02-20-12 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS Volume 41, Number 8

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT The latest information on 70 Downtown projects, along with a special Downtown Residential section.

February 20, 2012

9-21 W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

Dazzling in Their Districts

INSIDE

The Winners of the 11th Annual Downtowners of Distinction Awards Buy a car wash and some land.

Chinatown frowns at CRA’s demise.

A long commute for the streetcar’s leader.

photo by Gary Leonard

The Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Hall captured a Downtowners of Distinction award. by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR

ention the word “project” and most people in Downtown Los Angeles envision a construction site, with hordes of hard-hatted workers prepping the Central City’s next housing or office complex. It’s true in many cases, but not always. In the current Downtown, a project can also be an edifice housing formerly homeless women. Or a groundbreaking museum exhibit. Or even, in the right

FIDM shows off top movie costumes.

neighborhood, a bookshop. Those are among the winners of Los Angeles Downtown News’ 11th annual Downtowners of Distinction awards. The prizes were created to recognize the individuals who came up with and nurtured efforts that not only enhance their bottom line, but also benefit the district in which they are located. In each case, the project has made its surrounding community, and by extension all of Downtown Los Angeles, a better place in which to live, work or visit. It’s not easy picking winners, and there are al-

ways more solid candidates than there are awards. In that regard, Downtowners are pretty fortunate. Individual winners were selected by the editorial staff of Downtown News, and the awards will be handed out on Tuesday, Feb. 21 (awardees were not named in every Downtown district). Next week, the Project of the Year, chosen by leaders from each of the districts, will be announced. Following, in alphabetical order by district, are this year’s Downtowners of Distinction winners. see Distinction, page 23

A Changing of the Guard in Little Tokyo Replacements at Three Prominent Organizations Come As Community Undergoes Vast Alterations

Simon says, Occupy L.A. Opera.

by RichaRd guzmán

30 CALENDAR LISTINGS

city editoR

32 MAP 34 CLASSIFIEDS

here haven’t been any dramatic ceremonies or public symbolic gestures to mark the recent changes in Little Tokyo. Nevertheless, a changing of the guard is underway in the historic, tightknit community. In the space of just over two weeks last month, officials with three of the neighborhood’s most iconic organizations announced transitions in leadership. The changes come as the area undergoes deep

demographic and business transitions spurred by the overall evolution of Downtown Los Angeles. While local stakeholders say the community is not losing its Japanese flavor, the threads of other cultures are becoming a larger part of the fabric. The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, the Japanese American National Museum and the Little Tokyo Service Center all recently announced new CEOs or executive directors. While the timing may have been coincidental, the reasons were similar.

The changes, said Sandra Sakamoto, board chair of the JACCC, which was founded in 1971 and organizes Japanese art and cultural programs, reflect the diversifying community. “It clearly signifies change in this organization and the neighborhood,” said Sakamoto. “Little Tokyo has become an up-and-coming neighborhood, with nightlife again. I think the organization not only recognizes that, we’re a part of that entire evolution of the area.” see Little Tokyo, page 8

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AROUNDTOWN More Bike Lanes on Spring and Main

ver since the city laid down a green bike lane on Spring Street in November, cyclists have been able to cruise comfortably from Cesar Chavez Avenue to Ninth Street, where the lane ended. Last week, Department of Transportation crews extended the lane south to Venice Boulevard. The southern extension is not green (it was never intended to be). The department is also in the design phase for a bike lane on Main Street, north of Ninth Street. It was initially supposed to get the same green treatment as Spring Street, but it is now uncertain whether the northbound stretch will be painted, said department spokesman Christopher Rider. The Spring Street lane, while a boon to cyclists, has drawn criticism from some, including film production officials, who oppose the electric green hue. Rainy weather also washed away sections of the lane shortly after it was laid down. The department considers the green lane a pilot project, and will continue to evaluate paint options, Rider said. A recent plan to repaint a portion of the Spring Street lane to test new materials was postponed due to forecasted rain. That work is still slated to happen, but it has not yet been rescheduled, Rider said.

Washington Delivers for Regional Connector

February 20, 2012

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resident Barack Obama recently released his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and it includes $31 million for Metro’s Regional Connector and another $50 million for the proposed Westside Subway

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

Extension, the so-called “Subway to the Sea.” The proposed funding requires Congressional approval. If green lighted, the money would be combined with L.A. County’s Measure R sales tax revenues for transit projects. Metro’s board of directors is due on Thursday, Feb. 23, to consider the final environmental study of the $1.37 billion connector, a two-mile underground light rail spur that would add three new Downtown stations and cut down on the need for regional riders to transfer. Metro has set aside $160 million in Measure R funds for the connector. The agency is still pushing for a financing model that would involve interest-free loans from the federal government and an array of public grants. The tentative timeline calls for a groundbreaking in 2013 with completion pegged for 2019. In the meantime, after the study is approved, Metro will be working on station designs and forming a community council to fine-tune design and other issues related to the route and the stations.

Depositing Some Trees in Chinatown

Year of the Dragon

Chinatown

January 28, 2012

be Hong Kong Orchid trees, similar to many of the trees already in the neighborhood. The bank is a subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp, a publicly held company with more than $10 billion in assets.

The Write Score

athay Bank will be making things a little shady in Chinatown, but in a good way. The bank, which focuses on serving the Chinese American community, is turning 50 this year and plans to mark the occasion by adding some greenery to the neighborhood. Cathy Leung, a spokeswoman for the bank, said Cathay will donate 80 trees that will be planted along Hill Street between Ord and Bernard streets. The tree planting ceremony is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the bank’s Chinatown branch at 777 N. Broadway. Leung said the additions will

he NBA’s all-time scoring champ and Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be in South Park this week, signing copies of his new book at ESPN Zone. Just don’t expect a how-to on making the perfect sky hook. Abdul-Jabbar’s tome, What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors, highlights African Americans who came up with everything from the gamma electric cell and the Super Soaker to improvements in traffic lights and advancements in open heart surgery. The book signing is Thursday, Feb.

23, from 7-9 p.m. at the sports bar at 1011 S. Figueroa St. in L.A. Live.

Mini-Mardi Gras at Olvera Street

t’s not often that kids get to enjoy a grown-up party, but they, and anyone else in Downtown Los Angeles, can get in on the Fat Tuesday fun this week. A free Children’s Mardi Gras celebration is scheduled for Feb. 21 at Olvera Street. The party will start at 9:30 a.m. in the plaza (off Main) with a mask decorating workshop. The kids will also nominate candidates for the Little Queen and Little King. A parade will take place at 11:30 a.m., and at 1 p.m. there will be a breaking of a piñata. More information is at calleolvera.com or (213) 716-1373.

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February 20, 2012

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February 20, 2012

EDITORIALS About That City Hall Park

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

he final chapter of the Occupy L.A. protests at City Hall is about to be written. On Feb. 7, the City Council approved a plan to redo the public spaces around the building. They made a smart, efficient choice, though one asterisk related to future payments is still a question. This is a situation where unexpected events provided an opportunity, and the chance has been seized. As everyone knows, the two-month encampment that ended in the early morning hours of Nov. 30 resulted in the destruction of the grass and most of the plants in the 1.7-acre park around the seat of city government. Fortunately, officials did not charge into immediately re-creating what had been wrecked. There was plenty of turmoil and misinformation. Early reports said that the City Hall lawn had been so heavily damaged that it would cost nearly $400,000 to replace. Since most of us don’t know the first thing about what it really costs to plant grass and run irrigation pipes, we nodded our heads and muttered, “Wow.” The figure turned out to be grossly exaggerated, and Los Angeles Downtown News reported this month that the actual replacement cost was a mere $76,000. It’s not insignificant, but it was only a fraction of the worst-case scenario. As stated above, the dead turf created an unexpected opportunity. City officials had the chance to replace what had been there before, or they could respond to the climes of this particular city and opt for drought-tolerant and other low-water plants and grasses. It would be more expensive, but it could set an example and show leadership to Angelenos. It also wasn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. The South Lawn of City Hall is a public gathering space, and before the protests it hosted a weekly farmers market and other events (including political rallies). It had a different public interface than the strips of grass on the north, east and west sides of the building. We’re pleased that the council voted for a plan that will bring the grass back to the part of the building that faces First Street, and puts some water-efficient plantings in other areas. The cost is $390,000, much higher than simple replacement, but not obscene (and maybe some smart government types can competitively bid it and bring it down further). The only real question at this point is future payment. Annual maintenance is estimated at $135,000, and city officials said they will hold a private fundraising campaign. We’re not sure who might be willing to pony up the funds unless that individual (or corporation) gets something in return, such as naming rights. We look forward to hearing how that comes together. We also look forward to having the City Hall lawn again be a place for the public, for the farmers market and even for peaceful protests. Hopefully it will move quickly.

A Redistricting Process That Stinks

ver the last month, a lot of people in City Hall have been, to put it mildly, completely freaking out over the proposed new City Council boundaries. They are not alone — residents from South Los Angeles to Downtown to Koreatown to Silver Lake to Westchester to portions of the San Fernando Valley have vociferously protested the draft maps offered by the City Council Redistricting Commission. In short, the commission, clearly under orders from the elected officials who appointed them, have created an absolute mess. Many charge that the proposed boundaries have more to do with politics than neighborhoods. Those complaining are, to a large degree, correct. Although some of the fracas concerns keeping communities of interest together and trying to ensure that each of the 15 districts has approximately the same number of inhabitants, any attempt at fairness has been clobbered by what amounts to naked power grabs. There are unfortunate instances in which the new boundaries sure seem to be political payback for going against the wishes of those who currently hold the most power. Perhaps the most distressing thing about the process is that much of the dissatisfaction was avoidable. If the city had put redistricting in the hands of an independent body, like the state did, then there would be fewer complaints. This is not to pretend that everyone would be happy — people would still protest. However, there would be far less politics and punishment involved. Unfortunately, the current anger and rhetoric are not surprising. Several months ago, this page looked at the early machinations of redistricting and warned that unless individuals acted very carefully, the process would not pass the smell test. Given the draft maps and the response they engendered, it appears that we underestimated the degree to which the process would stink. The problem stems from having those who will gain or lose by redistricting also being key players in the map drawing. There are 21 people on the Redistricting Commission, with the mayor appointing three individuals and the city controller, city attorney and 14 council members each having a single selection; the council president (Eric Garcetti at the time of the appointments) gets two. The commission’s executive director, Andrew Westall, served as a legislative deputy to new Council President Herb Wesson before taking this job. Whether elected officials admit it or not, each commission member answers to the politician who appointed him or her. The office holders have the ability to replace their appointees whenever they want, even if this is masked as a “resignation.”

The council members are continually dueling and horse trading with each other — the messages of what they want and where they will bend are clearly communicated (often by intermediaries) to members of the commission. That’s not the end of it. Once the commission finishes its maps (by March 1), the council takes over. The lawmakers do not have to sign off on the boundaries until July 1. The process has led to a heated conflict in Downtown Los Angeles, with Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry vigorously protesting a map that moves nearly all of Downtown into the 14th, which is represented by José Huizar. Huizar is just as forcefully laying out his arguments for why the maps, which will be in effect until 2022 (redistricting happens once a decade), make perfect sense. The end result is an ugly fight between Downtown’s two most prominent civic leaders. Perry has clashed with Wesson in recent months. So, too, has Bernard Parks. The Eighth District rep is furious over a proposal to yank Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills and other territories he has long overseen and plop them into the 10th, which is Wesson’s turf. It got to the point that an email from Parks to community stakeholders last week demanded “Don’t Let Herb Wesson Break-up the 8th Council District Just Because It Will Benefit His Political Career.” This is only the beginning of the tumult. Stakeholders in Koreatown are blistering the political class and threatening to sue for carving up their district once again. The proposed Fourth District borders on insanity, as it stretches like spaghetti from Silver Lake to Encino. There is not a lot of hope for a fair resolution to this process. Perhaps some of these boundaries were intentionally drawn foolishly so they can be pulled back and individuals can pretend to reach a face-saving compromise. However, even if the pols shake hands, many citizens will wind up angry. This is an exercise in power politics, not democracy. We would like to say we’re not blaming the commissioners, but it isn’t quite so. Yes, tradition and power structure demand that they do the bidding of those who appointed them. But there comes a time when all appointees have to be more than tools. They have the option to ignore the pols and hammer out something that makes sense. Let the City Council directly take the blame if they later reverse the commission’s best judgment. As we said earlier, office holders could have avoided this mess by opting for independent cartographers. Maybe the current tumult will inspire them to follow a different process in the future. Maybe.

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 5

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WHAT’S FOR SALE A Car Wash Site Hits the Market for The First Time in Three Decades by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

n the column “What’s for Sale,” Los Angeles Downtown News looks at everything from condos to multi-family buildings to vacant lots now on the market. We hope that regular snapshots of individual properties will make for a wide-ranging survey of the overall state of Downtown real estate. This week, the focus is on the site of the Downtown Car Wash at Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard, which is on the market for the first time in 32 years. The Property: The site at 811 W. Olympic Blvd. has been home since 1980 to the Downtown Car Wash. The lot measures 36,608 square feet, or nearly an acre. It is listed at $25 million. Finally for Sale: Given its prime location, the site has been the subject of many unsolicited offers, especially during the early part of the decade, said broker Rod Delson, who represents property owner Robert Bush. Bush, an 82-year-old who has owned at least three car wash businesses in Los Angeles, was never inclined to sell — until now. “People have been trying to buy this off him for years,” Delson said. “The price kept escalating and he wasn’t in a mood or position to want to sell…. It’s finally gotten to a point where the land is now far more valuable as an asset to his family than the income from the business.”

Location Cubed: In real estate, location is king, and the car wash sits in somewhat of a Downtown throne. It’s across the street from L.A. Live, and is on a corner — always the most desirable part of a block for commercial property owners. The site is a half-block from Homer Williams’ planned dual-Marriott hotel, which is slated to break ground in March, and is situated between the Convention Center and the Financial District. Compared to What: The most recent nearby reported sale was L&R Group’s purchase of a 2.7-acre lot at 1220 S. Figueroa St., which operates as a parking lot, for $31 million, according to seller Ektornet (the price of Williams’ more recent acquisition of land from Anschutz Entertainment Group, to build the Marriott project, was never publicly revealed). The L&R site, however, is entitled for a major mixed-use development with up to 650 housing units. The car wash site does not have development entitlements. Hello Hotels: Delson said he is in preliminary talks with an array of potential buyers, but the most likely purchaser is a hospitality investor. “Everyone seems to think there’s a lack of hotel rooms and that’s probably the highest and best use,” Delson said. “We do have people talking about retail with condos above it, but the prime players are hotel developers.” Largely riding the wave of anticipated business stemming from a possible NFL stadi-

photo by Gary Leonard

Downtown Car Wash owner Robert Bush has refused to sell his Olympic Boulevard property, until now. The site is offered at $25 million.

um at L.A. Live, hotel investors have been hovering recently over the Downtown market. Williams’ 393-room project is the only one, so far, to make real progress in South Park. Investors, however, are considering a Hampton Inn on Figueroa Street, and representatives of the long-stalled Metropolis mixed-use project are also courting hospitality users. In the Historic Core, Ace Hotel recently announced plans to open a 180-room property in the United Artists Theater building.

high-rise in place of the car wash would likely obscure the Hotel Figueroa’s ads. Skate to the Bank: Some may be happy to see the car wash site repurposed as a hotel. Not included in that group will be L.A.’s skateboarding community, which has long prized the facility’s odd, sloping concrete walls as de facto urban ramps. Ciao Cucina: The car wash site is also home to a corner restaurant space long occupied by Italian eatery La Bella Cucina. Now, it’s occupied by LaGran Cucina.

