The Bloc, Los Angeles
The Bloc (stylized as THE BLOC) is a mixed-use development, situated on the site of the former Macy's Plaza and Broadway Plaza in the heart of Downtown LA. This large, modern complex incorporates office spaces, retail stores, and a thoughtfully curated selection of good restaurants and entertainment venues.
The Bloc was originally built in the 1970s as an open-air mall called the "Mall of Downtown Los Angeles," but it was later enclosed and renamed "The Broadway Plaza" after being acquired by The Broadway department store chain. The Broadway Plaza was a popular shopping destination for many years but fell into decline in the 1990s due to the increased competition from other malls and the overall economic downturn in the area. The mall remained largely vacant by the early 2000s.
In 2013, The Ratkovich Company, a real estate development firm, purchased the venue and began an extensive renovation and redevelopment project. The goal was to transform the struggling mall into a modern, urban destination that would appeal to both locals and tourists.
The Bloc officially reopened in 2015 after a $160-million renovation project that included a complete redesign of the interior, the addition of new retail and dining options, and the construction of a state-of-the-art office tower (designed to accommodate a variety of businesses, from small startups to large corporations), fitness center, and a luxury movie theater. Today, The Bloc features more than 400,000 square feet of retail space, including flagship stores for major brands like Macy's and Nordstrom, as well as a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues.
One of its standout features is an open-air plaza that hosts a variety of community events throughout the year, including live music performances, outdoor movie screenings, and art installations. The plaza is surrounded by several restaurants and bars, making it a popular gathering spot.
Owners have been working on making The Bloc more social-media-friendly, so you're encouraged to stop by and bring your selfie-loving cameras or check the website for concerts/movie screenings of interest. The outside seating area is particularly nice and photo-worthy, similar to New York's Meatpacking District, with a Cali touch.
The Bloc was originally built in the 1970s as an open-air mall called the "Mall of Downtown Los Angeles," but it was later enclosed and renamed "The Broadway Plaza" after being acquired by The Broadway department store chain. The Broadway Plaza was a popular shopping destination for many years but fell into decline in the 1990s due to the increased competition from other malls and the overall economic downturn in the area. The mall remained largely vacant by the early 2000s.
In 2013, The Ratkovich Company, a real estate development firm, purchased the venue and began an extensive renovation and redevelopment project. The goal was to transform the struggling mall into a modern, urban destination that would appeal to both locals and tourists.
The Bloc officially reopened in 2015 after a $160-million renovation project that included a complete redesign of the interior, the addition of new retail and dining options, and the construction of a state-of-the-art office tower (designed to accommodate a variety of businesses, from small startups to large corporations), fitness center, and a luxury movie theater. Today, The Bloc features more than 400,000 square feet of retail space, including flagship stores for major brands like Macy's and Nordstrom, as well as a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues.
One of its standout features is an open-air plaza that hosts a variety of community events throughout the year, including live music performances, outdoor movie screenings, and art installations. The plaza is surrounded by several restaurants and bars, making it a popular gathering spot.
Owners have been working on making The Bloc more social-media-friendly, so you're encouraged to stop by and bring your selfie-loving cameras or check the website for concerts/movie screenings of interest. The outside seating area is particularly nice and photo-worthy, similar to New York's Meatpacking District, with a Cali touch.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Los Angeles. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
The Bloc on Map
Sight Name: The Bloc
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Los Angeles, California
Create Your Own Walk in Los Angeles
Creating your own self-guided walk in Los Angeles is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chinatown Walking Tour
Unlike other cities where Chinese immigrant neighborhoods were formed organically, the Los Angeles Chinatown is the only planned Chinatown in the US. A blend of Chinese and American architecture, it was developed in downtown LA, as a tourist attraction, in the 1930s.
Designed by Hollywood artists as a "Chinese" movie prop to create an exotic atmosphere, LA's Chinatown gives out... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Designed by Hollywood artists as a "Chinese" movie prop to create an exotic atmosphere, LA's Chinatown gives out... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Movie Studios Tour
The film studios of Los Angeles, collectively known as the “dream factory”, are indeed factories. Here, countless iconic films and television shows have been produced over the years, creating stars and attracting great movie-makers from around the globe. Let's take a brief look at some of these vital hubs in the entertainment industry.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
El Pueblo and Little Tokyo Walk
El Pueblo and Little Tokyo are two culturally rich and historically significant neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
The former is the oldest district in the city. Also known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is centered around the Los Angeles Plaza. Throughout most of the 19th century, it was the city's administrative and commercial center: first under the Spanish (from 1781 to 1821),... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
The former is the oldest district in the city. Also known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is centered around the Los Angeles Plaza. Throughout most of the 19th century, it was the city's administrative and commercial center: first under the Spanish (from 1781 to 1821),... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Downtown Architecture Walking Tour
For different people, Los Angeles means different things. One such is undoubtedly architecture. Being one of the centers of the Art Deco movement, LA features a great number of amazing historic houses and buildings attributed to this and other, older and more modern styles.
One prominent landmark is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a contemporary construction masterpiece with its... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
One prominent landmark is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a contemporary construction masterpiece with its... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Beverly Hills Walking Tour
Undeniably one of the most famous places in the world, Beverly Hills is widely known as the most fashionable destination in Los Angeles county to shop and have fun at. Originally a Mexican ranch where lima beans were once grown, this place has long been a home to many Hollywood stars and other celebrities, luxurious hotels, and high-end boutiques.
Beverly Hills started to gain prominence in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Beverly Hills started to gain prominence in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Los Angeles Downtown Walking Tour
The history of Los Angeles – "a bright and guilty place," as Orson Welles described it – began on September 4, 1781, when a group of 44 Spanish settlers established a hamlet on the territory of present-day Downtown LA which they called “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels” (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles).
The land became part of Mexico in 1821,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
The land became part of Mexico in 1821,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
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