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September 24, 2018 VOL. 47 I #39

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A sketch by Mark Nagata, whose toy collection makes up the bulk of the exhibit Kaiju vs. Heroes.

A Huge CicLAvia rolls into downtown

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an apple store could mean big things for broadway

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2 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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AROUND TOWN

Climb Stairs For a Good Cause

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t’s the time of year again when Downtowners get together and trek up the 1,664 stairs of U.S. Bank Tower for a good cause. The Ketchum-Downtown YMCA’s annual Stair Climb for Los Angeles returns on Friday, Sept. 28. Approximately 4,000 people are expected to try to reach the top of the 75-story building, including Los Angeles Fire Department members in full gear. This marks the 25th year of the Stair Climb, and organizers hope to raise $760,000, which will benefit the Downtown YMCA’s programming; by Thursday, Sept.

20, $705,000 had been pledged or donated, putting the Y at 92% of its goal. While the speediest climbers can finish in about 10 minutes, there is no time limit (though some people do stop and take the elevator). The event starts at 11:30 a.m. In addition to the climb, there will be an outdoor block party beginning at noon, with live music, games, and food and drinks.

Advance registration is closed, but people can register (for $150 per person) at the Ketchum-Downtown YMCA on Thursday-Friday, Sept. 27-28. More information is at ymcala.org/stairclimb.

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DASH Bus Service in Arts District to Expand

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h e Lo s An g e l e s D e p a r t m e nt o f Transportation this week is expanding DASH bus service in the Arts District.

Starting on Monday, Sept. 24, three stops will be added to the DASH A route. The new stops will be at Molino and Palmetto streets, the La Kretz Innovation Campus on Palmetto Street west of Hewitt Street, and at Alameda and Fourth streets. The route will be slightly altered to accommodate the new stops. “Many of our Arts District residents requested expanded bus service, and we are happy to fill that need with an updated DASH route,” 14th District City Councilman José Huizar said in a prepared statement. “It’s a plus for local residents, as well as those who can now easily and affordably visit the district and still stay connected to the rest of Downtown Los Angeles.” Last March, LADOT proposed alterations to DASH service in Downtown, including route changes, expanded hours and increased bus frequencies. Currently, the DASH A bus runs every seven minutes from 6 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Eat Barbecue, Thank Public Safety Officers

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owntown workers and residents will get a unique opportunity to multitask this week: They can eat delicious barbe-

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cue, and express their gratitude to those who keep the city safe. It all happens at the 19th annual Public Safety Appreciation BBQ, which runs from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, at Bank of America Plaza (333 S. Hope St.). At the event organized by the Downtown Center Business Improvement District, Downtowners who pay $12 will get to eat roast tri-tip, BBQ chicken, pulled pork, salads, macaroni and cheese, and more; vegetarian options and ice cream treats are also on the menu.

Sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Coast Guard and other public safety agencies, who show up in uniform eat for free.

Proceeds will benefit the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation. Additional information and pre-sale tickets (which go for $10) are at downtownla.com.

Circa Apartments Open This Week

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fter years of construction, one of Downtown’s biggest housing projects is ready to come online. Circa, which holds 648 apartments in a pair of 35-story South Park towers, will begin move-ins on Sunday, Sept. 30. Jamison Services and Hankey Investments are behind the $500 million project at 1200 S. Figueroa St., near Staples Center and the Convention Center.

The luxury complex has apartments starting at $2,800; a 685-square-foot one-bed-

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

room residence begins at $3,130. The east tower holds what are called “sky residences” and penthouses; a 35th floor unit with three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and two balconies rents for $23,515 a month.

Circa includes a two-acre amenities deck with two pools and dog parks, and the project has 770 parking stalls. The development also has 48,000 square feet of retail space, and a large LED screen faces Figueroa Street. More information is at circala.com.

Designs Revealed for South Park Hotel

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ore information on Mack Urban and AECOM Capital’s 16-stor y South Park hotel are out. New renderings were released as part of a presentation to the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. The 256–room hotel at 1155 S. Olive St. will replace a surface parking lot.

Renderings from architecture firm Cuningham Group show a structure with a mostly concrete and metal exterior, with some wood elements. Mack Urban is developing a series of projects along Grand Avenue and Olive Street; the first, Wren, opened in 2017 and the second, Aven, will debut in January. The developer also plans to build two residential towers just up the block — a 51-story tower at 1115 S. Olive St. and a 60-story building at 1120 S. Olive St.. The budget and timeline for the hotel have not been disclosed.

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EDITORIALS

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

El Pueblo Shelter Is a Nice Start, But Only a Start

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hen it comes to addressing the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County, the emergency shelter that opened in Downtown on Sept. 10 is the proverbial drop in the bucket.

It’s a nicely designed drop, and helpful for the people it serves, but unless it is followed in coming months by a cascade of drops, there will be little reason to applaud.

The project, the first entry in the city’s A Bridge Home program, should pave the way for 14 other projects, and ideally many more.

The number refers to the 14 City Council districts that, at this moment, don’t have an emergency shelter designed to help get people off the streets and on the path to permanent housing. Mayor Eric Garcetti early this year pledged that these projects would rise in all 15 council districts, and he set aside $20 million for the effort.

As usual when it comes to responding to homelessness, the 14th District, and in particular Downtown Los Angeles, is at the front of the line.

The shelter, a short walk from the tourist mecca of Olvera Street, houses 30 men and 15 women (in a total of three trailers) who had been living in the tent encampments that throng the community. The aim is to get them off the streets and meeting with social workers and others who will help them access services. Ideally, within three to six months these individuals will be ready to move into permanent housing, opening a bed for someone else now in the El Pueblo area.

The set-up is basic but sensible, with dividers between the beds that afford some privacy, as well as bathrooms, and washers and dryers. There is personal storage space, a pet area and a central deck. The latter element boosted the cost, but is more welcoming than a slab of blacktop. Designers also wisely installed sun shades. Those features, plus the on-site security, make it a respite from the chaos sometimes found in tent clusters.

Some nearby business owners may not like the shelter, arguing that it creates a permanent gathering place for homeless individuals, but this is a better response than just kicking homeless people into another neighborhood, which happens too often. Plus, plans call for communities that get A Bridge Home facilities to have increased street cleaning on nearby blocks and the prohibition of tents that block sidewalks during daytime hours.

The ingredients for success at El Pueblo are in place, but the bigger issue is what happens next. Already we have seen an outcry of NIMBYism in some communities where emergency shelters have been proposed. It is imperative that Garcetti and City Council members exhibit some backbone and help open facilities in numerous communities where tent encampments now exist. Given the concentration of tents in Downtown, there should be additional shelters here (locations near the Los Angeles Mall and the 10 Freeway have been proposed), but the response can not be confined to the Central City.

The El Pueblo shelters are a good start. Now it’s time to build on the momentum and help more people.

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COMMENTS

Regarding the article “The Quest for House Huizar,” about Richelle Huizar potentially running for the City Council seat now held by her husband, José Huizar,

by Jon Regardie Political dynasties are a bad thing. They breed corruption.

—Martha L. Rodriguez This dynasty is one that should never be. Richelle might be smarter than her morally challenged husband, but look who she is compared to. Huizar has been disgusting with his constant self-advertising and frankly she now has joined him. I can point to a host of issues in our little corner of the district alone. Many of us who have worked to better our neighborhood consider him unfit for office.

—Judith Markoff Hansen Is this the same wife that José Huizar cheated on?

—William Wilson Regarding the editorial “Biking, MyFigueroa and Future Improvements,” about the new four-mile bike route on Figueroa Street Hopefully this is a work in progress, because it certainly needs some work.

—Nevram Norman EDITOR: Jon Regardie STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton, Sean P. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-533-6990 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com

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This is a welcome improvement to Figueroa Street. However, there is one stretch that is a big problem. The single southbound lane from Pico to Washington is often jammed and slow moving. This stretch of street needs two lanes, and that is just for regular traffic. It’s absolutely jammed during rush hour or conventions or events at Staples Center. This was really poor traffic planning on the part of the city.

