Bohemian paradise lost

UnrestrictedIn the late 1970s, artists moved into abandoned warehouses in downtown Los Angeles. They renovated the empty rooms building kitchens, bathrooms and making the spaces livable. At the same time, the spacious rooms were perfect for home-studios, where artists had room to paint and create. Still, the Arts District, bordered by Skid Row, was considered dangerous, and the streets were abandoned at night.; The artists were alone -- in what they regarded as a Bohemian Paradise. In the past few years, drastic changes have been occurring downtown. As the entire area grows at a rapid rate in its "renaissance," the Arts District has become the trendy place to live -- with developers renovating buildings into spacious lofts. With the new developments comes a wealthier clientele, which also pushes up the rents of older buildings. And the "starving artists" are being pushed out