01-16-17

The Lucas Museum Is Coming to L.A. : 5 Violent Crime Falls in Downtown : 8

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ometimes a date goes well and you find a long-term partner. Other times it goes poorly and you end up with a cringe-inducing story. Los Angeles Downtown News is looking for all kinds of tales for our annual Love Story Contest. There are three categories: Best Wedding Day/Engagement Story, Most Romantic Story, and Best Worst First Date Story. Entries can be no more than 200 words (we’re serious about the length) and may be printed in Downtown News. Tell the best story and you’ll earn the Grand Prize, a package with a one-night stay at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, dinner for two at Noé, and a gift card for a movie night at the Regal L.A. Live cinemas. Second place gets a $100 gift card to Patina Restaurant Group and third prize is a $50 gift card to Chaya. Winners will be chosen by the staff of L.A. Downtown News and all decisions are final. Entries are due by Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m., and can be emailed to contests@downtownnews.com (subject line: Love Story Contest).

Or mail entries to 1264 W. First St., L.A., CA 90026.

Love rules! Except when it doesn’t.

City Begins Marketing ‘Angels Landing’ Site

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he hillside park known as Angels Knoll, at the corner of Fourth and Hill streets, has spent

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS the last few years shuttered and fallow. It all started when the former owner, the now-defunct Community Redevelopment Agency closed down; it was transferred to the city and officials have been brainstorming how best to sell it as a project site. Apparently crunch time is here, as the city this month began marketing the development potential of the Bunker Hill plot, now dubbed Angels Landing. The city has partnered with the Downtown office of brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle and released a brochure and website, angelslandingla.com, that touts the site as the “convergence of Downtown’s most dynamic employment centers, entertainment hubs and retail neighborhoods.” The 2.26-acre parcel, once envisioned as the third phase of the Cal Plaza complex, has no limits on height and flexible zoning that allows for commercial, residential and retail uses, according to JLL. State law requires the property be sold to the highest bidder, and the site was appraised at more than $20 million in 2015. The formal city process to request development qualifications from interested parties will begin in coming months.

First Part of City West Hospital Expansion Opens

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he first phase of a major new medical center in City West has come online. Last month, the initial group of physicians began seeing patients in the Good Samaritan Medical Pavilion, an $80 million project at Wilshire Boulevard and Witmer Street. The 190,000-square-foot expansion of the venerable hospital has seen a series of delays. The full facilities are scheduled to open in the third quarter of the year, and will include the Frank R. Seaver Ambulatory Surgery

January 16, 2017

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Eight Businesses Lease Space at Row DTLA

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eveloper Atlas Capital’s massive 30-acre Row DTLA complex in the Industrial District is gaining momentum, with eight new tenants announced last week. The digital net-

Commercial Office Space for Lease

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work MiTu is leasing 13,000 square feet of office space, while the fashion retailer J Brand will move its headquarters to a 29,000-squarefoot space in the complex at Seventh and Alameda streets. On the retail side, Vrai & Oso will open its first brick-and-mortar jewelry store in a 661-square-foot segment of the complex. Other new arrivals include vintage clothier Gossamer, eyewear company Ahlem and wine shop Flask & Field. The New York-based boxing studio Shadowbox is opening its first West Coast outlet as well, and Row DTLA will get the Japanese restaurant Hayato. The shops and offices are expected to open this year.

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CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla January 16, 2017

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EDITORIALS

One copy per person.

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

Next Congressional Rep Must Be More Than a ‘Fighter’

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ongressman Xavier Becerra’s promotion to California attorney general means a plum job is becoming available. Already about a dozen EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris individuals have declared their intent to run to repGENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin resent the 34th District, which includes Downtown, EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie Boyle Heights, the Northeast Los Angeles communiSENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim ties of Highland Park and Eagle Rock, and portions STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton of Koreatown. These seats don’t open very often — CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese S I N C E 19 7 2 Becerra served for 24 years.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Los Angeles Downtown News Although Gov. Jerry Brown has yet to set a date Fischer, Emily Manthei 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 for the election, the candidates have begun raising phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 money and trying to establish themselves. To date, ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison web: DowntownNews.com nearly everyone has declared that he or she will ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa email: realpeople@downtownnews.com “fight” for Los Angeles, and will battle President-elect PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard facebook: Donald Trump on the issue of immigration.

ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt L.A. Downtown News The immigration stance makes sense given Los CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway Angeles’ population and Trump’s campaign rhetoric. twitter: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, S I N C E 19 7 2 However, we urge all candidates to build upon that DowntownNews Michael Lamb issue, and to look at theNews many other challenges and Los Angeles Downtown ©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 opportunities that come with the job. The district The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newsphone: 213-481-1448 fax:needs 213-250-4617 CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon needs a fighter, but it•also someone who unpaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles derstands how Washington, D.C., works, who has reLos Angeles.

DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla lationships with both Republican and Democrat One copy per person. facebook: twitter: lawmakers, L.A. andDowntown perhaps News most importantly, has the skills DowntownNews and horse-trading ability to bring back federal funds forEDITOR local & issues and projects.

PUBLISHER: Sue Laris EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris GENERAL Becerra,MANAGER: for example, ince being elected mayor nearly four years ago, Eric Garcetti movies and the filmmaking process. These will be augmented by Dawnknew Eastinwhat strings to pull to GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin has had several impressive achievements, including initiatLucas’ art collection, which contains thousands of works, includget money to address homelessness. He understood EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie ing the City Hall charge to hike the minimum wage in Los ing by Edgar Degas, Homer Winslow and Norman Rockwell. that funds to help homeless veterans are the easiEXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim Angeles, and installing an earthquake preparedness plan citywide. estSTAFF to access, and so he started there (he has consis The museum will complement Exposition Park’s existing instituSENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim WRITER: Nicholas Slayton tently pulled from other pots, too).

Many local comtions, the Natural History Museum, the California Science Center

Last week Garcetti scored his biggest triumph yet, when filmmakCONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton munities are overwhelmed the increase in tent and the California African-American Museum. We can expect many his $1 billion art muCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom by Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, er George Lucas announced that he will build CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese encampments. new visitors for these attractions and surrounding seum in Los Angeles. The selection of a location in Exposition Park Emily Manthei We need our Washington “fighter” to S I N C E 19businesses.

72 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, advocate for this money. over a spot on San Francisco’s Treasure Island will benefit local resi Then there’s the financing: As Eli Broad did with his Bunker Greg Fischer, Emily Manthei DIRECTOR: Brian Allison Downtown News dents, workers and visitors. This will be a dominant new attraction, a Hill museum, Lucas will payLos ART That’s just the start of what the next representaforAngeles the entire endeavor himself. That 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa boost for tourism and a source of pride forART a 21st century city. tive must do. A big chunk of the Los Angeles River means Los Angeles will get more than 1,500 construction jobs and DIRECTOR: Brian Allison phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 PHOTOGRAPHER: Leonard flows through theGary 34th District, and we’ll want our a drain of taxpayer dollars.