—Richard A. Darling Regarding the editorial “A Skid Row Dog Park” This is a nice editorial. I agree with the views here.

—Katherine McNenny

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Participation is easy. Post a comment online at the bottom of any story, or go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, email regardie@downtownnews.com.

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LAUSD: Infinity War The School District and the Teachers’ Union Are Girding for a Strike. The Kids Are in the Middle

By Jon Regardie n recent years, Los Angeles has enjoyed some saucy political battles. There was the Eric Garcetti-Wendy Greuel mayoral throwdown of 2013, and two years later, the 14th District City Council slugfest between José Huizar and Gloria Molina. There have been thunderous special interests-fueled contests, including the trash-hauling grapple that led to the instantly infamous RecycLA program.

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THE REGARDIE REPORT Now L.A. is facing something that could make the above battles seem Little League, or, to mix metaphors, could make the horrifyingly sad ending of Avengers: Infinity War seem like happy town. Call this one LAUSD: Infinity War. The leadership of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the brass of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents more than 35,000 educators, librarians, nurses and others, have been tangling for about 18 months over a new contract. It’s the latest fracas in a war that has been raging ever since Jerry Brown’s great grandfather Putnam Edmund Minecraft Brown founded the LAUSD in 1889 (I may have made every part of that sentence up). Every few years the relationship gets hot, and now it is threatening to boil over and burn everyone in the kitchen.

The key word is “strike,” and not because LAUSD Supt. Austin Beutner and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl plan to settle their differences in a winner-take-all bowling match (though that would be fascinating). Instead, more than 500,000 students, those kids’ parents, and tens of thousands

of others whose jobs are tied to education are hoping against but girding for a teachers’ walkout.

Will doomsday arrive? It could. The two sides seem far apart and teachers last month voted to authorize a strike.

That doesn’t guarantee one will occur, but it is a cudgel of a negotiating tool — it allows the union to call a strike without going back to the teachers.

At the heart of the matter is money, budgets, financial forecasts and trust. There’s also some pretty nasty spin, most of it directed at Beutner.

Warnings Beutner’s resume is well known: He made a fortune in the financial sector, and after breaking his back in a biking accident, swerved to public service. He’s been a top deputy to former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a mayoral candidate and publisher of the L.A. Times. He founded Vision to Learn, a charity that provides free glasses to low-income students across the country, and was part of a blue-chip team advising LAUSD Supt. Michelle King. When King resigned due to illness this year, a divided Board of Education hired Beutner.

His message has been consistent since he took the gig in May, and even before that: The LAUSD is teetering on a financial precipice. Beutner has produced projections showing two lines angling in different directions: One, heading down, details decreasing revenue; that is propelled by falling enrollment, as parents flee the LAUSD and send their kids to charter schools or other institutions. Each departure means less money from the state, which provides the bulk of education funding.

The other line, turning up, spotlights rising costs, with LAUSD contributions to teacher pension and healthcare plans spiking.

Ultimately the lines cross, and Beutner warns that LAUSD will be insolvent within three years unless revenues rise and expenditures fall. That is why LAUSD leaders are adamant that the 6% retroactive raise that UTLA is demanding is unsustainable. The district has agreed to contracts with unions representing 60% of its workforce, giving them phased-in raises of about 6%, and

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LAUSD Supt. Austin Beutner recently appeared at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown and touched on a potential crisis. “Los Angeles Unified is not too big to fail,” he stated, “and no one will save us if we do.”

is working with budget projections that provide teachers a similarly staggered 6% raise, some of it retroactive.

The union counters that only a 2% pay hike has been offered, along with a 2% one-time bonus. UTLA submitted what is labeled its “Last, Best, & Final” bargaining proposal on July 24. LAUSD counters that that proposal would lead to 16,000 layoffs. No, there’s not an extra zero in there.

When Beutner gave a speech to about 100 people in the library of the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown on Sept. 13, one line was harrowing: “Los Angeles Unified is not too big to fail,” he stated, “and no one will save us if we do.”

Continued on page 12

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Two Men Die After Baseball Bat Attacks Third Victim Remains in Critical Condition.

LAPD Continues to Search for Suspect in Unprovoked Assaults

By Sean P. Thomas wo men died late last week, days after a baseball bat-wielding individual viciously attacked them in the Financial District. A third man who was attacked remained unconscious in the hospital.

The victims, all homeless men, were attacked in separate instances as they slept during the early hours of Sunday, Sept.

16. The Los Angeles Police Department was notified of their deaths on Thursday, Sept. 20. The assaults were unprovoked.

Although Los Angeles Police Department officials released a video of a suspect, late last week no one had been apprehended, and police were still searching for leads.

Also on Thursday, the body of a homeless man who had been beaten to death was discovered under the Santa Monica Pier. Police are seeking to determine if the cases are related, but there were no updates as of Friday.

The LAPD held a news conference on Sept. 17, asking for the public’s help in identifying and apprehending the suspect.

All three attacks occurred between 4 and 4:30 a.m. in the area of Wilshire Boulevard and Flower Street.

According to Robbery-Homicide Division Capt. William Hayes, the suspect struck the men in the head and shoulder area before going through their pockets and possessions. All three victims suffered severe head trauma.

The suspect is described as a male, either white or Hispanic, and between the age of 30 and 40. At the time of the attack he was wearing a blue hat, a gray sweatshirt and black shorts with bright white tennis shoes. He is believed to have dark, bushy hair, and to be of average height and weight. A video released by the LAPD indicates that he walks with a

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“distinctive gait,” in a bowlegged manner.

The suspect is presumed to be homeless, said Hayes, based on video showing the man rifling through garbage cans and drinking from discarded bottles.

There are no witnesses at this time and the attacks are believed to be random, according to Hayes.

“Obviously this is a violent predator,” Hayes said. “He walked up, and without engaging the individuals at all, he just savagely attacks them with baseball bats.”

“General” Jeff Page, a longtime Skid Row community activist, said that residents of the neighborhood pay particular attention to people who walk around the area with items that could possibly inflict harm. Still, he said that the limited details on the assailant make it difficult to describe him and for people to be on the lookout.

Page said that this is just one more challenge for people living in and around Skid Row. “It’s horrifying to think that these people, who are struggling in their lives and sleeping on the streets, get pummeled in the middle of the night,” he said. “That is so mentally devastating to people in our community.”

The first attack occurred around 4 a.m. in a stairwell on the northwest corner of Fifth and Flower streets. The second and third attacks occurred about 30 minutes later on the south side of Wilshire Boulevard just east of Flower Street.

Security guards found all three victims around 6 a.m. They were taken to a nearby hospital.

All of the victims are African American males. The victims found near Flower Street are 23 and 24; the third victim is 59.

The victims have been identified, but their names are be-

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ing withheld.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Det. Dave Holmes or Det. Daryn Dupree at (213) 486-6890 or the Real Time Analysis and Critical Response Division at (213) 484-6700. sean@downtownnews.com

image courtesy LAPD

A flyer released by the Los Angeles Police Department offers a description of the man wanted in connection with three assaults.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Big Bike Events Roll Into Downtown

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

L.A. Phil Powers Up CicLAvia, and a Two-Wheeled Conference Arrives

photo by Gary Leonard

Thousands of cyclists and pedestrians will fill the streets when the next CicLAvia event takes place on Sunday, Sept.

30. The Downtown anchor is at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Grand Avenue to Wilshire Boulevard will also be closed to vehicles.

By Sean P. Thomas icyclists rejoice. Downtown Los Angeles is showing some serious love to the two-wheeled set this week.

