05-17-10 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS

A report featuring the latest information on 74 Downtown projects, along with a special Downtown residential section.

May 17, 2010

Volume 39, Number 20

INSIDE

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT 11-24

W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

To Serve and Protect LAPD Officers Find Targeting Drug Dealers Named in Proposed Injunction Is an Arduous Task by Ryan VaillancouRt

Skating, shopping and drinking coffee.

Urban Scrawl on the new City Hall superhero.

staff wRiteR

he five hard bangs on the third-floor wooden apartment door come quick and deliberate, thud-thud-thud-thudthud. The middle-aged woman who pulls open the door appears on edge when she stares out at two LAPD officers. Koreatown is not the usual territory of Officers Alan Woodard and Nick Landry. They normally patrol Skid Row. The partners are here, about three miles west of the Central Area Police Station, in search of a convicted drug dealer

who authorities believe is still selling to addicts in the impoverished community. Also with them, out of view of the doorway for the moment, is their supervisor, Sgt. Fernie Montesdeoca. It’s about 10 a.m. Landry asks if the woman’s son is home. “He does live here, but he’s not home,” she replies, a rattle in her voice. “He’s not in trouble, is he?” “No, ma’am, he’s not in trouble,” Landry says. Woodard, who is holding a fiveinch thick stack of legal documents, adds, “We’re just here to bring him see Injunction, page 7

photo by Gary Leonard

(l to r) Lt. Shannon Paulson, Officers Alan Woodard and Nick Landry and Sgt. Fernie Montesdeoca. Paulson and Montesdeoca are coordinating the process of reaching 80 suspected drug dealers named in a proposed Skid Row injunction.

Readers Choice

Vote for the Best of Downtown and win.

Meter Madness

Dues and Don’ts

Program Will Raise or Lower Downtown Parking Prices Depending on Congestion

More Than 40 Olvera Street Merchants Withhold a Portion of Rent For Second Month

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

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hen Shannon Nelson comes to Downtown from her home in the San Fernando Valley, she knows finding street parking can be a hassle. “It’s hard to find a meter close to where you’re going, and it sucks when your time expires and you find a ticket on your windshield,” she said as she parked her Honda Civic on Second Street in Little Tokyo last week. A Los Angeles Department of Transportation pilot program set to begin next summer may help Nelson and other drivers find parking more easily. On the downside, depending on how many other drivers are also photo by Gary Leonard circling for a spot, it could New technology will boost or lower parking rates become more expensive to at 5,500 Downtown meters based on usage. park. ExpressPark, a one-year, $18.5 million DOT pilot program, drivers such as Nelson, who like the will implement on-demand pricing idea of more available spaces, but for 5,500 Downtown street metered dread paying more for a spot. spaces and 7,500 spaces in cityLikewise, some Downtown busiowned Downtown parking facilities. ness owners are on the fence about It is generating mixed reactions from see Parking, page 25

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

orty-four merchants at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument have withheld a portion of the rent they owe the city for a second consecutive month. The move, a protest of increases that would bring their rents up to market rate, means the cash-strapped department is now about $145,000 short of what it is owed for the last two months, said Robert Andrade, El Pueblo’s gen-

eral manager. Just as they did on April 1, the tenants gave the city only the amounts they had been paying before the increase. Andrade had prepared three-day eviction notices in April, but has been waiting for instruction on how to proceed from city officials, including the offices of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and 14th District Councilman José Huizar. Merchants have stated that they see Olvera Street, page 10

photo by Gary Leonard

The city is short $145,000 after 44 Olvera Street withheld a portion of their rents for the second consecutive month. They are protesting rate increases.

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AROUNDTOWN Major Streetcar Fundraiser Coming

ome big names are getting behind the effort to bring a streetcar back to Downtown Los Angeles. Plans for a major Sept. 30 cocktail reception/fundraiser were announced last week. The event at the L.A. Live Target Terrace will be co-hosted by 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, whose 2-year-old Bringing Back Broadway initiative has propelled the idea of a streetcar line. The other cohosts are philanthropist Eli Broad, developer Rick Caruso and Anschutz Entertainment Group President and CEO Tim Leiweke. The event will benefit the nonprofit Los Angeles Streetcar Inc., which was formed in 2009 to handle the design, construction and eventual operation of the proposed Downtown streetcar. The streetcar, which would connect L.A. Live to Bunker Hill, is estimated to cost $100 million. So far, a little more than $10.5 million has been secured. Huizar has pegged a 2014 deadline for opening the line, but that rests on $25 million the group is seeking from the Federal Transit Administration’s Urban Circulators program. The streetcar’s main southbound spine would be on Broadway, and the principal northbound corridor would be on Hill or Olive Street. Ticket information for the fundraiser has not yet been announced.

Vote for the Best and Win Big

he Best of Downtown is coming, and this year it will be bigger than ever. On Monday, May 17, Los Angeles Downtown News will open the polls for the 22nd annual Best of Downtown issue. Readers will have the opportunity to weigh in on more than 100 categories, everything from Best Restaurant to Best Cupcake to Best Pet Services to Best Book Store. All voting will take place online at votebestof. com. Voters who fill out at least 30 categories will be entered in a contest to win prizes including an iPhone, cash and gift certificates. The grand prize package includes a two-night stay at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, dinner for two at Sai Sai, $200 cash, dinner for two at Morton’s

The Steakhouse, a $150 Ticketmaster gift card and a Los Angeles Conservancy walking tour. Voting will continue until June 2 and the Best of Downtown issue will publish July 19. For more information, see the ballot in this issue on page 8-9.

Hail-A-Taxi Becoming Permanent

or more than a year and a half, a handful of Downtowners have taken advantage of a pilot program allowing them to hail cabs on the street, rather than at designated taxi stands. Now the situation is about to be extended in perpetuity. On Tuesday, May 11, the City Council unanimously approved a motion by Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry to make the Hail-A-Taxi program permanent in Downtown and Hollywood. The program allows cab drivers to idle at No Stopping and No Parking zones alongside parked vehicles to load and unload passengers. Taxis are still prohibited from halting at bus stops. The pilot program began in August 2008. Although some drivers have complained that they are still being ticketed for stopping in red zones to pick up passengers, city officials have reported an increase in taxi use, though they said it occurs more frequently in Hollywood than Downtown.