Garcetti was not the only one involved in bringing the Lucas Mu- 350 permanent jobs without web: DowntownNews.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa next man or woman in Washington to get money for seum of Narrative Art to Los Angeles, but he was the public face of Garcetti began his publicemail: courting of the project back in 2014. realpeople@downtownnews.com ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard its revival (the Feds have committed to be part of a the effort. Although he has faced criticism in the past for appearing Early efforts such as urging Angelenos to tweet about the project CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway facebook: $1.4 billion upgrade, but that deal was inked during quiet and uncommitted on certain matters of public importance, ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt with the hashtag #WhyLucasInLA might have seemed silly, particuACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb L.A. Downtown the Obama administration). If Los Angeles wins the in this instance he emerged as a vocal champion for the project larly when Lucas announced a few months later thatNews the museum SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez 2024 Olympics, having ample federal support is vital. even when victory seemed unlikely. A mayor’s job involves both would be built in Chicago.

That plan fell apart when Windy City resCLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway twitter: CIRCULATION: Salmon We also alwaysDanielle need more cash for public transporlegislating and leading, and here his persistence, along with hisCatherineidents protested the project rising on a DowntownNews prime waterfront site. The ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Holloway, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles tation and infrastructure projects. public and private lobbying of Lucas and his wife,Stevens, businesswoman Brenda Michael Lamb competition unexpectedly reopened, and boiled down to Los AnASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla Mellody Hobson, paid off. geles vs. San Francisco. Suddenly, L.A. hadNews, a track record.

DISTRIBUTION We are pleased to see multiple individuals with SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez ©2016 Civic Center Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is as a trademark of Civic Center Mark News Inc. impressive resumes in the race.

That said, this is not

There are many things to be excited about.

That starts with the fu Garcetti and other leaders such County Supervisor Rid-All ©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center rights reserved.

News Inc. All rights reserved. a one-issue contest, and our next Congressperson turistic design from Chinese architect Ma Yansong. Los Angeles has ley-Thomas played up how the Park site is near The Exposition Los Angeles Downtown News is thefreeways must-read The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles Danielle Salmon newspaper foraccess Downtown AngelesThose and is argudiscould in office decades.

Wetheneed than of Downtownnothing like the 312,000-square-foot facilityCIRCULATION: that will transform a sevand public transit lines, providing easy forLos visitors. and is be distributed everyfor Monday throughout officesmore and residences Los tributed every Monday throughout the offices and DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Ingles Angeles. just a self-described “fighter.” We also need a savvy en-acre parcel at the southern end of Downtown’s Figueroa Corridor.Salvador ments and governmental cooperation are part of what has paid off. residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

Castillo, politician, in the best sense of those words.

Then there is the collection. There willDISTRIBUTION be plenty of ASSISTANTS: Star Wars- Lorenzo This is a great win for Los Angeles.

We can’t wait for the new One copy per person.

One copy per person.

Gustavo Bonilla related items on display, as well as other works that showcase museum.

The Force of a New Museum

S

EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News

twitter: DowntownNews

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Emily Manthei ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt

ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

January 16, 2017

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Lucas Museum Coming to Exposition Park Star Wars Filmmaker to Self-Fund $1 Billion Attraction

By Nicholas Slayton eorge Lucas’ $1 billion museum is coming to Exposition Park, the filmmaker announced last week.

Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, chose the seven-acre Downtown Los Angeles location over a site in San Francisco’s Treasure Island. He will pay for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art himself.

“Exposition Park is a magnet for the region and accessible from all parts of the city,” the museum’s board of directors said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 10. “As a museum uniquely focused on narrative art, we look forward to becoming part of a dynamic museum community, surrounded by more than 100 elementary and high schools, one of the country’s leading universities as well as three other world-class museums.”

The sleek, spaceship-like design from Chinese architect Ma Yansong will rise on a set of parking lots at 3800 S. Vermont Ave. on the western end of Exposition Park. The 312,000-square-foot complex will house photographs, storyboards, costumes and additional items from Lucas’ films and other movies. Alongside gallery space, it would include a library, lecture halls and a theater with daily screenings.

It will also showcase some of Lucas’ vast art collection, including works by Norman Rockwell, Joseph Christian Leyendecker and Homer Winslow.

Mayor Eric Garcetti has been aggressively wooing Lucas, who attended film school at nearby USC, and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson. During the process Garcetti and other local leaders played up Exposition Park’s proximity to mass transit stops and the 110 and 10 freeways, saying it would allow large crowds to visit the museum.

“Art exists to inspire, to move, to educate, and to excite.

Thanks to George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, millions of Angelenos and visitors will enjoy an extraordinary collection anchored in storytelling — an art that carries so much meaning

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image courtesy of the Lucas Museum

The 312,000-square-foot Lucas Museum will house gallery space, lecture halls, a theater with daily screenings and a library. It will rise on a current parking lot in Exposition Park.

in the history and legacy of Los Angeles,” Garcetti said in a prepared statement.

The announcement serves as a victory for Garcetti, who tried for more than two years to land the museum. It seemed Los Angeles was out of the running when Lucas announced in June 2014 that it would be built in Chicago. However, the deal fell apart following months of opposition and a lawsuit from a group called Friends of the Park who were against the private institution being built on public lakefront land.

At that point, Lucas said it would either go to Exposition Park or Treasure Island.

The project has also been approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

According to museum officials, the project is expected to create more than 1,500 construction jobs, along with over 300 permanent positions. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose Second District includes Exposition Park, and who also advocated for the project, said the museum will have significant community benefits.

“Its proximity to USC, along with dozens of elementary, middle and high schools, will help boost the learning experience of thousands of children each year, and provide an understanding of the science and technological skills needed for a career in the film, animation and design industries,” Ridley-Thomas said in a prepared statement. nicholas@downtownnews.com

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6 Downtown News

January 16, 2017

The Natural How David Schlosser Traveled to France and Japan, Then Created What May Be L.A.’s Most Intriguing Japanese Restaurant

By Eddie Kim avid Schlosser worked in some of France’s finest and most demanding kitchens as a 20-something, but nothing prepared him for Masayoshi Takayama.

The sushi master earned his reputation at Beverly Hills’ Ginza Sushi-ko, which served arguably the most expensive meal in the region back in 2001. Schlosser was the first Caucasian apprentice Masa took on, and over four months he graduated from sanding the bar and cleaning the toilet to cutting the fish. While short-lived, the stint changed his life.

“It was truly an honor. He is one of the most powerful men I’ve ever met in my life,” Schlosser, 41, says. “Where does passion come from? Maybe it’s being around these kinds of powerhouses. If you don’t feel it, you don’t belong.”

That intensity resonates through Schlosser’s Downtown Los Angeles restaurant, Shibumi.

The spot at 815 S. Hill St. has no sign and just 40 seats, but has garnered massive praise since opening last summer. The L.A. Times’ Jonathan Gold ranked Shibumi as his No. 2 restaurant in Los Angeles for 2016. Eater’s critic Bill Addison capped a glowing review with an even bolder headline: “Shibumi Is the Future of Japanese Dining in America.”

The hype brings a smile to Schlosser’s face, but also inspires a sigh. Schlosser knows that L.A. diners are a fickle bunch, prone to losing interest (“They’re, er, transient,” he says). Yet Shibumi’s

D

finessed Japanese cuisine is something special, both for its focus on elegant cooking with pristine ingredients and for its unpretentious, almost neighborhood-bar feel.

“I’m not doing anything new, you know.

These kinds of restaurants are common in Tokyo. But we want to do it right,” Schlosser says while zipping his knife along the spine of a glimmering sea bream.

But Tokyo is not Downtown L.A. For Schlosser, this is the latest turn on a winding career that took a kid from Venice to France to Hollywood to Japan and back again.

