04-27-15

The Arts District rooftop trailer and deck that Bridget Vagedes lets visitors stay in through Airbnb.

APRIL 27, 2015 I VOL. 44 I #17

HOME SWEET

RENTAL Airbnb and Other Vacation Rental Services Take Off in Downtown

PAGE 14

SPECIAL SECTION ASK THE EXPERT

photo by Gary Leonard

Experts from various professions give their unique insight to the questions they hear most.

PAGE 9

INSIDE THIS WEEK

8 Fantastic Things About L.A.’s Budget : 5 | All the Latest Restaurant News : 18

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

2 Downtown News

DT

AROUND TOWN

Major Arts District Gallery to Open Next March

A

longtime prominent arts leader in Downtown will regain a high-profile role next year. That’s because the 100,000-square-foot former flour mill that is being turned into the Hauser, Wirth & Schimmel Gallery at 901 E. Third St. now has a March 2016 opening date, said project spokeswoman Andrea Schwan.

The Arts District complex will be run by Paul Schimmel, the former MOCA chief curator who spent more than two decades with the museum before being pushed out in 2012. The gallery will be fashioned from a collection of late 19th and early 20th century buildings with outdoor spaces, and the destination will include exhibitions and public programs. Mostly uninhabited since the 1950s, the site’s seven structures include a Neo-Classical bank building, a five-story mill structure and three warehouses.

There is also a 20,000-square-foot space with an interior courtyard.

City Council Creates Homelessness Committee

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recently released report by City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana gave a scathing overview of the failures of the city when it comes to addressing homelessness; it found that Los Angeles spends upwards of $100 mil-

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS lion annually without a consistent process or plan between city departments. In light of the findings, Downtown City Councilman José Huizar, whose 14th District includes Skid Row, last week joined with councilmembers Herb Wesson, Gil Cedillo, Mike Bonin and Curren Price to introduce legislation to create a council ad hoc committee that will craft a comprehensive policy on homelessness. Huizar will chair the committee, and Bonin will be vice chairman. “In recent years our most constant course of action has consisted of reactionary litigation — that policy has clearly failed us,” Huizar said in a prepared statement. “As a humanitarian, public safety and health issue, it is imperative that we act soon and with urgency.” Potential goals of the committee include creating a city Homelessness Czar, expanding Skid Row’s outreach and cleaning program Operation Healthy Streets, and securing more funding for affordable housing.

Little Tokyo Exhibit Shows Rare Images From Burma

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owntowners almost never get a glimpse of, or even give a thought to, the country of Myanmar, long known as Burma. A rare exception continues through this week at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Little Tokyo. Running through Thursday, April 30, is the photography exhibit Burma: An Enchanted Spirit. The images by David Heath were taken in some of the most remote parts of the Asian nation, as he traveled by canoe, plane, on foot and even hitched rides on dump trucks. “I aspired to convey the soul of the beautiful Burmese people, their mythical culture and mysteri-

April 27, 2015

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

City Hall

101-Year-Old Armenian Genocide Survivor

ous customs, in the most artistic way possible,” Heath said in a prepared statement. The JACCC is at 244 S. San Pedro St. or jaccc.org.

Downtown Woman Named City ‘Pioneer’

K

atherine McNenny, the co-founder of Industrial District Green and a volunteer for Operation Healthy Streets, has been named one of 15 Los Angeles Pioneer Women. The City of Los Angeles Commission On the Status of Women presented the 25th annual award to the

Yevnige Salibian

04/23/2015

Little Tokyo Lofts resident at a recent ceremony that honors women whose work has enriched the lives of women and girls. Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar selected McNenny, whose company focuses on greening industrial neighborhoods, for her work in improving the quality of life of people living in and around Skid Row. “Katherine has shown time and time again that she is an agent for change,” said Huizar. The designation coincided with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s release of the first Report on the Status of Women and Girls in Los Angeles. It was researched by Mount Saint Mary’s University.

Continued on page 6

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EDITORIALS

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April 27, 2015

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

South Park’s Billions Bring Potential, and Potential Problems

S

outh Park is one of the hottest neighborhoods for investment not just in Downtown, not just in Los Angeles, but across the United States. Construction is happening throughout the community. Everything from mid-rise apartment buildings to hotels to billion-dollar mega-projects are rising.

This is a very good thing for South Park and greater Downtown, though it also means there is a lot to think about. The activity requires preparing for future needs, such as providing adequate parking and public space, and making sure there is appropriate mass transit and bicycle infrastructure. To make that and more happen, developers must take steps, or be persuaded to take steps, that have impacts beyond their projects. It also means that city leaders should be involved in the process and should work to ensure that there is an overall plan.

Some people are paying attention to the growth of the community, and the South Park Business Improvement District does a very good job of representing the area and helping position it for the future. However, given this historic moment, with literally billions of dollars pouring into this community, we think that officials from the offices of Mayor Eric Garcetti, 14th District City Councilman José Huizar and Ninth District Councilman Curren Price should also get involved and treat this as a priority. They should work together to ensure that city staff seize a rare opportunity to propel a neighborhood forward, and realize some needed community benefits directly related to all the new development.

South Park is different than any other market because of the three mega-developments from off-shore companies. Los Angeles Downtown News last week wrote about the plans that Shenzhen Hazens has for the site of the Luxe City Center Hotel and an adjacent parking lot. The $700 million project will ultimately include three towers (30-42 stories tall), which will produce a hotel and 650 condominiums.

Just to the south, on a plot across from Staples Center, Beijingbased Oceanwide Real Estate Group is working on Oceanwide Plaza, which will create another three skyscrapers (40-49 stories) with 504 housing units and 183 hotel rooms.

Then there is the $1 billion Metropolis, from Shanghai’s Greenland Group. The project, north of L.A. Live and along the 110 Freeway, is under construction, and the first phase will produce an 18-story hotel and a 38-floor condominium tower

with 300 residences. Phase two would bring a pair of high-rises, standing 54 and 40 stories tall, with a total of 1,250 condominiums.

Together, that is 10 towers, creating 2,700 housing units — most if not all for-sale — and two hotels.

Not to be overlooked is retail: Plans call for Shenzhen Hazens’ Luxe development to have 80,000 square feet of retail space, while Oceanwide Plaza will include 167,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. The Metropolis will also have a retail and dining component.

While these projects represent a massive addition to South Park, they are only a portion of what is coming. San Franciscobased Trumark Urban this year broke ground on Ten50, a $100 million, 22-story condominium building at 11th Street and Grand Avenue that will have 151 residences. Nearby, Mack Urban is in construction on a pair of seven-story buildings that will deliver 362 apartments. Mack Urban also has future-phase components: a 38-story tower at Grand Avenue and 12th Street with 530 apartments, and a 12-floor rental building at Olive and 12th streets with 150 residences.

Even this isn’t the end of the lineup: Houston-based Hanover Company recently opened the 284-apartment Hanover South Park and has two other projects, with 537 total rental units, slated to arrive in 2016. Canadian developer Onni Group, meanwhile, intends to build 31- and 40-story housing towers at 1200 S. Flower St., creating 730 residences.

Yet more projects are planned, but at this point, the picture is clear.

The projects, if all are realized (which is no sure thing), could bring more than 5,500 apartments and condominiums to South Park. Again, this is great, but it sparks questions: Are there enough jobs in the community so that people who move here don’t have to climb into the car to get to work? If the answer is no, then traffic is an issue. It can already be difficult to drive in South Park when there are games or concerts at Staples Center or L.A. Live. How can congestion be eased when the housing and retail at Oceanwide Plaza and the Luxe site open? What happens when huge business gatherings take place at the Convention Center?

The developers are a mix of local, national and international firms, and they may have little in common beyond seeing the opportunity to make a financial killing in South Park. That is also

why the city needs to help them understand that each of them has a duty to improve the entire community. There is no longer a redevelopment agency that can enforce standards, so someone else has to do it.

There are numerous places where this could come into play.

The Pico Metro Blue Line station, for instance, is seriously lacking in appeal, and though there once were plans for an upgrade tied to the Farmers Field project, the stadium proposal’s death means the station may stagnate. City leaders should look at urging area stakeholders to help improve the station, or having funds for an upgrade be part of the community benefits packages of coming projects.

It is a similar situation with parks and public space. The creation of thousands of housing units will mean the arrival of families, and South Park is short of outdoor areas where kids can play. Local leaders should either look for a place where land could be purchased and a park could rise (that may be difficult), or they should see what can be done to propel the creation of public pocket parks at new buildings.

Walking and biking need to be prioritized as South Park booms. The new housing developments should have ample bike parking, and the shopping centers should contain secure space for scores of two-wheelers — again, the developers must make it easy for Downtown and other residents to leave their car at home.

