Tourists and costumed street performers on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. The street may be popular with visitors, but it’s overdue for a makeover, local advocates say.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
A Street of Stars Awaits its Hollywood Remake
Los Angeles transportation officials are launching a reconfiguration of Hollywood Boulevard that aims to put the walkability in the Walk of Fame.
When Hollywood Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Nissen talks about the state of the Walk of Fame that his organization created in 1958 as a local tourist draw, he paints a picture of Hollywood Boulevard as glamorous and gritty as the black terrazzo tiles that are the street’s sidewalk signature.
He leads with a scene of motion picture magic, something more than 38 million annual visitors to the Hollywood district seek out during their pilgrimage to this storied stretch of decorated streetscape. Just that day, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth had flown in for his Walk of Fame dedication ceremony in conjunction with the premiere of Furiosa, a red carpet event complete with paparazzi and playful roasts of the celeb by fellow Avengers stars.