On Sunday, Sept. 30, Downtown will be an anchor for one of the biggest ever installments of CicLAvia, the community happening in which streets are closed to vehicles, and pedestrians and people on two wheels take over. That event happens to take place on the final day of a lower-profile gathering that celebrates community bicycle projects and advocacy.

The Bike! Bike! Conference runs from Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 27-30. Centered at Los Angeles State Historic Park, it provides an opportunity for bike owners, bicycle shops and bike groups to come together and workshop new ideas and methods to advocate for urban bicyclists.

The conference is completely organized by volunteers. Areli Morales, a co-planner of the conference, said participants will be able to discuss unique problems with Los Angeles’ bike infrastructure.

“We’d like to open the dialogue and conversation with other bike co-ops in other cities on how they solve their problems in their communities,” Morales said.

An estimated 200 people from around the country are expected to attend, and dozens will set up tents and sleep in the park. Workshops are scheduled throughout the day, as are events such as a group street painting and a karaoke contest.

The conference will also feature live music spun by local DJs, group rides throughout the weekend and a “bike-in” movie night on Saturday at the Los Angeles Eco-Village (at 117 Bimini Place in Koreatown). Rad!, a film about BMX racing, and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure will be screened.

Los Angeles River State Park Partners, a

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group created last year to advocate for safe access to parks along the Los Angeles River, is helping organize Bike! Bike! events at different parks. Jon Christensen, a board member of the group, said it makes sense to be involved.

“Los Angeles is a bicycling city and is becoming more of a bicycling city every day,” Christensen said. “But we still have really big challenges to safe bicycle access to our parks down by the river.”

The Park Partners’ plans to release a short report featuring maps that detail pedestrian and bicycle access issues at the various parks during the conference.

Musical Wheels While the Bike! Bike! Conference is for avid bike advocates, CicLAvia is aimed at a wider audience. For the first time, that also means all variety of music fans, including classical aficionados.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is turning 100 this year, and is kicking off the celebration by partnering with the nonprofit CicLAvia.

Starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday, eight miles of city streets connecting Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl (the Phil’s traditional and summer performing homes) will be shut down to motorized vehicles. In Downtown, Grand Avenue down to Wilshire Boulevard will be closed. CicLAvia runs until 4 p.m.

Meghan Martineau, vice president of artistic planning for the Phil, said that the organization started preparing for the centennial two years ago and could have thrown a self-congratulatory party, but instead opted to pursue an event that engages the city.

“We really want to take the time to support the entire city that nurtured and supported us and really helped guide us that entire 100 years,” Martineau said.

Continued on page 9

Carol Schatz, may you soar to new heights in your retirement! Thank you for all you have done to make DTLA great.

Congratulations!

–Your friends at the Wilshire Grand Center

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8 DOWNTOWN NEWS

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Looking to the Future of the Civic Center Area Stakeholders Weigh In on Plans to Transform the District

By Nicholas Slayton he City of Los Angeles’ plan to redevelop the Civic Center over a 15-year period is officially underway. Now, with crews working on a 500-day dismantlement of Parker Center, government representatives are seeking input from Downtown stakeholders on how they want to see the area transform.

A Sept. 12 community meeting at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center served as an opportunity for local residents and workers to learn about and offer input on the Civic Center District Design Guidelines. Approximately 50 people showed up to discuss topics ranging from accessibility and mobility to architecture and landscaping. A large contingent of attendees hailed from Little Tokyo, with other participants from the Historic Core and Skid Row. The event was organized by the office of 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, the Bureau of Engineering, and the architecture firms Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio and Perkins + Will. Organizers said feedback from the meeting will be used to shape the next stage of proposals, which are due in November.

“This is one of the many steps on this long journey, particularly in partnership with Little Tokyo, about how we re-envision our Civic Center and connect it to surrounding communities and make it a 24/7 hub for the city,” said Nate Hayward, public works director for Huizar’s office. “The district design guidelines process is a great opportunity to hear from you how the neighborhood should feel on weekends, nights and workdays.”

Huizar and other city leaders want to capitalize on the residential and additional growth in Downtown, which has large-

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ly bypassed the Civic Center, the traditional home of government buildings. The goal is to bring more activity to the area while also modernizing and adding to the supply of office space. A six-phase Civic Center Master Plan, completed in January 2017, calls for adding 1.2 million square feet of office space, along with residential and commercial projects.

The first phase is replacing Parker Center at 150 N. Los Angeles St. with a 29-story high-rise that will house city employ-

Approximately 50 people turned out for a recent community meeting on the Civic Center District Design Guidelines. They weighed in on matters of accessibility and architecture in the area.

photo by Nicholas Slayton

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The demolition of Parker Center began on Aug. 20 and will last through 2019. The replacement is estimated to cost $708 million.

At the meeting, community members split into four groups, where they touched on the topics of architecture, landscaping, technology and accessibility. Martin Leitner, urban design leader at Perkins + Will, said the organizers are open to any and all suggestions, and want a revitalized Civic Center to reflect the community.

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“This is the Civic Center of Los Angeles.

We don’t want to build the San Francisco Civic Center or the Santa Monica Civic Center. Is there anything that comes to mind to you that is distinctly L.A.?” Leitner asked one group.

Looking at a map of the area, George Campos, of the Little Tokyo Community Council, said that while the ultimate goal is to activate the area beyond traditional business hours, the community’s primary use is well established.

“Every city has an area with public buildings. You can’t get rid of it,” he said.

Pugh, who heads the Santa Monica-based architecture firm bearing his name, asked people about the kind of sidewalks and landscaping they want to see. One woman said the activity on First Street in Little Tokyo is

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 9

good for pedestrians but that there is little protection for bicyclists. Another respondent suggested more public art, especially on pathways leading to key destinations.

David Ikegami, a Little Tokyo resident, suggested that any new pathways have parking spaces for bikes and electric scooters, though he also cautioned against an over-reliance on concrete.

“We don’t have enough green space. Maybe there’s a way to soften it up, make things more inviting,” he said.

The next community meeting will take place Nov. 8. Leitner said that a more cohesive design plan, as well as additional details on work in future phases, will be available.

Information and updates on the master plan are at civiccenterprojects.lacity.org. nicholas@downtownnews.com

image courtesy IBI Group

As part of the Civic Center Master Plan, some existing structures would be torn down for new office and residential towers, as well as new retail.

BIKES, 7 CicLAvia events take place a couple times each year, and in addition to getting pedestrians, skateboarders, cyclists and families pushing strollers on the streets, there are usually several hubs along the route with entertainment zones.

That is being amped up for the 27th CicLAvia. There will be six activity hubs, with performance stages, art installations, family-friendly events and more.

The highlight will be the more than 40 music and performing groups that represent the city’s diverse scenes and sounds.

Participants include Latin/funk/rock/party band Ozomatli, the big drums of the Taiko Project, dancers from Diavolo, Jewish-themed Klezmer Juice, and even the USC Marching Band.

“It really offers a unique opportunity to celebrate Los Angeles history,” said Romel Pascual, CicLAvia’s executive director. “But also celebrate its future.”

CicLAvia specializes in organizing free outdoor events that instill a sense of community. Pascual said that by carving the routes through city streets, it becomes apparent just how connected different neighborhoods and communities are.

“Given a short six- to eight-mile route, you are connecting multiple communities,” Pascual said “In a car, that would

take hours.”

The route begins at Disney Hall, where performers include the Los Angeles Philharmonic Brass, the Calder Quartet and a DJ set from DaM-FunK. The other terminus is the Hollywood Bowl. That will also be the site of a free 7 p.m. L.A. Phil performance featuring Herbie Hancock, Katy Perry and other artists. Online registration for the event was closed at press time.

Other entertainment hubs include Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park, Liberty Park in Koreatown, Melrose Avenue at Windsor Boulevard, and Vine Street in Hollywood.

In total, more than 1,800 performers are scheduled to participate during the day.

Martineau said it is a major undertaking, but a fitting one considering the milestone.

