Former Silver Lake Resident Will Oversee Dodger Stadium Facelift

Janet Marie Smith began work Monday on the renovation of Dodger Stadium, originally planned by Frank and Jamie McCourt.

As Senior Vice President of Planning and Development, Smith will report to the new ownership group headed by former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson.

Smith returns to Los Angeles, where she worked on the revitalization of Downtown's Pershing Square in the 1980s.

The L.A. Weekly reports  at that time she lived in Silver Lake, not far from the stadium.

"Dodger Stadium is a treasured piece of the Los Angeles community and a special place where I watched more than a dozen games per season," Smith said in a statement released on her first day of work.

"It's important to all of us that we restore and enhance the park in a way that honors its heritage and highlights its distinctive appeals, while still capturing what fans want and franchises need in a modern venue."

After leaving Los Angeles, Smith worked for the Boston Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta, overseeing stadium restorations there. 

Camden Yards, in particular, is heralded for its balance between history and amenities.  

Dodger Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in sports and Janet Marie is one of the few people I would trust with its future," Dodger president Stan Kasten said in a statement.

Will Smith live again in Silver Lake, perhaps in an historic home of the same vintage as Dodger Stadium? 

What do you think she should do?