Bad for Ads?: Speaking of hotels, the car wash has been featured in countless TV shows and photos, mostly in the foreground of the Hotel Figueroa. The hand-painted advertisements that cover the entire south side of the hotel have made it a skyline icon during telecasts of Staples Center events. A

Contact: Listing agent Rod Delson is at (805) 277-4017. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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February 20, 2012

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CRA’s Demise Ends Chinatown Grants Improvements for Small Businesses in Main Plazas Are Lost by Richard Guzmán city editor

he demise of the Community Redevelopment Agency prompted groans across Downtown, with many questioning how the type of low-income housing projects that long relied on agency funds will happen in the future. Others wondered how large projects the agency was involved with — think the Cleantech Manufacturing Center and the Grand Avenue plan — would fare. Nearly lost in the conversation are several efforts that, while smaller in scope, are important for stakeholders in

Chinatown. The Feb. 1 dissolution of the CRA means that Chinatown has lost $2 million that had been dedicated to small commercial and façade upgrades. The money was meant to fund everything from neon lights to a fresh coat of paint for businesses in the heart of the community. “Small steps add up to big results,” said Sherwood Lee, a Chinatown property owner. “All of the planned upgrades and projects would have supported each other.” Lee envisioned several upgrades to his building at 933 Chung King Road. The balcony needs to be demolished and rebuilt, and the façade needs a coat of paint and a

photo by Gary Leonard

Architect Richard Liu was one of a few Chinatown property owners able to take advantage of a now-dead CRA program for façade improvements. Liu added neon lighting, new paint and windows to his three Central Plaza buildings.

Something Lost, Something Gained New Housing Projects Raise Hopes in Chinatown by Richard Guzmán city editor

lthough Chinatown has lost a source of grants for small businesses, area stakeholders are, in general, excited about the future. They point to a surge of projects that could alter the look and feel of the community. The latest came in December, when developer Meta Housing began the transformation of two old Chinatown buildings into the $44 million Chinatown Metro Apartments. The 123-unit senior housing project, which had been delayed for years, is slated for completion by the end of 2012. “If you look at the track record of Meta, they are exactly the kind of developers and property owners we hope will be in Chinatown for a long time,” said George Yu, executive director of the Los Angeles Chinatown Business Council. Chinatown Metro Apartments follows a batch of projects already underway in the area. Last April, developer Equity Residential broke ground on the 300,000-square-foot Chinatown Gateway at Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue. When it opens in 2013 it will bring 280 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with 18,000 square feet of retail space and 17-foot sidewalks. Also underway is Lotus Garden, a $24 million lowincome housing complex at 715 Yale St. aimed at families. The area’s most anticipated development is Blossom Plaza. The project was first announced in 2005 but stalled amid the recession. In November, the city began negotiations with Forest City Residential Group. If it moves forward, Blossom Plaza would create more than 200 residential units and connect the Chinatown Gold Line station with the heart of Chinatown. Chester Chong, president of the Chinatown-based Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, hopes the new residential projects spur some of the growth he’s seen in other parts of the Central City. “In Downtown there have been big changes, but for Chinatown not much has changed,” he said. “We need more residential projects, good projects like those in Downtown.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

February 20, 2012

wood frame to replicate its original design. Like approximately 50 other Chinatown business owners, Lee applied for a CRA grant. It was part of the agency’s commercial façade improvement project, which had set aside about $15 million for small business owners throughout the city. Chinatown’s $2 million in grants were announced in late 2009 and were intended to renovate buildings on Central and West plazas and Bamboo Lane. The grants, which were for up to $70,000, would have covered new paint, installation of Chinese architectural features and neon lighting. Although hopes were high, only five projects in Chinatown were completed before CRA funding dried up as a result of Gov. Jerry Brown’s move to shutter CRAs statewide and dedicate funds to entities such as schools.

Ninth District Loses More Territory Redistricting Panel Places Nearly All of Downtown Under Huizar

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com “This was a very popular program that helped specific businesses bring things up to code, spruce up their exteriors and make other improvements,” said David Bloom, a CRA spokesman. “For small businesses this was a big deal.” Lee, like some property owners, also put up his own money in anticipation of the CRA funds. He said he spent approximately $2,000 on pre-construction expenses such as extra insurance required by the grant he never received. While he is frustrated by his loss, he said the damage to the future look and feel of the neighborhood is more significant. “This has affected so many projects in Chinatown,” he said. “Now any project that’s undertaken is a piecemeal project in Chinatown. It’s not a concerted effort. The face of Chinatown could gradually change, maybe not for the better.” Architect Richard Liu was one of the few Chinatown business owners able to upgrade his property under the

CRA program. His three buildings anchor the north corner of the Broadway entrance to Central Plaza. With approximately $90,000 in CRA funds for all three buildings, he was able to add new windows and doors as well as neon lighting and new paint. He thinks the changes that could have been brought by similar projects would have been an important step in maintaining the historic look of Chinatown and the neighborhood’s identity “For not a lot of money, I thought it would have made a huge improvement in Chinatown,” he said. George Yu, executive director of the Los Angeles Chinatown Business Council, sees the loss of funding for the façade program as a temporary setback. However, he believes that it’s not a death knell by any means. “Chinatown has survived for 74 years,” he said. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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or weeks, City Councilwoman Jan Perry and her allies have been clamoring for the city’s Redistricting Commission to rethink its proposal to push her Ninth District mostly out of Downtown. Last week, the panel considered her plan, but voted instead to move nearly all of her Central City territory into the 14th District. On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the commission voted to keep only L.A. Live and the west side of Figueroa Street south of Olympic Boulevard in the Ninth District. Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar supported the commission’s first draft, which called for the Ninth District to maintain South Park and part of the Fashion District, but he questioned the initial plan to include in the 14th District a stretch of the Central Alameda corridor in South Los Angeles. The new proposal gives that territory back to the Ninth District. Huizar has said that putting all of Downtown into one district would be a boon for certain initiatives, chiefly his Downtown Streetcar project, that now straddle two districts. It would also unify the area’s various residential communities. He questioned stopping his new district short of L.A. Live, but said in a statement that the new maps are a good step toward unifying Downtown. “While I would have liked all of Downtown kept whole, I am pleased that under this proposed map the strong majority of Downtown residents are in one council district, which has been my position all along,” Huizar said in a statement. Perry has been fighting hard to preserve the Ninth District’s presence in Downtown, which she has portrayed as a crucial economic engine for impoverished parts of her district in South Los Angeles. She also said severing L.A. Live, Staples Center and the Convention Center could negatively affect pending real estate developments in the area. “Just on the other side of Olympic are two new hotels,” Perry said, referring to the planned Wilshire Grand replacement and a new Marriott project. “We have a lot of projects that will be deeply affected by a change in leadership.” The updated maps, which were expected to be released Saturday (after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press), also cut the University of Southern California out of the Eighth District and stitched it into the Ninth. That move came despite Perry and Eighth District Councilman Bernard Parks pleading with the commission not to move the university, which is the city’s largest employer. The commission will meet again at City Hall on Feb. 22. In the meantime, the 21-member panel’s advisors will evaluate whether the proposed shifts satisfy each district’s mandate to add or lose population. Redistricting occurs every 10 years in order to ensure that all 15 council districts have an equitable share of city population. The Ninth District needs to shed 8,629 residents while the 14th District needs to add 20,267 residents. It remains unclear whether the proposed shift satisfies their demographic needs. The commission is scheduled to finalize its map by Feb. 29, after which the process shifts to the council, which has until July 1 to cement the new borders. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

Keynote Speaker Alzheimer’s Disease in Women’s Health Issue: Strategies to Prevent and Treat

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Little Tokyo Continued from page 1 Chris Komai, the longtime JANM public information officer, observed that while the new leadership reflects the changes underway in the neighborhood, it also signifies natural transitions. “These institutions were created in the 1980s,” he said. “Our museum incorporated in 1985, so what each institution is facing is the same thing. The generations are changing, the founders are passing away…. So we’re looking at who are we going to serve in the future.” Three Switches The first change came Jan. 11 at the JACCC. The organization appointed Gregory Willis, a former Toyota executive and Torrance resident in his early 60s, as the new president and CEO.

On Jan. 20 JANM announced the hiring of new CEO G.W. (Greg) Kimura, a fourth-generation Japanese American. The 43-year-old, who begins his job next month, is replacing Akemi Kikumura Yano, who stepped down last summer after 24 years with JANM. Six days later, change came to the Little Tokyo Service Center, which formed in 1979 and serves as a community development organization providing affordable housing and social programs (the LTSC has been a primary spur of a coming recreation center for Little Tokyo). The group hired Dean Matsubayashi, 42, the LTSC’s director of housing and community development. In June he will replace executive director Bill Watanabe, who has been with the organization for 32 years. Although it is a lot of change in a condensed time period, longtime Little Tokyo stakeholders welcome the new leadership and say that change is a constant in the neighborhood. “If you look back at the history of Little Tokyo there have always been a lot of changes over the years,” said Brian Kito,

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213 748 7040 The Seller reserves the right to make modifications in materials, plans, designs, scheduling and delivery of the homes without prior notice. All condominium unit dimensions are approximate based on architectural plans, calculated from the inside face of the shared unit wall with corridor, the centerline of shared unit party walls, and the outside face of the unit exterior wall, one of many methods to measure square footage and should not be relied upon and are subject to normal construction variances and tolerances. Actual “as-built” conditions will control unit dimensions. Plans and dimensions may contain variations from unit to unit and floor to floor. Those square footages may differ from those in condominium plans or the owner association budget, which may be calculated in a different manner. Sales prices are not determined based on square footages. Seller reserves the right to make changes in accordance with the applicable offering plan. This is not an offer to sell, but is intended for information and convenience of a potential buyer only. Brokers must accompany their client(s) and register them on their first visit to be eligible for a broker commission and will be required to sign a cooperating broker agreement. Commissions are payable only upon a successful close of escrow with the registered buyer Exclusively represented by deasy/penner&partners. Broker license 01514230

February 20, 2012

photo by Gary Leonard

Dean Matsubayashi has big shoes to fill at the Little Tokyo Service Center. He’ll replace Bill Watanabe, who has been executive director of the community development organization for 32 years.

owner of the 109-year-old sweet shop Fugetsu-do. “It hasn’t been stagnant in any one way, and there’s always going to be some changes, but it will always revert back to a strong Japanese enclave.” Broader Shifts Little Tokyo dates back more than 120 years. The community, roughly bounded by First, Third, Los Angeles and Alameda streets is the largest of California’s three Japantowns (the others are in San Francisco and San Jose). Little Tokyo was once the country’s largest Japanese settlement. However, the population was drastically reduced in the 1940s with World War II and the consequent internment of many Japanese Americans. There were ups and downs in the decades after the war, with highlights including the establishment of the outdoor mall Japanese Village Plaza in 1978 and the founding of JANM in 1985. Some of the biggest change has occurred in the past 12 years. The Downtown housing boom that began with Tom Gilmore’s Old Bank District in the Historic Core has spread to Little Tokyo. New residential complexes include the 303unit Savoy, the 128-apartment Hikari and the 230-unit Sakura Crossing. The new residents, and those in other nearby buildings, did much to change the ethic makeup of the community. That spurred shifts in the business landscape. Although many Japanese-oriented food spots remain, the community now has restaurants such as Spitz, which focuses on kebabs and nouveau Mediterranean fare, Spice Table, a popular Vietnamese/Singapore restaurant, and Flying Pig, a bricks-and-mortar spinoff of a food truck. There are other, larger changes. The JVP is being upgraded and a Mr. Pizza will front First Street, next to the historic fire tower. A few blocks away, the 25-year-old Little Tokyo Shopping Center is undergoing a renovation with plans to add new restaurants to the three-story edifice. It already holds Woori Market, a Korean grocery chain that replaced Mitsuwa, a Japanese market. More changes are to come. The 21-year-old Kyoto Grand Hotel, whose owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2010, is set to become a DoubleTree. The hotel chain, part of the Hilton empire, is planning an extensive, multiphase renovation. Additionally, Metro’s $1.4 billion Regional Connector will have a stop at First and Alameda streets, not far from where a Gold Line station opened in 2003. That could bring more visitors to the area. Strong Identity Despite all these cultural and business shifts, Sakamoto said the neighborhood isn’t losing its identity. “All of these institutions are committed to preserving that culture, but it is evolving,” she said. Willis, who described himself as passionate about Japanese art and culture, said one of his goals is to reach out to audiences that are coming to the neighborhood as a result of all of the changes. “We’re focusing on a younger, more diverse audience and reaching out to all of the different communities in Los Angeles while still maintaining that cultural heritage and traditional cultural arts of Japan,” Willis said. That outlook is a major reason why JANM went with someone relatively young and new to the community — they know how important it is to embrace the past and at the same time grow the institution. “We wanted someone who could relate well to a diverse audience, to the generation of founders, to future audiences and a younger generation,” said Gordon Yamate, chair of the museum board. At 68, Watanabe said he is ready to pass the reins to a successor. Although he has been with the LTSC for nearly half his life, he isn’t worried about the ability of the next generation to guide the community. “Our cultural traditions are very strong and the people who are here love this community,” he said. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 9

DowntownNews.com

Downtown Development The Latest Information on 70 Downtown Projects

he lull, the economic downturn, the recession — whatever you want to call it, it was a severe pain for, among many others, those in the development and real estate worlds. Now the pain is easing. Somewhat. Things may not be better in every market in the nation or even in Los Angeles, but in Downtown, a healthy level of activity has returned. There is plenty of evidence, as projects that had stalled during the recession are getting underway again or, in some cases, actually opening. Then there are the new projects, the ones developers would not have dared try just a few years ago. Consider: Broadway saw a flurry of recent announcements, including a new Ace Hotel in the aged United Artists Theatre building, and a Ross Dress for Less that will fill the space of a defunct department store. Down at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue, Sonny Astani is ready to move forward on a sevenstory housing complex. After years of delays Downtown is seeing work on the restoration of the Hall of Justice, and Civic Center stakeholders are also highly anticipating the groundbreaking of a longdelayed federal courthouse at First Street and Broadway. There is even a comeback for residential. In the past few months, the Arts District’s 940 East 2nd Street (originally the Barn Lofts) and the Historic Core’s Mercantile Lofts both came online, providing housing for a community that continues to expand. The Chinatown Metro Apartments, a senior housing complex, began construction late last year. In the following pages, Los Angeles Downtown News details the latest information on 70 projects in all corners of the community. Suddenly, things are getting interesting.

NEW PROJECTS These projects were either publicly announced, were revived or gained prominence in the past five months.

photo by Gary Leonard

1111 SUNSET

West Partners, a partnership between Chicago-based Fifield Companies and Los Angeles-based Michael Sorochinsky of Cypress Equity Investments. Last September, the company paid $16 million for two parking lots at 1340-1360 S. Figueroa St. and 1355-1365 S. Flower St. Previous plans for the site by another developer called for a 43-story tower designed by Daniel Libeskind. It never came close to breaking ground.