Then there are streetscape issues. For example, the Oceanwide and Shenzhen Hazens projects will both front Figueroa Street. However, it is imperative that the developers not treat the Flower Street portion of the projects as a forgotten backside. The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee has raised this issue, and Oceanwide has pledged to integrate Flower Street into its project. We’re glad to hear this, but it can’t be an empty promise.

Plenty of other issues remain. There need to be plans for visitor parking in South Park, whether in a new structure, or set aside in portions of the coming projects. Additionally, the arrival of thousands of inhabitants raises concerns over demands on infrastructure.

The activity and investment in South Park will position the neighborhood for a vibrant future, but success can’t be taken for granted. The developers need to talk and work together, and city officials must lead. The time to act is now.

April 27, 2015

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Eight Fantastic Things About the City Budget Making Sense of a $165 Million Deficit and an $8.6 Billion Spending Proposal

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THE REGARDIE REPORT lion in the fiscal year that starts July 1. The fact that Garcetti rolled out his financial proposal on 4/20, which is the code that potheads use to celebrate smoking marijuana, was, I’m sure, purely coincidental.

For political geeks, budget season is a medium-level holiday. It’s not forgettable like Arbor Day or Gov. Scott Walker Day (not actually a holiday. Yet), but then again, it’s not quite the Christmas/ Hanukkah equivalent of election day, either. Think of Budget Season as a political Columbus Day, minus the brutalizing of Native Americans.

Most people are a lot more interested in Bruce Jenner’s transition to a woman than the city’s transition to a fiscally sustainable municipality. Still, Budget Season is probably more important to the daily lives of the majority of Angelenos. With City Hall hearings on the spending plan beginning this week, here are eight fantastic things about the budget.

Going for Broke: Garcetti’s budget notes that Los Angeles starts fiscal year 2015-16 with a $165 million shortfall. Many people will seek to cast this as a positive,

noting that last year the structural deficit began at $242 million. Things were even worse in the past, as in 2008 the deficit was projected at $406 million, and in 2010 the anticipated shortfall was an amazing $530 million. They further point out that City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana anticipates that Los Angeles will eliminate its structural deficit by 2018-19.

Compared to the past, and the furloughs, layoffs and early retirements that followed, a $165 million deficit seems peachy. However, the fact remains that initial projections call for L.A. to spend $165 million more than it takes in, and if this happened at Chrysler for years on end, heads would roll. Treating a $165 million gap as a positive is something of a fiscal Stockholm Syndrome, with excuses being made for why the terrible is good. This is like being held prisoner in the secret CIA jail in Reseda (oops, I wasn’t supposed to mention that) and thinking that being waterboarded once a week, rather than every day, is a plus.

Raise the Roof: Garcetti’s projections rely on most city workers not getting raises for two years. Public sentiment seems to be in favor of such a move, and of having municipal employees contribute to their healthcare costs. However, unions representing about 20,000 city employees like this stance about as much as Lakers fans like Jim Buss. The Coalition of L.A. City

Unions is pounding the drum for raises, citing the improving economy. Then there’s the possible precedent of a recent agreement to give LAPD officers an 8.2% pay hike in coming years. Garcetti may need all of the magic spells he learned in the Naval Reserves to keep wages steady. If pay hikes are granted, the deficit, now and in future years, could balloon.

And no, Garcetti didn’t actually pick up magic in the Navy. He learned it during his time at Hogwarts.

The Price of Crime: Rising violent crime across Los Angeles may not be the elephant in the room, but it certainly is the skunk, and Garcetti and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck get credit for trying to respond quickly. Of course, it’s results that matter, and the new budget allocates $5.5 million to expand the Gang Reduction and Youth Development program, which focuses on prevention and intervention efforts, rather than just arresting the heck out of tattooed teens.

However, there may be another option: Disneyland passports that give admission on 315 days throughout the year start at $549. So, Los Angeles could buy 10,000 gangbangers annual passes, for a total of $5.49 million, and let them bond and realize their similarities through days and nights at the Happiest Place on Earth.

After all, what promotes unity more than Continued on page 8

City Hall photo by Gary Leonard

By Jon Regardie udget season has arrived in the city of Los Angeles, and on Monday, April 20, Mayor Eric Garcetti presented his plan for how to spend $8.6 bil-

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The Central City Crime Report A Rundown on Downtown Incidents, Trends and Criminal Oddities

By Donna Evans n the Central City Crime Report, we survey the recent week in public safety. All information is provided by the LAPD’s Central Division.

I

Construction Scheme: Three men wearing construction vests used a crowbar and screwdriver to pry open the front door of the store The Venetian, at 300 E. Pico Blvd., just before 6 a.m. on April 12. The thieves made off with $5,000 worth of clothes.

Footwear Filching: A man police say stole black rubber boots from a storage room at the Hilton DoubleTree, at 120 S. Los Angeles St., on April 15 was arrested on suspicion of burglary when he returned to the hotel in possession of the missing boots.

Yet More Bike Thefts: Nine bicycles left unattended in various places around Downtown from April 12-18 were stolen. In eight instances, someone cut the locks. The other bike was left unsecured at Fifth Street and Towne Avenue.

Don’t Leave Anything Unattended: The person who left his or her camera equipment unattended on the corner of Sixth and Olive streets at noon on April 12 either does not read this column, does not have much common sense, or both.

Yes, the items were stolen.

Yep, It’s Me: A man accused of stealing Hondas in the Hollenbeck and Central Area LAPD divisions told police that, yes, he was the thief. Arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto on March 24 was Kevin Casado.

Double Trouble: A man allegedly driving a stolen 1996 Nissan, Safael Ali, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto at 1 a.m. on April 15. Further investigation showed that he allegedly purchased the vehicle with a stolen credit card.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

AROUND TOWN, 2 Gourmet Wine Store, Tasting Room to Open at Cal Plaza

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longtime Downtown business is about to fill a prime, centrally located retail space. Gourmet Wines & Spirits, which closed its Downtown location on Wilshire Boulevard in 2014 after 32 years in business, is reopening in the old Tesoro space at the Cal Plaza Watercourt at 300 S. Grand Ave. Project representative Kate Bartolo said owners Tony and Mike Taghdis are updating the 1,972-square-foot space across from Mendocino Farms. Bartolo said they sought to open in Cal Plaza to appeal to a Bunker Hill customer base of law firms and corporations. The project will include a patio and a tasting room, and in addition to wine and beer the store will sell gourmet cheeses, deli packages, bread and assorted sundries.

Gourmet Wines & Spirits is expected to open in May.

Aussie Retailer Coming to Ninth and Broadway

T

he hipster revolution on the southern portion of the Historic Core continues. Australian retailer BNKR (pronounced “bunker”) is headed to the ever-evolving corner of Ninth Street and Broadway. The shop will fill the space formerly occupied by the Black Stone Art Gallery at 901 S. Broadway. The 6,800-square-foot business is slated to open in July, according to company spokeswoman Kendall Sargent. BNKR, which started as a small online retailer in Australia, specializes in women’s wear, and according to its website,

April 27, 2015

sells labels including Cameo, Keepsake, Fig + Yarrow and Quay Eyewear. It will join stores such as Stockholm-based Acne Studios and New York’s Oak. Coming to the area later this year is French shop A.P.C. They will join area anchor the Ace Hotel. “It is the fastest growing neighborhood in Los Angeles, potentially the country, and we are beyond excited to be a part of the ‘Bring Back Broadway’ movement which is organically developing daily,” Marco Lebel, BNKR’s CEO for America, said in a prepared statement. The store’s impending arrival was first reported by Apparel News.

Downtown Dive Bar to Close

O

ne of Downtown Los Angeles’ most popular dive bars is closing. Vee Delgadillo, who opened Bar 107 at 107 W. Fourth St. in 2005, said her landlord, Victor Vasquez, whose father owns the Barclay Hotel building (Bar 107 is on the ground floor) is not renewing her lease. She said she was given a 90-day notice, and that the bar will shut down in the last week of May or the first week of June. Multiple phone calls to Vasquez seeking comment were not returned. July 6 would have been Bar 107’s 10-year anniversary, but Delgadillo said Vasquez would not let her stay to celebrate the milestone. “It is a travesty and so sad that this is happening,” said Delgadillo, who also owns the Down and Out bar, and in February opened The Little Easy, a New Orleans-themed restaurant and bar.

She is also working on opening a bar in the former Silo space on Seventh Street. “Everything Downtown is going upscale, with dress codes and fancy mixed drinks,” Delgadillo said. “I’ve always loved dive bars because you get to drink with people from all walks of life.”