“A lot of this has been us dreaming big and going out asking people to come celebrate with us,” Martineau said.

Pascual said that the route takes about half an hour by bike if traveling at a leisurely pace, but he expects people to go slower. After all, there are booths to visit and performances to watch on this Sunday bike ride.

CicLAvia is Sunday, Sept. 30, 9, a.m.-4 p.m., ciclavia.org. The Bike! Bike! Conference is Sept. 27-30 at various locations, bikebike.org. sean@downtownnews.com

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Looking Beyond Apple’s Bite on Broadway Retail Experts and Stakeholders Expect Announcement of Store Will Lead to a New Wave of Investment

By Nicholas Slayton ech giant Apple made waves on Aug. 2 when it announced it would open an Apple Store in the Tower Theatre at 802 S. Broadway. The company is renovating the 1927 movie palace, using original blueprints, and in addition to selling iPhones and iPads, it will offer seminar-like events.

The announcement, which has long been rumored, sparked cheers from Downtown Los Angeles stakeholders. But it also leads to a big question: What does Apple’s arrival mean for the retail and investment scene on Broadway and in greater Downtown?

The store is good news for the community, according to retail experts and Broadway players. Many expect it will serve as a catalyst for another wave of investment in the area.

Steve Needleman, head of the Anjac Fashion Co. and a longtime property owner on Broadway, sees Apple’s arrival as a sign of investor confidence in the neighborhood.

Broadway’s transition over the last 10-15 years has been well documented, he noted, but this shows how strong Downtown as a whole has become.

“In 2001 when I opened the Orpheum Theatre, there was nothing,” Needleman said, referring to his revitalization of the movie palace, which was followed by the creation of apartments on the upper floors of the building. “Now Broadway’s become a major thoroughfare. It’s great to see Apple come in.

T

They chose an amazing location.”

The store’s arrival is expected to lure more than people looking for Apple tablets and accessories. Denise Lee Yohn, an expert on retail and brand management, said that the trend in major shopping areas is for big brands, even rival tech firms such as Microsoft, to set up shop near Apple stores. She said this has occurred in some San Francisco and Los Angeles malls.

Xan Saks, a partner and co-founder of the El Segundo-based firm Beta Retail, said that Downtown has long struggled against other retail centers in the Los Angeles area such as The Grove or Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade when it comes to drawing flagship stores, but that is starting to change.

Where Apple goes, other big names tend to follow, Saks said.

“In Downtown and Broadway specifically, this is really going to change the dynamic,” Saks said. “You can look at The Bloc as one relevant retail spot, FIGat7th as another. The Arts District is an emerging player, but Broadway gets a distinct advantage with this.”

Although no opening date for the Apple store has been set, simple news of the deal is expected to impact commercial rents in the area. The southern stretch of Broadway, around Eighth and Ninth streets and in the vicinity of the Ace Hotel, commands rates of around $6-$10 per square foot, according to Justin Weiss, vice president with the broker-

image courtesy of Apple

Apple is transforming the Tower Theatre on Broadway into its first Downtown store. Experts see the deal as a sign of investor confidence in the neighborhood.

age firm Kennedy Wilson.

Weiss noted that prices have been trending upwards, partly due to rumors about Apple’s arrival. He added that rents on the

higher end of the spectrum have also been emerging along Eighth Street between Olive and Broadway, with the opening of businesses including the clothing store Cos and the

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The theater sits at the pivotal and increasingly active intersection of Eighth Street and Broadway. The 1927 movie palace will be preserved and modernized.

new eatery Paris Baguette.

Still, he and others predicted any grand rise in rents in the area will be staggered, as there is not a significant amount of empty commercial space at this moment on Broadway. That could change in the future, though, as Weiss noted that projects such as the massive Museum Building (formerly the Broadway Trade Center) and the Merritt Building are being upgraded.

More Than a Store Needleman pointed out that part of what will set the Downtown Apple store apart is that it will offer a number of activities, rather than just goods and a Genius Bar. Apple plans to hold coding classes and other events, taking advantage of the upper level of the Tower Theatre.

Other in-the-works projects on Broadway will also seek to be more than just a place to buy things. The Jordan brand sneaker store coming to 620 S. Broadway will have a basketball court on its roof. Needleman said the Van’s flagship store coming to the Singer Sewing Building at 806 S. Broadway (Anjac Fashion Co. owns the property) is expected to have some form of programming.

Yohn echoed that, noting that Apple is trying new tactics inside its outlets as the retail market evolves. Many locations, such as the Apple store in San Francisco’s Union Square, are offering classes and even holding concerts.

City Councilman José Huizar, whose 14th District includes Downtown, said that the Apple deal is a milestone in the revitalization of Broadway. Back in 2008 Huizar launched Bringing Back Broadway, a decade-long plan to revitalize the street and make it a destination. He called it “phenomenal” that another historic theater is being activated.

“Our goal for the Bringing Back Broadway initiative has been to revitalize, restore and rejuvenate one of the city’s most historic streets — to honor its history while adapt-

ing for modern uses, and Apple at the Tower Theatre certainly helps us achieve that goal,” Huizar said in a statement to Los Angeles Downtown News. “We have momentum on Broadway and that will only continue with this incredible addition.”

Amidst all the enthusiasm, Needleman urged a measured approach. He noted that there is a risk of landlords losing perspective, and warned against property owners out-pricing the market.

“We need to make it affordable so everyone can come here. We need to look at the upstairs of these buildings and fill them up.

We can’t look at every bottom line being the ground floor,” Needleman said. “I’m saying, I would hope that as we go through this we keep it all in reason. It still takes a lot of work to do what Apple is doing at the Tower.”

Weiss said that some potential tenants are already looking at Downtown and Broadway with a renewed interest in light of Apple’s news. He would not reveal who they are. nicholas@downtownnews.com

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Step back, and this is a critical time for UTLA: It lost its board majority, there’s a superintendent it opposes, a swing election is approaching, and teacher strikes across the country have engendered support for educators. One could fathom a scenario in which a strike is about winning concessions, but also about getting the UTLA’s mojo back for the

There are other warnings. At a LAUSD board meeting this month, high-ranking state and county education officials delivered a message of potential financial peril — they are watching the budget and negotiating process closely.

Threats of some kind of takeover, with the county or state dispatching people who will make key financial decisions for LAUSD, are being floated.

This sounds frightening, but UTLA trusts the district about as much as Donald Trump trusts the New York Times. The LAUSD uses a three-year budget, and the union states that many previous sky-is-falling projections in that third year never came to fruition. They question the math.

The UTLA position ties in to LAUSD’s reserve fund.

UTLA claims the district has more than $1.7 billion it can spend on raises and to reduce class sizes, hire more support staff, etc. LAUSD responds that $500 million of that is already legally committed elsewhere in the current fiscal year, and that with more money going out than coming in each year, the reserve will soon be depleted. photo by Jon Regardie Hence that three-year fiscal While Beutner spoke inside the school library, outside red-shirted cliff. members and supporters of the union United Teachers Los Angeles The Public Employment gathered. They have routinely criticized Beutner and the district.

Relations Board, a quasi-judicial state agency, has a mediation meeting scheduled for Thursday, Sept.

27. Whether it will do any good is unknown.

On Aug. 27, Garcetti offered to try to bring the parties together. No progress has been reported.

Teacher Groundswell This is an emboldening time for teachers’ unions across the country. There have been teacher strikes this year in states including West Virginia, Oklahoma and Washington (it’s worth noting those were state strikes, and not against an individual school district). This groundswell is fuel for UTLA. But what is the union’s endgame? Is it to get raises and more hires who join the ranks, or is this the mother of all power plays, one where Beutner, given his financial past, is a convenient if misguided target?

The teachers union and charter school advocates have long tussled for power inside LAUSD, with the former side historically holding sway. That changed in the spring 2017 elections, when charter allies grabbed a 4-3 board advantage. This bare majority facilitated the hiring of Beutner, much to UTLA’s consternation.