‘The Real Deal’ The clock is ticking toward Shibumi’s 6 p.m. opening on a recent rainy Tuesday, and Schlosser hustles his servers to a briefing. He whips a long blade through a slab of rosy fish, mounding the slices on a plate with a thicket of cut radishes and a spoonful of shoyu koji, a condiment of soy sauce and a fermented rice-like fungus.

“Hamachi is one of the most famous sashimi dishes, blah blah blah. But this is the real deal,” Schlosser tells the nodding servers. “It’s wild.

Five times more expensive and really only available in December and January. It’s not that farmed [expletive].”

Shibumi is a serious restaurant that seems far more casual than it is. The kitchen and service staff work with extreme precision, whether it’s cooking fish or lining up napkins exactly a thumb’s length from the edge of the bar. Right

Got A Love Or Worst Date Story?

Win a Romantic Night Downtown!

GRAND PRIZE: • One night stay at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza including dinner for two at Noe restaurant • A gift card for a movie night for two at Regal L.A. Live SECOND PRIZE: • $100 gift card to Patina Restaurant Group THIRD PRIZE: • $50 gift card to Chaya

Tell your...

• Best Wedding Day/Engagement Story • Most Romantic Story • Best Worst First Date Story (for those less bullish on Feb. 14) Stories should be no more than 200 words!

ENTRIES: Deadline Wednesday, January 25 at 5 p.m.

Email it contests@downtownnews.com (subject line: Love Story Contest) Mail it 1264 W. First St., Los Angeles CA 90026 (postmarked by Jan. 24) All or part of the submissions may be published in our special Romance in the City issue (or online), which hits stands Feb. 6 and become the property of Los Angeles Downtown News.

Must be 21 years of age to enter. Room night subject to availability. Performance tickets subject to availability, artist and program subject to change.

Performance tickets will be held at will call under the winners name. All other prizes will be mailed to winners.

David Schlosser is the chef/owner of Shibumi, which specializes in kappo cuisine, an elegant form of Japanese cooking that focuses on seasonality and simplicity. It opened last summer.

photo by Eddie Kim

January 16, 2017

Downtown News 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

before the doors open, a server paces the room with a smoking piece of lit cedar, imbuing the air with an earthy fragrance.

“Everyone is all-in, and because we have a smaller dining room, we don’t have the pressure to push out so much food.

We can really focus on the experience,” says maitre d’ Max Leer. “David is easygoing, but we work with very, very strict rules and expectations.”

Schlosser holds court at the long bar during dinner service, slicing glistening seafood and directing the cooks and barmen who are constantly in orbit around him. His eyes lock on every plate that leaves the kitchen; there are few ingredients in Shibumi’s dishes, but each component demands close attention.

Grilled mackerel arrives in a broth of black vinegar and slowly simmered dashi soup, blistered and crisp skin intact. A massive Iwagaki oyster is sliced into pearly lobes and served in its own juice, with a wedge of expensive yuzu citrus for garnish. Especially beguiling is a humble salad of crisp persimmon, ginko nuts and whipped tofu, the latter with the silken texture of creme fraiche. Most dishes are under $20.

Given the subtlety of Shibumi’s food, the dining environment can be jarring. Boom-clap beats and synth-heavy tunes fill the tall room during dinner. Servers wear street clothes, not uniforms. It may be the polar opposite of the hushed temples of sushi and kaiseki (imagine a chef’s tasting menu) that inspired him, but the casual air is part of sustaining a more accessible vibe, Schlosser says.

“This is just… cooler than traditional fine dining,” he adds.

Around the World Schlosser began his career when he was a teenager with mediocre grades and few aspirations. He needed a summer job while taking classes at Santa Monica College in 1995. An opening at 72 Market Street, a hip restaurant in Venice next to his house, coincided with the search.

He landed in the restaurant’s basement prep room, with knife in hand and little to say to the Latino cooks, none of whom spoke English. He fell in love with the restaurant anyway, and after a year, Schlosser enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America.

After graduating, a wide-eyed Schlosser moved to France and worked in top-notch kitchens such as Restaurant Georges Blanc

Shibumi, on Hill Street, seats 40 people, has no sign and sits next to the entrance of a nondescript parking garage.

The name roughly translates to “effortless beauty” in Japanese.

photo by Gary Leonard

and L’Arpege. He returned to the United States and, in 2000, he became head chef at Balthazar, a buzzy Melrose Avenue spot.

Seventeen years later he admits he was too young for the job.

When the restaurant went bust, his career seemed to stall.

A head-clearing trip to Thailand included a three-day layover in Japan, where everything changed. Re-energized by Japanese cooking, he pulled strings to land a job at Masa’s Ginza Sushi-Ko. He worked alongside Masa’s protégé, Hiroyuki Urasawa, when the master left for New York City. Eventually Schlosser became the private chef of the U.S. ambassador to Japan and worked as a consultant for top Japanese restaurants.

Schlosser moved again, and landed in the Historic Core in 2011. He decided to open his first restaurant in Downtown — partly because there weren’t many Japanese restaurants outside

of Little Tokyo, but also for the historical symbolism.

“This is where the foundation of Japanese cuisine in America started. If you look at First Street, there was a restaurant called Sushi Yako in 1914. There were maybe, what, two sushi restaurants in America at the time?” Schlosser says, his voice rising with excitement. “The California roll was invented down on Alameda.

Mutual Trading Company, based here, was the first importer of Japanese goods. The history runs deep.”

Schlosser is now looking ahead, building out a back room for intimate kaiseki meals and planning a lunch menu to debut later this year. The block the restaurant sits on is a construction hotspot, with a 50-story tower rising next door. It reminds Schlosser of the restaurant’s own potential. eddie@downtownnews.com

10 STAGES | 7 CITY BLOCKS | 6 HISTORIC THEATRES | 1 NIGHT | MUSIC | ENTERTAINMENT | ARTS | CULTURE | FOOD

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8 Downtown News

Violent Crime Falls in Downtown Community Records 4.4% Drop, Though Many Crime Categories Are Still Significantly Up From 2014

By Eddie Kim fter seeing a shocking 52% spike in 2015, the violent crime rate in Downtown Los Angeles fell 4.4% last year, according to statistics from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division, which oversees Downtown.

The bad news, however, is that crime remains significantly elevated over 2014 levels.

Additionally, LAPD officials say the growth of the Central City’s resident, worker and tourist base may continue to throw challenges at law enforcement.

There were a total of 1,702 violent crimes in Central Division in 2016, down from 1,780 incidents the previous year. The biggest decreases were recorded in rape (down by 5.4%) and aggravated assaults (down 6.6%).

The number of homicides stayed the same, at 11 deaths.

Property crime saw a slight bump of 2.9% compared to 2015, with a noteworthy reduction in burglary (down 10.9%). However, there was a sharp 19.6% uptick in thefts from motor vehicles. Personal and “other” theft was largely flat with 2015 levels.

On the enforcement end, Central Division officers arrested more suspects for violent and property crimes, with a nearly 10% increase compared to the previous year (1,717 arrests versus 1,567 in 2015). That was offset

by a 16.4% decrease in arrests for burglary and a 13.5% drop in arrests for motor vehicle theft. The decrease is likely the result of the change of classification of some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors under Proposition 47, which was passed by California voters in 2014. That included the creation of “shoplifting” as a separate (and lesser) charge compared to burglary.

Downtown’s stabilization of crime rates stands out from the city’s regression as a whole.