VOL OF DO Awards & Honors

Volkswagen of Downtown L.A. Receives

A three-time recipient — 2013, 2014, 2015 — of the Edmunds Five Star Dealer Award, Roger Chammas, General Manager of Volkswagen of Downtown L.A., (center), and members of the dealership’s team proudly display the awards.

VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN LA Awards & Honors Awards & Honors

The Edmunds Five Star Dealer awards are presented to dealerships who have been recognized by consumers for providing a stellar car shopping experience.

Receives the 2015 Edmunds.com Five Star Dealer Award L.A.Downtown Volkswagen of Downtownof Volkswagen L.A. A three-time recipient — 2013, 2014,

Receives 2015Five Edmunds.com Five Star Dealer Award 2015 — of thethe Edmunds Star Dealer Award, Roger Chammas, General Manager of Volkswagen of Downtown L.A., (center),

members of the dealership’s team Aand three-time recipient – 2013, 2014, 2015 – of the Edmunds Five Star Dealer Award, Roger proudly display the awards.

Chammas, General Manager of Vokswagen of Downtown L.A. (center), and members of the dealerThe Edmunds Five Star Dealer awards are presented to dealerships who have been ship’s team, proudly display the awards. recognized by consumers for providing a stellar car shopping experience.

The Edmunds Five Star Dealer awards are presented to dealerships who have been recognized by consumers for providing a stellar car shopping experience.

April 27, 2015

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8 Downtown News

budget, 5

the new Clean Streets Initiative, which gives each council district one day of intense street cleaning per month. Note, this won’t be needed Downtown in June, as the streets will be clean without a Lakers or Kings championship parade. If the Clippers happen to win the NBA title, don’t worry — they don’t have enough fans to really mess the place up.

Show Me the Money: Where does the city money go? Not surprisingly, the biggest spender in the family is the LAPD, which will have a budget north of $1.442 billion in the coming year. The Fire Department, meanwhile, will get $620 million. The City Council receives $23 million — up from about $16.2 million in fiscal year 2013-14 — while the mayor’s office will spend approximately $6 million. I don’t have a joke here — I’m just too depressed thinking

Bloods, Crips and 18th Street members touring Mickey’s Toontown and riding “It’s a Small World” together?

I can’t wait for my Nobel Peace Prize.

Taking It to the Streets: Like birthday parties for 6-year-old girls, Garcetti’s administration has had a theme: Frozen! No, wait, wrong theme. The nom de guerre of Garcetti’s mayoralty has been Back to Basics, and that continues with allocations for quality-of-life services. In the coming fiscal year the tree trimming budget is rising 50%. Additionally, $1 million will be set aside for more frequent restroom cleaning at 35 parks — the concept of $1 million worth of dirty bathrooms just made me do an icky face — and $4.1 million is being allocated for

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about the council having $23 million.

The Broken Path: The budget includes $31 million to repair busted sidewalks, and the allocation only came about because the city needed to settle a lawsuit over the shoddy state of said passages — L.A. will pay $1.4 billion to fix sidewalks over 30 years. Ultimately, there’s no decision as to where the funds will come from.

One rumor is that Garcetti’s office will get the upcoming $31 million by having City Attorney Mike Feuer sue actor Kevin James for the crime he committed by appearing in and having people pay to watch Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.

Let’sNEWS Chat: In AD the effort to innovate, the budDTLA DATE: 4-17-2015 get calls for having the Office of Finance establish a pilot online chat service for business taxpayers so they can get detailed responses faster than by using the phone or visiting a city

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office. Yes, the City Hall Chat Room proposal is real. No, you’re not allowed to start by asking Chat Room reps, “So what are you wearing?”

2020 Vision: The 2015-16 budget allocates $14 million to implement some of the forward-thinking ideas proposed last year by the 2020 Commission, a cadre of high-profile civic leaders, including attorney Mickey Kantor and now-L.A. Times Publisher Austin Beutner, and convened by Council President Herb Wesson.

First to be implemented will be a new Office of Transparency and Accountability. OK, that’s not close to true: The city will continue to ignore the pair of reports the group prepared, though local politicians maintain the option in the future of stealing ideas and pretending they come up with them. regardie@downtownnews.com

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How does aftermarket printer ink compare to original name brand ink, and what’s the best option for both price and quality?

Printer ink is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet. In fact, per ml of ink, you’re paying around 30 times the price of crude oil when you buy original brand ink. So it’s no surprise that many companies advertise significant savings on aftermarket (remanufactured or compatible) cartridges. It is important, however, to balance price and quality, but not all companies can adequately balance these variables, especially if they are not a specialized ink and toner company.

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Dr. Dimitris Constantinou 123 Refills 705 A S. Olive St. Los Angeles, CA 90014 213-488-9404 123refills.com

Bill Cooper of The Loft Expert! Group has specialized in the Downtown L.A. residential market since 2002, providing full-service real estate support to buyers and sellers. The company has a thorough familiarity of the ins and outs of Downtown’s diverse communities coupled with an extensive knowledge of the shifting trends of the local, regional and national markets. We are ready to assist you with all your real estate needs.

What does the future look like for Downtown’s residents?

When I moved Downtown in 2002 it was a very bleak place for residents. I quickly joined those who were committed to bringing this community into the 21st century. We anticipated and then celebrated each addition and improvement. That kept us going and growing. During the next five years you will see a greater concentration of families with kids utilizing our successful Bill Cooper charter schools, additional playgrounds and parks while their parents, who work close by, benefit from the expansive Metro and streetcar system. They will be joined by more empty nesters that will trade their suburban homes and cars for our mixed-use developments and the LOFT expert! group walkable neighborhoods with every desired amenity outside their door. Downtowners will continue to expand on the concept of live, work, play and stay. I truly enjoy working with these visionaries and continue to be committed to Downtown’s growth. the loft expert!

The Loft Expert! Group Loftway Homes and Lofts 1020 S. Hope St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 213-598-7555 theloftexpertgroup.com

TM

TM

DOWNTOWN CORPORATE RELOCATION

group

Q A

loft the loft expert! group

Why Downtown L.A., and why now?

Downtown is experiencing a renaissance in many exciting ways, from the revitalization of its historical buildings into live/work lofts and creative office space to the emergence of modern, sleek, world-class high rises. Over the past decade, the burgeoning gentrification and real estate upswing have taken Downtown Los Angeles from an area to be avoided to a favored and influential destination. The DTLA urban lifestyle allows access to major corporate employers, and walking to some of L.A.’s best restaurants, bars, cultural venues and businesses, for those who work and live in Downtown. DTLA has excellent investment potential and is poised to appreciate as the area continues its grand metropolitan metamorphosis. DTLA has 14 robust living districts which reflect a city center that offers an eclectic and vibrant urban mecca. DTLA has something that will appeal to the “urban adventurer” in all of us.

Lynda Martin-Lawley

TM

Lynda Martin-Lawley has a passion for putting people together with the homes and lifestyles they desire. She has had a successful 30-year career at a Fortune 100 lender, running a multi-billion dollar organization. Home and Lifestyle DTLA advises companies or individuals exploring the possibility of moving into Downtown L.A. They work closely to define which district, type of building, amenities and surrounding area best suit their needs.

Home and Lifestyle DTLA 800-614-4509 homelifestyledtla.com

April 27, 2015

Downtown News 11

ASK THE EXPERT

AC MARTIN

Q A Q A

When we started the Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project in 2009, the City of Los Angeles did not know how to evaluate the creditability of an international developer who wanted to develop and build property in the Downtown environs. So, we used the Wilshire Grand project as the new benchmark and “Poster Child of International Opportunities to Come” for Los Angeles. Now, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office, all the Council members, the Los Angeles City Planning Department, and the Los Angeles Building and Safety Department recognize that the market is knocking on our door and they need to act quickly and efficiently. City leadership is impressively geared up to respond. Mayor Garcetti’s office has clearly focused on these important opportunities in his recent Asia trade mission.

Based on your experiences, what else can the city and its entities do to make the environment more welcoming?

There is nothing better than to get out there and market yourself both domestically and internationally. Trade missions abroad coupled with Los Angeles business leadership such as the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), Central City Association of Los Angeles (CCA-LA) and others are vitally important to bring this business to the city, the county and the State of California. Visiting government and business leaders in their home countries is both politically and culturally important. We need to actively make the effort to go there and “Make the Invitation” to invest and develop here in L.A.

Which one of your projects was the most successful for both the investor and the City of Los Angeles?

