Invasion succession and Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

Yesterday's LA Times has an interesting article about change in Little Tokyo, "L.A.'s Little Tokyo clings to its heritage, but welcomes new cultures." It takes a more nuanced view than similar articles that have been published in the Washington Post.

From the article:

A new wave of multicultural investors, residents and visitors is transforming the area, the largest of three major Japantowns left in California. New housing projects could bring in hundreds of new multicultural residents during the next few years. Mainstream retailers, including Robeks and Pinkberry, are entering the market.

Many of Little Tokyo's major properties have changed hands to non-Japanese owners -- including the controversial sale in August of the New Otani Hotel and Gardens to a Beverly Hills-based real estate firm.

Now the community's eyes are trained on the city's request for proposals to buy and develop its last large land parcel in the Little Tokyo area at 1st and Alameda streets, known as the Mangrove site. The competition, whose bid deadline is Friday, is seen as a major test of the area's future direction.

The rapid changes have touched off anxiety -- but also a collective effort to figure out ways to embrace the newcomers while preserving the ethnic culture and identity of Japanese America's historic heart.

"The whole demographic of Little Tokyo will change," said Chris Komai, spokesman for the Japanese American National Museum. "The question for us and Little Tokyo generally is how much influence will we have on this influx of new people? Will they come and just go to Quiznos and Starbucks? Or will they say they like Little Tokyo's culture and history and want it to stay that way?"

The tale of Little Tokyo's transformation isn't unique. It's an enduring story continually repeated in California's ethnic enclaves, places of layered histories and ever-shifting demographics.
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The article mentions extant State legislation designed to help maintain the Japantowns in California.

Many California communities have more nuanced zoning and building regulations compared to DC.