In 2016, Los Angeles saw total violent crime rise by 10%, to more than 28,000 incidents. Robberies, aggravated assaults and homicides were up 14%, 9.5%, and 3.9%, respectively, over the previous year. Central Division ranked No. 1 among the LAPD’s 21 stations for reductions in violent crime in 2016, according to LAPD Commander Howard Leslie, who oversaw Central Division from March through December.

On Christmas Day Leslie was promoted to help lead Central Bureau (which comprises five divisions) alongside Cmdr. Todd Chamberlain, another former captain who led Downtown’s Central Division from 2010 to 2011. The Central Division post now belongs to Capt. Marc Reina, who was transferred from 77th Street Division in South L.A. Leslie said his biggest change as division head was to create a foot beat unit, composed of about 20 officers and two sergeants, that

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Violent Crime Category

2016 Total

Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault

1,702

1,780

1,133

2016 Total

2015 Total

2014 Total

Burglary Vehicle Theft Burglary/Theft From Vehicle Personal/Other Theft

312 350 244 397 427 248 1,091 912 755 2,577 2,566 2,035

Total Property Crimes

4,377

walk assigned neighborhoods on a regular basis. In the past, officers often rotated through different communities.

“Their primary duty was to be on foot, getting to know people in their neighborhood, and find out what problems were specific to those blocks,” Leslie said. “We knew from our statistics that we could anticipate where crime was likely to occur, with our focus being on violent crime.”

As is often the case, much of that violent crime took place in Skid Row, including the majority of shootings (24 victims across Central Division in 2016, up from 20 in 2015), Leslie said.

Central Division has about 50 officers dedicated to Skid Row that work on both enforcement and outreach, the latter in partnership with the city Bureau of Sanitation-led cleanup effort Operation Healthy Streets.

Leslie acknowledged that more people in Downtown means more potential for crime in what is already the LAPD’s most densely populated division. An influx of visitors, in particular, can lead to a bump in crimes such as theft. Skid Row has also seen an increase in the number of people on its streets, he said.

Reaching Out During his nine months in Central Division, Leslie also focused on improving inter-department communications, with weekly meetings to analyze crime trends and proactively deploy officers to cool potential hotspots.

While Downtown crime fell last year, it remained sharply above 2014 levels. Overall, violent crime in Central Division was 50% higher than in 2014, when there were 1,133 incidents.

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Additionally, property crimes are up 33% over two years ago.

Area stakeholders can sense that pressure, and say that certain parts of Downtown feel more dangerous than in the past. One consequence has been that a number of longtime Downtown residents are choosing to move away, said Patti Berman, president of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council.

“Women I’ve known for years, who would have walked around without a second thought after dark in the past, are now choosing to take an Uber,” Berman said. “And I see tourists who hit the Historic Core and look like they think they’ve wandered too far from their hotel. It’s not a comfortable place, but we want it to be.”

Homelessness exacerbates the issue, especially with mentally ill people who can be unpredictable in their physical or verbal outbursts, said Jessica Lall, the former head of the South Park Business Improvement District who became president and CEO of the business and lobbying group the Central City Association this month. Lall reiterated the need to get homeless individuals into housing, and said greater coordination between LAPD and BID security teams has helped make patrols more efficient. Lall said she saw improvements over 2016 while at the SPBID. “It’s great news that crime rates are down.

We’re coming off a year that had big spikes,” Lall said. “But perception really does matter. Are people navigating more tents and meeting more panhandlers? If it’s happening more aggressively, that has an impact on people’s activity.”

Looking at the 10-year trend, Downtown and the city are moving in the right direction, Leslie said, and compared the spikes in crime rates to the “ups and downs of the stock market.” The city has seen steep drops from years past; in 2005, for example, there were 490 homicides.

Last year the city counted 294 murders.

What concerns Leslie is how legislation is changing the way the LAPD navigates suspects and incidents. The prison reform law Prop. 57, which was passed by state voters in the Nov. 8 election, will lead to more early releases across the state. Combined with Prop.

47, law enforcement is having a harder time keeping people in jail, he said.

“The rules keep changing on us in the profession of crime fighting,” he said. “We have to continue to devise new strategies to keep crime rates stable. Our focus will always be violent crime.” eddie@downtownnews.com

January 16, 2017

Downtown News 9

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Condo HOA Gets More Than $8 Million for Building Defects Barker Block Residents Complain Building Had Plumbing and Other Deficiencies

By Nicholas Slayton esidents of the Arts District condominium complex the Barker Block have received more than $8 million to settle lawsuits that allege construction defects. Building occupants had long complained of problems including leaks and plumbing shutdowns.

The first settlement, of $7.3 million, comes from insurance companies representing project developers the KOR Group and CityView.

“We resolved the installation issue with the builder and insurance companies,” said Thomas Miller of the Miller Law Firm, who represented the plaintiff, the Barker Block Homeowners Association. “Our goal [was] to resolve this before it goes to trial so that the association can make the repairs it needs to and move away from this.”

The money goes to the 310-unit complex’s HOA, not individual residents. The funds will be used for repairs and replacement of faulty or inoperable systems inside the Barker Block, according to a statement from the board of directors of the HOA. The Barker Block is a six-building residential complex at 530 S. Hewitt St., across from Urth Caffe and the new Arts District Park.

Initially a storage space and factory for the Barker Brothers department store, it was turned into housing by Los Angeles developer KOR Group, utilizing some of the original timber and bricks. The first phase of 242 condominiums opened in 2006.

The 2008 financial crisis halted the construc-

R

tion of the rest of the project. Eventually, development firm CityView took over to build the $25 million final phase of 68 condos, which debuted in 2014. The KOR Group helped to market the last phase of the complex.

In 2014, CityView Managing Director Con Howe told Los Angeles Downtown News that some units were priced at more than $1 million.

The attorneys who represented the developer group in the lawsuit did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Representatives for CityView declined to comment on the case and settlement.

Miller said that problems were first reported in 2013. In 2014, he added, Barker Block occupants were dealing with almost daily plumbing and waterproofing issues.

Examinations by experts hired the Miller Law firm found deficiencies across the complex in the plumbing, along with waterproofing problems on the windows, roof and the underground garage. It also cited discolorations and cracks on the pool deck. Investigators found that problems stemmed from installation and construction of the complex. Many of the problems have not been repaired, though some were addressed, said Miller.

“There were emergency repairs, a lot of which have dealt with water intrusion into units with plumbing issues,” Miller said.

Miller said the HOA met with representatives of the developers in the effort to resolve the issue, but negotiations failed. That led

Residents of the Barker Block complex in the Arts District claimed that problems with the construction of the building led to leaks and other issues.

A lawsuit was filed against the project’s developers in 2014.

photo by Gary Leonard

to the lawsuit, which was filed in 2014, and eventually the settlement.

“If we did not pursue these funds, and accepted the builder’s appalling position to specially assess ourselves, all owners would have faced tens of thousands of dollars each to pay for these repairs,” HOA Board of Directors President Russell Roney said in a prepared statement.

Roney declined to comment further. A representative of the Miller Law Firm showed Los Angeles Downtown News around the complex.

All of the units in the Barker Block were sold, and the building is operated and overseen by the HOA through an independent property management firm. CityView and the KOR Group are no longer involved in the complex.

On Nov. 29, the HOA reached a second settlement, this one for $590,000 with project architect Nakada and Associates.

