Carnitas Michoacan #3 was torn down to make way for a Panda Express, and some people in Boyle Heights are not happy about the change.

Boyle Heights has always been a place of transition. From its earliest roots as a Jewish enclave to its many years as a majority-Latino neighborhood, the region's population has changed throughout the decades. Lately, Boyle Heights has become a battleground over gentrification as a new wave of development has sprung up in the area. Boyle Heights has a long history of art and culture, but recently some residents were outspoken against new galleries moving to the area. There was also some controversy over a real estate deal at the historic Mariachi Plaza, which has gone up for sale for $6.2 million. More changes are on the way with the Sixth Street Viaduct Project, set to be completed by 2020; it will incorporate a 1.4-acre public arts space, bike lanes and a pedestrian mall. To further explore the changes in Boyle Heights, here are some recent photos showing the various old-school buildings and newer developments that reflect the neighborhood's metamorphosis.

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