UCLA’s 2025-26 academic year marked Broxton Plaza’s first full year in operation, drawing positive reactions from students and business owners.

Broxton Plaza – a car-free area in Westwood Village, located at the intersection of Broxton Avenue and Weyburn Avenue – opened to pedestrians in February 2025. Megan Furey, the director of programs and partnerships for the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said Broxton Plaza’s pedestrian-centered design has encouraged more foot traffic and allowed people to walk around outdoors after shopping or eating.

“There’s not a lot of plazas in Los Angeles,” she said. “It’s a new concept, but the community has really adapted to it, and you can just tell.”

Programming in Broxton Plaza includes markets, fitness classes, children’s story times and salsa lessons, Furey said. The WVIA also plans to hold puppy yoga events and watch parties in the future, she added.

Luis Lopez, the creative director and founder of The Bruin Flea – a monthly flea market hosted in Broxton Plaza – said planning the event has been easier than in past years because the space is closed to vehicles. The flea market previously had to go through the stressful processes of getting street permits, he added.

The open space in Broxton Plaza allows The Bruin Flea to prioritize programming, customer experience and collaborations with local businesses, Lopez said. Turning the area into a plaza has helped Westwood follow trends in Santa Monica and at shopping malls like The Grove, which both have plazas, he added.

“It’s the best thing that could have happened for Westwood,” Lopez said. “It’s been something that’s proven to help areas before, and it’s only done so well for Westwood, and now it looks like programming is increasing.”

Valerie Ayzenberg, a second-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, said many students use Broxton Plaza as a space to host their clubs’ social events.

“It definitely feels a little more like a college town,” she said. “You can hang out, eat food, no cars.”

Sofía Lopez-Craig, a fourth-year sociology student who said she visits the plaza almost every day, added that as someone who lives with multiple roommates, she likes to use the space as a getaway.

“I like to just chill there. I like to just sit outside when it’s sunny because they put out little games too,” she said. “It’s nice for groups, but it’s also nice to be by yourself.”

Asha Ingram, a first-year global studies student, said the plaza makes Westwood more attractive to tourists and other visitors because students are often seen hanging out and enjoying themselves in the area.

People considering attending UCLA or moving to Westwood can find a sense of community at Broxton Plaza, Lopez-Craig said.

Lopez said he believes the plaza has improved Westwood Village, adding that the WVIA should continue to fund beautification efforts in the area.

“Creating that space for people wanting to hang just a little bit longer than they normally would really helps,” Furey said. “It’s hard for us to see because we want it to be so much more, but for outside people coming here, they’re like, ‘Wow, this is so pretty.’”