As of this month, settlements have been reached with all remaining parties. The total amount paid is $8,155,000. nicholas@downtownnews.com

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Federal Grant Helps Expedite Purple Line Extension Construction Federal funding of nearly $1.6 billion to help build the second phase of the Metro Purple Line Extension to downtown Beverly Hills and Century City was announced earlier this month. Metro is aiming to >nish the project by 2024 before a potential Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Find out more at metro.net/purplelineext.

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Regional Connector Tunnel Boring Machine Arrival Work continues to move along on the Regional Connector Transit Project with the tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the project recently arriving in Little Tokyo. The two million pound machine will chew its way through the earth creating the tunnels that will link the Blue, Expo and Gold Lines. Learn more at metro.net/regionalconnector.

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Patsaouras Bus Plaza Station Project Construction Begins Construction has begun on a new transit busway station for the Metro Silver Line and other transit buses operating on the El Monte Busway. The new station will be located just south of Patsaouras Transit Plaza, next to US -101. As a result, the northbound US-101 Vignes St on-/o=-ramps are closed for approximately four months while the new station is built. Learn more at metro.net/capitalprojects.

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January 16, 2017

photos courtesy of Riot L.A.

CALENDAR

This year’s Riot L.A. festival features more than 150 performers in almost 50 shows, including (l to r) Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark of the “My Favorite Murder” podcast, Jonathan Katz and Rachel Bloom from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”

Bigger Festival, Bigger Laughs

Eight Shows to See at Riot L.A.

Riot L.A. Returns to Downtown, With 150 Comedians and New Venues

By Nicholas Slayton o 150 comedians walk into Downtown Los Angeles…

It sounds like the set-up for a joke, but in this case it’s simply a fact. This week, the fifth annual Riot L.A. festival returns to the Central City. From Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 19-22, stand-up sets, comedy showcases, games, movie screenings and more will take place at 10 venues.

The 150-performer roster is the biggest yet. Riot L.A. is also sparking laughs in new digs, with shows in places including the Orpheum Theatre and the Theatre at Ace Hotel on Broadway.

Riot L.A. founder and producer Abbey Londer said the new venues are a sign of the festival’s growth, but also a matter of necessity. In previous years the event was anchored at The Smell, the Downtown Independent theater and other small spaces near Third and Main streets. Last May, however, landowner the L&R Group of Companies slapped demolition notices on the buildings. Although the venues remain open, the uncertainty prompted Londer to move on. That led to the bigger spaces, which in turn led to big names.

The most notable is Mel Brooks. On Friday at 8 p.m., Brooks will host a screening of his 1974 classic Blazing Saddles at the Microsoft Theater. It will be followed by an interview and a Q&A with the audience.

Another headliner is Ali Wong, whose “Baby Cobra” Netflix stand-up special, recorded while she was pregnant, was a hit in 2015. She appears for six sold-out shows at the Theatre at Ace Hotel.

Comedian Jonathan Katz, meanwhile, will do a live-action version of his 1990s cult cartoon show “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.” In the TV show, the soft-spoken Katz listened and offered advice to his patients, all played by stand-up comedians. For the live version, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the Orpheum, Katz said the format is more like a talk show. His “patients” include Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, Thomas Middleditch and David Wain.

Katz, who has been doing live versions of the show for almost a decade, said the audience provides a spark of energy. He is also happy that people continue to be interested in his faux-counselor persona.

“There are some people who think I’m actually a therapist,” Katz said. “I feel like I’m part of a brand. Dr. Katz is a

S

✔S

UnFictional Live

brand. I’m just glad it’s this. It would be harder if I was part of the ‘ER’ brand.”

The big lineup has standup comedian Kyle Kinane excited. Kinane, a returning performer to Riot L.A., said that one of the best parts of the festival is its local, laid-back atmosphere.

“You see all of the comics hanging out with everyone else. There’s no elitism, no greenroom stuff,” said Kinane, who is on stage at 9 p.m. on Sunday at the Alleyway stage at 121 W. Ninth St. “It’s a more-the-merrier vibe. It’s not a festival with egos.”

Tickets for individual shows vary, and there are three levels of passes, starting with a standby pass for $49.50. The $159.50 premium pass offers admission to three shows at the Theatre at Ace Hotel and the Orpheum, while the $349.50 VIP pass offers that plus access to after-parties.

Londer said that although the venues are larger than in the past, the goal is to retain the block-party vibe of the festival. To that effect, she pointed to the parking lot headquarters. The space at 843 S. Spring St. — dubbed the “Super Deluxe Lot” for the comedy video site, which is one of the sponsors — will have comedy workshops, DJ sets, food trucks and even a Ferris wheel. Admission to the lot is free for people with tickets or festival passes.

Londer called it the “beating heart” of Riot L.A., and said it’s the best place to be between shows, not just because of the activities, but because performers are often engaging with audiences.

“I’ve seen Thomas Middleditch play foosball with festival goers,” Londer added.

Kinane and Londer both said Riot L.A. offers people a chance to learn about new performers. Kinane is particularly excited for the International Comedy Showcase, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the North Hall stage at 121 W. Ninth St. and features four comedians from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Londer pointed out that there are almost 50 shows at this year’s festival. That means, she said, that there is something for everyone, even if people don’t know what it is they’re hoping to find.

Riot L.A. runs Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 19-22 at multiple venues. Tickets and a full schedule are at riotla.com. nicholas@downtownnews.com

WHEN: Saturday at 8 p.m.

WHERE: The Alleyway, 121 W. Ninth St. DETAILS: The KCRW storytelling podcast comes Downtown for a live performance. Host Bob Carlson will have six presenters who tell true stories around the theme of “bait and switch.” KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox will provide the music.

Rachel Bloom

WHEN: Sunday at 7 p.m.

WHERE: The Alleyway, 121 W. Ninth St. DETAILS: The “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star comes to Downtown Los Angeles. Expect subversive songs from her show about dating and Southern California.

BrewHaHa

WHEN: Saturday at 10 p.m.

WHERE: North Hall, 121 W. Ninth St DETAILS: Part stand-up showcase, part drinking game, BrewHaHa starts with the audience learning a series of rules. Every time the comedians — Nicole Byer, Guy Branum, Aaron Black and others — break a rule, the viewers take a drink. This could end badly.

My Favorite Murder

WHEN: Saturday at 10 p.m.

WHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway DETAILS: It’s time for true crime tales. Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark bring their podcast “My Favorite Murder” to Downtown for a live edition.

Expect a mix of humorous banter and stories involving death.

The Drop-In

WHEN: Sunday at 5 p.m.

WHERE: The Alleyway, 121 W. Ninth St. DETAILS: Comedian Anthony Jeselnik hosts this show, which has a secret line-up. Anything is possible.

Short of the Year

WHEN: Saturday at 3 p.m.

WHERE: Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway DETAILS: Take a break from live acts to see some celluloid action. The Theatre at Ace Hotel will screen 10 comedy short films. Unlike other Riot L.A. events, this one is free.

Literary Death Match

WHEN: Saturday at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway DETAILS: Four authors take to the stage to read their writing, with comedian judges weighing in with both “constructive” criticism and jokes. Participants include Whitney Cummings, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Graham Moore. No one actually dies, but expect cutting blows from the judges.

The International Comedy Showcase

WHEN: Sunday at 7 p.m.

WHERE: North Hall, 121 W. Ninth St. DETAILS: Four comedians from across the pond come to Los Angeles. Brits James Acaster, Josie Long and Daniel Sloss, along with Irish performer Maeve Higgins, will all take the stage.

