I'm unsure if this idea has already been proposed, but I think the city should build a few well-lit and secure, multi-story municipal parking garages with ground floor retail in Downtown LA. This would free up urban space and reduce the cost for future development of dense high-rise and mid-rise buildings, as they will no longer need to tack on superfluous lots or garages to each project.

This would also be an easy sell for most car-centric Angelenos as it would provide a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 parking environment, instead of the anarchy that currently exists for motorists. Revenue from the garage's retail rents could be used to provide security guards and to minimize parking costs via validation at local merchants. In addition, the ground-floor retail will help create a healthier pedestrian flow in between the current activity centers, instead of the dead space of a surface lot, or the industrial feeling of a typical garage.

Once these lots are built, adjacent development will occur in the area for less money. Newer buildings without parking will mean less curb cut driveways and less conflict between modes. Because of this, the pedestrian and cycling experience downtown will continue to improve while the revenue saved on developments will be passed on to the public through less expensive housing, offices and retail being built on the surface lots that scar our urban core.

There's a similar example of this type of garage south of Market St. in San Francisco (5th and Mission) that serves the Westfield Mall, adjacent theatres and museums, while at the same time activating the street with it's ground floor shops and cafés.