ACE HOTEL In January, officials with Oregon-based Ace Hotel confirmed plans to open a Downtown establishment in the historic United Artists Theater at 933 S. Broadway. The plans call for 180 rooms spread across 13 floors. The project, which came after Connecticut-based Greenfield Partners purchased the property for $11 million, will include a 1,600-seat entertainment venue in the theater. The hotel will also have a pool, restaurant and bar. The Broadway landmark had long been owned by the University Cathedral, a congregation made famous by the late pastor Dr. Gene Scott. The church has maintained the structure, which was built in 1927 by United Artists founders D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford.

ANGELENA Developer Sonny Astani is planning to break ground this year on Angelena. The 700-unit apartment complex at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue would create two glass, steel and concrete structures. The project represents a downsized version of Astani’s previously planned 875-condominium development. Financing for Angelena will be in-house, and includes $50 million already attached to the project, Astani said. Angelena does not have a firm timeline, but a 240-unit first phase is expected to break ground this year. Plans include retail space suitable for a grocery store. At astanienterprises.com.

CITY HALL LAWN The City Council this month approved plans to renovate the 1.7-acre lawn and park around City Hall. The makeover calls for a 51% reduction in the amount of water-thirsty grass in public areas that were damaged during the two-month Occupy L.A. encampment last year. The grassy south lawn will be mostly unchanged. Other areas will get more droughttolerant plants and permeable surfaces. The project is estimated at about $390,000. The cost to simply restore the original landscape, city officials said, would have been $76,000. The council is also looking into a private fundraising campaign to help pay for maintenance, which will cost about $135,000 a year. A timeline for the project has not been set.

FEDERAL COURTHOUSE

Developer Linear City plans to break ground in April on a renovation and residential conversion of the former Metropolitan Water District headquarters building at 1111 Sunset Blvd. Linear City, which created the Arts District’s Biscuit Company and Toy Factory lofts, paid $6.8 million last year for the seven-story structure. The project, which will create 92 apartments, is estimated at $15 million. Plans call for taking the horizontal platforms, which jut out a few feet from the façade at every level, and turning them into balconies. Apartments will measure from 800-1,000 square feet. Designed by renowned architect William Pereira, the 1973 building rises on Sunset Boulevard, just north of Downtown and west of Chinatown. At linear-city.com

1340 S. FIGUEROA Construction is set to start in April on a $95 million project that will bring a pair of seven-story apartment buildings to South Park by the end of 2013. The project, which will create a total of 247 units, comes from developer Century

SPARKLE FACTORY

Long-delayed plans to build a federal courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles suddenly shifted into gear in January. Construction on a $400 million project on the southwest corner of First Street and Broadway will begin next year and be completed by 2016, according to a spokesman for Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard. The plans for the courthouse, on a 3.6-acre site that formerly held a state office building, call for a 600,000-square-foot edifice with 24 courtrooms, 32 judges’ chambers and 110 parking spots. The state building was razed in 2007 and the site in recent years has been an empty and fenced-off eyesore, with a pit that fills with several inches of water after rainstorms. The new building will house district judges, jury assembly facilities, offices for the U.S. Marshals Service and more. Plans for a courthouse had stalled after costs soared to more than $1 billion.

Jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino and her husband and partner Alfonso Campos are converting a long-vacant building at 908 S. Broadway into a headquarters for their jewelry business. Dubbed the Sparkle Factory, the building will house design and production operations as well as a ground-floor retail shop. They plan to open the store by late summer, said Campos. Campos and Tarantino will have their offices on two levels of the seven-story structure. They plan to lease the remaining space to creative industry tenants. At lifeatthesparklefactory.blogspot.com.

RESIDENTIAL 1027 WILSHIRE The Central City Development Group continues to work on a 376-unit live/work complex at 1027 Wilshire Blvd. in City West. The company, which is partnering on the project with the Amidi Real Estate Group, views the low-rise rental project as the second phase of 1010 Wilshire, a corporate housing complex across the street, said Hamid Behdad of the CCDG. Behdad said the focus continues to be on securing financing for the development. The edifice would also contain 6,500 square feet of retail and 5,000 square feet of office space. The timeline will depend on the financing, said Behdad.

1111 WILSHIRE photo by Gary Leonard

by RichaRd Guzmán, Jon ReGaRdie and Ryan VaillancouRt

expanding into the two upper floors of the three-story edifice. Plans call for two new elevators, an escalator system and a DWP substation in the basement to power the property. The grand staircases will also be restored.

photo by Gary Leonard

Bringing Back the Building

ROSS DEPARTMENT STORE An early 2013 opening is expected for a Ross Dress for Less. It will occupy the former Woolworth Department Store building at 719-725 S. Broadway. The 39,000-square-foot discount retailer is expected to generate 50 full- and part-time jobs and take up the basement and ground floor of the building. Ross signed a 10-year lease for the property and has the option of

Work continues on a 210-unit City West apartment complex by Vancouver, Wash.-based Holland Partner Group. The company broke ground on the project at 1111 Wilshire Blvd. last June. The $60 million effort on the site of a former parking lot will be a seven-story building with more than 7,750 see Projects, page 10

10 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Development The bank put the property at 530 W. Seventh St. on the market last August. Kitty Wallace of Colliers has the listing on the building, which cost the bank about $44 million. Real estate experts have said the 1921 edifice is likely worth less than its debt. Developer West Millennium had sought to open the building as condominiums, but the price skyrocketed from the original $16 million and the project and then the company filed for bankruptcy. There is no timeline for opening.

Projects Continued from page 9 square feet of retail space. It will contain studio to three-bedroom units and an underground parking garage will hold 302 cars. Company officials said the building is expected to open in 2013. The project is near Glo, Holland Partner Group’s first apartment complex in the area.

CHESTER WILLIAMS BUILDING

ALAMEDA AND FOURTH RESIDENCES

Downtown Management continues its transformation of the 75-year-old Chester Williams Building at Fifth Street and Broadway. The company is targeting a June completion of the $15 million effort to convert the former office edifice into 88 apartments, said Greg Martin, Downtown Management’s vice president. Pharmacy chain Walgreens has signed a lease to occupy the 13,908-square-foot ground-floor commercial space. It plans to move in during the summer.

A long-delayed, approximately $20 million effort to transform a six-story Arts District building into apartments should be complete in about three months, said Peklar Pilavjian of developer Alameda and Fourth, LLC. It is still undecided whether the project, originally planned as condominiums, will open as rental or for-sale units, he said; the decision will depend on how the market looks in the spring. The 1923 structure is being turned into 53 artist-in-residence lofts ranging from 650-2,400 square feet. A second phase of the project is in the planning stage. It calls for a new residential structure on the side of the lot fronting Alameda Street.

photo by Gary Leonard

CHINATOWN GATEWAY

APEX The sleek black South Park edifice long known as Concerto got a new name in 2011, courtesy of its new owner. ST Residential, which through a legal dispute purchased the 30-story, 271-unit tower at Ninth and Figueroa streets from Sonny Astani, renamed the structure Apex. The New Yorkbased subsidiary of Starwood Capital plans to open the building as apartments in the spring, said company spokesman Peter Marino. The firm did some remodeling to the lobby and the pool deck, and continues to work on final construction inside units. Work continues and the 300,000-square-foot Chinatown Gateway at Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue is on schedule, said Allison Geiman, a development associate for developer Equity Residential. The project broke ground in April and is scheduled to open in 2013. The six-story building

BROCKMAN BUILDING The owner of the Brockman Building, Wickliffe A., a Bank of America subsidiary, is still looking to sell the 80-unit edifice.

will hold 280 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with 18,000 square feet of retail. The project at 639-643 Cesar Chavez Ave., which is being designed by Thomas P. Cox Architects, will include a plaza, 17-foot wide sidewalks and a 588-car subterranean garage. Chinatown Gateway was originally announced about six years ago with two additional development partners, and in 2007 the cost was estimated at $90 million. The project then stalled. The other developers are no longer involved and no price estimates have been publicly announced.

CHINATOWN METRO APARTMENTS Construction began on the $44 million Chinatown Metro Apartments in December, and completion is anticipated by the end of the year, said Tim Soule of Meta Housing, the project developer. Soule said the 123-unit rental project at 808 N. Spring St. is fully funded, with money coming from sources including the Los Angeles Housing Department’s Neighborhood Stabilization program and tax-exempt bond financing. The project will convert two aged Chinatown structures into an apartment complex with affordable housing for senior citizens. At metahousing.com.

DA VINCI According to the most recent information available, G.H. Palmer Associates is still in the planning stage for a 630-apartment complex in City West. A June 2015 opening is scheduled for Da Vinci, according to the developer’s website. It would rise at Fremont and Temple streets on a 193,000-square-foot lot that the developer purchased in 2004 for about $9 million. The 578,172-square-foot complex would feature five floors of housing above three levels of parking with 8,158 square feet of street-front retail. Company owner Geoff Palmer previously said a groundbreaking is slated for late this year. At ghpalmer.com.

GALLERY LOFTS Move-ins at the Gallery Lofts will begin by the end of the month, said Reed Nessel, a project representative. Prices in the development formerly known as Hewitt First are $345,000-$515,000; the 33 condos at 120-130 S. Hewitt St.

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February 20, 2012

Development

range from 900-1,700 square feet. The Arts District residences feature granite countertops in the kitchens and baths, stainless steel appliances, tiled showers, open beam cathedral ceilings and original brick walls. At galleryloftsla.com.

GATEWAYS APARTMENTS SRO Housing Corp. is moving ahead with construction of a 108-unit affordable housing project on a 22,000-squarefoot vacant lot at Fifth and San Pedro streets, said Joseph Corcoran, the nonprofit developer’s director of planning and housing development. All apartments will be efficiency units with an average size of 300 square feet. The project will aim for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification. Construction is slated to begin this month and last about 16 months. At srohousing.org.

LORENZO

slated for June, said Molly Rysman, director of external affairs for SRHT. The complex will include a solar energy system on the roof and is expected to be the first permanent supportive housing effort in Los Angeles built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum standards. At skidrow.org.

PANAMA APARTMENTS SRO Housing Corp.’s plan to convert the rear portion of the 87 emergency shelter units at the Panama Hotel into 41 efficiency apartments for permanent housing is on hold. SRO, which has traditionally relied on funding from the Community Redevelopment Agency, is still assessing the impacts of the agency’s Feb. 1 dissolution, but expects to begin funding applications for the project in 2013. The development at 403 E. Fifth St. would turn the entire 221-unit emergency housing complex into about 100 apartments with

Downtown News 11

support services onsite, said Joseph Corcoran, SRO’s director of planning and housing development. At srohousing.org.

ROSSLYN HOTEL APARTMENTS SRO Housing Corp. is in the pre-development stage for a renovation of the 264-unit affordable housing complex at Fifth and Main streets. The company, which bought the property in 2010 with help from the Community Redevelopment Agency, is required to preserve the affordable residences in the edifice. SRO expects to have funding for the project by the middle of this year and start construction by January 2013, said Joseph Corcoran, the nonprofit developer’s director of planning and housing development. The renovation will take place with tenants still living in the building, but SRO expects it to be about 35% vacant when work starts. At srohousing.org. see Projects, page 12

Construction on phase one of G.H. Palmer Associates’ $300 million, 950-unit Flower Street apartment complex is underway. The Lorenzo, which will incorporate the same Italian Renaissance-inspired design and amenities as Palmer’s other Downtown projects, is rising at Flower Street and Adams Boulevard on a 9.4-acre lot. Company owner Geoff Palmer previously said phase one includes 495 units and is expected to take two years to complete. The opening is tentatively planned for fall 2013. At ghpalmer.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

LOTUS GARDEN

A spring completion is expected for Lotus Garden, a $24 million low-income housing complex at 715 Yale St., according to the website of developer Affirmed Housing Group. The 60-unit project broke ground last April. The eight-story Chinatown project will serve families earning 30%-60% of the county’s median income; rents will range from $370 for a studio to $1,236 for a three-bedroom apartment. The project includes a 63-space garage known as a car matrix, in which autos will be moved vertically and horizontally to allow for a space-saving stacking effect.

photo by Gary Leonard

NEW GENESIS

Construction continues on nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust’s $22.3 million affordable housing project at 458 S. Main St. Designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, and funded by a mix of local, state and federal sources, the New Genesis will provide 106 residences, mostly for homeless individuals. Twenty-five percent of the apartments will be set aside for working people earning less than $35,460 per year. Ninety-eight residences will be efficiency apartments and eight will be one-bedroom, loft-style spaces. Completion is

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Continued from page 11

dling designs for the project, which will reinforce an existing structure and add new residential units above it. The SRHT plans to complete the development in fall 2013, said Molly Rysman, the organization’s director of external affairs. At skidrow.org.

million. The project that would connect the Chinatown Gold Line station with the heart of Chinatown would also have created 43,000 square feet of retail space, a 372-car garage and a 17,500-square-foot plaza to be used for community events.

THE WINSTON

METROPOLIS

Legacy Real Estate Holdings continues its conversion of the long-abandoned Jeffries Banknote building at Los Angeles and Winston streets. Legacy broke ground on an approximately $5 million transformation of the 1927 structure in January 2011 and expects to open the 43 apartments by April, said Stephan Schmidt, development director for the firm. The Winston will feature studio, one- and two-bedroom units from 600-1,200 square feet, most of them with balconies. The exterior will be buffed to feature the 85-yearold Historic Core building’s original brick. The developer has signed a lease with a jazz club operator to bring a venue to a groundlevel commercial space. Legacy is also in talks with restaurateurs regarding the other spots in the building.

MIXED-USE

According to the most recent information available, IDS Real Estate Group is courting hotel operators and large retailers for a 6.5-acre site bounded by Eighth, Ninth and Francisco streets and the Harbor (110) Freeway. IDS envisions a multi-phase project with up to two hotels and about 300,000 square feet of mostly ground-level retail. The development, which still lacks a timeline and budget, aims to transform Francisco Street into an energized pedestrian corridor feeding directly into L.A. Live. The project could proceed with retail first if Brookfield Properties’ renovation of the outdoor mall at Seventh and Figueroa streets proves successful at attracting tenants, IDS senior vice president Patrick Spillane said previously. Or, it could move first with a hotel; the chances for that would increase if Anschutz Entertainment Group inks a deal to expand the convention center and build an NFL stadium.

