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If you live in the Downtown Los Angeles area, you’ve read some of Brigham’s words. If you haven’t then you should. The editor of  DTLA Rising is originally from Utah but has become a resource to all with his real estate endeavors and a soundboard for all developments in the downtown area. Brigham isn’t just selling property but he is taking a vested interest in the area as a cultural driver spreading information around the city with the perspective of an industry insider and citizen. We wanted to find out what motivates Yen and why he feels DTLA is important to the city of Los Angeles.

“Our city is like a transformer.”, says Brigham Yen. He likens it to the mechanical heroes in that we have separate units that when connected care more powerful. “The distance between the units in Los Angeles keeps synergy from being developed.” Brigham is a private and commercial realtor that has been living or working in the downtown area for 10 years. He has seen much of the transition in the last decade, and has been a part of some of it as well.  “My passion is urban planning. The urban planners are putting the flowers in the vase and the realtors are arranging them.” He has a unique perspective on the area not only because his position but also the time frame he has been around. So much of the reinvention of DTLA has taken place in the past ten years  “I remember when it, [downtown] was a ghost town after dark. There was no one on the streets that didn’t live there.”, Brigham reminisces on the darker days of downtown.

Brigham believes that a real estate agent should be an expert on the area they serve. ” I am selling a lifestyle that I believe in.”, he says when speaking about his profession. Brigham pulls his inspiration from other cities and like to invision the elements of walkability, energy, present in Los Angeles. He finds what speaks to each client and his knowledge of the area makes him the perfect curator. ” The misconception of down town is that it is one neighborhood, when it is actually a mix of neighborhoods.”, he describes. If you want to live in a high rise overlooking the financial district or a loft in the Arts District he knows what lifestyle you are seeking.

In order to do this Brigham gets around, he talks to people and investigates sites. Sometimes he gets tips as well.Brigham’s blog is not only a resource for other realtors, current and prospective residents but is not serving as an archive of the change DTLA is now undergoing. Most recently DTLA Rising was referenced on NBC 4 news. The passion Yen has for the urban lifestyle has transcended him from a just someone who is capitalizing on an area but someone who is contributing to it as well.

Brigham understands the nature of the downtown area as a driving force in the culture of the city, ” Downtown is the heart of the city, it is the hustle bustle.” He feels that there should be a balance between multi-use spaces and retail. As we seen a mix of high end dining like Bottega Louis and discount retail like , the recent addition of Ross. There is very real mix to the traffic you will see in the area that creates a unique experience for travelers, professionals, and residents. “A healthy city has 3 options, very affordable, middle, and luxury in retail and restaurants. “, and as Brigham explains we could use more of the high end at this point. “I would love to see a 99cents store but also Gucci and Prada.”

With the addition of so much DTLA is certainly on the rise and Brigham will certainly be a part of that transition as a sculpter and documentarian of its growth.

Brigham Yen

www.dtlarising.com
The Agency Real Estate