Two Stabbed in Separate Incidents

wo men were stabbed in recent, separate incidents in Downtown, and gang activity is suspected in both cases. The first occurred Sunday, May 3, after two men left Club Galaxy, a taxi dance club on Olive Street. One of the unidentified patrons got into a fight outside the venue with a man believed to be jealous of the patron’s courting of a dancer. The victim was stabbed in the torso, side, arm and neck, police said. During the ensuing police investigation, the victim identified Antonio Hernandez Cruz, 23, in a photo line-up. Cruz, an alleged member of the 18th Street gang, was arrested on May 8 when police waited for him at Club Galaxy. He was booked for attempted murder. In an unrelated incident, a street vendor believed to be in his 30s was surrounded and beaten by about six men on the sidewalk

on Los Angeles Street, near Fifth Street, on the afternoon of May 8. “The attack started as a beat down until the victim fell to the sidewalk,” Lt. Paul Vernon said in a statement. “According to one witness, most of the attackers backed away, then a lone suspect began ruthlessly stabbing the victim.” Police arrested a 17-year-old man with ties to the 5th and Hill gang on May 14. He was charged with attempted murder, police said. The victim remains in intensive care. “We know the 5th and Hill gang tries to control this area by taxing the street vendors for protection,” Vernon said. “The gang members are often vendors themselves. If someone does not pay their tax, they get beat up or worse.” Anyone with information on the case is asked to call (800) 222-8477.

L.A. Scores Microsoft Convention

he effort to make the new $1 billion L.A. Live hotel a player on the national convention scene paid some dividends last week, when city officials announced that Los Angeles has secured the largest convention in its history. On May 10, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa revealed that the city will host the Microsoft 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference. The convention, from July 10-14, 2011, is expected to attract up to 15,000 people, generate more than 50,000 hotel room nights and spark $45 million worth of economic activity, according to the mayor’s office. “This meeting underscores L.A.’s new reputation as a vibrant destination by the meetings industry, sparked by the addition of the L.A. Live campus,’’ Mark Liberman, president of L.A. Inc., the city’s convention and visitors bureau, said in a statement. WPC is an annual gathering for those who do business with the Washington state-based software giant. Securing major national conventions has been a goal of the city and Anschutz Entertainment Group, developer of the 1,001room Convention Center hotel. The facility includes an $80 million collection of meeting spaces and ballrooms intended to attract convention business.

Correction

he May 10 story “An Eye for Counterterrorism” misspelled the name of Renée Greif, a volunteer reserve specialist officer who helped create the LAPD’s iWatch program. She had been identified as Rene.

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May 17, 2010

Downtown News 3

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photo by Gary Leonard

WHAT’S IN STORE

Skate Café Skateboard Gear, Art Supplies And Free Coffee at Sixth and Los Angeles by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

Name Brand: Williams, who can often be seen skating around the Historic Core, has a stern rule when it comes to skateboards: “No blanks,” or no generic boards that come without a design or affiliation with a professional skater. Skateboards, like basketball shoes, are often branded with the name of a pro rider. Williams wants to support the people making a living through skateboarding, so most of the decks he stocks are signature “rider boards,” which go for $45. They stock a few boards by lesser-known companies for $35-$40. Little Easy Rider: Need a skateboard for a youngster? Or maybe you just have tiny feet? Skate Café sells the Termite board, a pint-sized version of a standard set-up, for $89.99. It’s been one of the shop’s best sellers since it opened in April. Ectoplasm Shoes: Williams sees Skate Café’s location, where Skid Row and the Historic Core meld, as a chance to embrace both communities. That’s in part why he enlisted Gerrie “Crushow” Herring, a Skid Row artist and activist, to stock some of his custom shoes at the store and paint a mural. Herring’s offerings include the world’s only Nikes customized in homage to Ghostbusters ($200), complete with neon green laces and ectoplasm dripping down the sides. You won’t be afraid of no ghosts in those. Urban Art: In addition to all the wheels, bearings and trucks — the metal axels made for skateboards — the shop’s display case holds books on street art. Foundation Cartier’s Born in the Streets; Graffiti, a big, colorful coffee table tome, is $45. Books chronicling street art in San Francisco, London and other locales are $15 each. If the books give you inspiration, Skate Café has an art supplies section, with packages of graphite pencils and paint markers ($4.99 apiece). Now You See Me: When you’re weaving down the street on your skateboard, you don’t want the sun in your eyes. That’s why the shop has dozens of custom-designed sunglasses, most of which would be at home in the 1980s. Mayfield has a special set of flip-up glasses, for when the sun turns to shade. All are $20. Get Your Helmets: One of Mayfield’s most popular accessories are his Kill Bill caps, by New Era. The baseball caps feature the kind of miniature brim favored by cyclists. They resemble tight-fitting little helmets and come in black, red and a shimmering silver. All bear the Soulful Commandoe emblem and a monogrammed bicycle wheel. T-Shirts: The T-shirt rack is stocked mostly with wares designed by local artists, or friends of the proprietors. Shirt King Phade, a New York graffiti artist, designed one shirt and painted a mural in the store. The best seller, though, is the store’s self-branded shirt — it reads “6th N LA,” for the nearby intersection. They come in an array of colors, but the most popular right now is in Laker purple and gold.

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The Good Stuff: It wouldn’t be a cafe without coffee, which is free. So is tea. So is wireless Internet. But if you want a cup of gourmet coffee, it costs $2. Skate Café is at 131 E. Sixth St., (213) 488-1409. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Going Commandoe: Mayfield handles the store’s fashion inventory. After dropping out of college and falling on hard times, he said he was homeless for about six months. He eventually found work and saved enough money to make his first batch of custom T-shirts. Slowly he built up his brand, Soulful Commandoe, which is now stocked at Skate Café. The line includes the Chuck Taylor hoodie, a $50, long-sleeved, black hooded sweatshirt. It looks like one of the iconic sneakers, with double-wide white laces crisscrossing up the front.

Local artist Gerrie “Crushow” Herring (left) models the Chuck Taylor hoodie, designed by Skate Café co-owner Nicholas Mayfield (right).

Figueroa

hen Cato Williams and Nicholas Mayfield opened Skate Café at Sixth and Los Angeles streets, they envisioned a skateboard shop that was more than a skateboard shop. Sure, they’ve got an array of boards and accessories, but they also wanted to sell basic art supplies, custom fashions and serve free coffee — hence, the shop’s name. As part of a series about Downtown retail, Los Angeles Downtown News checks out what’s in store.

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EDITORIALS Capping the 101 — Big Dreamers Needed

owntown Los Angeles has done pretty well thanks to those who dream big. About 40 years ago, the concept of turning Bunker Hill, a fading residential neighborhood, into a constellation of glittering skyscrapers must have seemed to many a pie-in-the-sky endeavor. In the mid-1990s, the vision of transforming a hardscrabble portion of South Park, a place speckled with faded motels and surface parking lots, into a multi-billion dollar destination complete with a five-star hotel sounded fantastical to most observers. Today, Bunker Hill is the center of Downtown office life, and L.A. Live draws millions of visitors each year to its hotels, theaters, restaurants and arena. The dreamers dreamed, pulled in help and money from those who can turn aspirations and renderings into concrete and steel, and Downtown was never the same. That same line of thought comes into play with the latest plan to “cap” the 101 Freeway in the Civic Center and build

