photo by Joan Marcus
photo by Craig Schwartz
DECEMBER 29, 2014 I VOL. 43 I #52
2014 A YEAR IN REVIEW photos by Gary Leonard unless noted
A MONTH-BY-MONTH LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN DOWNTOWN
THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS
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Restaurants: L.A. Chapter, the brainchild of chef Ken Addington and partner Jud Mongell, opened on Jan. 18 in the Ace Hotel. Over at L.A. Live, the mammoth space formerly occupied by ESPN Zone came back to life as the restau-
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rants Smashburger and Live Basil (Tom’s Urban arrived in February). Entertainment: Christopher Plummer got literary in his fantastic one-man show A
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Word or Two (3) at the Ahmanson Theater. Although Velveteria in Chinatown opened in December, January was when most people learned about the velvet painting museum.
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ews, Business and Politics: The year started with a bang, as Downtowners celebrated the opening of the 182room Ace Hotel at 929 S. Broadway (1). The boutique establishment from the uber-hip chain reactivated the former United Artists Theatre building. The project included a renovation of the gorgeous 1,600-seat theater. It wasn’t the only significant change of the month: On Jan. 15, the Museum of Contemporary Art named Philippe Vergne its new director; Vergne would move to stabilize the finances of the institution and steer it away from the curatorial direction of former (and oft-criticized) Director Jeffrey Deitch. On the development front, Equity Residential opened the $93 million Jia Apartments at 639 N. Broadway, giving a huge residential boost to Chinatown. Over in Skid Row, moveins began in earnest at the Star Apartments. Skid Row Housing Trust’s stunning low-income complex was designed by architect Michael Maltzan. Additionally, the L.A. 2020 Commission released a report slamming local leadership for shortcomings concerning jobs, traffic and more. Also: City Attorney Mike Feuer announced a $3.9 million judgment against a Downtown merchant for selling counterfeit goods — the largest ever by the office in a counterfeiting case; veteran residential firm Forest City purchased two lots near the Herald Examiner Building and announced plans to build apartments; and the 13,000-square-foot indoor rock climbing facility LA Boulders (2) opened at 1375 E. Sixth St.
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two blocks between the 110 Freeway and Francisco, Eighth and Ninth streets. The first phase of the $1 billion project will bring a 38-story residential building with 300 units and a 19-story hotel with 350 rooms. It wasn’t the only mega-project to make a splash this month. The $1 billion Wilshire Grand replacement project at Seventh and Figueroa streets orchestrated the largest-ever continuous concrete pour (2), with 2,100 truckloads delivering 21,200 cubic yards of concrete. Speaking of billion-dollar babies, on Feb. 20 local and federal officials announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $1.37 billion Regional Connector would receive $670 million in federal funding. Also: Plans were announced to preserve the old KRKD radio towers that sit atop the Spring Arcade Building; 14th District City Councilman José Huizar began his re-election campaign by raising a whopping $322,000 in the first reporting period; and CIM Group bought the 52-story Two California Plaza building.
photo by Gary Leonard
Restaurants: Downtown got a taste of a popular Culver City gastropub when City Tavern opened on the ground floor of the FIGat7th shopping center; suddenly Financial District workers had gussied-up comfort food and plenty of good beer on tap. Another arrival was Local Table, which debuted in the former Colori Kitchen spot at 800 S. Figueroa St. Meanwhile, Wolfgang
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Puck debuted Nest at WP24, a restaurant within his popular restaurant on the 24th floor of the Ritz-Carlton. Entertainment: The Mark Taper Forum was filled with laughter when it opened a run of Christopher Durang’s Tony-winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (3). Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project performed in the new Theatre at Ace Hotel. The annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibit returned to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising with all the glam and garish garb of films including American Hustle, Man of Steel and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
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photo by Paula Court
ews, Business and Politics: Downtown was full of development action this month. On March 15, a groundbreaking was held for the $20 million, year-long renovation of Los Angeles State Historic Park. The whale-shaped site will be enlarged and reimagined when it reopens in mid2015. There was also a clutch of high-rise action, with five residential towers proposed for the Central City, including 31and 40-floor buildings by the Onni Group at 1200 S. Flower St., and a 34-story edifice at Fourth Street and Broadway from veteran developer Izek Shomof. On March 19, a settlement was reached between the city, the organizers of the Downtown Art Walk and the family of a 2-month-old boy who was killed in July 2011 when a car jumped the curb into a crowded sidewalk. The family received $500,000.