Then things got Reffed up, as in July, board member Ref Rodriguez, a former charter school executive, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge related to his 2015 campaign victory. He resigned, and now there’s a 3-3 board split, with a March election to choose his replacement.

short- and long-term.

UTLA is slashing at Beutner, even though negotiations were unproductive for a year before he arrived. Union protesters outside the RFK speech repeatedly criticized the superintendent. The union’s social media accounts are filled with vitriol like the Sept. 16 Twitter post, “Austin Beutner was brought in as superintendent with one objective: to downsize the public school district.”

Another post photoshops Beutner and two key allies, school board members Monica Garcia and Nick Melvoin, into an image with Trump and loopy Education Secretary Betsy DeVos; it has them all under the banner “The Privatizer Bunch.”

The assertions are ridiculous — Beutner is seeking more money from Sacramento for public schools, and in that RFK speech he stated, “We need to pay our teachers more.”

The UTLA slags are what you expect on a third-grade playground, not at the bargaining table. But war is approaching, and decorum goes out the window when money and power are at stake.

In the coming weeks, attacks will fly, as will counter attacks. Economic studies will be released and refuted. If everything goes to pot, the teachers will walk out and hundreds of thousands of students will sit in a classroom or at home, learning absolutely nothing.

It might last days. It might last months. regardie@downtownnews.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 13

CONGRATULATIONS CAROL SCHATZ ON YOUR RETIREMENT After founding the Downtown Center Business Improvement District 20 years ago, Carol has worked hard to help make Downtown LA the vibrant and vital place it is today. Thank you for all that you have done. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

DowntownLA.com Photo by Hunter Kerhart

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

14 DOWNTOWN NEWS

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

DT

CALENDAR

C I T S A T N FA S R E T S N MO Japanese

By Sean P. Thomas hen a 9-year-old Mark Nagata opened a small box sent by his aunt and uncle from Japan one Christmas morning, he wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at.

The box was full of colorful yet strange action figures, completely unlike any toy he had seen before.

The boy who lived in the Bay Area city of San Mateo found himself staring at unusual monsters, such as the seaweed beast Zazaan, and powerful heroes, among them the robotic Ultraman.

“Because I couldn’t read or write Japanese, when I was a little I would call them names like the Melting, Candle Wax Man,” Nagata joked. “I had no context, I didn’t know they were from TV shows or movies. I was just like, what are

America n National Museum Exhibit Explores Colorful Toys That Gre w Out of the Post-Wa r Era

W

Hundr of viny eds l and tin toys ar new ex e on display in h Americ ibit at the Jap a The toy an National M anese s, e useum . for “str ither “kaiju” ange b (Japan ese easts”) were c or h olle design cted by artis eroes, t and t er Mar oy k Na shown here in gata, who is his stu dio in San Fra ncisco.

these things?”

It turned out, they were kaiju, the Japanese word for “strange beasts,” and each was paired with a hero created to protect humanity from the monster’s wrath. They were a staple of Japanese popular culture.

Nagata, now 54, has gone on to have a career as a painter, artist and toy designer. He also has amassed a massive toy collection, which is the basis of Kaiju vs. Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey Through the World of Japanese Toys. The exhibit opened Sept. 15 on the first floor of the Japanese American National Museum.

The show holds hundreds of vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl and tin toys from Nagata’s personal collection. Some are in glass boxes, others are on pedestals. They range in size from a few inches tall to human-sized artifacts.

The toys are complemented by paintings

photo by Gary van der Steur

s ’ o y k o T e l Litt

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

DOWNTOWN NEWS 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

CAP UCLA KICKS OFF THEIR 2018-19 SEASON AT THE THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL! photo by Sean P. Thomas

While the toys are colorful and vibrant, they arrived in the era after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The backstory of many of the monsters involves being awakened by the blasts.

and drawings that adorn the walls. Kaiju vs.

Heroes runs through March 24.

Maria Kwong, JANM’s director of Retail Enterprises and the curator of the exhibit, said she was inspired to work on the show in part because of how many toy designers were influenced by older Japanese kaiju. It’s something she has experience with: She also helped curate Beyond Ultraman, Seven Artists Explore the Vinyl Frontier, a 2007 exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. “Japanese toys are just one of those things that I like to look at,” she said. “How do people involve themselves in a sort of more visceral toy experience? How did they get there and what made them stay?”

The gallery is flush with images of heroes like Kamen Rider, Ultraman and the Super Sentai, all of whom have appeared in long-running television shows.

There is also an interactive, virtual reality element that allows people to jump into Nagata’s shoes and experience what his kaiju-filled room looks like. For the full city-destroying experience, there is a motion controlled kaiju game allowing visitors to trample through Little Tokyo as a skyscraper-sized monster.

A Product of War Kaiju trace their history to post-World War II Japan, most notably the devastation caused by the atomic bombs the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Estimates vary, but anywhere from 129,000 to 226,000 people died due to the explosion, or from complications caused by radiation positioning.

Fear of the impact of atomic radiation influenced the creation of the kaiju genre. For the most part, the creatures were not mutated by the radiation, but rather were awakened by the atomic blasts.

Colorful heroes were developed to combat the world-threatening beasts, and the genre would become incredibly popular through a slew of television shows and movies, the first being the 1954 film Godzilla.

Actor George Takei, a longtime supporter of the Little Tokyo museum, has a special connection to the kaiju genre. His first gig in the entertainment industry was providing English dubbing for an imported kaiju film, Rodan, while in college.

“It’s a fun, exciting and thrilling show, but we can’t forget it came out of the recent nu-

clear history of Japan,” Takei said during a speech prior to the opening of the exhibit.

While the monsters onscreen are often designed with muted, natural tones, the toys tended to be painted with vibrant and reflective colors. It was an effort to make them attractive to kids.

The industry exploded in Japan during the ’60s, propelled by the Toho line of Godzilla films. In the United States, however, Japanese families were still picking up the pieces of lives shattered by forced internment during the war.

Some families, scarred by the pain of the internment camps, shied away from their Japanese identity, creating a disconnect between generations.

That was the case for Nagata. He said that, growing up, his American-born parents would rarely talk about their experience during wartime, and they did not place a focus on being part of the Japanese community.

The exhibit includes large biographical signage that details Nagata’s life and career.

Kwong said that as she and Nagata began preparing the exhibit, she started to notice that his love of collecting was also helping Nagata connect in a deeper way with Japanese culture.

Indeed, his collecting took him to Japan, and the old factories used to make the vinyl toys. He also met with other fans of the kaiju genre.

The revelation didn’t dawn on Nagata until Kwong pointed it out.

“I just saw my toy collecting as a hobby. I didn’t put any social implications to it,” Nagata said. “First I thought, really? Then I thought, yeah, I think you are right. It is weird that these toys are informing part of my identity and being.”

Originally, Nagata wasn’t sure whether an exhibit about his toy collection would work.

Now, he hopes that people can look past the shiny and colorful toys and learn a bit about the culture that inspired beasts such as Godzilla, King Ghidorah and Gamera.

He also hopes that the kaiju and the heroes can inspire the next generation of toy designers.

Kaiju vs. Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey Through the World of Japanese Toys runs through March 24 at the Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave. or janm.org. sean@downtownnews.com

DAKHABRAKHA

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16 DOWNTOWN NEWS

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Performance Takes Center Stage in Downtown CAP UCLA Brings a New Season of Shows, From Comedy to a Live Documentary, to the Theatre at Ace Hotel

By Nicholas Slayton or seven years UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance has been a bringing a mix of high-profile and sometimes unconventional dancers, musicians, speakers and other performers to its Westwood campus. Last year, in response to the growth of Downtown Los Angeles, the series came east.

It hosted more than a dozen events in the Theatre at Ace Hotel, everything from folk musician Chris Thile to queer avant-garde artist Taylor Mac’s epic four-night A 24-Decade Historic of Popular Music.