BLOSSOM PLAZA

ONE SANTA FE

SEVEN AND BRIDGE Linear City, developer of the Toy Factory and Biscuit Company lofts, is nearly finished with its renovation of a three-building, 78-apartment project near Seventh and Santa Fe streets in the Arts District. Two of the buildings are complete. One is fully leased and the other is 90% occupied, said company partner Yuval Bar-Zemer. The third building, a nine-unit structure at 712 Santa Fe Ave., is slated for completion this month. Linear City signed a lease with chef Ori Menashe and restaurateur Bill Chait to open an Italian eatery called Bestia. It is expected to debut in October. Bread Lounge, a bakery, is slated to open this month. Linear City is in negotiations with another restaurant operator to take over a commercial space in the third building. At linear-city.com.

image courtesy Skid Row Housing Trust

STAR APARTMENTS

The nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust broke ground in January on a 102unit permanent supportive housing complex at the southeast corner of Sixth and Maple streets. Michael Maltzan Architecture is han-

The Chinatown project on Broadway between College and Spring streets is still planned despite the demise of the Community Redevelopment Agency, said Monica Valencia, a spokeswoman for First District Councilman Ed Reyes. In November, the city began negotiations with Forest City Residential Group, which had been recommended by the CRA. Valencia said that with the agency gone, Forest City is trying to find funding for the project. The developer is not yet releasing details for Blossom Plaza, but a company official previously stated that it would likely be similar to what original developer Larry Bond had in place. Those plans, which have already gone through the entitlement process, called for a mixed-use project with more than 200 residential units, 20% of them dedicated to affordable housing, in two towers. The budget had been set at $165

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Projects

SPECIAL

February 20, 2012

Development

Santa Fe Avenue between Third and Fourth streets, has been in the works for more than five years, it got the financial boost it needed when it secured an investment recently from Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund Investments. Canyon-Johnson joined the development team consisting of Beverly Hills-based The McGregor Company, Polis Builders, which includes longtime Downtown player Nick Patsaouras, and Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.

THE GRAND Grand Avenue project developer Related Companies is seeking financing as it works on plans for a 19-story apartment tower that would rise on a plot originally intended for phase two of the three-phase Grand Avenue project. The firm’s development agreement gives it until October to break ground on the tower, which would rise on what is now a parking lot south of Gen. Thaddeus Kosciusko Way on lower Grand Avenue. Preliminary plans for the edifice call for about 260 units, 20% of which would be priced as affordable housing, and up to 15,000 square feet of retail space, said Related California President Bill Witte. Known as parcel M, the site is environmentally cleared for two towers of up to 35 stories. Parcel M is one of four pieces that comprise the project formally known as The Grand. The Frank Gehry-designed complex that was originally envisioned as phase one, and called for two luxury residential towers with a boutique hotel and 250,000 square feet of retail space, remains on hold. Related has missed multiple deadlines to break ground on the largest piece of the project, and instead has secured repeat extensions. Most recently, the Grand Avenue Authority approved a two-year extension for phase one through February 2013.

WILSHIRE GRAND REPLACEMENT Officials last month announced that, after years of delays, work is finally underway for the $160 million One Santa Fe, and completion is expected by the end of 2014. The fully funded project will bring a six-story building with 438 apartments and 78,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, including a 15,000-square-foot space fit for a grocery store, to the Arts District. The project is rising on a four-acre portion of a 32-acre plot that is currently a Metro lot used for the maintenance and storage of rail cars. The project just east of the Southern California Institute of Architecture will include a 47,400-squarefoot plaza facing Santa Fe Avenue and 802 underground parking spaces. Twenty percent of the units are aimed at low-income renters. Although One Santa Fe, which is on

The 1952 Wilshire Grand hotel closed in December and Thomas Properties Group (the developer is a partner in the project with building owner Korean Air) is working on plans to demolish the structure on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Wilshire Boulevard. Demolition, which will involve a floorby-floor removal to make way for a

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12 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 13 photo by Gary Leonard

Development

45-story hotel and residential tower, will begin in June and continue through early 2014, said Ayahlushim Getachew, senior vice president of TPG. The new hotel, which would have 560 rooms and about 100 condominiums, is slated to open in late 2015. A second phase of the project would deliver a 60-story office tower. There is no timeline yet for that building. The entire project is valued at $1.1 billion.

CIVIC

GRAND AVENUE CIVIC PARK

CENTRAL REGION HIGH SCHOOL NO. 12 The charter school organization Camino Nuevo, which runs five schools in the Westlake-MacArthur Park area, plans to open a 500-seat facility in City West by 2013. The Los Angeles Unified School District owns the site adjacent to the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex on Third Street just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway. The project is under construction and

photo by Gary Leonard

BROADWAY REVITALIZATION The 10-year plan to revive Broadway between Second Street and Olympic Boulevard saw significant progress recently. Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar launched Bringing Back Broadway four years ago, and in recent months he announced that discount department store Ross Dress for Less will come to 719-725 S. Broadway by early 2013; that a building at 908 S. Broadway will become the Sparkle Factory, housing the headquarters of jewelry maker Tarina Tarantino; and that Oregon-based Ace Hotel will open a 180-room boutique hotel in the historic United Artists Theater at 933 S. Broadway. Also in the works for the street is the French restaurant Figaro Bistro, which will fill a former cafeteria space at 618 S. Broadway. The two-phase, 17,000-square-foot project will contain a bakery and patio dining. Additionally, a Broadway Sign District is in the works, with the intent of preserving and reactivating historic signs on the street’s buildings. Meanwhile, Huizar’s office continues to work on a set of commercial reuse guidelines to activate the nearly 1 million square feet of vacant space above street level. At bringingbackbroadway.com.

to open in the spring, a Metro official said. No opening date has yet been announced for the Venice/Robertson station in Culver City. The eight-mile route that will connect Downtown to Culver City will share two stops with the Blue Line and will create nine new stations. Meanwhile, a Sept. 12 groundbreaking was held for phase two of the project, the extension of the light rail from Culver City to Santa Monica. That is scheduled to open in 2015. At buildexpo.org.

is 30% complete. Plans call for a 55,361-square-foot, threestory school on a sliver of land immediately east of the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex athletics fields, near the intersection of Miramar Street and Huntley Drive. The new institution will share the Contreras playing fields. It will include 19 classrooms, 47 underground parking spaces, administrative offices, a dining area, a library and science labs.

CHINATOWN PLAZA IMPROVEMENTS Funding is no longer available for a project to revitalize the heart of Chinatown due to the demise of the Community Redevelopment Agency. Nearly 50 property owners had signed up for city grants to renovate their buildings on Central and West plazas and Bamboo Lane. The money was supposed to go to new paint, the installation of Chinese architectural features and neon lighting. Five projects had been completed.

EXPOSITION LIGHT RAIL Late-stage work continues on the Exposition Light Rail, and the $930 million project’s La Cienega station is expected

Work continues on the $56 million Grand Avenue Civic Park, and an opening remains on schedule for this summer, said Bill Witte of Related California, developer of the Grand Avenue project. The project was funded by the $50 million up-front payment made to the county by Related, plus acsee Projects, page 14

14 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Development

Continued from page 13 crued interest on that deposit. Work began in July 2010. The design by Rios Clementi Hale Studios will eliminate the large circular parking ramps at the west end of the site (across from the Music Center) and the L-shaped entrance points near Broadway. The 12-acre facility will feature terraced green space, pathways, an event lawn, additional trees and a small dog run. The historic Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain is being restored. Monuments on the site have been moved to another location or protected from construction.

photo by Gary Leonard

HALL OF JUSTICE

PARKER CENTER REPLACEMENT There remains no movement on plans to raze or renovate the former LAPD headquarters and reuse the property. Parker Center, at 150 N. Los Angeles St., was mostly vacated in 2009 when the department moved into the Police Administration Building. Some city staffers remain in the structure, said Eva Kandarpa Behrend, a spokeswoman for City Councilwoman Jan Perry. The city has proposed undertaking an Environmental Impact Report that would study five options for the site, including adaptive reuse of the building, partial demolition and renovation, and demolition and replacement with a temporary parking lot. That plan remains on hold and without a timeline.

REGIONAL CONNECTOR

Work on the long-delayed $231 million upgrade of the Hall of Justice got underway late last year, said Chris Martin, a partner at AC Martin, the Downtown architecture firm that is working with Clark Construction Group on the project. A 2014 opening is expected for the 1925 building at 211 W. Temple St. Plans call for seismic improvements, elevator upgrades, new electrical and mechanical systems and connecting the building to systems for sewage, water and gas. The project will include a new underground 1,000-space garage on the north side of the building and a high-pressure wash of the granite exterior. When it opens it will once again house the Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney and other county agencies. The 14-story edifice was closed after suffering severe damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

LOS ANGELES RIVER The effort to revitalize the Los Angeles River continues. The pilot “Paddle the L.A. River” program launched last summer when the L.A. Conservation Corps gave its supervised canoe and kayak trips down a 1.5-mile stretch of the waterway in the San Fernando Valley. The program came after the Environmental Protection Agency designated the river as “traditional navigable waters.” First District City Councilman Ed Reyes continues to lobby for federal dollars for the project. A Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan that has been established for the effort could cost $2 billion and take decades. A feasibility study for ecosystem restoration is expected to be complete within a year.

LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK Public meetings are being held to discuss plans for the $18 million renovation of the park. The sessions give local stakeholders a chance to weigh in on upgrades of the 32-acre facility on the edge of Chinatown. Plans call for a welcome pavilion, a promenade for a farmers market, an amphitheatre, some wetland areas and infrastructure improvements such as permanent restrooms. Construction is set to begin in 2013 with completion approximately 18 months later. The project is being overseen by the California State Parks Department and Hargreaves Associates is in charge of designs. At lashp. wordpress.com.

LOS ANGELES STREETCAR A groundbreaking is expected in 2014 for the Los Angeles Streetcar. A decision on the final route is expected soon. The path, which is being studied by Metro, could run as far north as Union Station and as far south as Pico Boulevard. The cost for the project that will have a main spine on Broadway will range from $106 million to $137 million depending on which

Metro has completed the final Environmental Impact Report for the $1.34 billion Regional Connector, a fully underground light-rail link that would decrease travel times on the regional rail and subway network. After a series of public meetings this month to present the project, which will create three new underground stations in Downtown, the Metro board is due to formally accept the study on Feb. 23. The decision will send the project to the Federal Transit Authority, which is expected to give final approval. That would allow Metro to begin the final fundraising effort for the connector. The tentative timeline calls for a groundbreaking in 2013 with completion pegged for 2019. In the meantime, Metro will be working on station designs and is forming a community council to fine-tune design and other issues related to the route and the stations. At metro.net/projects/connector.

the city Planning Department, in 2009 MOCA requested a five-year period after approval to begin construction. Once work begins the project would take about 18 months. The land would be transformed into 6,000 square feet of educational program space, 18,000 square feet of exhibition/storage space and 66,000 square feet of pure storage space.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM In December the museum will open Becoming Los Angeles, an exhibit that explores the natural and cultural history of Los Angeles and Southern California. The 14,000-square-foot permanent exhibition will look into 500 years of local history. It is part of the Exposition Park attraction’s seven-year, $135 million transformation. Coming in 2013 is the North Campus, a 3.5-acre project that will create a new “front yard” for the facility, with outdoor exhibits in 11 zones. A new entrance will be revealed in November 2013 at the celebration of the NHM’s 100th anniversary. The Dinosaur Hall, the most prominent element of the Natural History Museum’s extensive upgrade, opened last summer. At nhm.org.

SPRING STREET PARK Construction began in October on the $8 million Spring Street park. The project is turning the L-shaped lot between the El Dorado and Rowan lofts into an attraction with paths, a plaza, benches, a fountain, dozens of trees and artwork. Request for bids from contractors to execute the construction were due this month. It will take up to two months for the city to review proposals and select a contractor, according to Paul Tseng, project manager for the Bureau of Engineering. The Historic Core park is slated to open in April 2013.

THE BROAD photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

route is selected. Streetcar officials expect to apply for $60 million in Federal Transit Administration Small Starts funds by the end of the year. Additionally, officials are moving forward on plans to have area stakeholders pay for approximately half of the project through mandatory assessments similar to those in business improvement districts. A $10 million allocation from the CRA is still in place, despite the recent demise of the agency. Project officials said that construction of a streetcar typically takes about two years. At lastreetcar.org.

SIXTH STREET VIADUCT The city Bureau of Engineering is moving forward with plans to replace the ailing 78-year-old Sixth Street Viaduct. The bridge spans the Los Angeles River between Downtown and Boyle Heights. The city approved the Environmental Impact Report last year, and officials with the Bureau of Engineering are now in the process of selecting an architect, said project manager John Koo. Plans call for a new cable-supported structure instead of replicating the current design. The bureau is targeting a groundbreaking on the $401 million project in 2015, and completion could come by 2017.

CULTURAL/ENTERTAINMENT FARMERS FIELD Anschutz Entertainment Group is finishing the environmental impact report for a 68,000-square-foot professional football stadium that would rise next to the L.A. Live campus. At a recent Downtown event, AEG Executive Vice President Ted Tanner said that, at the request of the NFL, the EIR is examining the impacts of having two teams in the South Park building. In November, architecture firm Gensler revealed new designs that feature a “deployable” roof that could be taken on and off the stadium. This month Populous, the architecture firm handling a reimagining of the Convention Center, presented its first designs to the City Council’s Ad Hoc Stadium Committee. Any development is dependent on whether AEG could lure a team to Downtown. If the project moves forward, the first phase of the approximately $1.5 billion development would be the creation of a new convention building, called the Pico Hall, that would rise contiguous to the main convention edifice. The current West Hall would then be razed, making way for the stadium. As part of the deal, the city would float $275 million in bonds; AEG would cover about three-quarters of that, with the remainder coming from revenues generated by the project. Company President and CEO Tim Leiweke has said he hopes to open the stadium in time for the 2016 NFL season. At farmersfield.com.

MOCA EXPANSION According to the most recent information available, the Museum of Contemporary Art still does not have a timeline or budget for a three-story, 90,000-square-foot building that would rise on a parking lot adjacent to MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. According to records from

Crews are finishing the three-level parking facility upon which the $100 million museum known as The Broad will get built, and work on the museum proper will begin after that, said Joanne Heyler, director of the Broad Art Foundation. The garage, which will hold space for 370 cars, extends from lower to upper Grand Avenue, which will allow the museum housing philanthropist Eli Broad’s 2,000-piece contemporary art collection to have a street level entrance. The museum being designed by the New York film Diller, Scofidio + Renfro is on pace for a late 2013 opening, Heyler said.

BUSINESS 845 S. FIGUEROA ST. Parking lot giant L&R Group is in the midst of a $5 million renovation of a 1969 office building at 845 S. Figueroa St. The company acquired the South Park edifice in 2004 and let it sit empty for nearly seven years. Plans call for a facelift that will replace the dark facade with floor-to-ceiling windows. The company hopes to break ground on the exterior renovation in March and finish by the end of summer. It will also add a ground-level retail space fit for a restaurant with outdoor seating along Figueroa Street, said project manager Gilad Lumer. Work on the interior, meanwhile, is underway. L&R moved its headquarters to the top floor in June. Most of the rest of the 125,000-square-foot interior remains gutted. Lumer said space will be built out according to tenant interest and specifications. At 845fig.com.

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 15

Development

CLEANTECH MANUFACTURING CENTER The Community Redevelopment Agency’s plan to sell a 20acre site to a developer for the construction of a manufacturing facility is in peril because of the agency’s dissolution. The CRA was slated to sell the land to Trammell Crow, which had pledged to build a $40 million development and fill it in part with companies engaged in clean technologies. The deal fell apart with the Feb. 1 elimination of the CRA. Now, the stage is set for East West Bank, which had extended a $15.4 million loan to the city to acquire the land, to foreclose on the site near 15th Street and Washington Boulevard. It remains unclear whether the bank intends to negotiate with Trammell Crow. If it does, and if the developer buys the land, there would be no enforceable obligations that Trammell Crow build the project envisioned by the CRA.

photo by Gary Leonard

CLIFTON’S CAFETERIA

restaurant to the property at 648 S. Broadway. This month, the original façade was revealed after being kept hidden for years; a renovated façade will be completed in August. Meieran said he is updating the famous cafeteria on the ground level without altering its historic character; the streetlevel renovation will anchor the first phase of the project, which will also include the addition of a “neighborhood bar” on the mezzanine level. Future phases will include the transformation of the second floor into a jazz and blues lounge/ bar called The Brookdale, as well as a speakeasy style bar in the basement. The third floor is slated to get a tiki bar. A fine dining restaurant will go on the fourth floor, and an existing bakery will be renovated. The main cafeteria is tentatively slated to reopen in August, and the new venues will arrive in phases every three months thereafter.