photo by Gary Leonard
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photo by Gary Leonard
photo by Craig Schwartz
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ews, Business and Politics: Twenty-seven years after it was first announced, work finally started on the Metropolis mega-project in South Park. A groundbreaking ceremony (1) was held on Feb. 14, just two weeks after Shanghaibased Greenland Group bought the 6.33-acre site that spans
Also: Warring groups in the Arts District stopped fighting and announced that they would work together to launch a replacement for the shuttered Arts District Business Improvement District; the upscale New York boutique Oak opened a Broadway store; and Jeannette Shammas, president and owner of the Figueroa Corridor’s Shammas Group, died on March 17 at the age of 93. Restaurants: Downtowners got a new place to drink and play games in the last week of March when the Arts District bar-
cade EightyTwo (1) opened to capacity crowds. Other arrivals included Fifty Seven in the Arts District, Justice Urban Tavern in the Civic Center, Stafford + Mathis Kitchen in the Luxe City Center Hotel in South Park, and the Belcampo Meat Co., a boutique butcher shop and restaurant in Grand Central Market. While it wasn’t a debut, the Nickel Diner was the setting for a signing of the comic book The Punisher (2) — the new series of the veteran comic includes scenes set at the Main Street restaurant. Entertainment: The Japanese American National Museum continued to go in unexpected directions, mounting the show Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World. It explored the history of the art and included life-size photographs of people with full-body ink. It was also a big month at REDCAT: On March 9 the avant-garde space closed its run of the Wooster Group’s Cry, Trojans! (3), and on March 27-29 it hosted Kazakh tenor Timur Berkbosunov and his fivepiece band Timur and the Dime Museum in three performances of Collapse, a post-punk cabaret about environmental degradation.
December 29, 2014
Restaurants: The food scene kept expanding. On April 22, Wexler’s Deli debuted in Grand Central Market, and Micah
photo by Gary Leonard
ews, Business and Politics: With Farmers Field still uncertain, and the city’s agreement with AEG on the football stadium set to expire in October, city officials began looking at a proposal to revamp the Convention Center without the NFL. The effort was known as Plan B. Also in City Hall, on April 7 city Administrative Officer Miguel Santana asked for $3.7 million to improve Skid Row. It was an initial step in a plan that would ultimately lead to six deep cleanings of the impoverished neighborhood a year. The real estate scene was busy too. The 1.1 million-squarefoot Broadway Trade Center was sold to New York-based Waterbridge Capital, with initial plans calling for turning it into creative office space, a hotel, retail and housing. On April 10, the Cleantech Manufacturing Center broke ground, more than four-and-a-half years after the city had first announced a deal to activate the parcel at Washington Boulevard and 15th Street. On the civic front, the L.A. 2020 Commission followed up its scathing January report with a second paper, “A Time for Action,” that offered a prescription for fixing some of L.A.’s woes, including changing the dates of city elections to boost turnout, and looking at plans to merge the ports of L.A. and Long Beach. The report was largely ignored inside City Hall. Also: Demolition of the remains of an old state office building began at First and Spring streets as part of a $10 million city effort to create a new park; Swedish retailer H&M opened a 30,000-square-foot flagship store at the FIGat7th shopping center; Mayor Eric Garcetti partnered with rapper Jay Z (1) to announce the Made in America festival for Grand Park; and construction workers at Chinatown’s Blossom Plaza project uncovered a large segment of the Zanja Madre, the original aqueduct that brought water from the Los Angeles River to the burgeoning city.
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photo courtesy Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts
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3 Wexler’s (2) creation quickly gained a reputation for serving some of the best pastrami in the city. Another highly praised arrival was Gelateria Uli, which opened in the Historic Core’s Spring Arcade Building. The Downtown cold front continued in Chinatown, when an outpost of Scoops arrived in Far East Plaza. Entertainment: Baseball came to an unexpected location when the Japanese American National Museum opened an exhibit about the Dodgers and their history of breaking racial and ethic boundaries. The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess landed at the Ahmanson Theatre. MOCA mounted a mammoth exhibit featuring the work of the late Mike Kelley (3).