It was something of an experiment. But according to CAP UCLA Artistic Director Kristy Edmunds, it was a successful one. She said the organizers expected only Downtowners would show up. Instead, people from surrounding neighborhoods attended, and even some Westside regulars made the journey to the 1,600-seat theater.

Now CAP UCLA is back. Its second Downtown season launched on Saturday, Sept.

22, with a performance by pianist Vijay Iyer and author Teju Cole. There are two events this week: eclectic and chaotic Ukrainian musicians DakhaBrakha on Thursday, Sept.

27, and a night with writer Fran Lebowitz mixing comedy and social commentary on Sunday, Sept. 30.

In all there will be 15 Downtown events through May, with a similar number of hap-

F

penings on the UCLA campus. On the docket this year are musicians, cultural critics, comedians, filmmakers, and choreographers.

There is no unifying theme to the season, beyond being contemporary in nature, Edmunds said.

“If we were a visual art museum, you’d have areas of specialization, with works on paper, printing and materials, installations and so on,” Edmunds said. “We do that with our ephemeral forms.”

Highlights include a dance performance choreographed by Jerome Bel on Feb. 2, R&B group the Soul Rebels on Feb. 16, and the 25th anniversary show of the comedy series UnCabaret on Nov. 18.

UnCabaret started in Downtown Los Angeles on Spring Street, according to founder Beth Lapides. She noted that while her events often features five to seven performers, the anniversary show will have 16, including Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford and Tig Notaro.

UnCabaret helped set the stage for what has come to be called “alternative comedy,” though Lapides said the goal has always “been about feeling uplifted.” She added that each participant will spin his or her own tale, ranging from stand-up sets to stories and music. The comedians will be joined by an eight-piece band.

She promised the show would be about

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CAP UCLA is embarking on its second season of Downtown events. The lineup in the Theatre at Ace Hotel includes a night of Ukrainian music from DakhaBrakha on Thursday, Sept. 27.

comedy, not the series itself.

“It’s not going to be two hours of stories about UnCabaret,” Lapides said. “One of the things about the show that has evolved is, it’s always been interested in urgency and newness and what’s burning in your heart and mind, rather than doing your act.”

Matching Neighborhoods Edmunds is careful in organizing the se-

ries and seeks to determine which neighborhood is best suited for each event. She said that Downtown audiences can also be more familiar with certain artists’ work, such as Iyer and Cole.

In other cases, the venue and the set-up are determining factors. The Theatre at Ace Hotel often hosts film screenings, which Continued on page 20

one

THE DON’T MISS LIST

EVENTS

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway or acehotel.com/calendar/los-angeles.

Sept. 26: Jazzy songstress Norah Jones steps up to the mic.

Sept. 27: Expand your horizons with the chaotic and melodic sounds of Ukraine’s DakhaBrakha.

Sept. 28: Despite the name and can of Coors in his promotional photo, Bahamas is somehow a folk singer.

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

Sept. 24: If you missed Meshell Ndgeocello at her last show in Downtown, don’t do that again.

Sept. 25: Jamie Baum Group.

Sept. 26: Isamu McGregor Group.

Sept. 27: Vardan Ovsepian Extended Trio.

Sept. 28: Nicolas Bearde, Josh Nelson.

Sept. 29: Daniel Rotem Group.

Continued on next page

By Sean P. Thomas

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Fans of English indie rock are in luck. Liverpool’s The Wombats are traveling across the pond for a stop at the Belasco Theater on Thursday, Sept. 27. The trio has performed steadily since forming in 2003 and has built a following for their mix of buzzing hooks and catchy guitar riffs. They’re huge in the UK (they’re playing Wembley arena early next year), and tunes from their fourth album, Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, will be showcased at their Downtown date. If the band sounds familiar, it may be for their poppy 2007 number “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.” Doors open at 7 p.m. English singers Barns Courtney and Roman Lewis are also on the bill. At 1050 S. Hill St. (213) 746-5670 or thebelasco.com

There is one final chance to check out The Broad’s summer events series before it wraps for the season. On Saturday, Sept. 29, Summer Happenings will activate the Bunker Hill museum with music and artists engaging in performances that mimic the themes of time addressed in The Broad’s current exhibit A Journey That Wasn’t. Musicians Kim Gordon (shown here) of Sonic Youth and YoshimiO will collaborate for a fully improvised set, and Banjee Ball, a Downtown ballroom dance collective, will create a work inspired by the exhibit. Houston’s Michael 5000 Watts will work the turntables and no wave artist Arto Lindsay will offer a site-specific piece. The fun starts at 8 p.m. At 221 S. Grand Ave. (213) 284 or the broad.org.

What happens when you take video games, cartoons, tabloids and other staples of media culture and throw them into a blender? You get the art of Nina Chanel Abney. The Chicago-born artist explores the human form through the lens of a media-focused world.

The exhibit Nina Chanel Abney: Royal Flush just opened at not one, but two Downtown locations: the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (1717 E. Seventh St. or icala.org) and the California African American Museum in Exposition Park (600 State Drive or caamuseum.org). Abney’s almost stream of consciousness style is on display, as are works that showcase her colorful, bright and thought-provoking side. The exhibit runs through Jan. 20 at both locations.

The last summer night may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still party the evening away in an al fresco setting. The L.A. Live Block Party, taking place on Friday, Sept. 28, at Microsoft Square, features more than 25 local craft vendors hawking jewelry, clothing and more, as well as live artists and street performers. There will be bands and DJs, and when you get hungry or thirsty, there are dozens of options nearby. The event runs from 6 p.m.-midnight and admission is free. At 777 Chick Hearn Court or lalive.com/blockparty.

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

photo by Peter Pail Geoffrion. ©Nina Chanel Abney

photo by Phil Smithies

If you had to make a list of the least humorous topics possible, then serial killers would be somewhere close to the top. British comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLean have somehow cracked the code of turning the murderous to the hilarious with their podcast “All Killa No Filla.” Now the funny and macabre show comes Downtown, as the gals are doing a live taping at The Regent on Saturday, Sept. 29.

At the risk of cliché, this may be the rare time where you laugh, you cry. Note: This is an afternoon event, starting at 3 p.m. At 448 S. Main St., (323) 284-5727 or spacelandpresents.com.

photo by David Black

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26 Bruce Sterling: Speculative Architecture SCI-Arc, 960 E. Third St., (213) 613-2200 or sciarc.edu.

7 p.m.: The science fiction author comes to the Southern California Institute of Architecture to discuss the cities of the 21st century.

Tanya Aguiñiga and Josh Kun The Main Museum, 114 W. Fourth St., (213) 986-8500 or themainmuseum.org.

7 p.m.: Aguiñiga, an artist, activist and founder of the AMBOS Project (Art Made Between Opposite Sides), talks with USC professor Kun about her work and finding diversity in artistic collaborations.

Joseph Di Prisco at The Last Bookstore 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7:30 p.m.: Mystery collides with the publishing world in Di Prisco’s new book “Sibella & Sibella.” He’ll be part of a panel discussion on publishing.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28 YMCA Stair Climb for Los Angeles U.S. Bank Tower, 633 W. Fifth St. or events.ymcala.org.

11:30 a.m.: Raise money for the YMCA’s programming by climbing all 75 stories of the Downtown tower. There is a party for participants.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 Summer Happenings The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., (213) 232-6200 or thebroad.org.

8 p.m.: The final edition of The Broad’s Summer Happenings series is tied to the exhibit “A Journey That Wasn’t.” It features ballroom dancing and music from Kim Gordon and YoshimiO. Dino Fest Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exhibition Blvd. or nhm.org.

9:30 a.m. This celebration of all things dinosaurs has hands-on activities, a chance to see massive bones, and hear experts talk about the Jurassic Age. It continues on Sept. 30.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 Fran Lebowitz Theatre at Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway, (213) 235-9614 or cap.ucla.edu.