FIGAT7TH Work continues on Brookfield Properties’ $40 million facelift of the shopping complex on the southwest corner of Seventh and Figueroa streets. Target, the project’s anchor tenant, is slated to open in October. Brookfield Executive Vice President Bert Dezzutti said that the company is looking for “chef-driven” restaurants for its up to 18 food spaces. Brookfield hopes to land national retailers along with fashion and apparel shops. He said a “handful” of leases have been inked, but declined to identify any incoming tenants. The project being designed by Gensler aims to usher pedestrians directly into what will be Downtown’s first Target.

HAMPTON INN/ HOMEWOOD SUITES

Andrew Meieran, the owner of Clifton’s Cafeteria, continues a major renovation that will add three new bars and another

Property owner Broadway Chinatown, LLC tentatively partnered last summer with T2 Development, a division of the Tarsadia Hotel Group, to create a mid-rise Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites hotel project in South Park. According to the most recent information available, the project remains in a conceptual phase, but early plans envisioned a facility with 375 rooms in a building that would rise at 1500 S. Figueroa St., across from the Convention Center, on what is currently a surface parking lot. T2 Vice President Greg LeBon would not comment on the project.

LA KRETZ INNOVATION CAMPUS A summer 2012 groundbreaking is expected for a clean technology business incubator in the Arts District, said Fred Walti, executive director for the project at 411 Hewitt St. The facility, to be built inside an existing structure, was conceived by a partnership between the now defunct Community Redevelopment Agency and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The CRA dissolution is not expected to impact the project, which is in a final design phase. The campus, slated to open in 2013, will house a variety of clean technology companies and occupants working with processes related to sustainable uses of natural resources. The DWP paid $11.1 million for the building on the block bounded by Hewitt, Colyton, Fifth and Palmetto streets. A temporary 3,500-square-foot facility is open nearby. State funds have been identified to turn an adjacent parking lot into a park. At laincubator.org.

LITTLE TOKYO GALLERIA Plans are still in the works for the renovation of the 25-yearold edifice long known as the Little Tokyo Shopping Center. By March, the owners of the renamed Little Tokyo Galleria hope to obtain city approval to improve the building with a nearly 50,000-square-foot entertainment hub; it would be anchored by a 24-lane bowling alley, a sports bar and a new family restaurant. There would also be an upgraded video arcade. Owners Three Alameda Plaza hope to open the new operations in phases starting by the end of the year, said Jay Chun, president of property manager Kaufman Commercial Group. The 250,000-square-foot mall at 333 S. Alameda St. was purchased in 2008. The group of Korean-American investors announced plans to add about eight new restaurants to the three-story edifice. They also said the fortress-like building would undergo a renovation to create a more open and inviting look.

MARRIOTT HOTELS Portland-based developer Homer Williams and his partner Dame Associates plan to break ground in March on a 393-room, $120 million project at Olympic Boulevard and see Projects, page 16

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16 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Development

Francisco Street. The single building would hold two Marriott brands, a Courtyard Suites and a Residence Inn. Williams said in January that the project was 85% financed and is on track to secure all of its funding within 45 days. The edifice across from the Convention Center headquarters hotel is slated to open in 2014. Officials have said it is not dependent on Farmers Field, and will go forward regardless of whether the stadium materializes.

SPRING STREET GARAGE Downtown Management, a prominent property owner and developer in the Historic Core, submitted plans last year for a 500-space parking garage on Spring Street between Fifth and Sixth streets. The firm is in the process of securing city approvals for the 200,000-square-foot structure, which would serve residents of Downtown Management’s three nearby apartment buildings as well as the public. The project has proved controversial because it would block rear-loading access to Broadway’s Roxie, Arcade and Cameo theaters, which for years have operated as swap meets. Theater preservation advocates say restoring the venues would require rear-loading access. Downtown Management, which owns the theaters, hopes to secure approvals and break ground this year, said firm vice president Greg Martin. The schedule, however, is in question because the CRA was supposed to sign off on designs — the agency’s elimination had made it unclear what entity will take over the CRA’s role.

NONPROFIT/COMMUNITY BUDOKAN LOS ANGELES Fundraising continues for the Budokan of Los Angeles, a recreation center planned by the Little Tokyo Service Center, said Bill Watanabe, the organization’s executive director. The $22 million project’s largest pledge so far is a $1 million contribution from the George and Sakaye Aratani Family Foundation. There is still no timeline for the development. Last summer the city and the LTSC agreed on a deal for the effort that would rise at 237-249 S. Los Angeles St. on cityowned land. Plans call for a 38,000-square-foot facility that will include a four-court gymnasium, community space and a rooftop garden with a jogging track. It would provide space for several sports with an emphasis on martial arts tournaments. Financing will come through a mix of private and public sources. At budokanoflosangeles.com.

HOPE STREET FAMILY CENTER A summer completion is expected for the $15.7 million Hope Street Family Center, a four-story, 25,500-squarefoot project, according to Lara Regus, senior project manager for developer Abode Communities. The building, which broke ground last April, is a partnership between Abode and California Hospital Medical Center. The effort at 1600 S. Hope St. will offer a range of services supporting low-income families and will include an outdoor basketball court and children’s play area. The building is slated to secure LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. At chmcla.org.

FEDERAL BUILDING A $90 million seismic upgrade of the Federal Building at 300 N. Los Angeles St. was completed in November, according to officials with the General Services Administration. The yearslong project was expanded when it acquired $19.5 million of Recovery Act funds to make the property more energy efficient. The project included a new fire safety system and the replacement of the original ceiling and lighting systems.

FORD APARTMENTS

YWCA JOB CORPS CAMPUS According to the most recent information available, a midyear opening is expected for the $73 million Downtown L.A. YWCA Job Corps Urban Campus. The project at 1020 S. Olive St. will include a medical center, classrooms, a dining hall, commercial kitchen and 200 rooms that will house 400 Job Corps trainees. The building will consolidate Job Corps facilities that are currently scattered through six Downtown sites.

OPENED IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS 940 EAST 2ND STREET Late last year, residents began moving in to the 36 condominiums at 940 E. Second St. in the Arts District. The arrivals came seven years after developer Mark Borman first began planning the complex originally known as the Barn Lofts. The units are each three stories and include original brick walls, upscale kitchen set-ups and ample natural light. Architect Rocky Rockefeller worked on the project that reactivated a 1906 sugar beet warehouse once utilized by the Spreckels Sugar Company. Although Borman lost control of the project during the recession, he remains involved; the development reached the finish line after being acquired by Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds. The residences are 1,3002,600 square feet. Units currently available start at $510,000. At 940eastsecond.com.

Residents began moving in to the 150-unit Ford Apartments in December and the low-income project at 1000 E. Seventh St. was full by the middle of January. Developer SRO Housing Corporation spent $28 million transforming the formerly rundown six-story edifice. Rooms in the 86-year-old structure range from 220 to 250 square feet and come furnished. There is a library, a community room, a computer room and on-site social services. An old indoor lobby was turned into an open-air courtyard and now has slate tile floors, a tree and a granite fountain.

HUNTINGTON APARTMENTS

ARTISAN HOUSE

The Huntington Hotel at 752 S. Main St. reopened in January as the Huntington Apartments following a $3 million renovation (in addition to the $4.2 million purchase price). The upgraded 196-unit complex is a major departure from the building’s past as a low-income hotel and notorious crime magnet. So far, the building has added about 20 new residents, said owner Rod Goldberg. The property has also lured two new commercial tenants: Gymbox, a fitness club, and Papi’s Pizza. Goldberg said a lease has been signed with a juice bar that sells prepackaged organic food, though its timeline for opening is uncertain. At huntingtonapartmentsla.com.

MERCANTILE LOFTS

GOOD SAMARITAN EXPANSION photo by Gary Leonard

Figueroa St. BYD chairman Chuanfu Wang said the edifice on the Figueroa Corridor will be the base of the company’s North American fleet sales for electric cars and buses. It will also house BYD’s research and development arms that will create versions of their cars for the U.S. market. In the 1920s, the property was home to the White Motor Company, though it had been empty for decades before BYD arrived. Although only a few dozen jobs were created at the time of the opening, officials said they expect 150 people will eventually work there.

photo by Gary Leonard

rendering courtesy Central City Association

Continued from page 15

photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

Work continues on a 190,000-square-foot medical office building at Wilshire Boulevard and Witmer Street in City West, said Andrew Leeka, president and CEO of City West’s Good Samaritan Hospital. A groundbreaking took place in October for the $80 million facility that will include a pharmacy, an outpatient surgical center and five levels of physicians’ offices. Architecture firm Ware Malcomb is overseeing the design, while Millie and Severson is handling construction. The project is scheduled for completion in 2013.

The 5,900-square-foot restaurant, bar and market Artisan House opened in December. The project, on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Lofts at 600 S. Main St., holds seating for nearly 150 people. The 1905 Romanesque and Beaux Artsstyle building has 24-foot ceilings and sports arched windows on the Sixth Street side and a patio facing Main Street. The project from Pacific Electric developer Alex Moradi and his business partners Raphael Javaheri and Patrice Rozat created more than 100 jobs.

BYD HEADQUARTERS In October, Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD (for Build Your Dreams) moved into a former car dealership at 1800 S.

The 35-unit Mercantile Lofts is about 50% leased after switching from condominiums back to rental units in November, said Joseph Soleiman, director of acquisitions for developer ICO Group. When the project was completed in July, the six-story Historic Core building at 620 S. Main St. was envisioned as a place for for-sale residences. After the switch back to rentals (it was an apartment building before the transformation) the 700- to 2,000-square-foot units are priced from $1,400-$3,200. Upgrades include a glass façade on the ground level and a redesigned lobby.

PIERO II G.H. Palmer Associates’ 335-apartment complex at Bixel and St. Paul streets is open and move-ins are underway. The City West project has the same Italian villa-inspired design as the rest of Palmer’s Downtown developments, including the adjacent Piero I. Piero II includes a pedestrian bridge over St. Paul Street that connects a rooftop deck to the first phase of the project. The $70 million effort has a spa, theater, library, gym, fire pit and communal barbecues. At ghpalmer.com.

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 17

DowntownNews.com

DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL

photo courtesy of Market Lofts

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18 Downtown News

Cultural Connection

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Gas Company Lofts Offers a Home in the Heart of South Village

magine living, working and playing in an exquisitely restored historic landmark. The beautiful Gas Company Lofts offer extraordinary city views that capture the imagination and open floor plans with limitless options to tap your creativity. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Apartments a vast combination of experience, talent and integrity. Each has proven its dedication for a total of more than 90 years. It is that strong combination of experience, innovation and commitment to quality that makes Shapell Industries and Goldrich & Kest Industries a team you can rely on for excellence. For leasing information at the Promenade Towers, 123 S. Figueroa St., call (213) 6173777. For leasing information at the Grand Tower, 255 S. Grand Ave., call (213) 2299777. For leasing information at the Museum Tower, 225 S. Olive St., call (213) 626-1500, or visit TowersApartmentsLA.com.

The inviting neighborhood entices residents outdoors to explore the parks, eclectic shopping and exceptional dining. Convenience is the priority of the easygoing lifestyle at Gas Company Lofts. Residents live within a one-block radius of everything they need, and the best part is that there is no driving required. Enjoy seasonal and weekly events, such as a farmers market every Wednesday and Friday, and the Ralphs Fresh Fare is literally steps away. The surrounding neighborhood also features a pharmacy, a post office, an outdoor shopping mall, Staples Center and L.A. Live. Continued on next page

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 19

Downtown Residential

Artful Living Move-In Day Approaches at Gallery Lofts Downtown

he first phase of loft homes at Gallery Lofts in the stylish Downtown Los Angeles Arts District is 70% sold and the first move-ins will begin soon, according to Marvin Hoiseth of Homebuilders Marketing Services, the sales agents for the community. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Eleven of the 16 first phase lofts have been purchased, and several second phase homes have also been sold. Gallery Lofts is a community of 33 loft condominiums, conveniently located at 120 S. Hewitt St., within easy walking distance of Little Tokyo, the Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro Stop and the Dash bus stop. The first phase of 16 homes at Gallery Lofts boasts 26-foot, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, opening onto a central atrium court with lush landscaping and water features. First phase homes range from approximately 1,210 to 1,580 square feet, while second phase homes, each with a distinctive design, range from roughly 900 to just over 1,700 square feet. Gallery Lofts is priced from the mid $300,000s. Combining the historic brick charm and exposed beam ceilings of the original building shell with sleek modern touches creates a unique style at Gallery Lofts. “Our buyers have been impressed with the unique style of our community, as well as the convenience of the location,” said Elizabeth Lande, sales manager at Gallery Lofts. The lofts include granite counters in kitchens and baths; stainless steel GE appliances including refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave oven; tiled showers; open beam cathedral ceilings and original brick walls; custom-designed track lighting; hardwood or concrete floors; prewiring for TV, Internet and telephone; custom window designs in selected homes; hook-ups for washer/dryer; central air conditioning;

assigned lighted and gated parking, and much more. The fully decorated model home and sales gallery are on display at an open house every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and during weekday appointments. For additional information and to set an appointment, call (917) 817-1472. Visit GalleryLoftsLA.com. Home Builders Marketing Services, Inc. is the exclusive sales agent for Gallery Lofts.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore! Call Now Fo r

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes Move-In provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses 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.

Spec ial s

Grand Tower

255 South Grand Avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777

Continued from previous page With such a multitude of choices within walking distance, it is difficult to decide which restaurant to dine at. The Metro is a block away, making it a breeze to be in Orange County or North Hollywood in less than an hour. Location, location, location! It is one of the most important things to consider when moving to a new home. Located directly in the center of Downtown Los Angeles, Gas Company Lofts is part of South Village, a multiblock residential and retail community that includes rental housing and a full-service grocery store. These elements make it the hotspot of L.A. The Gas Company Lofts’ historic architecture is complemented by quality finishes in each unit, creating a signature project and luxurious environment. Interior amenities include a variety of granite countertops, dark cherry wood and maple cabinetry with modern design finishes and brushed stainless steel appliances. The ‘green’ floors are reused materials such as cork, bamboo or distressed concrete. All apartments come with garaged residential and gated parking, free of charge. The Gas Company Lofts leasing office is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday. Appointments are highly recommended on weekends. For information contact (213) 955-5700 or visit simplybetterrentals.com.