Clearly, the New Wilshire Grand — the first modern high-rise in the city of Los Angeles, has been the most successful for the city in terms of sheer value, jobs and taxes. It has more than 11,000 active construction jobs; 600 full-time jobs in the hotel, restaurants and shopping areas; and construction value is $1.2 billion, which will be a dramatic increase in property and bed taxes for the city of Los Angeles. By adding 900 hotel beds upon completion, the Wilshire Grand project will help to bolster and sustain the city’s booming travel and tourism industry. As the city’s profile with international tourism rises, Wilshire Grand will set a new standard for luxury, entertainment and innovation.

Christopher C. Martin Christopher C. Martin is the third generation leader of AC Martin, one of Southern California’s oldest planning and architecture firms. His architectural work has contributed to the economic vitality of Downtown Los Angeles, and as a civic leader he has devoted a significant portion of his time to critical issues facing the City and County of Los Angeles. Currently under development is the new Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project in Downtown Los Angeles, where Martin Project Management (MPM) is the Owner’s Development Manager. As the CEO and President of MPM, Chris is resurrecting the role of Master Architect that Albert C. Martin Jr. and Edward J. Martin played in the creation of the modern Downtown skyline. Chris received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects; a current board member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; current board member of the Los Angeles Central City Association; current board member of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation; and a founding Board Member of the Los Angeles Business Federation.

As part of Chris’ commitment to education he serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California and the School of Law at Chapman University.

AC Martin 444 S. Flower St., #1200 Los Angeles, CA 90071 213-683-1900 acmartin.com

AC MARTIN

DEVELOPMENT / ARCHITECTURE

Q A

What is today’s attitude towards international companies looking to invest, develop and build projects in Downtown, compared to 10 years ago?

REAL ESTATE

HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES

HOMELESSNESS

12 Downtown News

Q A

Is there a solution to homelessness in Downtown LA?

There is no doubt that homelessness is a complicated issue, but there is a solution: Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). PSH is permanent housing coupled with on-site support services that include case management, mental health, substance abuse and primary care. This proven approach not only gets people off the streets and keeps them off, but also creates a solid foundation from which they can rebuild their lives. There is a direct correlation between chronic homelessness and the increased costs to our healthcare and criminal justice systems; it has also been proven that in cities and communities where PSH exists, those costs go down dramatically. So really, it is more expensive to leave people on the street than it is to get them into permanent supportive housing. How often do we get a solution to a large, complex social issue that also saves taxpayer money in the process?

Q A

Mike Alvidrez

Dr. Michael J. Wong

Dr. Michael J. Wong is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Clinical Lipidology, the study of cholesterol.

Wong is one of a few physicians to practice and administer preventive medicine in the field of cardiology, specializing in the detection, prevention and treatment of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

He is a long-time volunteer for the American Heart Association, and a Fellow of AHA. He founded Lipidologists of L.A. with Dr. PK Shah, a group of recognized opinion leaders in this cutting-edge field.

Michael J. Wong, M.D., F.A.H.A. 201 S. Alvarado St., Ste. 618 Los Angeles, CA 90057 213-483-7766 aboutheartcare.com

Evangelyn Lin is a member of Lin Realty Group. With a background in Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California, she obtained her real estate license in June 2007 and her broker’s license in May 2012. Lin is fluent in Chinese. Her passion is to help all her clients realize the American dream of homeownership.

What do I need to know before selling my home in Downtown Los Angeles?

There are seven costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home. A newly released industry report reveals these mistakes, along with a nine-step system that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. According to the research, the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less effective in today’s market.

Three-quarters of home sellers don’t get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and, worse, financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market.

These mistakes are preventable and to address this issue industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled “The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar.” Order a free copy by calling (800) 879-4210 and enter 1000 (available 24 hrs.).

Get this report now to find out how you can get the most money for your home.

Mike Alvidrez, executive director for Skid Row Housing Trust, has a distinguished career in affordable housing development. He joined the Skid Row Housing Trust as a project manager in 1990 and became executive director in 2004. A native Angeleno with a Masters degree from UCLA’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Alvidrez has helped build the Trust into one of the leading organizations providing permanent supportive housing and implementing the Housing First model in Southern California.

Skid Row Housing Trust 1317 E. Seventh St. Los Angeles, CA 90021 213-683-0522 skidrow.org

How do I know if I am at risk for heart attack and stroke?

Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Often the first symptom is a deadly event. This is an invisible disease, so everyone over 40 should be asking this question. The best measure of risk now is the PULS test. PULS is a blood test that outperforms standard predictors. It is a modern, high-technology test based on the latest in blood chemistry research. The report is simple and gives you your heart age, and your risk of having a heart attack in five years. I have seen my own patients benefit tremendously from understanding how much risk they have. Reducing the risk is much more than controlling cholesterol. PULS is becoming the gold standard, and the Mayo and Stanford clinics are or will be using it soon. The test is drawn in our office and sent to Global Discovery Biosciences for processing. Call to schedule a PULS blood test.

Q A

April 27, 2015

ASK THE EXPERT

Evangelyn Lin

Re/Max Premier Properties 913 E. Walnut St. Pasadena, CA 91106 626-807-6581 Eva@linrealtygroup.com Evangelyn Lin, Broker Associate Realtor CalBRE#01817694

April 27, 2015

Downtown News 13

ASK THE EXPERT

STROKE SYMPTOMS

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL

Q A

How can I tell if I’m having a stroke?

Stroke symptoms vary according to the location in the brain. Strokes are typically associated with weakness or numbness to one side of the body, usually in both the arm and the leg and with slurred speech. However, other symptoms include headaches, blurry vision, dizziness and poor balance — the key is the identification of the change in neurological symptoms and the rapid occurrence of these symptoms.

Thomas C. Chen, MD

Thomas, C. Chen, MD, PhD, MHA, FACS, is an expert in surgical neurooncology and spinal disorders, specializing in treating a wide range of brain and spinal cord tumors. He offers a variety of treatment approaches including medical, surgical and/or radiological interventions. He received his medical degree at the University of California in San Francisco and completed his internship in surgery and residency in neurosurgery at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Q A

Why is it important to call 911 as soon as possible?

It is important for people to call 911 immediately so that treatment is not delayed. When the patient arrives via the Emergency Response System, we are able to rapidly treat and evaluate them. If there is a delay with a stroke or even a heart attack it can lead to permanent damage that we cannot fix. If we get a stroke patient within three hours of symptoms onset we can give a clot buster to break up the clot and hopefully reverse the damage that is occurring to the brain. It is similar with a heart attack — giving medication or placing a stent can reverse the damage.

Philip Fagan, MD

Philip J. Fagan, Jr., MD, FACEP is the medical director of the Emergency Department at Good Samaritan Hospital. He received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana followed by his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. He completed his postgraduate training at Oregon Health Sciences University Medical School in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Fagan is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine.

Good Samaritan Hospital Stroke Program 1225 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90017 213-977-2028

Q A

Are all strokes treated the same?

Treatment depends on the type of stroke that is occurring. There are hemorrhagic strokes (15% of all strokes), where a brain artery ruptures, and ischemic strokes (85% of all strokes), where a brain artery is blocked. This is determined by a CT scan of the brain. If it is a hemorrhagic stroke, the goal is to identify and repair a vascular lesion to prevent further bleeding. An ischemic stroke is treated very differently. Currently, there is only one medication that can be given to treat a sudden blockage in a brain artery, called tPA, and it must be given within three to four-and-a-half hours from the time the patient was last seen normal. After that, the only other option to treat a blocked artery is through a surgical procedure called a catheter cerebral angiogram. It is very similar to a cardiac angiogram but for a stroke we advance our devices into the arteries of the brain, not the heart. If we can get to the blockage, we are often successful in removing the clot.

Matthew Tenser, MD

Matthew Tenser, MD, Sc.M., received his bachelor’s degree in Biology at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, followed by a post-graduate study at Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Tenser completed his medical degree at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Tenser is board certified in Neurology and is a diplomate in the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Good Samaritan Hospital Stroke Program 1225 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90017 213-977-2028

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL

stroke treatment

emergency advice

Good Samaritan Hospital Stroke Program 1225 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90017 213-977-2028

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

14 Downtown News

April 27, 2015

Home Sweet Rental As Downtown Grows, So Does the Number of People Renting Out Their Residences to Travelers

By Eddie Kim ridget Vagedes has been living in Downtown for 15 years. Last year, something changed for the Arts District resident: She began renting out part of her home to travelers from around the world.

Like so many others, Vagedes’ move was made simple thanks to Airbnb, the short-term vacation rental website that allows users to list rooms or entire homes online, providing them an income stream. The company takes a fee for

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each rental.

Vagedes works as a jewelry artist out of the two-story property on Hewitt Street that she owns with her husband. The duo put a restored vintage trailer up on the roof and built a patio as a hang-out area. Later, they decided it would be a perfect place to house visitors.

