"Almost sublime, that is. The foreground is a scar of denuded earth, storage tanks and bobbing pumpjacks - the legacy of oil discovered a century ago when only farmhouses were scattered over the surrounding flatlands. A long and inevitable clash came when suburbia closed in around the 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Field, as occurred at oil facilities all over the region. Now that conflict is coming to a resolution."
"What hasn't been resolved is what will then become of one of the region's last great pieces of undeveloped land. One day, those denuded slopes could be a premiere addition to the Los Angeles region's needy park systems, adding wildlife habitat, hiking trails and sports facilities to the majestic views. Or, they could be dotted with multimillion-dollar mansions boasting Malibu-like views in the heart of the city. Or, the valley below could become a village of affordable housing. Or it could be some mix of all of the above."
""Now the need for housing is so strong that the opportunity exists to create an amazing new walkable community," said Michael Anderson, an architect who focuses on economic development of challenged communities. "You could combine an affordable revised version of the urbanist movement elements like how P"
The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook provides sweeping views but sits above denuded slopes and oil infrastructure from the Inglewood Oil Field. Suburban expansion enveloped the 1,000-acre field, producing decades-long conflict now subject to a state order to end drilling and pumping by the end of the decade if upheld in court. The future of the remaining undeveloped land is unresolved, with possibilities including expanded parkland with habitat and trails, high-end residential development, affordable housing, or a mix. State efforts to secure the land for parks have faltered due to limited funding and unwilling sellers.
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