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Restaurants: The Zinc Café & Market (2) opened at 580 Mateo St., serving a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. While the vegetarian joint eschews meat, it does allow dogs on the patio. Another addition was Umami Burger honcho Adam Fleischman’s ChocoChicken. The eatery at 403 W. 12th St. began serving on May 29 and, as the name suggests, the menu offers chicken fried in a batter that incorporates chocolate.
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Entertainment: A quarter century after the Tiananmen Square crackdown, East West Players turned the subject into a poignant musical. Beijing Spring (3) landed at the Little Tokyo theater on May 21. Visitors to the California Science Center this month got a look at what residents of Pompeii experienced on Aug. 23, 79 AD. Pompeii: The Exhibition details what happened when Mt. Vesuvius blew its top. Meanwhile, L.A. Opera put Plácido Domingo on stage opposite stellar soprano Nino Machaidze in Thaïs.
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photo by Michael Lamont
ews, Business and Politics: On May 3, Downtowners celebrated the 75th birthday of Union Station (1) with National Train Day. Owner the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hosted an estimated 10,000 visitors, and used the event in its ongoing campaign to transform the 1939 station and 30 acres of surrounding land. City Attorney Mike Feuer continued his aggressive prosecuting of Skid Row dumping with a May 29 announcement that Pacifica Hospital of the Valley would pay $500,000 to settle a case of allegedly bringing an indigent discharged patient to Skid Row without arranging for a place for the person to stay or adequate follow-up care. There was progress on another longstanding Downtown problem, when city officials released a report recommending razing the dilapidated Parker Center and building a 27-story office tower in its place. The former LAPD headquarters at 150 N. Los Angeles St. has been largely empty since the department moved into the Police Administration Building in 2009. On the real estate front, South Park gained a new address for residents this month, when the first phase of the $220 million Avant opened at 1360 S. Figueroa St. The project from Century West Partners will ultimately deliver 440 apartments Also: Aesop, a beauty goods store,
opened at 862 S. Broadway, adding to the collection of businesses in the shadow of the Ace Hotel; and tiny St. Turibius School, nestled on the southern edge of Downtown near the 10 Freeway, notched its third straight Catholic Youth Organization soccer championship on May 18. It was even more impressive given that the team at the K-8 school practices on a blacktop playground, not a field.
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ews, Business and Politics: Veteran developer Linear City opened The Elysian (1) at 1115 Sunset Blvd. It was a serious turnaround for the historic, though long-blighted structure originally designed by William Pereira. The $30 million project created 96 apartments and included the addition of a ninth floor. Another big real estate play occurred in South Park, when San Francisco development company Trumark Urban announced it was reviving plans to build a 24-story condominium project known as the Glass Tower at the northeast corner of 11th Street and Grand Avenue. The $100 million effort will create 151 residences. City Attorney Mike Feuer announced on June 2 that he had doubled the number of neighborhood prosecutors in his office, providing new options for community groups to help solve perplexing problems. Yes, Downtown has a neighborhood prosecutor, and his name is Kurt Knecht. Also: Former MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel announced he would return to Downtown as a partner in the gallery Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, which will move into a 100,000-squarefoot former flour mill in the Arts District; the $172 million Marriott Tower, with 393 rooms, opened at L.A. Live; and Rickey the Pirate, known for his skull-and-crossbones hat and the pictures of himself that he sold in the Historic Core, died on June 17 after a bout with cancer.
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photo by Gary Leonard
Restaurants: The Central Area Planning Commission on June 10 ruled that Great Balls on Tires may sell alcohol,
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ending a long-running dispute for the proposed meatball restaurant on the ground floor of New Genesis Apartments at 456 S. Main St. Opponents had argued that no booze should be sold in a building housing formerly homeless people. There was no such worry at 600 S. Spring St., when Acme Hospitality Group opened Beelman’s Pub (2). The bar features a dog-friendly patio and a rotating selection of draft beers. Entertainment: The Dance Media Film Festival twisted into Downtown, with a lineup of events, including one that used a 1,000-pound sculpture set up on the Music Center Plaza. In South Park, L.A. Live was the site of the BET Experience. The celebration of African-American culture took place June 27-29 and featured concerts, films and free events. On Bunker Hill, the Ahmanson Theatre opened The Last Confession, with David Suchet starring in a play about the death of Pope John Paul I (3).
