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 [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16)

#  Say Goodbye to the Towering Palms of Wilshire’s Miracle Mile

![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2015/049u.png)LA’S NEIGHBORHOODS-More than 140 big healthy street trees are on the chopping block along Wilshire Boulevard between Western and Fairfax. The iconic towering palm trees of the Miracle Mile are targeted for removal by Metro in preparation for the Purple Line extension, which will extend the rail network from Koreatown to Westwood.

The Miracle Mile was born as a chic shopping district in the 1920s, but by the 1950s it was already starting to fade as suburban malls began to displace the grand department stores of Wilshire Boulevard. Sometime around 1959, grassy medians were installed in the district with clumps of Mexican fan palms along each block.

In the late 1980s, property owners raised funds to revitalize the neighborhood and spruced up the islands. Designers at Melendrez, a downtown landscape architecture firm, came up with a plan to add London Plane Sycamore, giant birds of paradise, and agave to the soaring palms.

When Metro posted notices to remove the first four trees at Wilshire and La Brea, the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition objected. “We’re in dialogue trying to preserve as many trees as possible,” says Coalition president Lyn McEwan Cohen. “We’ve been protecting them for 25 years.” [ Read More…](http://www.lamag.com/askchris/say-goodbye-to-the-towering-palms-of-wilshire-boulevard/%20%20)

-cw

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 49

Pub: Jun 17, 2015

Written by Chris Nichols.

June 17 2015

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2015/049u.png)LA’S NEIGHBORHOODS-More than 140 big healthy street trees are on the chopping block along Wilshire Boulevard between Western and Fairfax. The iconic towering palm trees of the Miracle Mile are targeted for removal by Metro in preparation for the Purple Line extension, which will extend the rail network from Koreatown to Westwood.

The Miracle Mile was born as a chic shopping district in the 1920s, but by the 1950s it was already starting to fade as suburban malls began to displace the grand department stores of Wilshire Boulevard. Sometime around 1959, grassy medians were installed in the district with clumps of Mexican fan palms along each block.

In the late 1980s, property owners raised funds to revitalize the neighborhood and spruced up the islands. Designers at Melendrez, a downtown landscape architecture firm, came up with a plan to add London Plane Sycamore, giant birds of paradise, and agave to the soaring palms.

When Metro posted notices to remove the first four trees at Wilshire and La Brea, the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition objected. “We’re in dialogue trying to preserve as many trees as possible,” says Coalition president Lyn McEwan Cohen. “We’ve been protecting them for 25 years.” [ Read More…](http://www.lamag.com/askchris/say-goodbye-to-the-towering-palms-of-wilshire-boulevard/%20%20)

-cw

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 49

Pub: Jun 17, 2015

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### [Reminder to the Red States, Turnabout is Fair Play](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33212:reminder-to-the-red-states-turnabout-is-fair-play&catid=395)

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INTERVIEW - Voters will have a clear and defining contrast in the goals and objectives of the remaining general electio…

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##  [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)

### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16)

### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)
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