Local Mexican-American artists create new mural corridor in downtown LA's LA Plaza Village

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Rising up to 70 feet above the street in near downtown L.A., four murals by prominent local Mexican-American artists were unveiled at the grand opening of LA Plaza Village, a mixed-use development near Olvera Street and Chinatown.

The murals, painted by Judithe Hernández, José Lozano, Miguel Angel Reyes, and Barbara Carrasco, were inspired by El Aliso, a historic sycamore tree which grew in the heart of what is now downtown Los Angeles and represents "the values of community, family, and cultural heritage."

The largest of the murals is Hernández's "La Reina Nueva" (The New Queen) which rises 70 feet on the south end of the project along Broadway.

"It's the idea of celebrating the Mexican-American contribution to Los Angeles," said Alfredo Izmajtovich, the executive vice president of the Caesar Chavez Foundation.

The colorful four-building development is located where Cesar Chavez and Broadway meet. LA Plaza Village has 355 live/work lofts, studios, and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with 71 units set aside for low-income tenants, and 43,000-square feet of retail and restaurant space.

Additionally, LA Plaza Cocina, a museum and teaching kitchen dedicated to Mexican cuisine, will open next year in a 2,500-square-foot space.

The construction of LA Plaza Village brought more than 3,400 jobs to Los Angeles.