7 p.m.: Cultural critic Lebowitz stops by the Theatre at Ace Hotel to talk about current events. It’s part of CAP UCLA’s series at the Theater; see story on page 16.

Celebrate L.A.: L.A. Phil 100 x CicLAvia Walt Disney Concert Hall and various locations, 111 S. Grand Ave. or laphil.com.

9 a.m.: This eight-mile block party stretches from Bunker Hill to the Hollywood Bowl with live music at Walt Disney Concert Hall from the L.A. Philharmonic, Pink Martini and more.

photo courtesy AEG

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CALENDAR LISTINGS

DOWNTOWN NEWS 17

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

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

Sept. 24: Time creeps ever forward and we must move past temporary things, such as Cillie Barnes’ residency.

Sept. 26: Tijuana’s Vaya Futuro has a sound that feels so of the moment.

Sept. 27-28: It’s two nights of London’s Dear Boy. The first night features Bloodboy. Oh boy.

Sept. 29: The Range of Light Wilderness, Luke Temple.

Sept. 30: The Like’s Z Berg goes solo with a piano.

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

Sept. 28: Tom West, All Types of Kinds.

Sept. 30: Francesca Brown & the Moon Howlers, Tom West.

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

Sept. 27: Tego Calderón.

Sept. 28: Darren Styles.

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

Sept. 25: An evening with Shawn Mendes features Shawn Mendes, who apparently has a number of #1 singles.

Microsoft Theater 777 Chick Hearn Ct., (213) 763-6030 or microsofttheater.com.

Sept. 25: It’s a celebration of legendary musician Quincy Jones, with Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder and more.

Moroccan Lounge 901 E. First St., (213) 395-0610 or themoroccan.com.

Sept. 24: Dream Machines are wrapping up their residency, but they’ll never leave.

Sept. 25: Mimicking Birds are here for fans of the sound “caw!”

Sept. 26: Moontower does the indie-electronic version of a prog rock concept album.

Sept. 27: Holychild is an indie pop band, which you never, ever see in Los Angeles in 2018. At all.

Sept. 28: Raquel Rodriguez has an EP release show.

Sept. 29: Pluko has your EDM fix.

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

Sept. 25: Eleanor Friedberger.

Sept. 26: Post-punk purveyors Soft Kill wrap up their residency.

Sept. 28: East Los Angeles’ Delirians bring the soul and hopefully some mind trips.

Sept. 29: Guess what genre is played at the Soul Shakedown Party. You don’t win a boat if you get it right.

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

Sept. 24: The Angel City Bluegrass Boys mosey.

Sept. 25: The Makers are the inspiration for the new movie “A Star Is Born.”

Sept. 26: Rosa Lee Brooks.

Sept. 27: “Narcos” season 4 will focus on Curtis Parry’s Jazz Cartel.

Sept. 28: The Sheikhs of Freak.

Sept. 29: Wes Smith Trio.

Sept. 30: The California Feetwarmers will keep you warm with their music. Whiskey can also keep you warm.

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

Sept. 28: Evidence and Oddisee are here for you.

The Redwood 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com.

Sept. 24: The Gooms, Cheri Domingo, The Slugs.

Sept. 26: Smoking Flowers, Man Hands, The Withers, Hwy, DJ Ann Eliza.

Sept. 27: Hey Pinheads! Eight bands are stepping up for a night of Ramones cover sets. Gabba gabba hey!

Sept. 28: Year of the Dragon.

Sept. 29: The Dirty Horror, Gitane Demone Quartet.

The Regent 448 S. Main St., (323) 284-5727, or theregenttheater.com.

Sept. 27: Michael Gira of Swans does a solo acoustic set.

Sept. 28: It’s a night of dancehall and reggaeton music.

Sept. 29, 3 p.m.: A live taping of the humorous serial killer podcast “All Killa No Filla.”

Sept. 29, 10 p.m.: Go back to the ’80s/’90s house party era with the Scam and Jam event.

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

Sept. 28: LUBE, Mom & the Mailman, Launcher, The Freakees.

Sept. 29: White Fang, Blivet, 1034.

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

Sept. 27: London indie rockers The Boxer Rebellion arrive in Downtown.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Sept. 28: Get down to some R&B and soul courtesy of Mark Broussard.

Sept. 29: Singer-songwriter Melissa Polinar and her backing duo do that voodoo that you don’t do.

Sept 30: The Vaccines are playing in Downtown because the Westside thinks they’re dangerous.

FILM

Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.

Sept. 24-27: Athletes collide and meet cute in the short film Accidental Diplomats.

IMAX California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Who doesn’t love pandas? The adorable bears take center stage in the appropriately titled Pandas 3D. Kristen Bell narrates the film about the efforts to reintroduce

DT

CLASSIFIEDS

To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448 Deadline for classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FOR 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.

REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL CONDOS

1 br. Condo in North Glendale Rossmoyne Area. 320 E. Stocker St. New kitchen, new ba., balcony w/mountain view. HOA $220/mo.

Amenities: pool, spa, exercise & laundry room. Handicap access.

Ask $478,000.

Agt. Chew 626.201.3464

LEGAL NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code.

The undersigned will sell on the 25th day of September 2018 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: Name of owner: Space number Description of goods Amount

DOWNTOWN NEWS 19

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Alberto Vargas Personal effects $160.00

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Vrazil Dollison Personal effects $316.00

S-00

Jean Capreti Personal effects $110.00

U-11

Luis M. Palma Personal effects $519.00

D-29

Steven Michael Kalist Personal effects $247.00

D-80

Jordan Kushner Personal effects $516.00

U-12

Taylor Ly Personal effects $869.75

T-9

Treasurer and Tax Collector, to sell at public auction certain tax-defaulted properties.

Lorenza Lee Personal effects $385.00

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I hereby give public notice, that unless said properties are redeemed, prior to the close of business on the last business day prior to the first day of the public auction, or Friday, October 19, 2018, at 5:00 p.m.

Pacific Time, I will offer for sale and sell said properties on Monday, October 22, 2018, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, to the highest bidder, for cash or cashier’s check in lawful money of the United States, for not less than the minimum bid, at the Fairplex, Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, 1101 West McKinley Avenue, Building 7, Pomona, California. I will re-offer any properties that did not sell, for a reduced minimum bid, on Tuesday, October 23, 2018.

Gregory John Wood Personal effects $585.00

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Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.

Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA

by Felipe F. Islas / Manager September 17 and 24, 2018.

LEGAL NOTICE

Aquita Fopohunda Personal effects $365.00

T-3

India Moret Personal effects $454.00

H-5

Melissa Hanks Personal effects $556.00

U-28

Mary McChesney Personal effects $365.00

D-75

Mathis Jackson Personal effects $140.00

U-93

Darren Mueller Personal effects $220.00

L-56

Chrystal Sandoval Personal effects $365.00

captive-born pandas into the wild.

Patrick Stewart narrates Journey to Space 3D, about the effort to send astronauts to Mars. Since we’ll never go to space ourselves, at least we can hear Captain Jean-Luc Picard talk about it.

Dive into the history of Egypt and the impact of the Nile River as Omar Sharif hosts Mysteries of Egypt.

Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/movies.

Through Sept. 30: Assassination Nation (12:40, 3:40, 6:40 and 9:40 p.m.); Fahrenheit 11/9 (1, 4:10, 7:20 and 10:30 p.m.); Life Itself (12:20, 3:20, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.); The House With a Clock in Its Walls (11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2:30, 4:30, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.); A Simple Favor (1, 4:10 7:10 and 10:10 p.m.); The Predator (12:50, 3:50, 5:20, 6:50, 8, 9:50 and 10:40 p.m.); White Boy Rick (12:30, 3:30, 6:20 and 9:20 p.m.); The Nun (11:30 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 8 and 10:10 p.m.); Searching (11:30 a.m., 2:10, 5 and 10:40 p.m.); Crazy Rich Asians (11:50 a.m., 3, 6 and 9 p.m.).

