Downtown Lofts Draw New Breed of Resident

Downsizing from a home in Mount Washington to a loft in the Old Bank district, Cornish brought few belongings with him other than clothing and a 5-year-old bull terrier named Ruby.

He and Ruby became a near-constant presence on the streets of downtown, and at first the sight of the burly man and his white-and-black dog was an oddity, out of character for an area more used to office workers and homeless people than a new resident and his devoted canine.

But, slowly, more dogs began to appear on the streets.

"Somebody stopped and told me Ruby was the sign that things are starting to change," said Cornish, 56, recently. "We are visible, out there walking the streets, claiming the territory block by block as we walk with our dogs."

As downtown Los Angeles shifts from being a purely commercial center to something a bit more residential, perhaps the most visible sign of gentrification is this: The dogs have arrived.

Some estimates say that half of downtown's new (human) residents are dog owners.

"Downtown has become

"It's not unusual to see a guy walking a couple of beagles, or even bigger dogs, in an area where you would never see residents walking dogs before," said Los Angeles Police Capt. Andrew Smith.

Demographic surveys of downtown residents help explain why the area has become a destination for the canine set. Residents are mostly young and childless, either singles or couples with a fair amount of disposable income.

The dog owners among them say they are drawn to the area in part because most downtown buildings accept pets -- a standard unmatched elsewhere in the city -- and are dog-friendly, with open rooms and concrete or tile floors.

When they step outside, the animals offer a sort of balm on the rough stretches of some streets.

Lauren Riddle, a resident of the Pacific Electric Lofts at 6th and Main on the edge of skid row, said that her 1-year-old bulldog, Guinness, acquired soon after she moved downtown, is her safety net.

"For the most part, people on the streets are afraid of dogs," Riddle said. "I don't think I would have made it without Guinness."

For Riddle, almost every walk with her bulldog is an opportunity to meet people.