The decision has proved fun and, maybe more importantly, profitable, she said.

“If you’re an artist or you’re making something to sell to the public, it’s kind of a crapshoot, so Airbnb has been fantastic for income,” she said. “In the past, I never banked on that money, but it’s actually the majority of my income now. And I do everything — I’m maintenance, the maid, check-in. I want to meet people and get to know them.”

Vagedes is far from alone. On any given day, there are more than 100 Downtown Los Angeles rental listings on Airbnb and similar sites such as VRBO, everything from a modest spare bedroom to a decked-out, 1,600-square-foot loft. For visitors, the units offer a more intimate, local experience than staying in a hotel would provide. Then there’s price: Downtown rates start around $70 per night, which can be far less than area hotels charge. Many Airbnb offerings also include kitchen access, which can further trim costs for travelers.

Airbnb and similar services are growing, and growing controversial. Cities are increasingly voicing a desire to collect taxes from the trans-

photo by Gary Leonard

Bridget Vagedes at the restored vintage trailer she rents to visitors through Airbnb. It is on the roof of an Arts District building she owns with her husband.

actions. Additionally, a recent report by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy stated that, in a tight housing market, Airbnb and other listings services are chewing up housing units and driving rental prices higher.

Another issue for Downtown property owners are apartment building rules and condominium complex bylaws that prohibit shortterm rentals.

One Historic Core woman, who requested anonymity because subletting is not allowed in her building, said visitors reach out to her because area hotels are booked or they want to explore the region “from the inside,” through a connection with a local resident. The income it provides allows for more creative endeavors

and community volunteering, she said.

She called it a win-win, though she noted her landlord could begin eviction proceedings if they found out.

“It’s hard to come out and say you are doing Airbnb. It is not welcomed in most buildings,” she wrote in an Airbnb message to a reporter.

“I hope in the future something can be worked out.”

Whether it can is uncertain. The resistance of property management companies or landlords to vacation rentals concerns liability, said Mike Mitchell, community association manager for Prime Association Services, which manages about 16 condo buildings in Downtown. Giving Continued on page 16

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airbnb, 14 visitors access to keys and building codes is one problem, he noted. Another issue is that visitors are sometimes careless about how they treat the property, or cause disturbances for residents.

Mitchell said some management companies, including Prime, scan vacation rental sites to see whether residents of their buildings have listings. Usually, a warning notice stops continued listings, he said. Repeat offenders could face an HOA board hearing and a fine.

“Even though Airbnb is getting bigger, I don’t see this issue growing — just being a recurring thing,” Mitchell said. “Myself and the board, we’ll keep doing investigations and setting out literature so owners know the rules.”

Hotel Factor Policymakers in Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities have begun discussing how to regulate the vacation rental market. In his recent State of the City speech, Mayor Eric Garcetti talked about the need to collect taxes from Airbnb, similar to those paid by people who stay in hotels. The funds would help the city provide services, Garcetti said.

Meanwhile, Airbnb has taken steps seemingly to discourage larger entities from listing on its site. Recently, two companies, Globe Homes and Condos and AE Hospitality, had their Los Angeles listings, including several in Downtown, taken down. Airbnb did not give a reason for the move, only saying in a statement that its “mission is to connect hosts with guests and provide a quality, local and authentic experience.”

One factor is the hotel industry’s concerns that large vacation rental businesses are operating basically like hotels, but without paying

any relevant taxes or fees, said Bruce Baltin, senior vice president of hotel and hospitality consultant PKF Consulting.

Still, the local hotel industry hasn’t taken a big hit from the vacation-rental business, he said. In fact, hotel prices are rising thanks to increased demand. As with the taxi industry and rideshare upstarts Uber and Lyft, hotels and new-school vacation rentals have to learn to coexist, Baltin added.

“Airbnb actually argues that they generate additional demand by getting people to travel more in different neighborhoods,” he said. “A huge part of Downtown’s new market is leisure, and so you have to think that Airbnb and its prices make a weekend stay or a random visit easier for people.”

The rise of vacation rentals has also birthed a lucrative industry of secondary services, with companies such as Guesty, Proprly and Guesthop serving as virtual “concierges” that represent unit owners and arrange everything from check-in to clean up. Others, such as Beyond Pricing and AirDNA, use data to provide onthe-fly pricing suggestions.

For Nathan Tobin, who has the title of head of growth at Guesty, more regulation of vacation rentals isn’t cause for doom and gloom.

Eventually, a firmer framework will give the company clarity about where and how to operate, he said, and defined rules could usher in greater growth.

“We’ve seen that in some cities, once there’s a clearer process in place, older people in particular feel more comfortable using Airbnb and short-term rentals,” Tobin said. “We’ve seen an influx of inquiries after new regulations.”

Zagedes isn’t worried about potential new rules, either. She’s not opposed to paying more

So You Want to Stay in Downtown?

Five Airbnb Options Across the Location and Price Spectrum

U

nlike hotels, Airbnb options are spread all across Downtown, and there are a number of price points. Below are five places a visitor can rent. The listings search was conducted on April 22 for a May 1-3 stay. Future searches may yield different results.

Bunker Hill Enjoy having a view? A studio condominium on Bunker Hill offers floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a panoramic look across Mid-City and the Hollywood Hills. It’s $119 a night, plus $42 in fees. The total: $280.

Arts District A 1,600-square-foot loft near Sixth and Alameda streets features a wide-open living area with plenty of vintage-look furniture and enough beds to sleep eight guests. It’s $275 a night, plus $176 in cleaning and service fees (Airbnb takes the service charge).

The total for the stay: $726.

Fashion District A listing off Eighth Street and Central Avenue touts a private bedroom in a 3,300-square-foot loft with features such as a six-foot-tall projection screen and a rooftop deck with a fireplace. It’s going for $130 a night, plus $54 in fees. The total: $314.

South Park A one-bedroom apartment across the street from the Convention Center offers a clean, modern space with a balcony and shared amenities including a pool and gym. The unit is $199 per night, plus $104 in fees. The total: $502. taxes or fees, though she points out that she is not a corporate entity, “like The Standard.”

Zagedes also doesn’t expect renters or condo owners to stop listing their properties online, considering the upside.

“There’s nothing like a true Airbnb experience. It’s not like a hotel at all,” Zagedes said.

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Historic Core A sleekly decorated studio at the Alexandria Hotel puts guests in the heart of the Historic Core’s energy and action. Plus, it comes with one of Downtown’s lowest Airbnb price tags: Just $85 a night, plus a $20 service fee. The total: $190.

—Eddie Kim “For me, it’s about getting to promote my community. I want you to get away from guidebooks and have a connection with a local who’s been here for a long time.”

If it also puts more money in her pocket, all the better. eddie@downtownnews.com

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April 27, 2015

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Downtown News 17

CALENDAR

Who Art Thou?

Family Dynamics Come to a Head in Taper Dramedy

photos by Craig Schwartz

The Mark Taper Forum play Immediate Family has shades of the classic film Look Who’s Coming to Dinner, though with a same-sex twist. It is at the Mark Taper Forum.

By Donna Evans n 1967, interracial dating was not just frowned upon, it was illegal in 17 states. That’s what made the audacity of a white woman bringing home her black fiancé in the Sidney Poitier classic Look Who’s Coming to Dinner a jaw-dropping film.

Add 48 years of cultural finessing and the timely twist of same-sex unions and you have the broad strokes of Paul Oakley Stovall’s dramedy Immediate Family. The play opens Sunday, May 3, at the Mark Taper Forum in Downtown Los Angeles.

Previews began April 22 and the 90-minute production runs through June 7.

Directed by Phylicia Rashad, Immediate Family is Oakley’s first play, and debuted in Chicago in 2012. Set in the Windy City, it follows the upper middle class Bryant family, whose adult siblings have reconvened from New York and Brussels, Belgium to attend brother Tony’s wedding. The parents are deceased, but their memory, in particular that of their reverend father, looms heavy. While it’s not exactly a secret that Jesse is gay, no one has discussed it openly, including Jesse. The action builds on Jesse bringing home his boyfriend, a handsome Swedish photographer, to meet his mostly estranged family.

Immediate Family takes place over 24 hours, and focuses on a card game played by the family members. That is when some of the show’s richest and most physical comedy is delivered, Stovall said. The character of Nina, a lesbian and wisecracking neighbor played by J. Nicole Brooks, turns a victory celebration into almost its own 90-second comedic playlet, he said. The family “explosion,” in which history and resentments boil over, was also written and performed with the intent of sparking some laughs amid the serious subject matter.