a huge park on top. Initial designs have been crafted and some early numbers hammered out. Now all that is required is immense political will, widespread public buy-in and years of entitlement struggles, as well as environmental and other studies. And, oh yeah, hundreds of millions of dollars, if not more. Last week Los Angeles Downtown News reported on a plan to cap the freeway and create a park over it. It’s actually not the first time such a proposal has been broached. In the mid1990s, Nick Patsaouras gained some attention for an idea that seemed probably even more unlikely when it was raised. Of course, it went nowhere. Now, planning and engineering firm AECOM is taking a stab at the effort. This version of the idea flowed from a 2008 session in which international student interns worked with AECOM staff on the concept. The basics of the vision boil down to covering a quarter-mile long section of the freeway between Grand Avenue and Alameda Street, most of it below street level. A pub-

lic meeting on the proposal took place last week. In all likelihood, this project will never get to groundbreaking. Initial (and rough) costs have been put at $800 million, but really, who knows what the price will be once everything is factored in and all the hands reach toward the cookie jar? Entitlements have been pegged as taking five years, but it could easily be much longer. Still, the plan is compelling. Who in Downtown would not prefer to see green space and pedestrians instead of cars and exhaust? Quality of life would ratchet up from the day such a project opens. Despite the hurdles, the AECOM folk, and anyone else they can rope in, should plug ahead and dream big. Secure supporters, hold meetings, do whatever it takes to convince the world this is feasible. Capping the freeway may seem impossible and cost prohibitive, but more unlikely and more expensive things have happened in Downtown. Maybe it’s an idea whose time has come.

LAPD Adds a Worthy Tool With iWatch

n the post 9-11 world, it goes without saying that everyone should have the capacity to notice when a security threat arises, and know how to respond. Last month’s failed Times Square bombing was thwarted, at least in part, by observers who saw smoke in a parked SUV and quickly alerted authorities. It is that type of recognition that makes the Los Angeles Police Department’s iWatch program an appropriate and worthy effort.

No one can predict when the next attempted terrorist act will occur. But if the populace knows what to look for in advance, and if systems are in place for authorities to act on the information, the possibility of a catastrophic event may be lessened. Los Angeles Downtown News last week reported on iWatch. It is a program that holds particular resonance in this community, given the slate of potential high-profile terrorist

targets such as sports arenas, office towers and other spots that attract large crowds. The aim of iWatch is to alert people to understand what constitutes suspicious activities and behaviors, as opposed to phoning in calls based on a suspect’s ethnicity. The secondary element is giving people a place to go with the information, with a clearly delineated phone number and website. It’s a smart move given how 911 is often misused by call-

The Benefits of RAM

hen a slate of public officials gathered at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in March to announce a free medical clinic, they predicted more than 10,000 people would receive care. When the Remote Area Medical-Los Angeles event opened April 27, the expectation had been tempered to 8,000. By the time it closed on May 3, 6,619 people had received some form of treatment. Granted, that’s a big decline, but anyone who views this final number as a disappointment, or who harps on the fact that some people waited hours for treatment, entirely

misses the point. The fact is, the clinic organized by the Tennessee-based nonprofit Remote Area Medical was a great victory not just for everyone who received care, but for the entire region. It also showed a remarkable, community friendly use of the Exposition Park arena. Those who organized the event and the workers who volunteered to make it happen deserve congratulations. This marked the second regional RAM clinic. At an Inglewood event in 2009, 6,300 people received treatment. With advance publicity and a huge pool of uninsured and

ers with non-emergencies. There is also the wise tactic of ensuring that trained staffers are available to hear every observance, no matter how “small.” Some citizens in the past have been frustrated by their attempts to report troubling observations. It is unclear if iWatch or any other program will ever prevent a terrorist act. But its potential benefits are widespread — the number of Los Angeles police officers and other law enforcement individuals is a tiny fraction of the 4 million people who live in the city. We understand it’s a cliché, but it takes the effort of everyone to ensure that everyone is safe.

under-insured people in Los Angeles County, it was clear that crowds would flock to Exposition Park. The clinic appears to have been well organized. A system of dispensing wristbands specifying a certain day of treatment mostly cut down on the massive lines seen in 2009. The inside of the Sports Arena, meanwhile, was transformed into an epic sight, with lines of doctors, dentists, optometrists, nurses and other volunteer health professionals providing services the recipients could not otherwise afford. Although federal healthcare reform legislation has been passed, things will not change quickly. People will continue to be in need, especially in an area as big as Los Angeles. We hope that RAM comes back, again sets up in the Sports Arena, and is even bigger next time.

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

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins ProductioN AssistANt / EvENt coordiNAtor: Claudia Hernandez PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway, Tam Nguyen, Kelley Smith circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla 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.

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Get Rail, People Downtown Train Day Offers High-Speed Hopes for the Future

he thought of missing Huell Howser snaps my eyes wide open, even if it’s at the unforgiving hour of 10 in the morning. This gracious TV host, California’s state treasure and the man everybody loves to love, is speaking Saturday, May 8, at the Los Angeles celebration of Amtrak’s festive National Train Day, inside Downtown’s Union Station. Unfortunately for me, he’s due onstage in just over an hour. That’s why I’m forced to rush out of bed, skip breakfast and make a veritable beeline to the Gold Line. It’s not something I’m going to pass Howard Leff up. Not in these troubled times. We need this man’s optimism. By all rights, he should be our next govOF ONE ernor. You watch, he’d get those streetcars rolling down Broadway, along with trains, trolleys, light rail, flying monkeys, a Space Shuttle and just about anything else you can imagine. “Ama-a-a-a-azing!” he’d shout, after turning the slumping Downtown boulevard into the latest hot spot. “Wouldja look at this?! Another red-carpet Broadway premiere at the (insert the name of your favorite vintage theater) Theatre! Check out all the stars! Why, there’s Jamie McCourt and her new husband Jesse James — handing their Maserati keys to valet parker Frank McCourt. This could only happen in Los Angeles, thanks of course, to water from the Owens Valley! Wowwwww!” Howser displays this same wide-eyed enthusiasm for the Train Day audience, even though he’s perched on a makeshift stage inside Union Station’s historic, but rarely used, Main Concourse area. “Trains are on the comeback trail,” he says as I finally saunter in, frantically dodging strollers and balloons to make my way front and center. “People are realizing how much fun it is to ride trains.” He’s Amtrak’s cheerleader-in-chief for the moment, casu-

PARTY

ally ticking off the virtues of train travel, looking dapper in yellow, or maybe it’s California gold. Even the babies realize a visionary has appeared. Then, touting the benefits of rail travel, he drops the bombshell: “You can laugh at all the traffic.” There you have it. Howser, the chronically positive local icon, has finally found something at which to sneer.