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January 16, 2017

Downtown News 11

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Remembering Gordon Davidson Friends and Colleagues Turn Out to Honor Late Theater Icon

By Nicholas Slayton ordon Davidson was a pillar of the Los Angeles theater scene, and over the course of four decades he made Center Theatre Group one of the nation’s premier regional theater organizations. His death on Oct. 2 at the age of 83 was mourned across the country.

On Monday, Jan. 9, CTG organized a memorial for Davidson at the Ahmanson Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles. Against the set for the show Amélie, A New Musical, nearly two dozen people came on stage or issued recorded messages (projected on a large screen that otherwise showed photos of Davidson) about how the producer and director impacted their lives and the world.

Michael Ritchie, who succeeded Davidson as artistic director of CTG in 2005, called the memorial a celebration of Davidson’s life.

“Any time any of us walk into a theater, whether it’s here in Los Angeles or across the country, even around the world, we walk into that theater with Gordon Davidson,” Ritchie said.

Davidson became CTG’s founding artistic director in 1967. He opened the Mark Taper Forum that year with The Devils, John Whiting’s play about sexual repression and political intrigue inside a convent. At the memorial, former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky noted that then-Gov. Ronald Reagan walked out of the opening. That was followed by Heinar Kipphardt’s In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, another politically charged play about one of the inventors of the atomic bomb.

Davidson was known for his willingness to tackle current events and develop new voices. Actor Harry Groener related how in the early 1990s a group of actors and stage producers explored the idea of forming a theater company. Davidson offered them the Taper’s rehearsal room for a few nights to practice. That group became the Antaeus Theatre Company. Groener

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The members of Culture Clash performed last week at a memorial service for longtime Center Theatre Group head Gordon Davidson. The event took place in the Ahmanson Theatre.

said they would not have formed without Davidson’s help.

Playwright Tony Kushner described how Davidson helped shepherd what would become the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America. The 1993 work was an early exploration of the AIDS crisis, and Kushner credited Davidson’s willingness to embrace politically charged productions. The first part of the play, Millennium Approaches, was workshopped at the Taper.

Speakers repeatedly referenced political engagement. Playwright Luis Valdez told the story of how Davidson commis-

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sioned Valdez’s Zoot Suit, saying that it was created under a banner of “new American theater” designed to tell stories from minorities and unheard voices. Zoot Suit opened in 1978 and was a hit; it returns to the Taper next month. Valdez described Los Angeles as a center of thought and ideas, and said Davidson worked to share those ideas.

“I continue to believe in that new American theater,” Valdez said. “That is the national narrative we must fight for. That is the narrative that the life of Gordon Davidson represents.”

Many speakers told stories about Davidson’s work ethic and creative spirit. Others worked in performances. Charlayne Woodard, who has staged multiple shows at the Taper, did a monologue from her one-woman play Pretty Fire that Davidson had seen. The members of the local theater group Culture Clash, whose Taper shows include the heralded Chavez Ravine and Water & Power, launched into an Abbott and Costello “Who’s on first?” routine. Lillias White, who recently starred as the title character in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at the Taper, performed a song from the musical Like Jazz.

In addition to guiding CTG, Davidson was an accomplished director, and won a Tony Award in 1977 for his work on The Shadow Box. He also directed Children of a Lesser God and The Trial of the Catonsville Nine.

Then there was the personal side. Davidson’s daughter Rachel noted how her father knew the name of every staffer at the theater and always greeted them kindly. Actor Keith David, who also was a part of the recent Ma Rainey production, said that beyond all of Davidson’s hard work and status in the theater world, he was a kind and wonderful person.

“He was just one of the nicest men I ever met in my life,” David said. “He was a real, real gentleman, and a man I would like to be more like.”

The evening closed with Davidson’s widow, Judi Davidson.

She said that near the end of his life, her husband said that he felt as if he had been forgotten.

The turnout at the Ahmanson is proof that Gordon Davidson’s legacy continues to shape theater in Los Angeles. nicholas@downtownnews.com

EVENTS

SPONSORED LISTINGS Saturday Night Jazz Bar Fedora in Au Lac Plant-Based Restaurant, 710 W. First St. or saturdaynightjazzdtla.com Friday, Jan. 20, 7:30-11 p.m.: Saturday Night Jazz DTLA presents jazz saxophone with Michael “Cody” Dear; Saturday, Jan. 21, 7:30-11 p.m.: From Japan, bassist “Jaco” Kimura leads an all-star, straight-ahead jazz band. Great healthy food and drink. Right behind Disney Hall.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17 Hiding in Plain Sight at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: A trio of writers (Alexa Koenig, Victor Peskin and Eric Stover) take aim at war criminals and the quest to bring them to justice in the modern world.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 What Does the Japanese American Experience Tell Us About the Proposed Muslim Registry, via Zocalo Public Square National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Ave. or zocalopublicsquare.org.

7:30 p.m.: An anthropologist, a law expert and a nonprofit advocate for immigrants all walk into a bar. No, wait, they come Downtown to discuss the implications of internment, ethnic-lined prejudice and the state of American democracy as Donald Trump takes office.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 Jane Sobel Klonsky at the Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7:30 p.m.: Not only is Klonsky highlighting her senior dog photo book, "Unconditional: Older Dogs, Deeper Love," so too is the author chatting with a fellow named “Gator McKinley.”

Peter Sellars at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: In an event subtitled “Race, Justice and the American Dream,” the standout practitioner of contemporary theater haggles about the meaning of Shakespeare and ethnic identity.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 Glory 37 Los Angeles 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com.

5:30 p.m.: Naming your hyper-masculinized MMA event “glory” is ever so slightly deceptive.

Tami Roman and Wendi J. Turner at the Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7 p.m.: The actress and her writing partner Turner dish on their book “Mistress 101,” a guide to keeping your man.

January 16, 2017

The ‘Don’t Miss’ List

BY DAN JOHNSON - CALENDAR@DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

ONE

Pile four capable singers above a 115-person choir and a robust orchestra and you’ve got all the fixings for a performance of Beethoven’s Missa solemnis (that’s “Solemn Mass” for all you who flunked Latin). First performed in 1824, the vocal narrative has earned the adoration of the ages. Judge for yourself this Saturday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m., and again on Sunday at 7 p.m. as the Los Angeles Master Chorale digs into Ludvig Van at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Grant Gershon (shown here) conducts and soloists include the eminent Raquel Gonzalez, Allyson McHardy, Arnold Livingston Geis and Rod Gilfry. FYI, it’s the LAMC’s first Missa solemnis in 13 years. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

photo by Tao Ruspoli/Marie Noorbergen

TWO

The Japanese American National Museum recently opened the exhibit Only the Oaks Remain.

On display through April 9, the conglomeration of photographs, first-person accounts and declassified documents tells the story of the Tuna Canyon internment facility in Tujunga, where a not-insignificant population of people of Japanese descent were detained during WWII. As efforts to memorialize the camp’s largely unmarked location continue, JANM encourages the curious, empathetic and rational to pop in and take stock. The Little Tokyo museum is open Tuesday-Sunday. At 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org.

photo courtesy of the Merrill H. Scott family

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

photo by Katrina Dickson

DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

Photo courtesy of Live Nation

12 Downtown News

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or acehotel.com.

Jan. 18, 9:30 p.m.: Post-rockers Mogwai live score the film “Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise.”