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ews, Business and Politics: The residential scene kept humming, as developer Holland Partner Group began work on a $200 million housing project, comprising two new seven-story buildings and the renovation of a 1920s medical office building in City West. The project will bring 648 units
photo by Joan Marcus
photo by Gary Leonard
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photo by Gary Leonard
when it opens in 2016. Meanwhile, Chinese developer Greenland revealed it will add two more condominium towers to the Metropolis mega-project, bringing the total condo tower count to three, plus a 19-story hotel. In the Old Bank District, developer Tom Gilmore and business partner Jerri Perrone announced plans for an art museum (1) that spans multiple buildings. More development announcements came in the form of a $140 million mixed-use complex near Olvera Street, which is slated for completion in 2018, and the news that the 285-room Figueroa Hotel was sold. The new owners said they plan to renovate the building at 939 S. Figueroa St. while keeping its Moroccan flair. Additionally, AEG announced plans to upgrade and bring 500 workers to the Desmond Building at 11th and Hope streets, and Overseas Union Enterprise said it would add an observation deck to the top of U.S. Bank Tower. Restaurants: In the Financial District, the Asian-inspired eatery dubbed Gaji debuted, offering a menu of Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese flavors. Over in the Arts District, anticipation be-
gan to build when it was revealed that restaurateur Bill Chait (Rivera, Bestia) had purchased a nearly 8,000-square-foot space at 515 Molino St., though he wouldn’t cop to what he plans to open there. Entertainment: Downtowners got a free treat when the Pershing Square Summer Concert series launched, featuring a selection of local bands, tribute groups and DJs. At the Mark Taper Forum, playwright Jonathan Tolins’ Buyer and Cellar wowed crowds with Michael Urie (2) starring in a one-man show about working in Barbra Streisand’s (real-life) basement shopping mall. The Queen glam-rock musical We Will Rock You, meanwhile, filled the nearby Ahmanson Theatre. TV junkies also got an opportunity to check out an assortment of costumes from their favorite series at FIDM with the eighth annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibition, which bowed July 22. Crowds of a different kind flocked to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels plaza on July 9 for the annual Dog Day Afternoon event (3).
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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla ©2014 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.
Flower District, Poppy + Rose debuted, serving comfort food circulAtioN: Danielle such as chicken and waffles and pulled pork hash. InSalmon a differdistributioN MANAGEr: ent realm, Downtown’s Orsa & Winston, sushi house QSalvador and Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Grand Central Market all snagged nominations for BonLorenzo Ap- Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla pétit’s Best New Restaurant awards. Grand Central Market would go on to be a finalist.
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Entertainment: Grand Park was filled with Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Capital Cities and tens of thousands of revelers on Aug. 30-31 when the Made in America Festival (3) finally arrived. Although some streets were closed for days, Downtown survived pretty much unscathed. It was one of several Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris big festivals this month, including the FYF Fest at Exposition GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin Park Aug. 23-24, with artists including Phoenix and Interpol. In ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie Little Tokyo, Nisei Week took place Aug. 8-17. The colorful celebration included elaborately decorated ornaments, a ramen stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim festival, and even a gyoza-eating coNtributiNG competition. Editor: Kathryn Maese
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400,000-square-foot 950 E. Third St. from Legendary Development and Associated Estates. The project would be redesigned. Downtowners rejoiced this month at the news that indie movie theater Alamo Drafthouse is coming to The Bloc, the renovated Macy’s Plaza. The theater will have nine screens and approximately 800 seats, and is expected to open in late 2015. Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar hit the spotlight twice: Early in the month, he stunned political obEditor & PublishEr: Sue Laris servers by revealing that he had raised nearly $650,000 for GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin his re-election bid. On Aug. 28, Huizar formerly unveiled the ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie “dress rehearsal” (1) phase of the Broadway streetscape plan, stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim which aims to cut traffic lanes and improve the pedestrian coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese experience. coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Also: City Attorney Mike Feuer’s campaign against homeKristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield less dumping continued, as Glendale Adventist Medical dirEctor: Brian Allison Center was fined $700,000 for anArt alleged instance; new ClipAssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa per owners Steve Ballmer introduced himself at a packed ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins Monday afternoon Staples Center fan event (2); and a threeblock slip-and-slide dubbed Slide the City was Gary announced PhotoGrAPhEr: Leonard for Downtown. It would end up being canceled due to AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt drought concerns.