I pop back to the Main Concourse stage for a short panel discussion featuring an Amtrak engineer, conductor and chef all sitting in a row, marking the only time an engineer, conductor and chef will appear so close together outside of a children’s book. Motivated, I pivot and march directly over to the California High-Speed Rail booth set up on an outside patio. This seems like the perfect place for me to jump on the train bandwagon, because I want to laugh at the traffic too, or at least make faces at it. And apparently, I’ve hit the jackpot. The high-speed rail people giddily inform me that the so-called bullet train is most certainly on the way. Howser’s right! A new era has begun! These sleek purple trains will zip from Union Station to San Francisco at a peppy 170 miles per hour, covering the distance in just over two-and-

a-half hours. Plus, at an estimated ticket price of $55, it’s quicker and theoretically cheaper than driving. Goodbye Grapevine! Oh, but the first train, they tell me, leaves sometime in the year 2020. I make a mental note to book by 2017. No later than April. Frustrated, I hunker down in one of those oversized brown leather Union Station lobby seats, poring over a more current Amtrak timetable. What if I need to procure some Fisherman’s Wharf sourdough within the next 10 years? The good news: The next S.F.-bound Amtrak trip departs at 1:15. The bad news: It’s not a train. It’s a bus (ugh!). To Bakersfield. Then it’s a six-hour train (yay!) trip to Emeryville, followed by another 25-minute bus (yawn) ride to San Francisco. That’s a nine-hour ordeal for $80. I can only hope the bread’s still warm by my 10:10 p.m. arrival. Does this mean I don’t get to laugh at the traffic? With my immediate travel plans now on hold, I stroll up the Union Station tunnel to tracks 11 and 12. That’s where the boarding area is roped off for a tour of some actual trains, including the Coast Starlight, which operates between Los Angeles and Seattle. Rail travel really does score major points once you’re finally on board. Even the most hardened traveler would agree that trains are way more civil, comfortable and fun than typical passenger jets could ever hope to be. Sleeping cars, dining cars (complete with actual china) and leisurely lounges featuring floor-to-ceiling windows easily trump dull, dreary and cramped planes. (Among the typical Coast Starlight menu options: Shrimp Scampi Romano with Polenta Cake & Edamame Succotash. Try ordering that on your next Delta flight.) Afterwards, I pop back to the Main Concourse stage for a short panel discussion featuring an Amtrak engineer, conductor and chef all sitting in a row, marking the only time an engineer, conductor and chef will appear so close together outside of a children’s book. Then it’s off to the model train displays, featuring the latest in miniature trains, little fake trees, tiny traffic signals and grown men who dress remarkably like 1976. They have a great time showing off their wares, these men, and I don’t have the heart to tell them that they could accomplish the same effect with a new iPhone app. Perhaps it’s best if they never find out. By this time, the rest of us are all shuffling out into the bright weekend glare, dreaming of our next long-distance railroad trip and hoping our romantic, exotic travel adventure doesn’t begin with a bus to Bakersfield.

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In The Heart of Downtown Los Angeles.

DOWNTOWN ST ORE

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com

Injunction Continued from page 1 some paperwork.” The man they are looking for is one of 80 individuals named in a proposed injunction targeting known Skid Row drug dealers. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich filed the injunction on April 7, and before Judge Teresa SanchezGordon can consider issuing an order to enforce the policy, the LAPD is required to notify, or try to notify, the 80 figures. For now, the case is a civil matter, and the named individuals will have the chance, should they take it, to contest their involvement and argue in court for an exemption. But if the judge issues an order to enforce the injunction, those who don’t seek or who are denied exemption will be held in contempt of court if found in the designated Central City Recovery Zone. Bounded by Broadway, Central Avenue, Third and Ninth streets, the area loosely traces the roughly square mile that Central Division police also call the “box.” But in looking to reach the named individuals, officers are finding that they often have to travel far outside of Downtown. Sour Grapes The injunction is Trutanich’s strategy for cracking down on the endemic drug dealing in Skid Row in order to make it safer for people to access the area’s social services, including addiction treatment. The injunction filing depicts a drug trade that preys on addicts, with reports of dealers waiting to serve buyers outside missions. All the defendants have at least two convictions for narcotics-related incidents that took place in the 50-block neighborhood, city attorney officials said. The individuals also share something else: Not one person named in the injunction is believed to reside in Skid Row, said Lt. Shannon Paulson, who with Montesdeoca is coordinating the injunction service process for the LAPD. Instead, they come into the area from other neighborhoods in South and East Los Angeles, deal the drugs, then leave. “If you look at a map of where they’re coming from, based on the addresses we have, it’s all over the place, like a shotgun blast,” said Montesdeoca.

While they are coming from an array of locales, a concentration of defendants resides in Watts, home of the Grape Street Crips. Law enforcement officials say that 53 of the individuals named in the injunction have known gang ties; 20 of them are affiliated with Grape Street, Paulson said. The city attorney’s office recently filed a new motion requesting to add the Grape Street Crips to the injunction as a single entity. A hearing to consider the motion is scheduled for June 15, but it is not yet clear whether enforcement of the Grape Street members would follow the same guidelines detailed in the initial filing, said city attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan. The gang is believed to have more than 2,000 members, Mateljan said. In addition to the 80 individuals, the initial injunction named 300 “John Does,” allowing prosecutors to add that many more defendants who they can prove are also known Skid Row dealers. Prosecutors’ ability to add more defendants was one aspect of the injunction that prompted concern from civil liberties groups and advocates for low-income communities, including the Inner City Law Center. Some contend the injunction would lead to law enforcement targeting innocent people on the street if they resemble defendants in the injunction. Paulson countered that the officers carrying out the service have been specially trained, first to identify the targeted figures, but also to understand that they don’t have reasonable suspicion to detain them. Instead, they are supposed to serve them at their home, or if they are seen on the street, it must be a consensual encounter, she said. Eight of the 50 officers on the Safer Cities Task Force are assigned to servicing the named individuals. If the judge issues an enforcement order, however, all 50 officers will get the same training, Paulson said. Disappearing Act Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph, who has worked in Skid Row for about 12 years, said he was familiar with many of the injunction targets before the filing. Even though the policy is not yet in effect, Joseph said many of them seem to have disappeared since April 7, when Trutanich held a high-profile press conference (which drew ample protestors) to announce the move. Joseph also recounted reports from the Midnight Mission,

where there is a poster of the 80 individuals, that people have been going inside to see if they appear on the list. “Once they find out they’re on it, we don’t see them,” Joseph said. If some of the suspects are laying low, Skid Row officers are seeing a tide of new faces in the neighborhood, Paulson said, which may indicate that the gangs are simply sending different members to ply their trade. “Some of the officers have formed the opinion that there are some new faces taking their places, which is what we expected,” she said. “The big thing will be, who will fill the vacuum?” It remains unclear when the injunction will be weighed in court. A hearing to consider the motion, as well as any requests for exemption, will not be set until more progress is made with the servicing, Paulson said. As of press time, 17 individuals had been served; 11 of them were in custody. So far, people have been served in county jail, through connections with parole officers and at their homes. Only one defendant was served in Skid Row, after one of the LAPD teams spotted him in San Julian Park, Montesdeoca said. Tracking down people on the list who are not in custody is time consuming, police officials said. For the initial serving, officers must make three “good faith” efforts to locate an individual, meaning they must show up at their latest recorded place of residence at least three times, on different days at different hours. If the person still has not been reached and given the five-inch stack of paperwork, the city attorney will post a public notice of service, with flyers in the recovery zone, Montesdeoca said. If the judge issues an order to enforce the injunction, the LAPD will have to serve the defendants again. But at that point, notification won’t be deemed complete until the individuals are physically served by police, he said. Back in Koreatown, the defendant’s mother had one more question for the officers. “Is it a good thing,” she asked? “Yeah, it’s a good thing,” Montesdeoca said. Though it is difficult to see how being named in the injunction is positive news, Montesdeoca put it this way: “Maybe he sees this and doesn’t come down there anymore, and it ends up being good for him.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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May 17, 2010

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May 17, 2010

Downtown News 9

DowntownNews.com

votebestof.com Readers Choice

It’s Time to Cast Your Vote! Voting will be open from May 17 through June 2, 2010. Vote online now at www.votebestof.com! Those weeks will go fast so don’t miss your chance to help define what is best about Downtown.