Jan. 19-21, 7 and 10:30 p.m.: Riot L.A. thinks highly enough of stand-up Ali Wong to front six shows over three days. What could go wrong?

Au Lac/Café Fedora 710 W. First St., (213) 617-2533 or aulac.com.

Jan. 20: Michael Cody Dear.

Jan. 21: Jaco Kimura.

Belasco 1050 S. Hill St., (213) 746-5670 or belascous.com.

Jan. 18: By carefully eliminating one vowel in their name, DNCE leaves it up to you, the consumer, to decide whether they should be called “Dance” or “Dunce.” Choose wisely.

Jan. 19: Talib Kweli is like D.R.A.M. but for people whose brains haven’t been deprived of oxygen for 15 minutes at a time.

Continued on next page

Afrocentricity is the name of the game on Thursday, Jan. 18, as Talib Kweli delivers some slick mic work at Downtown’s Belasco Theatre. The Brooklyn-born MC is synonymous with a substantial wing of hip-hop, and his accomplished discography boasts collaborations with a who’s who of folks who are in the music biz for the love of the game, not the love of the dollar. Joining Kweli will be Styles P and K’Valentine. Doors are at 7 p.m., and when 2 a.m. rolls around, you don’t have to go home, you just can’t stay here. At 1050 S. Hill St., (213) 746-5670 or thebelasco.com.

War is bad and war criminals are worse. This we can agree on. The unfortunate truth is that a great many guilty people duck postwar prosecution. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 7:15 p.m., the Library Foundation’s Aloud series hosts Alexa Koenig, Victor Peskin and Eric Stover in a discussion of their definitive treatise on taking war criminals to task, Hiding in Plain Sight. The book takes a nuanced approach to the efforts to track down, capture and try some of history’s most malicious despots. Tickets are free for this Central Library discussion for those who RSVP online in advance. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

It’s been nearly nine months since Prince passed away, and the fervor has yet to dim over his virtuoso song-writing, arranging, singing and guitar strumming. On Thursday, Jan. 19, the purple one will be fondly remembered once again as the all-female Prince tribute act Princess dives into the Teragram Ballroom on Seventh Street for what promises to be a potent punch of Paisley Park pageantry. Included in the fine print is this: Princess is one part Gretchen Lieberum and one part SNL-vet Maya Rudolph, but the women play this serious. Feel free to sob during the extended coda of “Purple Rain.” At 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

January 16, 2016 Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

Jan. 16: Second Generation.

Jan. 17: Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Ensemble Jam Session.

Jan. 18: Band of Other Brothers.

Jan. 19: Bob Reynbolds Group.

Jan. 20: Billy Childs’ Prophecy.

Jan. 21: Mark Guiliana/Jeff Babko/Troy Zeigler/David Binney.

Jan. 22: (Unity).

Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org.

Jan. 16: Contemporary folkist, Ham & Eggs luminary and all around six-string killer Sie Sie Benhoff opens for Albert & His Dreamboats.

Jan. 17: Jamie T will be playing all by his lonesome on a Tuesday in Los Angeles, California.

Jan. 18: Cal Arts guitarist Gregory Uhlmann drops his album.

Jan. 19: The Bootleg hosts Dear Nora as she revisits 2004’s “Mountain Rock,” because we all needed to remember how good we had it in the Bush years, right?

Jan. 20: Feel-good indie from Scotland’s curiously named American Wrestlers.

Jan. 21: Caught a Ghost and Clara-Nova highlight the official after-concert for the Million Woman March.

Caña 714 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-7090 or 213dthospitality.com.

Jan. 17: Sitara Son. Jan. 18: Excursion.

Jan. 19: Cuba Rumba.

Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

Jan. 17: Cloudship is the preeminent Lando Calrissian fan experience to be found in Skidrokyo.

Jan. 18: Intriguingly enough, Pretty Polly will not stand for the objectification of the female form.

Jan. 19: With a name borrowed straight from our weekly rock throwing tete-a-tete, Wrong Windows have already captured our hearts.

Jan. 20: Charlie Chan & The Drones bring those electric blues.

Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com.

Jan. 20: Materia.

Jan. 21: R3HAB. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.: Renowned guitarist Eric Johnson celebrates his latest album, the most originally titled “EJ.” Las Perlas 107 E. Sixth St., (213) 988-8355 or 213dthospitality.com.

Jan. 16: Viva!

Jan. 17: Los Ordianos.

Jan. 18: La Victoria.

Jan. 19: Los 440’s.

Microsoft Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6030 or microsofttheeatre.com.

Jan. 18, 6 p.m.: The People’s Choice Awards 2017. Note, this is not related to the White House occupant we settled in November Jan. 20, 8 p.m.: That mad master Mel Brooks screens his classic “Blazing Saddles,” then sits down for a live conversation as a part of Riot LA. Jan. 21, 8 p.m.: Jodeci, Blackstreet, En Vogue, Ginuwine, 112 and others provide the soundtrack for the second annual R&B Rewind Festival.

Orpheum Theatre 842 Broadway, (877) 677-4386 or laorpheum.com.

Jan. 21, 7 p.m.: Riot L.A. fronts a Literary Death Match.

Jan. 21, 10 p.m.: My Favorite Murder is a podcast blending levity with the lurid. Did we mention yet it’s part of Riot L.A.?

Jan. 22, 6 p.m.: In a delightful throwback to the late ’90s, Dr. Katz will be taking the stage. Pinch yourself if you knew it was part of Riot L.A. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com.

Jan. 16: Born Rivals, Gentlemen Prefer Blood and The Newports.

Jan. 17: Jack Rabbit Jade.

Jan. 18: The Great Sadness and Annie Hardy.

Jan. 19: Captain Wails & The Harpoons.

Jan. 20: Burger Wolf Showcase.

Jan. 21: The Blackerbys, Jade Amenity, Living Nightmare and Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicides.

Jan. 22: Turbulent Hearts, The Vigils, Electric Children and Darlington.

Resident 428 S. Hewitt St. or (323) 316-5311 or residentdtla.com.

Jan. 16: We Deserve This.

Jan. 17: Wilderado.

Jan. 18: The Social Underground: An Open Jam Session.

Jan. 19: Part Time/Gazebos.

Jan. 21: Raia Was. Jan. 22: TV Heads, Soft Lions and Mothdrops.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la.

Jan. 16: Michael Starr.

Continued on page 14

Downtown News 13

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TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

14 Downtown News Jan. 17: Looking back on the past eight years, The Makers have to say that they really took offense when Obama said, “You didn’t make this!”

Jan. 18: Rick Taub’s Midnight Blues Review is the definitive blues experience in Downtown, but you already knew that, right?

Jan. 19: PT Gazell & The Sheriffs of Schroedignham sounds like something caught between William S. Burroughs and Lewis Carroll.

Jan. 21: The Sabine Trio features three people.

Jan. 22: Two Tones for split personalities.

Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7326 or staplescenter.com.

Jan. 21, 8 p.m.: Don Omar and Nicky Jam are but two of the

!

S P O OO

stellar acts breathing life into the 10th annual Calibash.

Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Jan. 16-17: KCRW presents the extremely well-named Hamilton Leithauser.

Jan. 18: You may recognize Daniela Andrade from Youtube.

Not for being involved in an embarrassing WorldStar-worthy cat fight, but for singing!

Jan. 19: The ladies bring the heat with Princess, a Prince tribute band.

