Renovations: Japanese Village Plaza Gets a "Cleanup"

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Little Tokyo's Japanese Village shopping center has always been one of our favorite (if slightly dingy) oases in Downtown LA, with sushi for days and family-run shops filled with candy and mochi and nice-smelling stickers. So we're not sure what to think of these renderings of an impending makeover, which come to us via Little Tokyo Unblogged. From the images provided, the blog says the new complex will boast "a new storefront opening at the Central Avenue and First Street wall" while the Little Tokyo mural will be moved down the side of the building.

Two years ago, when the project was first conceived, building owner Marvin Lotz told Angelenic:

What our vision is, is to renovate the property, remodel the property, clean the property up, put good tenants into that property, put the right mix of tenants and basically bring it back to the prominence that I’ve been told it had.

And while there's still no word on any new tenants as of yet (renovations aren't expected to be complete until 2010), we don't have a great feeling about the prospects for the current inhabitants, especially given the Pinkberry, Subway and American Apparel that have recently come to the area. Here's hoping that the developers manage to maintain a little of the plaza's independent charm, even after the cleanup.
· Face-Lift for JVP [Little Tokyo Unblogged]
· Japanese Village Plaza to be Renovated [Angelenic]