The playwright acknowledged that elements of the story are autobiographical: Stovall is a gay black man and has lived in Sweden. He also has experienced the unnerving feeling of bringing home a romantic interest for the first time. It’s a moment often fraught with fear and anxiety by all members of a

I

family, he said. In Immediate Family, Stovall heightens the stress by having Jesse admit a fact he has long resisted.

“Tell people the truth and deal with it head-on. This show is about what happens if you don’t, and what can potentially happen if you do,” said Stovall. “The old adage is true: The truth will

set you free.”

Actress Shanésia Davis, who plays Jesse’s prickly sister Evy, said that at its heart, Immediate Family is a love story, and one that explores love amid a family’s dysfunction. In the Bryant family, Jesse’s revelation leads to questions about loving oneself, and holding on to personal beliefs in the face of change.

Davis’ character gets hit with that topic head-on. She said that at the opening, Evy is intractable. Davis described her as the kind of person who is accomplished, but also someone who finds it difficult to see points of view different from her own.

“She’s a go-getter,” Davis said. “She’s that person you go to when you need something done, whether it’s with the family, in the church or in the neighborhood. As for Jesse, she just wants him to be the person who fits into her world.”

Davis played Evy in 2012 in Chicago, and has gotten to know her character quite well. Still, she said director Rashad gives the cast a lot of freedom to explore new ideas. While the script is mostly the same as when the play debuted, the characters have grown over the years, she said.

Stovall and Davis admitted that working with Rashad was daunting at first. After all, Rashad played Clair Huxtable on the landmark 1980s sit-com “The Cosby Show.” She has since gone on to carve a prominent role for herself in theater, including directing productions such as the Taper’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone in 2013. Plus, she won a Best Actress Tony Award in 2004 for her performance as Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun. “She’s a wonderful actress, a TV star and a mentor to the entire black community,” Stovall said. “She’s one of the most talented artists I’ve ever been in the room with, but she doesn’t give you time to think about who she is and what she’s done. We’re too busy working, working, working.”

Suffice to say, the Bryants are nothing like the Cosbys.

Immediate Family runs through June 7 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org. donna@downtownnews.com

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

18 Downtown News

April 27, 2015

Restaurant Buzz Bar & Kitchen Returns, Korean Barbecue in Chinatown And More Food Happenings

By Eddie Kim Dining Facelift: With the Downtown Los Angeles dining scene booming, the brass at the O Hotel in South Park decided its restaurant, Bar & Kitchen, needed some tweaks. A remodel began in March and is now wrapping up, with a reopening slated for May 8, according to Sy Hosseini, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. The restaurant has an updated facade, with frosted glass giving way to clear panes that show off the dining room to passersby. The dining area has been reconfigured, and there’s a new entrance allowing guests to arrive directly in Bar & Kitchen without passing through the hotel’s lobby. Chef Vahan Tokmadjian and his menu of modern regional comfort food remains.

Coming to 819 S. Flower St., (213) 784-3048 or barandkitchenla.com.

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Happy Week: Love sweet deals on food and drinks? Of course you do. Thankfully, the DineLA Happy Hour week is here, and an array of Central City establishments are taking part from April 27-May 1. Similar to the regular DineLA week, in which restaurants offer lunch and dinner deals, the participating restaurants are offering expanded happy hour menus, with most items under $10, as well as extended happy hour timeframes. Among the 26 local players are Drago Centro, Ledlow, Redbird, Mediterranean eatery 10e and meat palace Fogo de

Chao. DineLA is presented by the L.A. Tourism and Convention Board.

At multiple locations or discoverlosangeles.com.

Boba Madness: A long-dead retail space at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel is being revived. A deal has been signed to bring Taiwan-based beverage franchise CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice to a roughly 1,700-square-foot spot along Olive Street, next to Calm Dental. The space was once a dress shop but has been empty for years, said Avison Young’s Derrick Moore, who brokered the deal. The build-out will take about six months, Moore said. It would be the second outpost of CoCo Fresh in Downtown, following a branch that opened at 1111 S. Hope St. this month. CoCo specializes in boba, teas and fruit drinks and has hundreds of locations worldwide.

Coming to 506 S. Grand Ave. The Waiting Game, Italian Style: The luxury Bunker Hill apartment tower The Emerson opened in October, but one big element is still missing: the Italian restaurant Vespaio. Though it was initially envisioned to debut by the end of 2014, current plans call for an opening in late May, according to a project representative. Chef Agostino Sciandri’s restaurant will fill a 5,500-square-foot ground-floor space, and there will be an outdoor patio with a retractable roof. While menu details remain scant, din-

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The anticipated Italian restaurant Vespaio is expected to open in late May in The Emerson apartment building.

ers can expect the refined Italian cooking that Sciandri offers at his West Hollywood restaurant Ago, with an added emphasis on dishes cooked in the wood-burning oven and on a rotisserie. Vespaio is expected to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Coming to 225 S. Grand Ave. So Close: Charles Babinski, co-owner of Grand Central Market’s G&B Coffee, won the U.S. Barista Championship in February. That got him a trophy and an invite to the 2015 World Barista Championship, held in Seattle on April 9-12. Fifty competitors from around the globe entered the showdown, and Babinski was one of six people who made the third and final round. Babinski impressed the judges with his espresso, cappuccino and signature drink (involving juniper syrup, grapefruit and pine honey), but fell short of the top prize, coming in second to Australia’s Sasa Sestic. Babinski’s run to second place is a big feat, considering that the last time an L.A. barista even got to com-

pete in the World Championship was in 2010, with Intelligentsia’s Michael Phillips.

At 324 S. Hill St. or gandbcoffee.com.

Seoul Food: Over in Chinatown, big things are brewing on the ground floor of the Jia apartment complex. Restaurateur Leonard Chan announced earlier this year that he’s bringing a half-dozen concepts into a huge food-court like space, but now comes word that he is being joined by another heavy-hitter: restaurateur and chef Jenee Kim of Park’s BBQ. Kim is bringing her fast-casual Oleego to a nearly 1,500-square-foot space along Broadway. Expect a similar menu to that at the Oleego inside the FIGat7th shopping center, with a focus on customized Korean barbecue bowls that cost around $10. The new Oleego will likely open in early summer, said Avison Young’s Derrick Moore, who brokered the deal for the space.

Coming to 639 N. Broadway.

Got juicy food news?

Email eddie@downtownnews.com.

April 27, 2015

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

A Bash at Brokechella

Downtown News 19

Text & Photos

BY EDDIE KIM

The two star-studded, celebrity-packed weekends of Coachella grabbed most of the music headlines this month, but those wanting a more local and intimate festival turned up at Brokechella, held April 18 in the Arts District.

A parking lot and several warehouses next to the Sixth Street Bridge came alive with four stages, numerous art installations and a lineup of vendors hawking everything from artisanal coffee to hipster dream-catchers. More than 50 bands and DJs kept the music (and some stand-up comedy) pumping all day long. Brokechella was hosted by the art collective cARTel.

DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

The

April 27, 2015

‘Don’t Miss’

Rock at the Museum, Movies About Dance, A China Education and More Action Downtown

By Dan Johnson | calendar@downtownnews.com

SPONSORED LISTINGS

MONDay, aPRIL 27 Joseph Stiglitz at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: The Library Foundation hosts the Nobel Prizewinning economist in a conversation with Jim Newton. They’ll discuss the dangers facing an America divided between haves and have-nots.

TuESDay, aPRIL 28 Henry Paulson at Live Talks Business Forum Gensler, 500 S. Figueroa St. or livetalksbusiness.com.

7:45 a.m.: George W. Bush’s Secretary of the Treasury talks about the rise of China at this breakfast event. Try not to bring up toxic assets. They’re in the past, OK? ThuRSDay, aPRIL 30 Bruce Hainley and Helen Molesworth at MOCA MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.

7 p.m.: The late artist Elaine Sturtevant, who happens to have a big show at MOCA, is the subject of tonight’s discussion of art and the American language.

Raising the Minimum Wage in L.A. at Town Hall-Los Angeles City Club Los Angeles, 555 S. Flower St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org.

11:30 a.m.: L.A. County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO leader Rusty Hicks and L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Toebben discuss the pros and cons of a proposed minimum wage hike. Should it pass? How high should it go?

Downtown News Executive Editor Jon Regardie moderates the discussion.

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

7:15 p.m.: A crop of the finest up-and-coming grad school authors writing about Los Angeles share their love of the city with short readings.

FRIDay, May 1 First Fridays at the Natural History Museum Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 7633466 or nhm.org.

5 p.m.: The doors of the museum swing open to welcome the curious and thirsty to an evening of intellectually stimulating discussions, DJ sessions and live music from no less than Mexico’s Kinky.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ Belasco 1050 S. Hill St., (213) 746-5670 or thebelascotheater.com.