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ews, Business, and Politics: The South Park development boom continued when Jamison Services revealed plans for twin 35-story buildings at 12th and Figueroa streets, across from Staples Center. The project would create 648 condos and 50,000 square feet of retail space. Another huge project, this one in the Arts District, hit a roadblock when area stakeholders protested the look and size of the 472-apartment,
photo by Gary Leonard
AUGUST
December 29, 2014
ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield
AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla
Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins
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ews, Business and Politics: The political world got a shake-up when County Supervisor Gloria Molina (1) announced that she would run for the seat held by 14th District City Councilman José Huizar. It launched what is expected to be one of the most intense and bitter campaigns the city has seen in years. Downtowners who have been hankering for a Trader Joe’s had a kind of satisfaction this month, when the Monrovia-based chain announced that it will open a market in the under-construction USC Village, at the southern end of the Figueroa Corridor. It is slated to arrive in 2017. The Arts District saw the opening of its biggest project ever, when move-ins began at One Santa Fe (2). The 438-apartment development at 300 S. Santa Fe Ave. divided neighborhood stakeholders with its scope and austere design from architect Michael Maltzan. The $160 million project includes The Yards, which will have about 25 stores and restaurants. Also: City officials announced plans for a minor upgrade and the creation of two playgrounds at Pershing Square; InterContinental was announced as the operator for the 900-room hotel in the Wilshire Grand replacement project; and City Hall East was named for former Mayor Jim Hahn.
Restaurants: A Mediterranean restaurant dubbed 10e opened at 811 W. Seventh St. Owned by heavyweight lawyer Mark Geragos and longtime restaurateur Jacques Darakjian, it offers specialty dishes from Greece and various Middle Eastern countries. It was joined on the new eats front by Argentinian steakhouse 1810, which began serving at 105 W. Ninth St. in the Fashion District, and The Briks at 1111 S. Hope St. in South Park. Fans of sweet treats rejoiced with the Sept. 2 opening of Big Sugar Bakeshop at Wilshire and Flower. On the downside, four restaurants closed in September. Downtowners said goodbye to Little Tokyo bistro Fickle, Historic Core vegan joint Dr. J’s Vibrant Cafe, offal specialist b.o.s. and, most notably, the lauded Arts District spot Fifty Seven.
photo by Gary Leonard
SEPTEMBER
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Entertainment: Theater group Gob Squad came to REDCAT for a pair of shows, including one, Super Night Shot, that involved shooting an hour-long film on the streets of Downtown and screening it at the theater literally minutes later. L.A. Opera’s 2014-15 season bowed on Sept. 13 with the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi’s tragedy La Traviata at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The nearby Mark Taper Forum took a sci-fi spin with Marjorie Prime, a show revolving around issues of memory and machines (3).
Sunday, January 4 – 11:00am
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The Cathedral Choir, Orchestra and Soloists, will perform the Bach Epiphany Cantata in our worship service on January 4. Dr. Colglazier’s sermon will be “Finding the Road Within.” Worship Service Sundays at 11:00am
540 S. Commonwealth Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90020 • tel 213.385.1341 • www.FCCLA.org
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December 29, 2014
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ews, Business and Politics: A piece of Downtown’s past came into the present S E-NEWon om Oct.n8,up when county officials News.creopened ntown at Dow UP Sig SIGN the 1925 Hall of Justice (1). The building at 211 W. Temple St. had been shuttered for two decades afSign Up for Our E-News Blasts & ter being damaged in the Northridge earthquake. Entered to Win Movie Tickets! FollowingBe a $230 million renovation, it will house the headquarters of the Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney, among other offices. It wasn’t the only big debut of the month. On Bunker Hill, Related Cos. opened The Emerson. The $120 million apartment complex offers 216 units; 20% of the residences in the property at 225 S. Grand Ave. are set aside as affordable housing. The Arts District got a temple to health Anschutz Entertainment Group six months, givwhen The Springs (2) opened at 608 Mateo ing the developer until April to move forward St. The $1.3 million, 14,000-square-foot space on a