In 2008, DTLA was rapidly gentrifying.
Up until then, there wasn’t much reason to go Downtown. And very few people lived there. Most people avoided it, outside of a trip to Staples Center for a show or sporting event or a night out at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
As development intensified, this changed.
Luxury apartments started popping up throughout DTLA and to/just inside the boundaries of Skid Row. Top-notch restaurants and cocktail bars followed. Whole Foods and Shake Shack even came Downtown. They’re still there.