April 29: After much careful sleuthing and a probing dissection of byzantine promotional hieroglyphics, we can confirm that the United 26 DigiTour involves, in some capacity, Vine sensation Hayes Grier.

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

April 27: Joomanji and Joanna Borromeo.

April 28: Alex Snydman Quartet.

April 29: Le Boeuf Brothers.

April 30: Scott Kinsey Group.

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

April 27, 8:30 p.m.: But what will become of Odessa now that

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ow in its 14th year, Los Angeles’ annual Dance Media Festival is kicking off with a weekend itinerary of films capturing the art of dance. On Friday, May 1, Broadway’s Palace Theatre (630 S. Broadway) hosts eight films in an “Opening Night Shorts” program at 7 p.m. Those at MOCA (250 S. Grand Ave.) on Sunday will have their choice of three longer-format films at 1 p.m. or a panel discussion about the relationship between animation and choreography at 3. That night, REDCAT (631 W. Second St.) hosts the world premiere of Jiri Kylian’s Forgotten Memories at 5:30 p.m. and a short/feature combo from France and the United States at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and additional information at dancecamerawest.org.

photo courtesy Kinky

Sounds of LA 333 S. Grand Ave. or artsbrookfield.com/event/soundsofla_wfc Arts Brookfield presents the free lunchtime concert series Sounds of LA at the Wells Fargo Center. The shows feature Kamasi Washington, May 6; Sam Marsey, May 13; J Mosley, May 20; Quetzal Guerrero, May 27; Moonchild, June 3; and Iliana, June 10.

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neaky month that it is, May begins on a Friday. Conveniently enough, that coincides with the monthly First Fridays program at the Natural History Museum. The May 1 festivities in Exposition Park kick off at 5 p.m. with museum tours, followed at 6:30 p.m. by a lecture on covalent bonds from writer, radio commentator and big-time science fan Sandra Tsing Loh. The evening caps off with a 9:15 p.m. show from Kinky, the hugely popular Mexican electro rock band. Please, no dancing in the dioramas. At 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-3466 or nhm.org.

photo courtesy of Martiality, Not Fighting

3T

hose who think that They Might Be Giants is just the one-trick pony band that recorded the theme song to “Malcolm in the Middle” will be shunned loudly and ejected onto Main Street this Friday, May 1, as the East Coast nerd rockers take the stage at The Regent. We’re not saying you have to be a sophisticated egghead to fully appreciate the groovy stylings of TMBG, but the full breadth of their remarkably cheeky catalog will only reveal itself to those whose knowledge of science prevents them from confusing an atom with the first human being. At 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheatre.com.

photo by Shervin Lainez

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ome people have been through the fire and lived to tell the tale. Count among them Henry Paulson, who was the Secretary of the Treasury during the 2008 market crash and had to help prevent the U.S. financial photo by Amanda Clark Paulson system from tumbling into the Atlantic. Expect stories from those days, and some thoughts on an ascendant China, when Paulson speaks at the Financial District offices of architectural firm Gensler for a morning event on Tuesday, April 28. It is part of the Live Talks Business Forum, and Paulson will be touting his book Dealing With China: An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower. Expect to learn a lot of things about money.

Breakfast will be served at 7:45 a.m. and the forum starts at 8:15. At 500 S. Figueroa St. or livetalksbusiness.com.

5

his summer, dozens of gifted future classical musicians will join violinist, philanthropist and ad hoc camp counselor Danielle Belen at Center Stage Strings in the Sierra foothills. In the camp setting, Belen and her colleagues will offer a uniquely focused opportunity to progress musical craft. On Friday, May 1, CSS hopes to raise some of its funds for the summer during a benefit concert at the Colburn School. Center Stage alumni, including violinist Simone Porter (shown here), will be on hand to regale audiences with the skills they polished at Center Stage Strings. Showtime is 8 p.m. At 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1050 or colburnschool.edu.

photo by Carol Rosegg

20 Downtown News

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

April 27, 2015

Downtown News 21

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n Los Angeles, a 100-year-old item is considered pretty special. Go back 200 years and you might as well be in ancient times. That reality is part of what makes the California Science Center’s Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition so unusual. The Exposition Park show contains nearly 600 items, including pieces of the 2,000-year-old documents written on animal skins. The scrolls, now seen as a vital link connecting modernday Jews to the ancient Hebrew people, were discovered in 1947 in a cave in Khirbet Qumran, on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea. Along with the scrolls, there are artifacts including a three-ton stone from Jerusalem’s Western Wall and ossuaries (bone boxes) from the early Roman period.

While entrance to the Science Center is free, paid tickets are required for this special exhibition. Dead Sea Scrolls continues through Sept. 7.

At 700 State Drive, (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org.

photo by Darryl Moran/The Franklin Institute

her residency is over?

April 29, 9 p.m.: Statement of statements, Romany Rye took his press photo in front of Silver Lake’s Elliott Smith mural.

April 30, 9 p.m.: Mr. Gnome, a Cleveland based art-rock duo, and no longer an unfortunate high school nickname I earned in the locker room showers and which I have spent 15 years trying to distance myself from.

May 1, 8 p.m.: Drink from the chalice of Austin psych rock with the Bright Light Social Hour.

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

April 27, 10 p.m.: The only white you’ll be getting from the Curtis Parry Jazz Cartel comes in the form of piano keys.

April 28, 11 p.m.: The Matthew Van Winkle Band is a blessed merger between biblical gospel and the notorious narcoleptic.

April 29, 11 p.m.: Kat Myers has all the folksy, roots country chops Jenny hoped to attain before she started singing for soldiers at the club.

April 30, 11 p.m.: The Ghost of Paul Revere detracts from the legend of Billy Dawes to this very day.

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

April 28, 7:30 p.m.: The pioneering sitar OG is honored in tonight’s film/live music program “Ravi Shankar: A Life in Music.”

April 30, 8 p.m.: Southern sensibilities meet California style as Shelby Lynne drops her latest album and talks it up.

Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6030 or nokiatheatrelalive.com.

May 2, 7 p.m.: Miel San Marcos is here.

May 3, 8 p.m.: Forbidden Saints list Yanni first amongst their noteworthy influences.

You have been warned.

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

April 30, May 1 and May 3 at 8 p.m.: Stand-up comedian George Lopez has a long history of making people laugh and asking his timeless question, “Why you cryin’?”

Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com.

April 27: Acoustic Punk.

April 29: Steel Cranes, Barnes, Skates and Rock ’N Roll Suicides.

April 30: Thursday Night Booty.

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

April 29-30, 8 p.m.: Super Swede and acoustic master Jose Gonzalez picks that sixstring through two shows.

May 1, 8 p.m.: They Might Be Giants promise decades of probing intellectual insights transposed over pop rock.

May 2, 9 p.m.: Breakbeat and future bass proponents Soulelection host The Sound of Tomorrow.

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

April 27: Ron King and no less than three friends comprise the Ron King Quartet.

April 28: The Makers steadfastly refuse to stop improvising jazz.

April 29: Take notes on style, composition and roots ethos with Rick Taub’s Midnight Blues Review.

April 30: Alekox Syropolis.

The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org.

May 1: Dustin & The Explosions, Specters, Kids and Topanga Patchouli.

May 2: BLKHRTS, Tomber Lever, Hilary Chilton and Littlest Sister.

Continued on next page

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L.A. Downtown News will publish its popular Corporate Catering issue May 11, 2015.

Tell our readers abouT your: • • • •

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Special section publishes May 11, 2015 you must reserve space by May 6, 2015

Call 213-481-1448

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22 Downtown News

NISSAN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

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April 27, 2015

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per month for 36 mos

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Two (or more) at this price. $189 plus tax per month for 36 months on approved above average credit. MSRP $23,720. $1,999 down plus tax, license, and fees. $0 security deposit. 12k miles per year, 0.15 per mile in excess. Model #13114.

Plus tax and license. Security deposit waived. Model 2546. $0.15 per mile for all mileage over 12k miles/yr., $24,890 MSRP. $1,999 Drive Off, Credit available through Toyota Financial Services to qualified Tier 1+ credit customers. 3 at this price: T150482/875717, T150555/877542, T150757/881692. Offer ends 4/30/15.