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

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

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

Promenade Towers 123 South Figueroa Street Leasing Information 213 617 3777 Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking

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

On-Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon

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

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

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

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

RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM

20 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Downtown Residential

The Loftway of Doing Business Selling, Leasing and Managing Since 2003

oftway has catered to loft dwellers since 2003 and was founded on the principles of customization and personal service. Loftway has moved away from the model of the mammoth real FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

estate companies in favor of local expertise and exceptional marketing. The company focuses on obtaining intimate knowledge of the market rather than spending time and energy having the world know who it is — it is more important that it knows its clients.

Loftway provides a team office environment, one in which agents work together by sharing knowledge and resources. The result is that clients are happy with the service provided. Loftway honors the opportunity to be of service to its clients. Honesty, loyalty, understanding, accountability and creativity are what make Loftway so different from the rest. Loftway goes beyond the buying or selling of a loft or home — it is helping to establish the American Dream. At 1020 S. Hope St., (888) 505-LOFT(6387) or loftway.com.

1 ! E S LD A PH SO % 70

Lots of Style. Loads of Features. Lofts of Space. Now Renting! The Historic Gas Company Lofts. Get ready for the thrill of a lifestyle. Spectacular spaces. Soaring ceilings. Sophisticated finishes. All in the heart of LA’s hip hot South Village.

Real loft living… …in the downtown Arts District.

Loft condominiums ideally located in LA’s sophisticated Arts District provide a uniquely appealing home at Gallery Lofts. Combining old and new, Gallery Lofts offers the comfort and convenience of state-of-the-art finishes in a historic framework. • Lighted and gated parking with assigned spaces • Granite counters in kitchens and baths • Open and airy mezzanine-style lofts • Stainless steel GE™ appliances • Pre-wired for TV, Internet and telephone • Lush interior courtyard with bamboo and water features • Walking distance to Metro Stop and Dash Bus Stop

From the mid $300s Decorated models open Saturday & Sunday, 10:30 to 5:30

213.955.5700

120-130 South Hewitt St., Los Angeles • www.GalleryLoftsLA.com 917-817-1472

www.SimplyBetterRentals.com Prices, details, specifications and features subject to change without prior notice. Sales exclusively by Home Builders Marketing Services, Inc. DRE #01163523.

Love to Dine Out? 2 0 1 2

COMING SOON

Look for it with the March 26 issue of the Los Angeles Downtown News. A comprehensive guide to restaurants in and around Downtown Los Angeles. An excellent reference for your office, car and home.

Call for your copies today! 213-481-1448

Everything you need to know before you’re seated.

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 21

Downtown Residential

Alta Lofts Continued from page 17 tion of only 3.5% down, many first-time buyers are taking advantage of this affordable opportunity and realizing the benefits of homeownership. Moreover, some Alta Lofts buyers may qualify for downpayment assistance for the 10, pre-selected moderate-income units, where a monthly payment could be as low as $1,196. Alta Lofts showcases raw, industrial-style lofts. It artfully weaves the building’s original 1920s structure with contemporary design and features for today’s diverse lifestyles. There are 104 one- and two-bedroom flats and two-story lofts of up to 1,700 square feet. The four historic floors feature hard lofts with original oversized windows, exposed ducts, columns and no drywall. The original windows have been retrofitted with double panes. The fifth and sixth floors offer all-new

modern, open-style lofts that reflect the look and feel of the original building. Lofts feature high ceilings, concrete or wood floors, exposed walls and ceilings (in many units), central heat and air, plus laundry hook-ups. Upscale kitchens boast granite countertops and GE Energy-Star stainless steel appliances. Amenities include a large, open-air first floor courtyard, secured parking for residents, a social room and workout area plus outdoor barbecue area. There is an open-air fifth floor deck as well as ground floor commercial space. Alta Lofts is adjacent to Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Glendale, Echo Park, Pasadena and the Brewery Arts Complex, and is minutes from Downtown L.A., Dodger Stadium and the Metro Gold Line. The sales office and two furnished models are open daily, 10a.m.-5 p.m. Alta Lofts is at 200 N. San Fernando Rd. in Lincoln Heights. For information call (323) 223-3100 or visit livealta.com. Connect on Twitter and Facebook.

TENTEN Continued from page 17 every imaginable amenity including 24/7 valet parking, drop-off service within two miles, free basic utilities, wired and wireless high-speed Internet, premium cable TV, local phone calls, iPod ready sound systems, high-definition LCD TVs, full kitchens with stainless steel appliances and extensive kitchenware sets, and individual thermostats for optimum cooling and heating. TENTEN Wilshire received the award for “Best Rooftop in Downtown Los Angeles.” Inspired by luxury resorts, the world-class rooftop features a full gym, pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, locker rooms, a movie/screening room, lounge, fire pits, barbecue areas, sundecks, custom outdoor billiard and foosball tables, all while being surrounded by endless panoramic views. A great venue for our complimentary happy hour five days a week, ideal for meeting people and networking, it is easy to see why TENTEN Wilshire is the complete lifestyle solution business professionals need. In an area with the most extensive freeway system in the world, including the 110, 10, 101 and 5 freeways, Downtown Los Angeles, home to major legal, financial and telecommunications companies, is also a center for the entertainment,

textile, jewelry and fashion industries. Just two blocks from TENTEN Wilshire is the 7th Street/Metro Center which offers easy access to MetroRail instantly connecting passengers to Long Beach, Hollywood, Pasadena, LAX and more. Nearby Union Station is the access point for Metrolink, Los Angeles’ rail system. With neighbors like the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Exposition Park and the Staples Center, additional entertainment and recreational activities are available year round. L.A. Live, a 4 million-square-foot sports and entertainment district, offers many exciting venues and restaurants as well. With flexible lease terms, TENTEN Wilshire is the perfect option, whatever your needs may be. TENTEN Wilshire is the ideal community for professionals who want to live, work and play… no matter how long or short the stay. TENTEN Wilshire is at 1010 Wilshire Blvd. For more information call (877) 3381010 or visit 1010wilshire.com.

THE LOFTWAY REPORT DOWNTOWN LA REAL ESTATE 2011 CONDO NUMBERS

SALES NUMBER OF SALES STANDARD 188

HIGHEST SALE OF THE YEAR $5,225,000 LOWEST SALE OF THE YEAR $96,600

424

SHORT SALE 144

REO 92

SHORT SALE $306,276

REO $222,270

SHORT SALE $299.97

REO $252.91

MEDIAN DAYS ON THE MARKET STANDARD 65

SHORT SALE 104

BUILDINGS WITH THE MOST SHORT SALES: BARTLETT AND LUMA

1.L TOKYO L

$190.57

2.EVO

$532.32

2.SHY BARRY

$209.30

3.ROWAN

$434.93

3.BARTLETT

$212.71

4.LUMA

$434.48

4.HIGGINS

$213.92

5.1100 WILSHIRE $389.11

MEDIAN PRICE/SQ FT STANDARD $384.64

BOTTOM 5 BUILDINGS BY PRICE/SQ FT

$1,259.01

1.THE RITZ

MEDIAN SALES PRICE STANDARD $431,048

TOP 5 BUILDINGS BY PRICE/SQ FT

REO 43

5.T WAREHOUSE $224.47

LEASES NUMBER OF LEASES

367

$2.07 IS THE MEDIAN PRICE/SQ FT BUILDINGS WITH THE MOST LEASES: 1100 WILSHIRE AND LUMA

WAS THE NUMBER OF NEW PROJECTS FOR SALE IN

2011

NUMBER OF BUILDINGS IN THIS REPORT

FOR A PDF COPY OF THE REPORT GO TO: WWW.LOFTWAY.COM/REPORT

NEED HELP MAKING SENSE OF THESE NUMBERS? 888.505.LOFT(6387)

THE DOWNTOWN LA SALES REPORT IS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED BY LOFTWAY FROM THE CLAW MLSª . ALL MATERIAL HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND HAS BEEN COMPILED FROM SOURCES DEEMED RELIABLE. THROUGH INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS PRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO SOLICIT PROPERTY ALREADY LISTED. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. LOFTWAY IS A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER. DRE: 01412928

22 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

From Portland, With Streetcar Love Head of Key Downtown Project Now Telecommutes From Oregon by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR

he proposed Los Angeles Streetcar is a relatively short project, an urban circulator that will run a few miles as it connects the L.A. Live area with Bunker Hill. For Dennis Allen, the executive director of the project, the commute just got much longer. Allen recently moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Ore., in order to be closer to a real estate project he is developing there. However, he remains in charge of the Downtown effort that is a key part of 14th District City Councilman José Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative.

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Speaking after a recent appearance at the Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum, Huizar said he is not concerned by Allen’s move, even as the project backers get ready to ask the public to pay for a hefty chunk of the streetcar. “Dennis will still be involved,” Huizar said. “He brought us where we are today.” Although even many people familiar with the project did not realize it, Allen is part of a real estate property management company, called Urban One, that is working on the Downtown streetcar. Allen, Urban One’s managing partner, said that although he is now based in Portland, other members of the firm remain in Downtown and will take on addi-

Looking for the Downtown Loft List? 13. LumaLofts.com 14. BarkerBlockLofts.com 15. TomahawkLofts.com 16. OstrichFarmLofts.com 17. TheBiscuitCompanyLofts.com 18. RowanLofts.com To Buy, Rent or Sell with Loft Living LA, call:

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Los Angeles Streetcar Inc. Executive Director Dennis Allen now oversees the project from Portland, where he is working on a real estate development.

tional day-to-day responsibilities. Allen and Jessica Wethington McClean, the executive director of Bringing Back Broadway, said the board of Los Angeles Streetcar Inc. has elected to try the new arrangement for four to six months to see how it goes. They said that in the past Allen has worked on the Portland project from Downtown Los Angeles, and this simply flips the set-up. “Most of the work we do is via phone and email. It’s the same thing it was when I was in L.A.,” Allen said. Streetcar officials will soon offer their plans to ask property owners near the project to pay for up to half the cost. The price for the streetcar has been estimated at $106 million to $137 million depending on the route. Huizar said he hopes to break ground on the streetcar in 2014. An anticipated opening has not been set. Contact Jon Regardie at Los Angeles Downtown News.

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YOUR OPINION COUNTS What do you love about the Downtown L.A. Arts District? What would make it even better?

Arts District residents, business owners, property owners, students, and visitors… WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Please go to www.artsdistrictla.com and click on the “Survey” link on the home page to take the survey. The deadline for completion is March 19, 2012.

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February 23, 2012 At the Pacific Palms Conference Resort. SCMBDC’s Minority Business Opportunity Day offers minority business enterprises (MBEs) the opportunity to

You can opt-in for a chance to win a gift certificate for food, beverages or classes at one of many Arts District venues. We Appreciate and THANK YOU for your participation!

725 S. Crocker Street • Los Angeles, CA 90021 213.228.8484 • artsdistrictla.com

meet corporate buyers and decision makers, attend informative seminars, generate new business leads and network at the largest diverse business expo in the region. Details are available at www.scmbdc.org/MBOD For questions, contact Lauren Knight at Lknight@scmbdc.org

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com

Distinction, continueD from page 1

BUNKER HILL

ARTS DISTRICT

Winner: Center Theatre Group

photos courtesy of 940 East 2nd Street

photos courtesy of Center Theatre Group

Winner: 940 East 2nd Street

t didn’t come quick or easy, but the opening of the townhome complex that started as the Barn Lofts gives the Arts District another residential jolt. The project began in 2005 when developer Mark Borman saw potential in a dilapidated structure at 940 E. Second St. He acquired the building and, with the aid of architect Rocky Rockefeller, turned the derelict edifice into 38 gorgeous three-story residences. Although the proj-

ect stalled during the recession, CanyonJohnson Urban Funds stepped in to finish it, and Borman remains involved. The condominiums are filled with natural light, and original brick walls play against top-of-the line kitchen set-ups. The units also offer a level of privacy unusual for multi-family buildings. Best of all, 940 East 2nd Street adds life to the area, and provides momentum for a new round of Arts District growth.

n 1967, a young man named Gordon Davidson began programming live theater at the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre. The crowds followed, and over the past 45 years, the Center Theatre Group has brought millions of arts patrons to the Music Center to see productions by the biggest names in theater, with a plethora of stars taking the stage. Michael Ritchie replaced Davidson in 2005, but the

lineup has not slowed, and CTG still delivers top-notch plays and musicals to Downtown audiences. The prizes and standing ovations are too numerous to count, but a couple of things are clear: CTG started luring Westsiders to Downtown long before the recent crop of nightlife offerings, and restaurants and other businesses for decades have benefitted from audiences who decide to pair a show with a night out in Downtown. continued on next page

YOUR DOWNTOWN TOYOTA DEALER! “2012 CAMRY WINS NHTSA 5-STAR SAFETY RATING!”

Metro Briefs

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Metro Preparing To Open Expo Line

PRESENTING THE ALL-NEW

Metro has begun pre-revenue testing along the Expo Line corridor between Downtown LA and Culver City in anticipation of opening the new line. The light rail line is the newest extension of the 70-station Metro Rail system. Trains are running on a schedule of every 12 minutes along the route to simulate regular service.

2012 TOYOTA CAM CAMRY!

Disadvantaged Workers Get Boost From Metro

LEASE A NEW 2012 CAMRY SE FOR JUST

Metro has set a plan in motion to increase the number of disadvantaged workers hired to work on the agency’s transit and highway projects. An agreement between Metro and local building trade councils calls for 40 percent of the work hours on its projects be done by workers from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

229/mo!

LA Kings Fans Go Metro Rail

More trains, more often is the way to see the LA Kings take on their pro hockey rivals at STAPLES Center. Metro’s Red, Purple and Blue lines now have trains running every 10 minutes until midnight. Stay for the shoot-out and when you’re ready to leave, we’ll be there for you within 10 minutes.

plus tax on approved above average credit

Metro ExpressLanes Under Construction

Lease a new 2012 Camr y SE for $229 plus tax, 36 months on approved above average credit. $1999 due at lease signing, plus license tax and applicable fees. No security deposit required. 12,000 miles per year, 15¢ per mile for excess miles. See dealer for complete details. Offer ends 3/5/12.

Construction is underway to convert the carpool lanes along the I-110 and I-10 freeways to Express Lanes, specially designed to get you through tra;c with FasTrak®. They’re free to carpoolers, vanpoolers and motorcycles and available for a toll to solo drivers. For more information, visit metro.net/expresslanes.

Regional Connector Final Report In Review

If you’d like to know more, visit metro.net.

Metro is gathering public comment on the >nal environmental report for the Regional Connector Transit Corridor light rail line. The two-mile underground route will connect the Metro Gold, Blue and Expo lines through Downtown LA. For more information and to comment, visit metro.net/regionalconnector.

Call or visit today!