Rooftop Cinema Club Level DTLA, 888 S. Olive St. or rooftopcinemaclub.com/los-angeles.

T-4

County of Los Angeles Department of the Treasurer and Tax Collector Notice of Divided Publication Pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code (R&TC) Sections 3702, 3381, and 3382, the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector is publishing in divided distribution, the Notice of Sale of Tax-Defaulted Property Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell in and for the County of Los Angeles, State of California, to various newspapers of general circulation published in the County. A portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers.

Notice of Public Auction of Tax-Defaulted Property Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell (Sale No. 2018A) Whereas, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles, State of California, directed me, JOSEPH KELLY,

The minimum bid for each parcel is the total amount necessary to redeem, plus costs, as required by R&TC Section 3698.5.

If a property does not sell at the public auction, the right of redemption will revive and remain until Friday, November 30, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Beginning Saturday, December 1, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, through Tuesday, December 4, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, I will re-offer for sale any unimproved properties that did not sell or were not redeemed prior to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, on Friday, November 30, 2018, at online auction at www.bid4assests.com/losangeles.

Prospective bidders should obtain detailed information of this sale from the County of Los Angeles Treasurer and Tax Collector (TTC) at http:// ttc.lacounty.gov/. Bidders are required to pre-register at 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los Angeles, California and submit a refundable $5,000 deposit in the form of cash, cashier’s check or bank-issued money order at the time of registration. The TTC will not accept personal checks, two-party checks or business checks for the registration deposit. The TTC will apply the registration deposit towards the minimum bid. Registration will begin on Monday, September 17, 2018, at 8:00 a.m. and end on Friday, October 5, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Sept. 25: Wes Anderson made a stop-motion film about dogs. Isle of Dogs might not be for cat lovers.

Sept. 26: Rediscover the joy of falling for Blade Runner 2049’s Ryan Gosling in The Notebook.

Sept. 27: Smalls is still killing us, all of us. The Sandlot has a 25th anniversary screening.

MORE LISTINGS @ DOWNTOWNEWS.COM/CALENDAR

TO SUBMIT EMAIL:

A LISTING: 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.

Pursuant to R&TC Section 3692.3, the TTC sells all property ``as is`` and the County and its employees are not liable for any known or unknown conditions of the property, including, but not limited to, errors in the records of the Office of the Assessor (Assessor) pertaining to improvement of the property.

If the TTC sells a property, parties of interest, as defined

by R&TC Section 4675, have a right to file a claim with the County for any proceeds from the sale, which are in excess of the liens and costs required to be paid from the proceeds. If there are any excess proceeds after the application of the minimum bid, the TTC will send notice to all parties of interest, pursuant to law.

Please direct requests for information concerning redemption of tax-defaulted property to the Treasurer and Tax Collector, at 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los Angeles, California 90012. You may also call (213) 974-2045, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Pacific Time, visit our website at tt.lacounty.gov or email us at auction@tt.lacounty.gov.

The Assessor’s Identification Number (AIN) in this publication refers to the Assessor’s Map Book, the Map Page, and the individual Parcel Number on the Map Page. If a change in the AIN occurred, the publication will show both prior and current AINs. An explanation of the parcel numbering system and the referenced maps are available at the Office of the Assessor located at 500 West Temple Street, Room 225, Los Angeles, California 90012.

I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true

and correct. Executed at Los Angeles, California, on August 24, 2018.

JOSEPH KELLY Treasurer and Tax Collector County of Los Angeles State of California The real property that is subject to this notice is situated in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows: PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF TAXDEFAULTED PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE POWER OF SALE (SALE NO. 2018A) 2346 AIN 5538-015-028 SIMANIAN, DAVID CO TR BBJ TRUST LOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES $73,736.00 CN953324 553 Sep 17,24, Oct 1, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 201822563 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) MERCATOR REJECTION, 416 S. SPRING ST. 505, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013, LA COUNTY are hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) DANIEL JOHNSON, 416 S. SPRING ST. 505, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013. This business is conducted by an Individual. Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 08/2018.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on September 6, 2018.

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

the 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. 9/17, 9/24, 10/1 and 10/8.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018218154 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) NISHKIAN CHAMBERLAIN, 6701 CENTER DRIVE W, SUITE 715, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045 LA COUNTY. Mailing Address: 600 HARRISON STREET SUITE 110, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, are hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) NISHKIAN& ASSOCIATES, 600 HARRISON STREET, SUITE 110, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a Corporation.

Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 06/2018 This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on August 28, 2018.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the 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. 9/3, 9/10, 9/17 and 9/24.

PUBLIC NOTICE Archdiocesan Youth Employment Services (AYE) of Catholic Charities, Inc. of Los Angeles is procuring bids for its America’s Job Center of California in East and South LA (AJCC) Operations including primary WIOA Title I adult and dislocated worker services to benefit individuals lacking economic opportunity in South Los Angeles and Boyle Heights in response to the LA City EWDD RFP 2018.

To respond to this procurement RFP, please visit: http://www.ayela.org/contact-us Subcontractor Proposal deadline is Thursday, September 27 at 4:00 pm (PDT).

Note: Bidders are responsible to read all information that is stated in this Request for Proposal and responding as required.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

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PERFORMANCE, 16

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Community Amenities: 24 hr. Manned Lobby Resident Concierge Heated Pool & Spa Fitness Center / Yoga Studio Outdoor Patio Gas BBQ Grills Recreation Room State-of-the-Art HD Theater Rooftop Patio with Views

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RESIDENCES STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOMS PENTHOUSE UNITS • CORPORATE HOUSING

photo courtesy CAP UCLA

The Kronos Quartet will perform on Dec. 7 while a documentary about the classical ensemble is projected on a screen behind them. The film is called “A Thousand Thoughts.”

helps make it appropriate for the Dec. 7 event dubbed “A Thousand Thoughts.” It is billed as a live documentary, and is a unique presentation on the long-running classical ensemble Kronos Quartet. It has the group onstage playing their instruments, while video interviews are projected on a screen behind them.

Director Sam Green, who serves as the live narrator of the film, said he was drawn to the Kronos Quartet after working on an anniversary show for the act. He said that music documentaries are frequently “10 seconds of music” and then mostly talking heads. “A Thousand Thoughts” allows the music Kronos Quartet creates to be the driver.

The Kronos Quartet has been around for 45 years, but its members remain engaged and are willing to try new things, Green said.

“They’re still incredibly experimental and creative. They’re into taking chances,” he said. “Any artist who’s been doing it for 40 years are kind of resting on their laurels, slightly phoning it in, but they are not.”

Green said that CAP UCLA helped commission the film, and that since he and the band started “screening” it, each event has had a unique quality. That includes a January performance at the Sundance Film Festival.

“How the audience reacts influences how we play. It depends on the time of day, the shape of the venue. Is it full?

Are they serving alcohol in the lobby?” Green said. “No show is ever the same.”

For Lapides, having the anniversary show in Downtown brings UnCabaret full circle. She said that she and her fellow performers had been looking for a large space for the event, but wanted to maintain an intimate atmosphere. She reached out to Edmunds, who helped find a venue.

“I was thinking CAP UCLA would do Royce Hall. They suggested the Ace, which we had wanted to do originally,” Lapides said.

Edmunds said that last season showed that the Westside organization has an audience in Downtown, and that the audience appreciated the performances. This year she hopes to deepen that connection.

“You often end up in certain situations where people are trying to program for their venue,” she said. “Here we’re trying to program for the community.”

CAP UCLA’s season continues Thursday, Sept. 27, with DakhaBrakha, and Sunday, Sept. 30, with Fran Lebowitz, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, (213) 235-9614 or cap. ucla.edu. nicholas@downtownnews.com