Martin Berg

A rendering of USC's proposed new "town square" in its University Park redevelopment plan; Credit: ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF USC

The Isolated Fortress of USC

Martin Berg
To hear the wildly divergent reactions among neighbors to the University of Southern California's long-brewing and massive $900 million, 5 million-square-foot University Park redevelopment plan, an outsider might think there are two USCs. One USC is the generous provider of jobs and education programs and full scholarships to qualifying kids......
Beth Mueller at her Skid Row church: "We are shining a light ... in the dark."; Credit: PHOTO BY TED SOQUI

Skid Row vs. Gensler

Martin Berg
A handful of Skid Row residents and Occupy Los Angeles participants appeared before the Los Angeles City Council's Housing, Community and Economic Developme...
Amy Alkon

TSA Employee vs. Advice Goddess

Martin Berg
Just because she offers advice on manners in the modern world, don't expect blogger/columnist Amy Alkon to stand by quietly if she thinks a government emplo...
Nick Pisca and his futuristic beater; Credit: PHOTO BY TED SOQUI

Veggie-Powered Road Trip

Martin Berg
Nick Pisca lives in a comfortable home in a middle-class area of Inglewood, where he and his pregnant wife, Erika, have something in their garage none of the ne...
The "jewel box" look

Huge Subsidy for Stadium Architect

Martin Berg
How did Los Angeles city leaders turn $1 million intended to help downtown’s homeless and low-income denizens into a proposed subsidy for the global architectur...
Are the cops at PAB headquarters afraid of a café?

LAPD Headquarters Blues

Martin Berg
Update: The partners creating a new restaurant at Police Administration Building in downtown Los Angeles have won their challenge to city officials' order e...