Jan. 21: The Early November will take you back to your formative years when Geoff Rickley was a household name and piz-

WE MADE A MISTAKE. I BET WE WERE DRIVING YOU PUZZLEHEADS CRAZY! WE CUT OFF THE LAST LINE OF CLUES FOR THE LAST TWO PUZZLES. WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO FINISH SO HERE ARE THE LAST LINES FROM THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

1/2/17

1/9/17

ACROSS 77 HARDER TO FIND

ACROSS 71 IN A SNIT

DOWN 7 ACTRESS TYLER 68 ADDRESS LABEL ABBR. 87 BONDING AGENTS 100 PART OF HAWAII 113 CRIME LAB EVIDENCE

DOWN 5 PULVERIZING TOOLS 57 FILLED 72 NATIONAL LEAGUER 91 GIVE A HINT TO 105 PROM RENTAL

January 16, 2016

zagate was a local deep dish joint.

The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com.

Jan. 18: Migos make MattyB look like a stroke of insight.

Jan. 21, 7 and 10 p.m.: Felipe Esparza, also part of Riot L.A., better be funny.

The Regent 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheater.com.

Jan. 18: Sam Morrow very carefully selected the cigarette he’d be smoking in his press picture.

Jan. 20: And here we thought The Juice was an imprisoned running back.

5 OFF $

LUNCH

CROSSWORD

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Gourmet Fast Casual Restaurant Since 1973 7 Days-7am to 10pm • FREE Parking • We Cater 1657 W. 3rd St. at Union Ave. • 213-483-8885 *ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE. 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. EXPIRES 2/28/17

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January 16, 2017

DT

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR RENT

REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL

To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448, or go to DowntownNews.com Deadline classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FORfor RENT All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

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LEGAL FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2016300598 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1)

Prop Inc., 9140 St. Ives Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90069, (2) DTLA Prop, 9140 St. Ives Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90069, (3) Los Angeles Prop, 9140 St. Ives Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90069, and (4) Metropolis Prop, 9140 St. Ives Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90069 are hereby registered by the following registrants: LF8 Real Estate Inc., 9140 St. Ives Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90069. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 10/2016.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 12, 2016.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the

DowntownNews.com

office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of

the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 12/26/16, 01/02/17, 01/09/17, and 01/16/2017.

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Downtown News 15

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LEGAL NOTICE MORLIN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LP, a Delaware Limited Partnership as Agent for the JOINT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL, an unincorporated association, will receive qualifications packages from qualified general contractors wishing to become prequalified for an available bidding opportunity at Los Angeles Union Station. It is the intent of this Joint Management Council to select a firm that will provide construction services to build a new security kiosk at Los Angeles Union Station at the best overall value. In order to be fully considered for prequalification and subsequent bidding opportunities, please proceed to the RFIQ questionnaire at: https://goo.gl/forms/ Ya33sRwl1gjWz40s1 . Completed forms are due on or before close of business by February 3rd, 2017. Submissions received after 5:00pm on February 3rd, 2017 will be rejected.

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Got A Love Or Worst Date Story?

Win a Romantic Night Downtown!

Tell your...

• Best Wedding Day/Engagement Story • Most Romantic Story • Best Worst First Date Story (for those less bullish on Feb. 14) Stories should be no more than 200 words!

GRAND PRIZE: • One night stay at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza including dinner for two at Noe restaurant • A gift card for a movie night for two at Regal L.A. Live SECOND PRIZE: • $100 gift card to Patina Restaurant Group

Must be 21 years of age to enter. Room night subject to availability. Performance tickets subject to availability, artist and program subject to change. Performance tickets will be held at will call under the winners name. All other prizes will be mailed to winners.

THIRD PRIZE: • $50 gift card to Chaya

ENTRIES: Deadline Wednesday, January 25 at 5 p.m.

Email it contests@downtownnews.com (subject line: Love Story Contest) Mail it 1264 W. First St., Los Angeles CA 90026 (postmarked by Jan. 24) All or part of the submissions may be published in our special Romance in the City issue (or online), which hits stands Feb. 6 and become the property of Los Angeles Downtown News.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

16 Downtown News

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency Call Now Fo is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one r bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room Move-In Spec with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and ial slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses s ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

Re Ne no wl va y te d

255 GRAND

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PROMENADE TOWERS

123 South Figueroa Street Leasing Information 213 617 3777 www.THEPROMENADETOWERS.com Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Spa / BBQ Grills ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies

On-Site: ~ Convenience Store / Beauty Salon

MUSEUM TOWER

225 South Olive Street Leasing Information 213 626 1500 www.MUSEUMTOWER.com Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

TOWERS

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

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January 16, 2017

Huge Tartine Complex Coming to Row DTLA Downtown to Get Outpost of San Francisco Bakery, Along With Market and Coffee-Roasting Facility

By Eddie Kim ead to the Tartine Bakery in San Francisco’s Mission District on any given morning, and chances are you’ll glimpse an unnervingly long line of people eager to wolf down Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt’s breads, pastries and sandwiches.

The scene is the same a half-dozen blocks away at the couple’s gleaming, 5,000-square-foot follow-up, the Tartine Manufactory, which opened last summer.

By next year, Downtown Los Angeles workers and residents can expect a similar scene. That’s because Tartine recently

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San Francisco’s Tartine will fill 38,500 square feet of space, with a bakery, market, coffee-roasting facility and more. image by Boor Bridges Architecture

signed a lease on a 38,500-square-foot space at the Row DTLA complex at Sixth and Alameda streets. It will serve as the anchor tenant for the massive retail, office and dining project.

It is also a partnership of prominent food entities, including L.A. restaurateur Bill Chait, pizza master Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco, and coffee producer Califia Farms. Downtown’s Tartine is the first expansion of the brand outside San Francisco.

The space will be divided into four concepts. A bakery will fill 8,200 square feet, with an additional 1,500-square-foot grain mill. The mill will produce the flour for the bakery, which will serve both wholesale clients such as local restaurants and the public in Tartine’s market.

The market and a casual restaurant will occupy 6,500 square feet, serving breads and pastries as well as dishes and items picked

by Bianco. Tartine will feature Bianco’s pizza program, plus an array of cheeses, charcuterie, a salad bar and other foods to eat in or take home. A Tartine Cookies & Cream kiosk will serve house-churned ice creams, coffee, doughnuts and more. The market is expected to be open from early morning to late at night.

Coffee will be made on-site in a 6,200-square-foot roastery that will process up to 7 million pounds of beans annually. A 1,250-square-foot “coffee lab” will show off the process to visitors and serve as a working facility for budding coffee experiments.

Finally, an upscale restaurant collaboration between Robertson and Bianco will fill more than 5,000 square feet, including a 1,600-square-foot patio. It will offer about 150 seats, a room to dry-age meat and a wine room.

The partners settled on Row DTLA because of their need for a large raw space suitable for such a diverse project, Chait said in a phone call.

“We’re creating a semi-industrial business with a dining and retail component, essentially,” he said. “There were some very unusual space requirements needed. One consideration was, where can we find a space that can accommodate tens of thousands of pounds of grain and coffee being delivered by trucks?”

The Tartine venture is part of Atlas Capital’s transformation of Row DTLA. The property owner is deep into a reworking of the Industrial District complex known to many as the home of American Apparel.

Tartine’s bakery and coffee operations are slated to debut first, in October, followed by the market and its restaurant a month later. The trattoria would follow in February 2018. eddie@downtownnews.com