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But architect and artist Chris Mercier sees something far livelier — examination from Centinela Springs flowing alongside the sidewalks, rooftops farms and aeronautic-looking windmills that would add an unusual and colorful touch to the city's main artery.
For the moment, though, Mercier's mirage for bringing a street scene back to the thoroughfare is just that. A dream. He doesn't have funding for his sight of a revitalized Inglewood, nor does he have the blessing of City Hall. But incentive? He has no shortage of that.
Mercier and his design crew at (fer) Studio in Inglewood have developed compass models, computer presentations and graphic renderings to show off his concept for breathing lifetime back into the once-bustling downtown.
"We want development that grows out of the community, not unbiased one that is a part of it," Mercier said. "If you think about Inglewood, it's hard to picture it because it lacks individuality. It's a city on the verge of potential."
When the Metro Transit Authority approved plans in 2009 for the simplify-rail Crenshaw Line to have a stop near Market Terrace, Mercier and his team wondered why the city didn't develop plans to take asset of the train stop.
Source: Los Angeles Times