football stadium. from Kimberly Helms and Jared Stein offers ws nNe tow wn a vegan restaurant, a yoga studio, a massage .Do Facebook.com/L.A Restaurants: Oct. 20 was a big day on the Downcenter and even colon hydrotherapy sessions, town food scene. Fans of Tender Greens smiled should you want one. Downtown when an outpost of the salads and sandwiches Also: Like The Special OlympicsNews took upon twoFacebook BeBank Entered Win Movie joint arrived at the PacMutual building near Perfloors in&U.S. Tower, intoanticipation of Tickets! shing Square. Meanwhile, in City West, Downnext summer’s Special Olympics World Games; Downtown got a glimpse of its transit future fol- town got a spinoff off the West L.A. gastropub Plan Check. Also this month, the former Pete’s lowing the groundbreaking ceremony for the Café reopened under the auspices of chef Josef $1.4 billion Regional Connector; and the city Centeno. In December the Old Bank District esextended its Farmers Field agreement with
December 29, 2014 photo by Gary Leonard
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ews, Business and Politics: The Historic Core got louder and a lot more exciting on Nov. 7, when the centuryold Regent Theatre reopenedom as a rock club. Mitchell E-NEWS ntownNews.c UPof Sig n up at Dow SIGN(1) Frank Spaceland Productions was behind the renovation of the property at 448 S. Main St. that now holds 1,100 people. Sign Up for E-News Blasts & The project included the Our addition of a mezzanine. Another opening occurred on Nov. 22, a 3,700-squareBe Entered to Win Moviewhen Tickets! foot playground (2) debuted at Grand Park. The $1 million forest-themed kid’s area is on the east side of the park, near City Hall. Downtowners said goodbye to a legend when puppeteer Bob Baker died on Nov. 28 at the age of 90. It had been a difficult few years for Baker, who had struggled to keep his City West marionette theater going. He had sold his building, and developer Eli Melech had announced plans to build apartments on the site (initial plans included using the theater as a lobby). Also: Eli Broad announced that his $160 million art museum The Broad would open in fall 2015, not this fall, as had previously been stated; plans were revealed to turn the Coca Cola Building on Fourth Street in the Arts District into creative office space; and the Downtown residentialnNe scene ws expanded Facebook.com/L.A.Downtow when the second and final phase of the $100 million Ava complex opened on Second Street in Little Tokyo. The project from Downtown News on Facebook Avalon Like Bay features 280 apartments.
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Entertainment: Little Tokyo was swarmed by teenage girls, and those who think like them, on Oct. 11, when the Japanese American National Museum launched the show Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty (3). The 500-piece exhibit examining the business and culture of the character created by the Japanese company Sanrio would Starts Dec. 12 break JANM opening weekend attendance records. Smaller crowds headed to U.S. Bank Tower to see street artist Banksy’s “Haight Street Rat.” Formerly on the side of a San Francisco building, it took up temporary occupancy in the Downtown white-collar tower’s lobby.
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tablishment was renamed Ledlow Swan.
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Restaurants: Wild style chef Ilan Hall this month announced that he will close his Alexandria Hotel restaurant The Gorbals, though he is looking for another Downtown location. While the Historic Core will lose that option, it gained another when Prufrock Pizzeria opened as part of the Regent Theatre project. The Love Song Bar also debuted; both have entrances on Main Street.
Now Playing Entertainment: The Mark Taper Forum hosted a lauded revival of Joe Orton’s 45-year-old farce What the Butler Saw (3), and director John Tillinger expertly orchestrated the multiple entrances and exits and pulled laughs from a saucy, sexually tinged script. Sex was also in the script at REDCAT when the heralded Elevator Repair Service mounted Arguendo, a play that utilized text from a 1991 Supreme Court case about the rights of dancers to perform nude in South Bend, Indiana. Over at the Grammy Museum, the small exhibit The Comedic Genius of Rodney Dangerfield opened. Michael Bolton attended the opening night celebration. Yes, that Michael Bolton.
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CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS
The End of One Year and the Beginning of Another Brings Big-Time Fun to Downtown
Monday, deceMber 29 New Year’s Eve LA Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org. 7 p.m.: Projected visuals, live music on three stages and a midnight countdown almost make up for the complete and total lack of alcohol.