Win A WeekenD

on THe ToWn AnD More! Fill out the ballot and your e-mail address will be entered in our drawing. The grand prize winner will receive a complimentary two-night stay at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel that includes dinner for two at Sai Sai, $200 spending cash, dinner for two at Morton’s The Steakhouse, a $150 Ticketmaster gift card, and a Los Angeles Conservancy walking tour. It’s a great package, if we do say so ourselves, worth $1,000. Additional prizes: iPhone, cash prizes, gift certificates and more!

Voting will be open from May 17 through June 2, 2010.

2010 Best of Downtown Nominees Continued from previous page Pinnacle Travel Services Euro America Travel Bear More Fruit Travel AAA Travel Agency DENTIST OR DENTAL OFFICE Esthetic Dentistry Dental Group James C. Feng, DDS Zen Dental Plaza Dental Levon Solak, DDS Downtown Dental Calm Dental Metro Dental West Coast Dental Honda Plaza Dental LA Dental Clinic Kathy Maasoumi Family Dentistry BEST CHIROPRACTOR Courtyard Wellness Dr. Boris Mayzels Chiropractic & Wellness Center Chiropractic Injury Care Downtown Chiropractic Hector Ramos, MD Inc. Babak Omrani Chiropractic Corporation Chiropractic Care Center Akimoto Chiropractic Office I Chiropractic Ghiai Chiropractic, Inc. Healthy Ways Chiropractic BEST FITNESS Bally’s Total Fitness Educogym Gold’s Gym Ketchum-Downtown YMCA Los Angeles Athletic Club Pilates Plus Downtown LA The Yard Bikram Yoga Downtown LA 24 Hour Fitness Curves International Bonaventure Club Spa & Fitness Downtown Loft Training BEST JEWELRY MART St. Vincent Jewelry Center Broadway Mall California Jewelry Mart Chester Williams Building Fox Jewelry Plaza Great Western Jewelry Plaza International Jewelry Center Jewelers Mall Jewelry Theatre Building Jewelry Theatre Center

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May 17, 2010

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Olvera Street Continued from page 1 would be willing to pay higher rents, but contend that the increase to a level recommended in a city-commissioned study is too much too quickly. Huizar, who throughout the tense situation has pledged to work to prevent any evictions, last week said he sees a scenario in which tenants who are two months behind would not have to pay all of their back rent. Last Thursday, Huizar told Los Angeles Downtown News that a third party mediator may be brought in to negotiate different, permanent rates with the tenants. He said that until new agreements are hammered out, tenants can pay the rates implemented on April 1, and then be reimbursed the difference if they are owed anything. Or, he said, they could continue to withhold a portion of their rents until new rates are negotiated and then pay the city the difference. “We’re not doing any evictions,” Huizar said. “I think most parties will concede now that evictions are not the way to go. These strong arm tactics that have been used before are no longer in play. “We’re getting to the point where all parties will negotiate, mediate and come up with an amicable solution.” Thirteen tenants have paid the new rates. Another 17 have 55-year leases and are unaffected. Past as Precedent Under normal circumstances, said Andrade, when a city ten-

ant deliberately withholds rent, they can either file for a hardship exemption, which allows them to work out a repayment plan, or the city moves forward with eviction proceedings. In the current situation, however, none of the tenants have filed for a hardship exemption. Real estate experts say such inaction by the city can have the effect of emboldening the tenants. “What they are doing is illegal,” said Mike Russell of The Russell Company, a real estate development and consulting firm based in Playa Del Rey. Russell has long been familiar with the issue of rents at El Pueblo. In 1975, his firm was hired by the city to conduct a rent study. At the time, he was asked to determine fair market rates for the tenants. However, Russell said that after presenting his report to the city, no action was taken and no new rents were implemented. He said the situation 35 years later is similar. “The reason we’re here now is because somebody didn’t do anything in 1975, and there have been other opportunities along the way that people did not step up and do what’s right,” he said. “In the face of recommendations and the rent hikes you have tenants not paying and politicians not willing to act. That’s the bottom line.” Real estate experts say that tenants on Olvera Street, which attracts about 2 million visitors a year, have long had rents well below market value. An audit of El Pueblo conducted last year by the City Controller’s office found that Olvera Street rents average $1.35 per square foot, and that tenants of the puestos, the small kiosks in the center of the street, pay an average of $300 a month. The new rates were approved by the El Pueblo Board of

Commissioners in January. They followed recommendations in a study commissioned by the city that said retail tenants should pay $2-$6.50 per square foot, and that puesto occupants should be charged $950-$1,350, depending on location. Most of the new rents are at the low end of the study’s spectrum. Some merchants have protested the results of the report, and commissioned their own study from the firm Grubb & Ellis. Although that has been completed, it has not been publicly released. On Thursday, merchants’ representatives told the El Pueblo Commission that a different study is being conducted by Buss Shelger Associates, a Downtown-based real estate consulting firm. That study is scheduled to be released on May 20. With an approximately $800,000 subsidy from the city’s general fund needed to help El Pueblo balance its budget in recent years, increasing rents is seen as a crucial step in making the department self-sufficient. Some city officials have also indicated that the path taken by the department is appropriate. An April 8 letter from Trutanich to Huizar noted that rents on month-to-month tenants can be increased with 30 days notice; Olvera Street merchants were given approximately 60 days. Trutanich’s letter also indicated that the city is neither obligated nor required to give tenants 55-year leases, something merchants have been pushing for. Paul Hamilton, an attorney hired by the Olvera Street Merchants Association to represent them in the dispute, did not return calls for comment. What will happen next is uncertain. But Andrade is ready to move forward and still expects the tenants to pay what they owe. “I expect to fully recover all those dollars,” he said. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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2 1 3 . 7 0 6 . 6 8 2 7 | w w w. t h e y a r d m u a y t h a i . c o m

