Photo courtesy LA Weekly
By: Brittany Nicole La Hue
For most people, Google is just a giant tech entity that exists in the cloud, on their computers and on their smartphones. But for Santa Monica and Venice residents, Google is actually a neighbor and a physical presence, as their offices in Venice Beach and Playa Vista expand.
But is Google’s presence a beacon of hope, an endorsement of Silicon Beach and a sign of new economic growth to come in the area? Or is the tech giant threatening the Venice way of life and displacing locals? People have mixed feelings.
Real Estate
It’s no secret that Los Angeles is currently in a housing crisis, with rents and mortgages have been rising faster than the average salary. However, Google’s move to Venice and Playa Vista has gotten real estate agents and economists excited. The new offices host over 500 new employees, many of whom will relocate to the area. In addition, Google’s move could spur other, non-Google employees, to consider Venice and Playa Vista for their own residences.
A Hollywood Reporter article cited economist Kimberly Ritter-Martinez referring to the “clustering effect,” in which the simple fact that Google chose the area is enough of an endorsement for similar-minded people and businesses to move there too. Kobe Bryant-owned ad agency Zambezi Ink has moved in, and celebrities like Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr., Brandon Boyd and Olivia Wilde jumped on the Venice bandwagon too.
Photo courtesy BroScience.co
Silicon Beach
Traditionally, Venice Beach has been portrayed in the media as the birthplace of modern bodybuilding (thanks to Gold’s Gym and Arnold Schwarzenegger), the mecca of skate and surf culture (thanks to the Dogtown Z-Boys), an oasis for the most alternative of artists and hippies, and a new fashion chic cropping up on the now-famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Less famously, Venice is a common place for the homeless to lay their head. Now, an incredible influx of startups from Snapchat to ChowNow has caused many people to call Venice “Silicon Beach” instead.
Many people see this is a great thing for LA’s economy – making it possible for innovative ideas and bright entrepreneurial minds to choose LA instead of the foggy San Francisco Bay area. However, many long-time Venice residents are becoming resentful of the gentrification that pushes out some of the less wealthy old timers. Startups with funding rounds are purchasing the buildings; yuppies with the latest tech devices crowd the streets.
Culture
Venice has been, for the most part, the same since the 1960s. A freak show with a two-headed turtle, a hippie drum circle, an artist selling local wares, a surfer, a skater, a tattoo artist, a priest, a weed-loving local – all share the same strip of boardwalk. And to many, this extreme diversity is beautiful.
Others point out that romanticizing the area isn’t too smart. After all, the New York Times points out that Venice Beach was one of the highest-crime areas until 2006, when an LAPD crackdown removed lots of drug dealers, prostitutes and gang members. Former California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger told the newspaper that he was originally drawn to Venice/Muscle Beach back in the day with the promise of a French Riviera look, but instead found a “dump.” Now, GQ calls Venice’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard “The Coolest Block in America” and high-end retail has moved in. Has Venice lost its culture to yuppification?
Photo courtesy LA Times
Google, wisely, is aligning itself with creative events that enhance the artistic vibe Venice is Internationally known for. One way it has done so is by sponsoring the annual Venice Art Walk & Auctions benefit. This silent auction – filled with valuable canvases from known artists in the area, was held in Google’s Venice office this year. The fact that Google headquarters itself is a landmark Frank Gehry binoculars-shaped building further bolstered the artsy milieu. LA Weekly points out that Google is poised to bring a younger crowd to the community that is more often known for aging hippies. And bringing an appreciation for local art and culture to our youth is never a bad idea. However, naysayers worry that Google will turn the annual event into a more corporate and promotional event, rather than the grassroots effort it was.
Only time will tell how Google and other tech companies will change our local culture. Regardless, it’s an exciting time for this once-quiet beach community!
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