The Great Downtown LA Building Census: A Not-So-Scientific Investigation
Ah, Downtown Los Angeles. City of Angels, land of endless freeways, and... a truly impressive number of buildings. But just how many buildings are we talking about? This, my friends, is a question that has plagued philosophers, insomniacs with Google Maps, and pigeons looking for a decent nest.
Fear not, for I, your intrepid internet spelunker, have ventured into the wild unknown (read: spent way too much time on Wikipedia) to try and crack this architectural code.
So, how many buildings are there REALLY?
The answer, like most things in LA, is delightfully complicated. Here's what we know:
- Downtown LA is a sprawling beast of a place, covering a whopping 5.84 square miles. That's a lot of ground (or should we say, concrete) to cover.
- We do know there are over 816 high-rise buildings over 100 feet tall. That's a skyline that could make even King Kong take a knee.
But what about the little guys? The apartment buildings, the shops, the forgotten warehouses where dreams (and maybe some slightly-expired tuna) go to die?
This, my friends, is where things get fuzzy. There's no central database that tracks every single structure in DTLA, which is probably for the best. Imagine the paperwork involved!
Here's what we can estimate (with a healthy dose of humor):
- Let's assume pigeons are fairly territorial creatures. If every pigeon in LA has its own personal poop-ledge, we can estimate, based on the sheer volume of pigeons, a truly astronomical number of buildings.
- Alternatively, we could count the number of windows lit up at night. More lights = more buildings, right? Although, this method might not account for those enthusiastic Christmas light decorators.
The most likely scenario? There are probably more buildings in Downtown LA than there are stars in the sky. But hey, that's just a guess. Maybe one day a brave soul will take on the monumental task of counting them all. Until then, we'll just have to marvel at the sheer architectural density and wonder, "Just how many people forgot their lunch in an office fridge downtown?"
P.S. If you ever decide to take on the Great Downtown LA Building Census, be sure to pack snacks, comfortable shoes, and a healthy dose of existential dread. You're gonna need it.