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 11

DowntownNews.com

Downtown developmenT

A Developing Picture The Latest Information on 74 Downtown Projects

RESIDENTIAL FOR SALE photo by Gary Leonard

655 HOPE

EL DORADO LOFTS photo by Gary Leonard

hen it comes to the development scene in Downtown Los Angeles, the only consistent thing is the inconsistency. It is nearly impossible to predict what will happen next. Consider: At the height of a market many dismiss as dead, Downtown becomes a leading candidate to hold an attention grabbing museum for Eli Broad’s art collection. Just when naysayers cluck that the current residential market is saturated, the complete-yet-never-opened 705 W. Ninth St. building is purchased for $110 million and is reborn as the WaterMarke Tower, complete with some upgrades. Of course, many anticipated developments continue to sit and wait, as developers hope for a thaw in the credit markets. At the same time, a handful of projects that fell into bankruptcy last year remain mired in the same predicament. In the following pages, Los Angeles Downtown News provides the latest updates on 74 Downtown projects. Close readers of the Project Updates will recognize that the list is shorter than in the past; Downtown News has eliminated updates for some projects that have been static for six months or longer, including those where construction has yet to begin. Of course, all that could change in the coming months. With this market and these players, no one knows what the future will bring.

photo by Gary Leonard

by Richard Guzmán, Jon Regardie and Ryan Vaillancourt

the side of the lot fronting Alameda Street, are still preliminary and there is no timeline for that portion of the project, Pilavjian said. Condo prices have yet to be released.

BARKER BLOCK According to the most recent information available, plans for Italian restaurant Primo Cucina to open in the Arts District project have slowed because of financing issues. Tripp DuBois of developer the Kor Group, who did not return recent phone calls, previously said a target date for the debut is this summer. The $75 million Arts District complex includes three residential buildings at 530 S. Hewitt St. with a total of 242 condominiums ranging from 750-2,400 square feet. Construction has not begun on two more buildings at 549 Molino St., which would house 55 residences. At barkerblock.com.

BARN LOFTS The adaptive reuse project at 940 E. Second St. in the Arts District is on hold due to issues with a lender, said developer Mark Borman. The development is 92% complete and Borman said he expects to finish and begin selling residences this year. The former Spreckels Brothers sugar beet warehouse will be transformed into a 58,000-square-foot complex with 38 market-rate, three-story, loft-style townhouses ranging from 1,300-2,600 square feet. Each unit contains two and a half bathrooms, two bedrooms and a roof deck, and the project holds 69 parking spaces.

BROWNSTONE LOFTS A summer completion is expected for a three-story, adaptive reuse project at 1168 W. Bellevue Ave., said Millie Radkovich, a spokeswoman for developer Brownstone LLC. The 1928 building will house 55 studio, one- and two-bedroom units starting at $375,000. The budget is not being disclosed. At thebrownstonelofts.com.

CONCERTO TOWER The Seck Group, developer of the 17-story adaptive reuse project at 655 S. Hope St., sold 30 units in the 80-condo building at an April 18 auction. Conventional sales are now ongoing at the $17 million project; the building with 11 levels of residential space features units from 600-1,268 square feet. There are also five two-story “townhouse” condos. The structure offers three floors of parking, a gym and a roof deck with a bar. The restaurant Qdoba is on the ground level. At 655hope.com.

ALAMEDA AND FOURTH CONDOS Construction continues on a $30 million adaptive reuse project in the Arts District. The development at Fourth and Alameda streets should be complete by mid-2011, said Peklar Pilavjian of developer Alameda and Fourth, LLC. The project involves converting a five-story, 1923 structure into 53 artistin-residence lofts, with units from 650-2,400 square feet. Phase two plans, which call for a new residential structure on

Construction is nearly complete on the second phase of Astani Enterprises’ Concerto development, a 30-story tower at Ninth and Figueroa streets. The building’s sales center is scheduled to open by the end of the month and construction is expected to be completed in July, a project spokeswoman said. Developer Sonny Astani’s sleek black edifice includes 271 studio to three-bedroom residences priced from $295,000-$3.5 million. Unlike with the first phase of the project, which used an auction to sell 77 units, this phase will utilize a conventional sales process. Move-ins are expected by August. There remains no timeline for the third Concerto component, which would add another 281 marketrate condominiums in a second 30-story tower on the same block. That phase is approved and entitled, but Astani has said it would not break ground until the market improves. The entire project includes 27,500 square feet of retail space, 1,000 subterranean parking spots and a pedestrian paseo connecting Figueroa and Flower streets. The buildings will wrap around a courtyard with a one-acre park. A sales and design center is at 900 S. Figueroa St. At concertodowntown.com.

After planning an auction for April 25, developer Downtown Properties cancelled the sale at the 65-unit 1913 building to take care of water pressure issues. The developer needs to replace a water line which is too old to adequately service the renovated building’s sprinkler system. Instead of the auction, Downtown Properties is selling the units conventionally, with condominiums priced close to their starting bid levels, company partner Bill Stevenson said. The lowest priced units had been set at $245,000, with the largest residences beginning at $595,000. There is no set timeline for the opening of the building, Stevenson said. At eldoradolofts.com.

HEWITT FIRST Officials with Hewitt First developer Mika Realty Group previously said that move-ins for the 33-unit project were expected to begin late last year. However, the development is not open, and no signs of construction are apparent from the street. The residences would be in two buildings at 120-130 Hewitt St. in the Arts District. The project would include a central entrance with a water fountain powered by solar energy. Units range from 800-2,500 square feet and would have 18-26 foot cathedral ceilings and stainless steel kitchens. At hewittfirst.com.

LIBESKIND TOWER Alex Rabe, press coordinator for Studio Daniel Libeskind, the architect of the project, said developer Human Technologies LLC is still trying to secure a construction loan for a fully entitled 43-story tower. The development is slated to rise on two South Park parking lots at 1340-1360 S. Figueroa St. and 1355-1365 S. Flower St. There will be 35 levels of housing with 273 residences over an eight-floor podium and two subterranean levels. Plans also call for 11,673 square feet of space for two restaurants, a 9,325-square-foot spa and 379 parking spaces. There is no public timeline or budget.

MEGATOYS RESIDENCES Plans to construct a six-story, 320-unit project on the site of the 49,000-square-foot Megatoys warehouse and an adjacent parking lot were expected to go before the City Council in April, but due to city budget hearings had to be pushed back to an as-yet unknown date, said Veronica Becerra, a project representative. However, the project is moving forward, she said. The 2.9-acre effort is being developed by Downtown businessman and Megatoys owner Charlie Woo. It would include for-sale residences, nearly 16,000 square feet of retail see Projects, page 12

12 Downtown News

SHY BARRY TOWER II Construction on a six-story parking garage at 601 S. Main St. will start in about six months, said developer Barry Shy. He said construction will take about two years. Shy plans eventually to erect a 40-story, 700-unit condominium tower on the same parcel. He said he will not start that project until the economy improves.

RESIDENTIAL FOR RENT 1027 WILSHIRE Central City Development Group continues to work with the Amidi Real Estate Group on plans to create a 356-apartment complex at 1027 Wilshire Blvd. in City West. The low-rise structure would include 5,000 square feet of retail and 5,000 square feet of office space, said Hamid Behdad of the CCDG. No budget or timeline information has been announced. Previously the developers had looked at building a 52-story condo project on the site, but changed course because of the shift in the economy.