1-800-574-4891

• toyotacentral.com

1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center

24 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

continued from previous page

CIVIC CENTER

CENTRAL CITY EAST

Winner: CicLAvia

he Downtown Women’s Center has been helping homeless women since 1978, but its abilities skyrocketed last year. The opening of the $26 million Project Home, in a faded former six-story shoe factory at 434 S. San Pedro St., more than doubled the space the DWC had in its old Los Angeles Street location. The development created 71 permanent supportive residences

for women trying to turn their lives around, and doubled the number of lunches it serves each day. The project also adds to the community: It includes Made by DWC, a cafe and boutique which both employs the project’s residents and clients, and sells goods they have created. They offer handmade jewelry, one-of-a-kind repurposed journals and other unexpected finds.

photos by Gary Leonard

photo courtesy of Downtown Women’s Center photo by Gary Leonard

photo courtesy of Downtown Women’s Center

Winner: Downtown Women’s Center’s Project Home

veryone likes bicycling, but no one could have predicted how many people would turn out when CicLAvia took over the streets. The event which launched in October 2010, and recurred last April and October, did something magical: It pulled cars off more than seven miles of Los Angeles roads, and for a few hours gave the power to the cyclists, pedestrians, rollerbladers, families pushing strollers and anyone

else not in a motorized vehicle. Although CicLAvia spreads from East L.A. through Hollywood, much of the action takes place in Downtown, and the heart of the event is in the Civic Center, where tens of thousands of people seize the streets in the shadow of City Hall. Who knew that an event inspired by a happening in Bogota, Columbia could be so big? Get ready: CicLAvia rolls back into Downtown on April 15. continued on next page

THE PETROLEUM BUILDING Commercial Office Space for Lease

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February 20, 2012 continued from previous page

HISTORIC CORE

FIGUEROA CORRIDOR

Winner: Last Bookstore

ver the decades the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park had become a dusty, tired attraction. That began to change when the first part of a sevenyear, $135 million renovation came online in 2010, but it was nothing compared to the opening of the Dinosaur Hall last summer. An instant hit, the 14,000-square-foot permanent exhibition doubled the previous dinosaur display space. Now it thrills

kids, adults and paleontologists with more than 300 fossils and 20 full body re-creations, including a trio of Tyrannosaurus rex specimens. Crowds gawk at the longnecked Mamenchisaurus, the imposing Triceratops and the fossilized whales, turtles and giant reptiles. The exhibit is astounding, the crowds are coming, and thanks to these lovely bones, the Natural History Museum is more alive than ever.

photos by Gary Leonard

photo courtesy of Natural History Museum

photo by Gary Leonard

Winner: Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Hall photo by Gary Leonard

Downtown News 25

DowntownNews.com

lot of things are important in making a neighborhood a place where people actually come together. Few are as crucial as a bookshop. Although the Historic Core last year lost its stalwart Metropolis Books, it scored when Josh Spencer moved his Last Bookstore to a mammoth space at Fifth and Spring streets. The 10,000-square-foot literary emporium is

filled with great deals — many of the used tomes cost just $5. The room, meanwhile, reflects and serves its neighborhood, with a funky feel — there’s a taxidermy-style Wooly Mammoth head — amid soaring ceilings. The book business is brutal these days, but this community gathering place does more for the Historic Core than a thousand online retailers will ever do. continued on next page

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1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center

26 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

continued from previous page

LITTLE TOKYO

JEWELRY DISTRICT

Winner: Spice Table

photos by Gary Leonard

Winner: Bristol Hotel

he Bristol Hotel is worth noting not only for what it is — a 107-apartment structure at 423 W. Eighth St. — but also for what it prevented: a long-term spot of Downtown blight. The formerly rundown seven-story edifice was shuttered in 2003, and some quirky land-use covenants made it unlikely to be activated until at least 2015. Then Downtown developer Izek Shomof stepped up. He bought the 1906 property,

spent 18 months upgrading it and reopened it as low-income housing. He also put a D-Town Burger Bar on the ground floor, which both illuminated the building and created a sense of active connection with its neighbors, Colori Kitchen and the Golden Gopher bar. While some may have wanted market-rate units, the fact is, Shomof made the entire district better by getting rid of dead, boarded-up space.

fter serving as chef-de-cuisine at Hollywood’s hot Pizzeria Mozza, Bryant Ng could have opened his first restaurant anywhere. Fortunately for Downtown, he and his wife and business partner Kim Luu-Ng were drawn to the former Cuba Central space. Next to area stalwarts Weiland Brewery and Señor Fish, the Ngs have delivered an exciting take on Vietnamese and Singaporean fare. The airy,

brick-walled restaurant is dominated by a wood-burning oven, and Spice Table pulls crowds with the cold cut banh mi, a range of satays and numerous inventive dishes. The reviews have been effusive, with critics from Los Angeles Downtown News, the L.A. Times, the L.A. Weekly and more raving. Perhaps most importantly, Spice Table continues Downtown’s trend as the city’s most inventive culinary community. continued on next page

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Rise of the Machines

SOUTH PARK

Winner: Grammy Museum

photos by Gary Leonard

Photos by Gary Leonard

n one sense, it’s easy to overlook the Grammy Museum: The South Park attraction is in the literal and figurative shadow of Staples Center, the Nokia Theatre and other L.A. Live destinations. However, few cultural institutions anywhere are so well put-together. The museum opened in late 2008, and under Executive Director Bob Santelli has hosted a range of exhibits on artists including Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley and George Harrison. The $34

million museum’s permanent displays impress with an array of interactive exhibits. Not to be missed are the public programs, where some of the biggest names in all styles of music — everyone from Stevie Nicks to Flava Flav — come together to talk and do a few songs before crowds of about 200. The Grammy Museum never stops entertaining, and the benefits never stop for Downtown. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

ere’s one big element people rarely consider when thinking about a major construction project: How do the escalators get there? The answer, at least in one recent case: with a 170-foot tall crane. On Sat., Feb. 11, the escalator banks were lowered into place at the Figat7th shopping center. The outdoor mall is undergoing a

$41 million renovation that will be highlighted by the opening of Downtown’s first Target. The new escalators replace the old zigzagging escalator scheme and will help connect the Target with Financial District pedestrians. The project from Brookfield Office Properties is slated to open in the fall.

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CALENDAR DAR

FIDM Brings Back Display of Hollywood’s Top Costume Work by Kat Mabry

hunky jewelry knockoffs and the latest clothing trends are found in excess in Downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District. Something more unique is on display a few blocks away at South Park’s Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising: outfits from the five films nominated for the 2012 Oscar for Best Costume. The FIDM Museum & Galleries last week launched its 20th installment of the Art of Motion Picture Design. The exhibit at 919 S. Grand Ave. runs through April 28. Admission is free. The show was launched in 1993 as a small exhibition intended to be a one-off. However, it drew surprisingly large crowds and proved too popular to not repeat, said FIDM costume historian Kevin Jones. Downtowners are known to return each year to get close to what they see in darkened theaters, according to museum director Barbara Bundy.

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at hand corner maillist Outfits from The s/ e upper right symbol in th ntownnews.com/form WSright) is th r fo E-NE(top Artist and ok w Lo www.lado N UP IG S Hugo are among the designs on display at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising’s 20th annual installment of the Art of Motion Picture Design. All five nominees for the 2012 Best Costume Oscar are featured.

“I think that Los Angeles is synonymous with Hollywood and Hollywood is synonymous with film, and we all have that wonderful curiosity about what the movies are like,” said Bundy. “When you go to the movies you know that it works, but you don’t really know why.” The Art of Motion Picture Design seeks to explain that why, with a well-lit first floor showroom filled with more than 100 mannequins portraying garments from dozens of films. Many are displayed in what are essentially dioramas, with backing accessories that recall the movie. The costumes are as varied as what Hollywood churns out. The exhibit features everything from the 1920s duds seen in the Oscar-nominated Jane Eyre to the colorful vintage dresses worn in The Help. The variety extends to the striking red, white and blue suit worn by the heroic title character in Captain America. To mark the 20th anniversary, FIDM has mixed the showcase on 2011 films with 28 historiStarts Feb. 3 cal Hollywood pieces from its own collection. The highlights from the past include Fred Astaire’s hat and tap shoes, the armor and sandals Kirk Douglas wore in the 1960 classic Spartacus, and attire that once draped 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow. Check OurVisitors Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com are often surprised at the way the costumes look in person compared to the flawlessness presented on screen. Often, filmgoers are unaware of how durable the outfits have to be to withstand the rigors of a long shoot. Jones noted that some garments don’t survive production. One dress on display from My Week With Marilyn is a re-creation of a gown that Marilyn Monroe wore in the 1957 film The Prince Starts and the Feb. 10 Showgirl. The new dress, designed by Jill Taylor from Clint Eastwood’s J Edgar. for actress Michelle Williams, was worn for 11 Other times, the selections are, well, different. That is apdays in a row during production. parent in a dress from the Kevin James film Zookeeper. There “Designers understand how textiles tran- are also outfits from A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. scend on screen,” said Jones. “The costume has One other difference from years past is that the gallery juxto perform just as the actor has to perform.” taposes several time periods, lining diverse outfits up side-byAlice side. Nick Verreos, a FIDM instructor and designer, said that Check Our Website forPaging Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com The exhibit opens with a gown from Alice although it can seem jarring, it has a purpose. in Wonderland, which won the 2011 award “The way that the costumes are arranged is more invitfor Best Costume. It is part of a tribute FIDM ing, as opposed to dividing them by rooms,” said Verreos. does at the annual exhibition for the winner “Everyone can enjoy the grandiosity of the exhibit.” of the previous year’s Oscar. Although FIDM is celebrating the current display, the orgaStill, the highlights are the outfits from nizers of Art of Motion Picture Design do not have much time the current crop of Oscar contenders. In to rest on their laurels. The exhibition takes a year to prepare addition to Jane Eyre, this year’s nomi- and work for the 2012 exhibit is already underway. nated films, all of which are showcased at FIDM, “Up to 80% of the exhibit is already set up when the nomiare Martin Scorcese’s Hugo, the Shakespeare-era Anonymous, nations released,” said Jones. Starts Feb.are17 W/E, directed by Madonna, and the silent film The Artist. One thing the organizers no longer have to worry about The clothes from the latter film are particularly interest- is getting the outfits. The longevity and popularity of the ing, in large part because it was shot in black and white. Jones Downtown display means that, if the clothes have survived noted that one of the dresses from costume designer Mark the production, costume designers — many of whom have Bridges was mentioned in the film as being red — in the ties to FIDM — want their work to be seen off-screen. FIDM gallery, visitors learn that it is actually brown. The colIn fact, Jones said, designers these days often contact FIDM or trick, Jones noted, was undertaken so that the outfit would to have their work featured, not vice versa. In the past, Jones Check Our Website Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com look better on black and whitefor film stock. said, “We used to have to go to them and beg.” Many of the pieces on display are from high-profile films. The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design runs through A group of mannequins sport the subtle shades and textiles April 28 at FIDM, 919 S. Grand Ave., fidmmuseum.org.

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Simon Says Occupy L.A. Opera Plácido Domingo and a 99% Tale Dominate the Stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion by Marc Porter Zasada contributing writer

ometimes, in opera as in life, it all just comes together. So it is with Simon Boccanegra, which opened recently at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and runs through March 4. The production originally mounted by London’s Royal Opera House gets a head start with the great Plácido Domingo in the title role. Fortunately, most of the complex elements that make up an opera — orchestra, chorus, principals, conductor, costumes — are also done right. The result is a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. It means that Boccanegra creates some of the best moments in the current L.A. Opera season. Simon Boccanegra debuted in 1857 and is one of composer Giuseppi Verdi’s less-frequently performed works. Audiences complain that the plot is convoluted, and the death throes of the second act run long even by the standards of grand opera. However, Boccanegra includes some of the most exquisite music Verdi ever composed, and in the hands of the present cast, the characters seem not just believable, but possessed of a wonderful humanity. The plot concerns a pirate who becomes first a war hero, and then by popular demand, the reluctant ruler of Genoa. As the story progresses, Simon Boccanegra loses not just his peace of mind, but the love of his life and his illegitimate daughter, only to find her living as an orphan in the house of his enemy, 25 years later. It gets more complicated, but that’s enough for now. Interwoven into the tale is a 99% vs. 1% sub-theme, as the “plebians” support their

pirate-ruler against the “patricians,” and Boccanegra struggles to hold the city together. Yes, it’s convoluted, but in the production directed by Elijah Moshinsky it becomes a retelling of the story of Job, with a timeless meaning. Certainly, the scene in which the chorus of plebes comes to “occupy” the Senate has a genuine poignancy for today. Domingo, undiminished at age 71, brings a deep nobility to the part of the pirate-turnedleader. He delivers not a stagey, but rather a very down-to-earth nobility, embodying a man trying his best to do good, but unable to control the bitterness that surrounds him. The famed tenor (and L.A. Opera general director), here singing baritone, seems to understand his music better and better as time goes on. He fills the hall not just with his still-extraordinary tone, but Boccanegra’s complex personality. As the daughter Amelia, soprano Ana María Martínez brings a purity of soul and voice, creating a symbol for the beauty Boccanegra can never quite hold in his hands. Her solos are stunning, especially her magnificent pianissimos. Additionally, the father-daughter duets, and the father-son duets with Fiesco (Vitalij Kowaljow) and Adorno (Stefano Secco) are thrilling. Back in the Chandler is Kowaljow, who played Wotan in 2009’s Ring Cycle. In that avant-garde production he was hardly allowed to act, but here he brings a sympathetic gravity, along with wonderful and deep bass notes, to the role of Amelia’s adopted father and Boccanegra’s rival. Secco, as Amelia’s lover, offers a bright and sincere tenor. Paolo, the plebian-turned-villain, is believably rendered by Paolo Gavanelli, though he might

Plácido Domingo plays the title role in a standout production of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra.

want to deepen the evil just a tad as the run progresses. Conductor James Conlon avoids any hint of melodrama in the score, and brings the whole production under his loving musical care. It emerges as a clean and highly lyrical rendering that makes one wonder why this opera is not mounted more frequently. Special mention goes to the L.A. Opera Chorus for their multiple roles and everinteresting performance. Director Moshinsky might have brought a little more violence

to the stage, but on the whole he makes the complex seem almost straightforward. Scenic design by Michael Yeargen is low key but often beautiful, playing tricks on the eye by using the same large columns in different roles. Costumes, by Peter Hall, add without competing. They are all wonderful pieces. They are even better when they are brought together. Simon Boccanegra plays through March 4 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or laopera.com.

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February 20, 2012

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LISTINGS

EVENTS

The Don’T Miss LisT

Tuesday, February 21 Lawrence Weschler at Aloud 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 765-6800 or lfla.org. 7 p.m.: In the years after World War II, the literature of Los Angeles, like much about the city, shifted. Smarty pants Weschler discusses this definitive period in Los Angeles’ literary life. Wednesday, February 22 Zocalo: Does Foodie Culture Do Anyone Any Good? Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 6171033 or downtownindependent.com. 7:30 p.m.: Adam Gopnik, author of The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food and the L.A. Weekly’s Jonathan Gold visit Zócalo to discuss the joys and pitfalls of the new place of food in our lives.

etting a ticket to Le Salon de Musiques is, for the lover of chamber music, roughly equivalent to a metalhead getting front-row tickets to see Metallica and a backstage pass to go chill with the band and sip beer out of a bathtub. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the monthly classical music program at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is the sort of intimate experience that melts the faces of classical music fans. On Sunday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., an expert quartet will play selections from Poulenc, Arnold Bax and Faure; after the show, enjoy fine food and champagne and discuss the merits of the pieces and the minute details of musical nuance. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (310) 498-0257 or lesalondemusiques. com.

