Obama Boulevard
| Namesake | Barack Obama |
|---|---|
| Maintained by | Los Angeles Department of Transportation |
| Length | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| West end | Culver Citycity limit nearBallona Creek |
| East end | Exposition Boulevard inLeimert Park, Los Angeles |
President Barack Obama Boulevard(commonly known asObama Boulevard) is a majorthoroughfareinSouth Los Angeles.It stretches 3.5 miles (5.6 km) fromBaldwin Hills(pastBaldwin VillageandCrenshaw Manor) toLeimert Park.[1]
History
[edit]Previously calledRodeo Road(pronounced "rodeo"(RO-dee-oh)[2]and not to be confused withRodeo Drive(ro-DAY-oh) inBeverly Hills), it was renamedPresidentBarack ObamaBoulevardby theLos Angeles City Councilon May 4, 2019. TheLos Angeles Timescharacterized the renaming as important for local residents because it honored the first African American President and was a symbol of resistance to theDonald Trump presidency.[2][3]The city already has streets named after U.S. presidents, such asGeorge Washington,John Adams,Thomas Jefferson,Abraham Lincoln,andWoodrow Wilson,as well as a street named for Reverend Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.—the former "Santa Barbara Avenue",thus renamed, and commonly known since the early 1980s as" King Boulevard ". Then-SenatorObama held a campaign rally atRancho Cienega Parkwhenrunning for his first termas president.[4]
Commercial
[edit]
The former Rodeo Road's intersection withLa Brea Avenuehas been a commercial nexus[need quotation to verify]since the mid-20th century, with the Baldwin Hills Shopping Center[5](not to be confused with the largerBaldwin Hills Crenshaw Plazaindoor mall) opening in 1954 with anchorsSafeway,Clark's Drug Store (later becameSav-On Drugsin 1995) andJ. J. Newberry;[6]today theanchor tenantsareRalphssupermarket andCVS Pharmacy.TheLa Cienega–Rodeo Shopping Center had theFedcowarehouse clubas an anchor,[7]and is now anchored byTarget.From the intersection of Obama andCrenshaw Boulevards,a commercial strip stretches down Crenshaw Boulevard to theBaldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.
References
[edit]- ^Powers, Kemp (August 17, 2007)."The Neighborhood Project: Baldwin Hills".LAist.com.RetrievedMarch 16,2024.
- ^abDíaz, Alexa (May 4, 2019)."Street officially renamed Obama Boulevard in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw ceremony".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMay 6,2019.
- ^Díaz, Alexa (May 4, 2019)."Obama Boulevard is a symbol of hope — and resistance — for Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMay 4,2019.
- ^Reyes-Velarde, Alejandra (August 28, 2018)."L.A's newest street: Obama Boulevard".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMay 24,2019.
- ^Winter, Robert (September 2009).An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles.ISBN9781423608936.
- ^"Safeway to Open New Store in Baldwin Hills".Los Angeles Times.August 16, 1959.RetrievedMay 8,2019– via Newspapers.com.
- ^Streeter, Leonard L.; Slaughter, Leonard S.; Institute for Economic Research (1975).Economic analysis and business feasibility study of South Central Los Angeles.Los Angeles: IER.