AMP LOFTS A proposed adaptive reuse project at 695 S. Santa Fe Ave. in the Arts District received final approval from the Community Redevelopment Agency in April, but it remains on hold as developers David Seewack and Scott Spiwak wait for the credit market to improve. The project that would transform an industrial property into 180 live-work lofts and 3,000 square feet of retail space is expected to cost about $95 million, consultant Kate Bartolo said. The building currently houses American Moving Parts, a truck parts company owned by Seewack and Spiwak. The project has been in the developmental stage for about four years.

BRISTOL HOTEL Eric Shomof, who with his father Izek Shomof is working on the transformation of the 104-year-old Bristol Hotel, said they are going through city inspections for the former residential hotel at 423 W. Eighth St. The affordable housing complex will open in about a month. Shomof said he will seek to enroll the property, which will offer 107 efficiency units, in the Section 8 federal rent subsidy program. The ground floor is slated for a cafe and a D-Town Burger Bar. The project was privately funded, though Shomof has not disclosed the budget. Shomof purchased the 1906 edifice from Adolfo Suaya for $2.5 million in 2009.

BROCKMAN BUILDING

CHINATOWN METRO APARTMENTS According to the most recent information available, Meta Housing, a West Los Angeles-based for-profit developer of affordable housing, is still piecing together financing to convert two structures at 808 N. Spring St. into a 134-apartment complex. One of the buildings, a nine-story edifice built in 1918 as a storage facility for nearby train depots, is the tallest structure in Chinatown. The company entered escrow in 2009 to purchase the property from the Kor Group, which had planned a market-rate project at the site, for $12 million. The deal was slated to close once Meta completes funding applications, Meta Housing project manager Tim Soule said earlier this year. The estimated project cost is $51.3 million.

CRAZY GIDEON’S PROJECT Crazy Gideon’s, the landmark electronics store in the Arts District, closed earlier this year. Gideon Kotzer, the owner of the edifice at 814-828 E. Traction Ave., has said he plans to turn the building a short walk from the Southern California Institute of Architecture into 75 residential units. However, Kotzer has said he intends to wait until the economy improves before proceeding, something he has said could mean at least a three-year delay. The plans call for 6,900 square feet of ground-floor commercial and retail space at the 39,000-square-foot edifice.

DA VINCI There remains no construction timeline for G.H. Palmer Associates’ proposed 627-apartment City West complex. The development is currently in the planning stage. Da Vinci would rise at Fremont and Temple streets on a 193,000-square-foot site that Palmer bought in 2004 for about $9 million. The 578,172-square-foot complex would put five floors of housing above three levels of parking with 8,158 square feet of street-front retail. It would feature two pools and a full-size basketball court. The Da Vinci site includes a parcel on Temple Street that abuts the nightclub Vertigo’s. Palmer has said he plans to build around the onestory club, but that he would consider purchasing the property if it becomes available. The project is slated for a 2015 completion. At ghpalmer.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

Continued from page 11 space and 766 parking spaces. No budget information has been released.

The 12-story, 80-unit building at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue has been renovated but remains unopened and under the care of a bankruptcy court-appointed trustee. Lender Bank of America is expected to foreclose on the property in the second half of the year, said trustee Amy Goldman of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. The bank recently authorized Goldman to finalize some construction details needed to obtain a certificate of occupancy, but there remains no timeline for when the building at 530 W. Seventh St., originally constructed as condominiums, might open. Developer the West Millennium Group has been out of the project since defaulting on a $35 million loan and filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in March 2009. The property continues to house the Italian restaurant and market Bottega Louie on its ground floor.

ins this month, company owner Geoff Palmer said. Orsini III is a six-story, 210-unit project at Figueroa Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue; it sits across the street from Palmer’s existing Orsini I and Orsini II. The $43 million effort will feature studio, one- and two-bedroom units, a three-level podium with 13,000 square feet of commercial space and a 477-car garage. Ninety-five apartments will come to market this month, with the balance expected to open in June. At theorsini.com.

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 remains on hold. The nonprofit developer is waiting for its lender to approve a construction loan for the project at 403 E. Fifth St.; the loan has been delayed in part by the state budget crisis, said Joseph Corcoran, SRO Housing’s director of planning and housing development. Construction would take one year, he said. At srohousing.org.

PIERO II Construction is underway on developer G.H. Palmer Associates’ 335-apartment complex at Bixel and St. Paul streets, company owner Geoff Palmer said. The City West project follows the same Italian villa-inspired design as Palmer’s other Downtown projects, including the Piero I, which is adjacent to the proposed second stage. Piero II would include a pedestrian bridge over St. Paul Street that would connect a rooftop swimming pool deck to the first phase of the Piero. The $70 million development is tentatively slated for completion in 2012. At ghpalmer.com.

RENATO APARTMENTS photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

photo by Gary Leonard

May 17, 2010

Development

GATEWAYS APARTMENTS SRO Housing Corp. is applying for funds to build a 108-unit affordable housing project on a 22,000-square-foot vacant lot at Fifth and San Pedro streets, said Joseph Corcoran, the nonprofit developer’s director of planning and housing development. Plans are in the early stage, but SRO is on pace to begin construction in February 2011. At srohousing.org.

NEW GENESIS APARTMENTS Nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust broke ground in April on a $22.3 million affordable housing development at 458 S. Main St. The project will include a solar energy system on its 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 certification standards. Designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, the New Genesis will provide 106 units, mostly for homeless individuals. It is funded by a mix of local, state and federal sources. Twenty-five percent of the apartments will be set aside for working individuals earning less than $37,260 per year. Ninety-eight of the residences will be efficiency apartments, and eight will be one-bedroom, loft-style spaces. Completion is expected in August 2011, said Roxana Janka, a project spokeswoman.

ORSINI III The third component of developer G.H. Palmer Associates’ Orsini apartment complex is on pace for a June completion, but a smaller phase of the project will open and begin move-

Construction on nonprofit developer SRO Housing Corp.’s Renato Apartments, a 96-unit complex for the chronically homeless, is about 70% complete, said Joseph Corcoran, the company’s director of planning and housing development. The project, which will replace the Leo Hotel, includes two levels of subterranean parking with 64 spaces. The $25 million effort at 531 S. San Julian St. is scheduled to finish in late August. Fifty-eight units will be reserved for chronically homeless, mentally ill people. All the apartments will measure about 350 square feet and will include kitchenettes and private bathrooms and come furnished. It is expected to be fully occupied by October. At srohousing.org.

STAR APARTMENTS The nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust is planning a 102-unit permanent supportive housing project at the southeast corner of Sixth and Maple streets. SRHT is currently securing financing for the effort, though as with most of the company’s projects, the Star would be funded by a mix of private and public dollars. It would involve upgrading an existing property as well as some new construction. The budget see Projects, page 14

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 13

Development

AdAptiVe reuSe

The Subway Terminal Building, constructed in 1925, is a 12-story office building of 482,450 square feet. The building design features four north-south wings, joined by an east-west corridor.