By Dan Johnson | calendar@downtownnews.com
Your Los Angeles Kings are Stanley Cup champions. They skate hard, hit harder and generally dominate the ice. Now through Dec. 31, you are invited to emulate our hockey heroes on the Los Angeles Kings Holiday Ice Rink in the courtyard at L.A. Live. From 3-11:30 p.m. daily you can glide gracefully around the rink and imagine yourself getting a hat trick, body checking an opponent or scoring in a shootout. Enjoy your last appearance this year to skate amid the sparkling lights of L.A. Live. At 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-5483 or lalive.com.
photo by Gary Leonard
Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or acehotel.com. Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m.: Twin Shadow hits the one-twos for a little New Year’s Eve action. Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. Dec. 29: Jonah Levine Group. Dec. 30: The Black Plums and Nate Wood Band. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m.: Neo surf rock from Slow Season. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m.: Nothing says old-fashioned New Year’s Eve champagne toasts and quiet reflection on the past year like an evening with Tyler the Creator. Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com. Dec. 30, 10 p.m.: The Furious Few are just trying to get one more gig in before 2015 swallows us whole. Dec. 31, 10 p.m.: Blackwater Jukebox and the Escondite team up to make you swear off whiskey as your New Year’s resolution. Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com. Dec. 30: MS54. Dec. 31: John Digweed. Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/ pershingsquare. Dec. 29, 12:30 p.m.: Susie Hansen. Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m.: Soul Dogs. Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m.: The Hodads. Jan. 2, 12:30 p.m.: Star 80s. Jan. 3, 3 p.m.: Crowd/Theory. Jan. 4, 3 p.m.: Zoot Suit Revue. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com. Dec. 29: Acoustic Punk Night with Mike Lodevico, Todd Smailes, Snake Morales and Michael Spaid. Bet you didn’t know they could do acoustic punk. Dec. 30: Turbulent Hearts, Telephone Lovers and The After Hours. The Regent 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheatre.com. Dec. 31, 9 p.m.: Bootie LA gets the new year going with a pack of mash-ups. Shrine Auditorium 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., (213) 748-5116 or shrineauditorium.com. Dec. 29-31: OMFG! NYE 2015 is a three-day long rave featuring the likes of Flosstradamus, Deorro & Madeon and Eric Prydz. Continued on next page
When the waltz first hit Vienna, Austria, in the late 18th century, there was outrage at the dance’s licentiousness. A few hundreds years later the drama is gone, but the spectacle keeps on coming with the Music Center’s annual Salute to Vienna. Walt Disney Concert Hall is the place to be on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 2:30 p.m., when the Strauss Symphony of America joins forces with musicians from Vienna and beyond to bring the shimmering waters of the “Blue Danube” to us cultural neophytes here in Los Angeles. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or salutetovienna.com.
Andy Warhol once said everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Behind Warhol’s prognostication was an artist deeply in tune with pop mediums and the messages they carry. Now through Feb. 15, Warhol’s multi-panel serial work Shadows is on display at MOCA’s Grand Avenue location. Originally mounted in 1979, the MOCA visit is only the second time since its inception that Shadows has been presented in its entirety. At 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.
photo by Brian Forrest
ROCK, POP & JAZZ
Did you know that 2015 is the Year of the Sheep? Our sources tell us the year was named long ago and is no reflection of the recent Republican takeover of the House. Nevertheless, the Japanese American National Museum will be celebrating the dawn of a wooly new year with its annual Oshogatsu Family Festival on Sunday, Jan. 4, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be story time, balloon making, taiko drumming, crafting, bowls of lucky soba noodles and an appearance by Hello Kitty. The festival is free. At 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 6250414 or janm.org.
photo by Barry Roden
Sunday, Jan. 4 Oshogatsu Festival Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Celebrate the start of the new year in JANM’s traditional manner with balloon making, taiko drumming, crafting, bowls of lucky soba noodles and much more.
Photo by Russell Kitagawa/Japanese American National Museum
Saturday, Jan. 3 New Year’s Race Seventh Street and Grand Avenue or newyearsrace.com. 6 p.m.: Work off those New Year’s Eve calories with a marathon, a half-marathon, a 5K and a kid’s “fun run.”
photo courtesy Grand Park
It’s been quite a year for Downtown Los Angeles. Broadway’s Ace Hotel and Main Street’s Regent Theatre opened. We said goodbye to Rickey the Pirate. As New Year’s Eve approaches, all are invited to celebrate at Grand Park. Starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 31, the Grand Park’s N.Y.E. L.A. event will host a massive countdown complete with video projections on City Hall, three stages of live music and a collection of Instagram photos. Since this event isn’t sponsored by Budweiser, there’ll be no bar available and public intoxication is strictly prohibited. FYI: It’s free! At 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.
Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. See website for schedule. IMAX California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Galapagos 3D: Because if it was good enough to blow Charles Darwin’s mind, it’s probably good enough for you! Forces of Nature promises a panoply of nature’s worst destruction.. Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/movies. See website for schedule.
THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Blithe Spirit Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org. Dec. 22, 8 p.m., Dec. 23, 2 and 8 p.m., Dec. 26, 8 p.m., Dec. 27, 2 and 8 p.m. Dec. 20, 2 and 8 p.m., and Dec. 21, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Angela Lansbury stars in this staging of Noel Coward’s supernatural comedy. Bob Baker’s Nutcracker Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com. Dec. 29-31, 10:30 a.m. and Jan. 3-4, 2:30 p.m.: The March of the Sugarplum Fairy will never be the same after marionettes have their way with Bob Baker’s version of The Nutcracker. Sleepaway Camp Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. Dec. 30, 9 p.m.: Every Tuesday this irreverent stand-up comedy cavalcade takes up residence at the Downtown Independent.
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.
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Continued from previous page The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org. Jan. 2: Start the new year with indie darlings Cherry Glazerr. Also on the bill are Surf Curse, Girlpool, Moaning, Roses and Dunes. Jan. 3: Mia Doi Todd, Fig, ex-Geraldine Fibber Carla Bozulich, Subtitle, Sissy Spacek and Sacred Destinies.
FELIX CHEVROLET 3330 S. Figueroa St. 888-304-7039 felixchevrolet.com
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December 29, 2014
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LEGAL name Change SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. ES018586 Petitioner (name of each) Kyle Stephen Shafer, 11126 Huston Street, #5, North
Downtown News 15
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To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448, or go to DowntownNews.com Deadline classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm. FORfor RENT All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Hollywood, CA 91601, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: KYLE STEPHEN SHAFER Proposed name: JACE CAMRoN THE CoURT oRDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NoTICE oF HEARING Date: 01/23/2015 Time: 08:30 a.m. Dept.: NC-A The address of the court is 300 East olive Avenue, Burbank, CA 91502. A copy of this order to Show Cause shall be published
at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in LA DoWNToWN NEWS, 1264 West 1st Street, Los Ange-
les, CA 90026 of general circulation, printed in this county. Prepared by: Sherri R. Carter, Executive Office/Clerk. Burbank Courthouse -
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Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
December 29, 2014
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DECEMBER
ews, Business and Politics: The sounds of wailing sirens woke Downtown early in the morning of Dec. 8, when a massive fire broke out at the under-construction Da Vinci apartment complex (1) in City West. Crews arrived within minutes but one building in developer Geoff Palmer’s 526-apart-
1 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.
Grand Tower
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
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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)
photo by Gary Leonard
255 South Grand Avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777
ment project had already been leveled. The blaze also blew out windows, caused damage and displaced workers in some nearby buildings. Historic Core denizens were taken aback when Downtown News reported that the Rite Aid at Fifth and Broadway was the target of a state investigation into the questionable sale of tens of thousands of prescription painkillers, anti-anxiety medication and other drugs. The State Board of Pharmacy this month announced that the license for the store’s former pharmacist has been suspended for 90 days and she has been put on five years probation. Also: San Francisco landowner Shorenstein Properties revealed plans to turn the massive 1912 Ford Building at Seventh Street and Santa Fe Avenue into a creative office complex with ground floor retail; the Mercedes-Benz dealership on Figueroa Street celebrated a $30 million renovation; and the Gap Factory Store opened Dec. 13 at 737 S. Broadway. Restaurants: Local foodies got some bad news when John Rivera Sedlar announced that he would close his acclaimed Flower Street Latin restaurant Rivera after six years. He said the last meals would be served Dec. 31. A happy counter was that Neal Fraser’s Redbird finally began serving in the former rectory of St. Vibiana’s cathedral. In perhaps the most stunning food move of all, the 107-year-old Philippe the Original began accepting credit cards. Entertainment: Indie music darling Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields teamed with dancer Rashaun Mitchell for a Dec. 4-7 performance at REDCAT of a show dubbed, uh, Per-
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formance. In a nondescript building on Eighth Street, Race/LA creator John Hennessy opened Escape Room, a 1940s-themed mystery game in which up to 12 people have one hour to figure out who was behind a jewelry heist and then get out of a locked room (2).