$9,499 2007 Nissan Altima 2.5S ....................... $10,999 Winter Frost, Only 80k miles. N141561-1/7N464819 2012 Nissan Sentra 2.0 .......................... $13,999 Certified, Black, 14K miles. N132228-1/CL746295

2011 Toyota Tacoma ..............................

2008 Nissan Versa 1.8SL Hatchback ......

Winter Frost, Auto. N141721-1/8L355173

$16,288 2012 Toyota Rav4 ................................... $16,888 Red, Certified, Traction Control. T151232-1/132035 2012 Honda Accord Sedan .................... $18,988 Black, 4dr I4 Auto Ex-L, Leather, Loaded. T141826-1/202016 White, 2WD Reg I4 at 2.7LI4, Auto, 47k Miles. T151393D1/007572

VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

DOWNTOWN L.A. MOTORS MERCEDES BENZ

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$18,999 2014 VW Jetta 1.8T SE Sedan ............. $19,434 4L PzEV 1.8T, White/Black, Auto, Low miles. ZV3463/286477 2014 VW CC 2.0T Sport Sedan ............ $25,908 4L Turbo PZEV, Black/Black, Auto, Low miles. SL3073/502896 CARSON NISSAN 2013 VW Beetle Coupe .......................

2.0 Turbo, Slvr/Blk, Nav Syst. 2V3501/658531

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Manual trans. $1,899 due at signing excludes title, tax, options, $625 acquisition fee, $1,000 VCI Rebate and dealer fees. Residual Value $10,404.80. At lease end lessees responsible for $0.20/mile over 30k miles and excessive wear & tear. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by VW Credit. Call dealer for details.1 at this price. Offer ends 4/30/15 FM292178C

$

$10,888 2007 CADILLAC DTS Sedan .................

OnStar, Remote Engine Start, Leather, Alloy Whls. CU1729R/161439 $12,888 2008 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Truck ......

Superb Condition, 4X4 XL Trim, Carfax Available. CU1745P/E91017 $15,888 FELIX CHEVROLET 2010 Mazda Mazda CX-7 i SV .............

Aluminum Wheels, Rear Spoiler, 5 Star Rating. CU1593P/315763

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NEW ’’14 14 SILVERADO 1500 REG. CAB

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NEW ’’14 1 AUDI A4 2.0T

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$12,888 2014 Ford Fiesta .................................... $12,888 White/Gray, 36 MPG HWY, Auto., 102437 2013 Chevy Malibu ................................ $18,888 Silver/Gray, 34 MPG HWY, Auto, 2.5L. 325774 Black/Gray, Auto., 3.6L, UC1629R-1/251967

per month for 42 mos

Plus tax 42 month closed end lease on approved credit. $2199 down, plus first month pay payment, tax, title, licensing fees and $695 bank acquisition fee.$0 Sec. Dep. Must qualify for the Audi Loyalty or Audi Acquisition Rebate of $1,000. $0.25 per miles over 10,000 miles/year. 1 at this offer EN022577.

$12,988 2012 Toyota Prius .................................. $15,988 Only 35k Miles, Black Pkg A151255P-1/C5512 2012 Honda Accord Coupe ................... $17,988 Blk/Blk, Only 24,000 miles, Loaded! STK#ZA10956-#CA004388 PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2006 Audi A3 ..........................................

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NEW ’14 PANAMERA 4S Executive LEASE FOR ONLY

1,299

$

NET COST

2012 Chevy Impala ................................

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

per month for 36 mos

$25,979 2013 Mercedes GLK350 ........................ $32,880 Certified, Nav Syst, Only 14k Miles 8012C/DG047974 2013 Mercedes E350 ............................ $36,891 Certifed, Prem Pkg 1, Special APR Available 8037C/DA748520 AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

18,945

GM SELECT BONUS CASH ................. - $1,750 TOTAL SAVINGS ........................... $7,725 * Program subject to change, see dealer for details.

EVENT INFO

4 WEB: LADowntownNews.com/calendar 4 EMAIL: Calendar@DowntownNews.com

Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.

Certified, Nav Syst, Low Miles, Must See! 7916C/CF742530

$ MSRP ........................................................ $26,670 FELIX DISCOUNT .................................. - $2,475 CONSUMER CASH ................................ -$1,500 GM TRADE ALLOWANCE ................... - $2,000

2

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR

2012 Mercedes C250 Coupe .................

BUY FOR ONLY

1 at this price. (F14782D)

MORE LISTINGS Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.

Plus tax, 36 Month closed end lease on approved credit through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. $2,499 CAP reduction, $795 acquisition fee. Excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep and additional options No security deposit required. 25¢ per mile in excess of 30,000 miles. Offer good on all with MSRP $33,925.

per month for 36 mos

$169 Plus tax, 36 months on above average approved credit. $1999 down, plus tax, license and fees. Payment net of $1550 Nissan Lease Rebate and $600 Nissan College Grad Rebate. College Grad Rebate requires recent college graduation and proof of employment. $0 security deposit. 12k miles per year, 36k total miles with 15 cents per mile thereafter.

Model#13115, 2 available: C151099/393207, C151155/394876. Offer expires 04/30/15.

Continued from previous page Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

May 2, 7:30 p.m.: Doobie Brothers dude and four-time Grammy winner Michael McDonald.

per month for 36 mos

$7,995 due at lease signing. Excludes tax, title, and license fees. No security deposit required. P14802, 10k miles per year, VIN#EL064132, residual $73,097.60, 1 at this price.

Down payment excludes tax, DMV fees, $895 Bank Acquisition fee, first payment and document fees. Rates based on approved Tier1 credit through Porsche Financial Services.

$45,898 2014 Boxster .........................................

Blk/Blk, CPO, PDK, Infotainment Pkgs., Only 10k Miles. ES120116 $52,898 2013 Cayenne S Demo ........................... $69,988 Silver/Blk, Nav, XM, Prem, Pkg., PASM, Pk. 5k miles. DLA85183 2011 Cayman S ......................................

Blue/Beige, CPO, 6 Spd, Navi, Bose (BU780672)

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

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie sENior writEr: Eddie Kim stAFF writEr: Donna Evans coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla ©2015 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.

April 27, 2015

DT

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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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24 Downtown News

April 27, 2015

Another South Park Housing Tower

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.

O

E

at xci Gr ti A 255 South Grand Avenue an ng sk A dT ow Ne bou Leasing Information er w t O Co 213 229 9777 m Re ur ing n Su ova Apartment Amenities: Community Amenities: m m tio ~ Refrigerator, Stove, ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby er Microwave & Dishwasher ~ Concierge 20 n 15 (most units) ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas

Grand Tower

~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

By Eddie Kim nce again, a new high-rise has been proposed for South Park. Also once again, it marks the revival of a project announced before the recession.

Vancouver, Wash.-based developer Holland Partner Group is moving ahead with plans for a 28-story, 341-apartment tower on Ninth Street between Figueroa and Flower streets. The project, originally broached by developer Sonny Astani, would join

Holland Partner Group is pushing a plan to build a 28-story tower with 341 apartments at Ninth and Figueroa streets.

~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

Promenade Towers

123 South Figueroa Street Leasing Information 213 617 3777 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 Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

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

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

www.TowersApartmentsLA.com MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING

RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM

rendering courtesy of Holland Partner Group

two existing residential complexes on the block, the 30-story Apex and the seven-story Concerto.

Holland is an active player in the Downtown development scene, and is currently working on a $200 million rental complex at Sixth and Bixel streets in City West and an eight-story apartment building next to the former St. Vibiana cathedral. This time, the company saw an opportunity to build its first Downtown high-rise in the heart of an energized business and residential district, said Tom Warren, head of Holland Partner’s Southern California development.

“We’ve been aware of this tower for years, and we watched with interest as it originally was approved,” Warren said. “We like this location at the north end of South Park because of its proximity to FIGat7th, the Bloc, the Wilshire Grand and the rest of the Financial District.”

Renderings from architect Preston Partnership depict a simple, rectangular glass tower with box-shaped clusters of balconies. It would offer studio to three-bedroom units averaging 860 square feet. Warren said Holland Partner hopes to break ground this fall; construction would take about two and a half years.

The as-yet-untitled project’s design has an open-air lounge on the roof and an entertainment room on the fourth floor that would connect with Apex’s pool deck. Plans also include three levels of subterranean parking. The ground floor along Figueroa and Ninth streets would hold about 11,700 square feet of retail and restaurant space, which is being designed separately by architecture firm Gensler.

The plan is a tweaked version of the concept that DeStefano Architects drew up for Astani, who spearheaded the original Concerto complex back in 2006.

Astani had completed the seven-story annex and was in construction on the 30-story tower when the recession hit and he encountered trouble with his lender, Corus Bank. Corus went bankrupt and a heated legal fracas ensued. The parties settled in 2011, but Astani had to give up his stake in the project.

ST Residential, an affiliate of Corus, wrapped up work on the tower in 2012, rebranding it as Apex. While there was discussion of breaking ground on the third structure, plans remained stagnant until Holland acquired the property last May. eddie@downtownnews.com