Continued on next page

photo by Carole Sternicha photo by Craig Schwartz

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. Feb. 21: The Ben Perowsky Trio with Chris Speed and Tim Lefebvre. Feb. 22: Glenn Ferris, Charles Owens and James Leary. Feb. 23: Zach Harmon Group. Feb. 24: David Binney Group. Feb. 25: Snakeoil with Tim Berne, Ches Smith, Matt Mitchell and Oscar Noriega. Feb. 26: Eric Moore, Artyom Manukyan, Mahesh Balasooriya and Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater. org. Feb. 20, 8:30 p.m.: No topical cream can keep Incan Abraham away. These spooky space rockers are dominating their February residency with charm and grace. Feb. 21, 8 p.m.: Known Gayng member Channy Moon Casselle fronts her own set, Polica, with her trademark cyborg groove. Feb. 22, 8 p.m.: If you already purchased a ticket to see Sonoio at the Bootleg, you’re in for a cruel surprise: Alessandro cancelled. Don’t sweat it. Hard line electro compatriot Big Black Delta’s still on the bill with United Ghosts. Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.: It’ll be a Thursday night for whiskey drinkers as a bill of singer/songwriters regale you with cowboy-esque stories of honor and lonesome nights on the range. Brian Lopez, Tall Tales and The Silver Lining, Family Album and Delta Rae will all be on hand. Feb. 24, 8 p.m.: Dirty Ghosts are very discreet, but their bass-heavy indie jams will haunt your dreams. Feb. 25, 8 p.m.: Bleached, band name or one-

one

2 4T

he pretentious peddlers of high culture on the Great White Way are in for a surprise. For decades the lofty, highbrow, Knickerbocker set have been injecting their theater across the country, but the tables have turned on New York! In late March Clybourne Park, the biting and Pulitzer Prize winning show by Bruce Norris, will go to Broadway. This week, however, it’s in Downtown Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum. The performances in this sort of sequel to A Raisin in the Sun are powerful, and the writing is even better. It closes Sunday, Feb. 26, so don’t dally. See it and then tell your New York friends what’s in store. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

odern dance merges with a celebration of ancient Egypt and modern corporate machinations high atop Downtown. It occurs in Cleopatra, CEO, a completely original take on a world classic presented on the 51st floor of the Paul Hastings Tower. This is the last weekend to catch the show in the former executive offices of ARCO — it’s also probably your only chance to enjoy the jaw-dropping views and ornate furnishings of the oil giant. The work from Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre runs Thurs., Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. and Fri-Sat., Feb. 24-25, at 8 p.m. Experience the tumultuous life of the last pharaoh through the lens of enchanting dance, and avoid any and all asps. At 515 S. Flower St., (818) 784-8669 or heididuckler.org.

photo by Gary Leonard

photo by Matias Sendón

Friday, February 24 Austin Beutner at AIA|LA Mayoral Candidates Forum Deaton Civic Auditorium, 100 W. First St., (213) 6390764 or aialosangeles.org. 7 p.m.: L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne and city Planning Commission chair Bill Roschen will ask businessman and former L.A. Deputy Mayor Beutner about his vision for the city as it relates to planning, urban design and architecture.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

by Dan Johnson, listings eDitor calendar@downtownnews.com

road strokes of fiction blend with the shades of time and place in Argentinian luminary Mariano Pensotti’s play The Past Is a Grotesque Animal. The show, which runs Thurs.-Sun., Feb. 23-26, at REDCAT, has that most rare of theatrical elements: an actual revolving set, which is used to capture the trials and tribulations of the cast of characters as they experience life in Buenos Aires from 1999 to 2009. As scenes fade and shift, Pensotti’s work begs questions about the formation of identity and our inherent connectivity. REDCAT hosts three evening shows and one Sunday matinee. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

Thursday, February 23 Peter Diamandis at Live Talks City Club on Bunker Hill, 333 S. Grand Ave., 54th Floor or livetalksla.org. 7:45 a.m.: Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation, speaks on the promise of the future at this early morning event. Philip Levine at Aloud 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 765-6800 or lfla.org. 7 p.m.: Levine, who just happens to the 18th Poet Laureate of the United States of America, reads from his work and discusses life, literature and his time in the Golden State. No chanting “USA! USA!” after he reads.

sunday, February 26 Carter Woodson African American History Series 600 State Dr., (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org. 2 p.m.: Following a screening from the Eyes on the Prize documentary series, Brenda Stevenson of UCLA and Marne Campbell of Loyola Marymount will discuss the Civil Rights movement from 19541965.

Corporate Cleopatra, Theater With a Spinning Platform and Highfalutin’ Ideas

he early birds get the worm on Thursday, Feb. 23, with a talk by futurist tech patron and informational contrarian Peter Diamandis. At the 8:15 a.m. event organized by the Live Talks Business Forum, the audience will hear from a scientific renegade and optimist who garnered attention as CEO of the X Prize Foundation, which supports innovative technological research, including efforts to privatize space travel. Diamandis will be on hand to discuss topics including his newest book Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think. It all takes place at the City Club on Bunker Hill and tickets include a continental breakfast. At 333 S. Grand Ave., 54th floor, business. livetalksla.org.

photo courtesy Live Talks L.A.

30 Downtown News

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

February 20, 2012 word description of the entire night’s bill. The quartet will be joined by London, England’s own Veronica Falls and Neverever in a musical tribute to accessible indie rock and suburban high fashion. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. Feb. 23, 10 p.m.: We here at Los Angeles Downtown News were so shocked and delighted by the news that sexy sax man Sergio Flores would be kicking out the jams in the flesh at this week’s Broader Than Broadway, we nearly caused a horrific industrial accident in our haste to stop the presses. Then we put Careless Whisper on repeat. Casey’s Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. Feb. 24, 10:30 p.m.: For those about to rock, we salute you with a pickle back shot. TC4 is here again. Feb. 25, 10:30 p.m.: Death to Anders spreads a message of hope for the rock community and an ominous foreboding to any lonely Swedes named Anders caught in this Irish pub. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. Feb 20, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.: Rejoice Downtown, Nickelodeon’s own Fresh Beat band are here to help indoctrinate your children into a system of commodified mediocrity. Feb. 23, 8 p.m.: Silo vodka bar is the only acceptable way to pregame for Russian sensation Nikolai Baskov’s “Romantic Journey Tour” stop at LA Live. Feb. 24, 9 p.m.: Thank your lucky stars that DJ Hi Tek had a PC to make next level beats on. Otherwise the world might not have the charming collection of South African zef hip-hop known as Die Antwoord. Feb. 25, 9 p.m.: If you can’t be in Rio, Brazilian Carnaval ‘Exotica’ is the next best thing. Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com. Feb. 23, 8 p.m.: The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble featuring Phil Cohran makes an unlikely stop at Downtown’s resident electro club. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.: The lads from Mexicali, Reik, flaunt their Latin Grammy with a special sit down at the Grammy Museum.

Downtown News 31

DowntownNews.com Nokia Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6020 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m.: Los Angeles: the bold city where you too can shell out $125 to see an 11-year-old singer with an orchestra and enjoy an ESPN Zone all in the same entertainment complex. Arrive early for Jackie Evancho, as her bed time comes awfully early. Nola’s 734 E. 3rd St., (213) 680-3003 or nolasla.com. Feb. 20, 8 p.m.: Jacques Lesure Jam Session. Feb. 21, 6 p.m.: Nola’s Mardi Gras-Fat Tuesday Celebration. Feb. 22, 7 p.m.: Curtis Parry. Feb. 24, 7 p.m.: Amanda Castro. Feb. 25, 7 p.m.: Drew Simpson on guitar. Feb. 26, 11 a.m.: Sweet Baby J’ai. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or t heredwoodbar.com. Feb. 20: Fiddlin’ Frank Fairfield. Feb. 21: Death on the Radio with The Big Problem and Hari-Kari. Feb. 22: Northeast Records Showcase. Feb. 23: Club Blow Up with Thee Tee Pees, the Flytraps and the Swarm. Feb. 24: The Rebel Set, Some Days and CAB 20. Feb. 25: Black Bunny Disco. Feb. 26, 2 p.m.: The Charmkin Rebellion, Nostradumbass and Warm Climate. Feb. 26: Mad Dog & The Smokin’ J’s and So Cal Rocket Dynamics. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Feb. 20: The Katisse Buckingham Quintet bring their shades of molted jazz and one of the longest band names in the business. Feb. 21: Stanley Kubrick considered using pieces of the Makers music as the theme for the dancing satellite sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey but eventually decided on “Blue Danube” instead after test audiences found that the sheer compelling quality of the Makers’ music overshadowed the film itself. Feb. 22: Brandino is a fantastic jazz bass player in the vein of Jaco Pastorious, except not insane. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org.

Extraordinary Events • Festival Orchestra, Hugh Wolff, conductor Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and young artists from the USC Thornton School of Music and The Colburn School Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

• Three concerts featuring cellists appearing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Neeme Järvi, conductor

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán • Recitals and masterclasses given by distinguished stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt international artists coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese Los Angeles Downtown News coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Piatigorsky: Films and Panel 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CAwith 90026 Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada • Remembering Evan Drachman, Terry King, Lesser, phone: 213-481-1448 • Laurence fax: 213-250-4617 Mischa Maisky, Nathaniel Rosen, Jeffrey Solow, Art dirEctor: Brian Allison web: DowntownNews.com Raphael AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa email:Wallfisch realpeople@downtownnews.com ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins at Walt Disney Concert Hall • Mass cello ensemble facebook: PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard L.A. Downtown News • An evening of The Back Suites for Unaccompanied Cello AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt Presenters Partners AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Kim Brown, Catherine Holloway, Sol Ortasse, Brenda Stevens circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles www.usc.edu/piatigorskyfestival distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Kim Brown, Catherine Holloway, Sol Ortasse, Brenda Stevens circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News twitter: DowntownNews

The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

Feb. 22: W.H.I.T.E., Pangea, Feeding People and Chad and The Meatbodies. Feb. 23: Ruptures, Prison Library, Shivering Window and Melting Wreck. Feb. 25: David Shane Smith and Weatherbox. The Varnish 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com. Feb. 21, 9 p.m.: Jamie Elman tickles the keys. Feb. 22, 8:30 p.m.: Mark Bosserman.

FILM IMAX Theater California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 7442019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Soar over primordial earth in Flying Monsters 3D. Some 220 million years ago dinosaurs were beginning their domination of Earth. But another group of reptiles was about to make an extraordinary leap: pterosaurs were taking control of the skies. The story of how and why these mysterious creatures took to the air is more fantastical than any fiction. Experience the gripping story — full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery and triumph — in Hubble 3D, the latest film from the award-winning IMAX Space Team. Million Dollar Theatre 307 S. Broadway, (213) 617-3600 or milliondollartheater.com. Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m.: David Lean’s classic The Bridge Over the River Kwai screens. Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Feb. 23: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (1:20 and 7:10 p.m.); Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance 3D (11:20 a.m. and 2:20, 4:20, 5:10, 8, 10:10 and 10:50 p.m.); The Secret World of Arrietty (11:40 a.m. and 2, 4:40, 7:10 and 9:40 p.m.); This Means War (11:50 a.m. and 2:30, 5, 7, 7:50, 9:40 and 10:30 p.m.); Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (1:10 and 4 p.m.); Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D (11:30 a.m. and 1:50, 4:40, 7:20 and 10 p.m.); Safe House (11:40 a.m. and 1:20, 2:20, 4:10, 5, 7, 7:50, 9:50 and 10:40 p.m.); Star Wars Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace 3D (12:30, 3:40, 6:50 and 10:10 p.m.); The Vow (11:30 a.m. and 1:10, 2, 4, 4:50, 6:50, 7:40, 9:30 and 10:20 p.m.); Chronicle (1, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 and 9:50 p.m.); The Woman In Black (12, 2:30,

4:50, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); The Grey (1:30, 4:30, 7:20 and 10:20 p.m.). Feb. 17 (Partial): Act of Valor (11:50 a.m. and 2:30, 5:10, 7:50 and 10:40 p.m.); Gone (11:40 a.m. and 2:10, 4:50, 7:20 and 10 p.m.); Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds (1:30, 4:20, 7:10 and 10 p.m.); Wanderlust (12, 2:20, 5, 7:40 and 10:20 p.m.).

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Buddha Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly, (800) 838-3006 or bootlegtheater.org. Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.: John C. Reilly directs Evan Brenner in this one-man show dedicated to the “triumph and tragedy in the life of the Great Sage.” Clybourne Park Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand, (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.com. Feb. 25, 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Feb. 26, 1 and 6:30 p.m.: Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two events — 50 years apart — in the same north Chicago house.

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.

2 yOuR EvENT INFO

EASy WAyS TO SuBMIT

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

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

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February 20, 2012

What Do Anze Kopitar and Frank the Tank Have in Common? Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.: The Lakers host the always feisty Portland Trailblazers to start the week, and this is a game the Lake Show really wants to win. Why? Because the next

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Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Feb. 22 7:30 p.m.: The Clippers start the week in Golden State (Feb. 20), running with the Warriors. Then it’s back home to face the surprisingly strong Nuggets, who without Carmelo (now a Knick), without Kenyon Martin (now a Clipper) and without J.R. Smith (now a Knick), have managed to stay among the top teams in the West. After that the Clippers get a break. Well, some of them do. It’s

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All-Star weekend and, continuing the “pinch me” trope for Clippers fans, the team has two starters in the All-Star game in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Feb. 25, 5 p.m.: At press time the Kings were clinging to a seventh seed in the Western Conference, despite the fact that they hadn’t won consecutive games all month. To hold that spot, and the promise of a playoff birth, Anze Kopitar and the skaters need to take Frank the Tank’s advice (Old School, anyone?) and go streaking. This week, they play in Phoenix (Feb. 21) and Colorado (Feb. 22) before returning to host the Blackhawks. —Ryan Vaillancourt

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two matches, both on the road, will be even tougher. After hosting the Blazers, they head to Dirk country to tackle the Mavericks (Feb. 22), then visit Loud City to try and quiet Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

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34 Downtown News

February 20, 2012

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Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath at $695/mo. sec. deposit special @$100

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THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment

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premiere Towers

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madison hotel

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

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Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $30.00 •Weekly, $109.00 •Monthly, $310.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.) Starting Jan. 1, 2011

February 20, 2012

Downtown News 35

DowntownNews.com

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AUTOS Pre-OWneD

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THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

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PETS/ANIMALS

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2007 NISSAN FRONTIER N120553/ N129626

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2007 Nissan Quest 3.5S ....................................

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$10,995

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$44,891

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2009 MERCEDES C300W

$31,991 2009 Mercedes E350W ..................................... $31,991 Certified, Blk/Blk, 44k Miles. 111852-1/ B396329 2009 Mercedes ML350W4 ................................ $36,991 Certified, Wht/Blk, 29k Miles, 3.5 Liter. 5680C/ A447715

CARSON NISSAN

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2010 Mercedes GLK350W2 ..............................

2005 NISSAN TITAN

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$10,995 2012 Chevy Cruze ECO ..................................... $16,995 Loaded, Low Miles. F12014-1 2011 Cadillac Escalade ..................................... $45,995 Loaded, Navi and More. UC921R

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VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2008 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE

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2009 CHEVY IMPALA CH1041-1

2007 Pontiac G6 Coupe ....................................

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2008 AUDI A4 2.0T

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2008 Porsche Cayman Coupe .......................... Certified, Black/Black, 18k Miles. 8U762547

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36 Downtown News

Twitter/DowntownNews

February 20, 2012