HiStoric lAndMArkS

Located in the Broadway Theater and Commercial District, the Eastern Columbia Building is thirteen stories high. It is built of steel reinforced concrete and clad in glossy turquoise terra cotta trimmed with deep blue and gold terra cotta.

NYA completed the first major renovation to Dodger Stadium since it opened in 1962. Along with seismic and structural improvements, additions include a new restaurant, 35 private luxury suites and a complete business center. New seats were added along each baseline and directly behind home plate as well as a new members-only restaurant, The Dugout Club.

The design process for the Convention Center Hotel at LA Live exemplifies a successful collaboration of performance-based engineering and rigorous peer review by a panel of noted experts in each structural system type. The result minimizes the cost and construction schedule while maximizing the interior space available for architectural programming.

inStitutionAl

At Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral the challenges was a robust design that preserved the function and integrity of the sanctuary but within budget. Using Advanced Analysis/Design Methods and Materials Sciences Technology NYA developed creative solutions and methodology to transform these performance goals to quantifiable engineering parameters.

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The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades project involved a transformation in excess of $150 million to convert the existing site into a new center for the study of classical antiquities, archeology, and comparative ancient cultures.

educAtionAl

The new LAPD Headquarters Facility was designed from both an expression of a stylized and functional architectural form combined with the successful implementation of structural innovation through the use of a Buckling Restrained Braced Frame (BRBF) lateral force resisting system.

Los AngeLes

The Renovation, restoration and repair of Los Angeles City Hall with AC Martin Partners has won many awards for NYA including the 2002 Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award, 2002 City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission “Heritage Award” and the 2001 American Institute of architects Building Team of the Year.

Mixed uSe / entertAinMent

SportS VenueS

UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion will have a new 15,200 sq.ft. enclosed glass concourse. 22,000 sq.ft. of area at two new basement levels will be added. The roof of the “Pavilion Club” will be suspended from the concourse façade above to provide 11,000 square feet of column free club space for maximum flexibility.

NYA carried out the Seismic evaluation and conceptual strengthening of The L. A. Coliseum structure. Cantilevered press boxes, suites, ancillary buildings were added and the field was lowered in the off-season and finished in time for the new football season.

NYA is providing structural engineering services for the new California Nanosystems Institute at UCLA. This new 6-story facility is approximately 180,000 sq.ft. In collaboration with architect Rafael Vinoly, NYA conceived a structural system that not only responded to the many complications of the building type but is also a significant element in the overall architectural design.

orAnge county

949.263.9920

Miguel Contreras Learning Center, formerly known as LAUSD High School #10 opened in September 2006. NYA provided structural engineering and construction documentation support to Johnson Fain Architects during the construction of this campus. This project involved the re-development of over 19 acres in West Central Los Angeles.

sAn frAncisco

415.397.5213

14 Downtown News

May 17, 2010

Development

THE FORD Developer SRO Housing Corp. broke ground last month on a transformation of the Ford Hotel at 1000 E. Seventh St. into 151 studio apartments. The hotel currently has 295 units and is occupied by 132 people, but the building is dilapidated, said Joseph Corcoran, SRO Housing’s director of planning and housing development. The $25 million project will create 90 units for chronically homeless individuals, Corcoran said, with each one holding a kitchenette and bathroom. The remaining apartments would be for low-income residents earning up to 50% of the Area Median Income (approximately $60,000). Construction is expected to take 15 months. During construction, current tenants will be relocated to other SRO Housing properties. At srohousing.org.

MEDALLION

Coast President Bill Witte said the project’s 16-acre, $56 million Civic Park is still expected to break ground this summer; it will ultimately stretch from the Music Center to City Hall. There remains no current timeline for the rest of the project, which includes a 48-story Mandarin Oriental Hotel & Residences with 295 hotel rooms and 266 condominiums, a 19-story tower with 126 market-rate apartments and 98 affordable residences, and a 250,000-square-foot retail pavilion. One parcel set aside for a later phase of the project could become home to a museum housing Eli Broad’s art collection.

UNIVERSITY GATEWAY photo by Gary Leonard

Continued from page 12 is uncertain, but a groundbreaking is expected in early 2011, said Molly Rysman, director of external affairs for SRHT.

photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

Moinian’s director of development. The decision grants some relief to Moinian, but does not necessarily move the $1 billion project closer to groundbreaking. The company is still looking for construction financing to build what will likely be a scaled-down version of the project that the city has entitled, Brecher said. The initial plan was to build 53- and 37-story towers housing 860 condominiums, plus 250,000 square feet of retail space, a grocery store, restaurants and a boutique hotel with 222 rooms. A dispute between AEG and Moinian over use of the property as a parking lot before construction begins was also resolved in March, resulting in AEG operating a parking service there for now.

photo by Gary Leonard

WATERMARKE TOWER

Construction is now two months ahead of schedule on the 421-unit student housing complex University Gateway. The $168 million project developed by Urban Partners, at 3335 S. Figueroa St., is nearing completion and residents are expected to start moving in on June 30, said Laura Nissley, leasing manager for the project. The eight-story complex will allow students to lease by the bed, so roommates will pay individually. The project will hold about 1,600 students, with a bed in a two-bedroom apartment starting at $1,064. A single-occupancy, one-bedroom apartment will start at $2,570. University Gateway, designed and being built by Clark Construction, will also house 81,500 square feet of ground-floor retail and 770 on-site parking spaces. Another 440 parking spaces will be a block and a half away at the USC Parking Center. At livegw.com.

NIKKEI CENTER

Developer Meruelo Maddux Properties sold the 35-story project at 705 W. Ninth St. to Corona-based Watermarke Properties in April for $110 million. Watermarke has already begun leasing the tallest residential building Downtown as apartments. The project, formerly called 705 W. Ninth, has been renamed the WaterMarke Tower. Peter DiLello, director of acquisitions for Watermarke, said units will rent for $2,300-$5,000. The building also has four, two-level penthouses that will likely go for between $13,000 and $15,000, he said. Though Meruelo Maddux had completed the 214-apartment building, Watermarke is planning some changes, including touch-ups in units and a makeover of the lobby, DiLello said. Meruelo Maddux’s sale to Watermarke came along with a settlement with lender Canyon Capital Realty Advisors, which had financed construction of the tower with an $84 million loan.

MIXED USE L.A. CENTRAL The proposed mixed-use mega project across from L.A. Live in South Park inched forward in March after its lender agreed to extend the developer’s financing. The New York-based Moinian Group had been facing foreclosure on the property since November, after it defaulted on a Wachovia loan for $55 million used to purchase the four-acre site. Moinian bought the current parking lot for $80 million from L.A. Live developer Anschutz Entertainment Group in 2006. Wells Fargo, which has since taken over Wachovia, has agreed to withdraw its effort to pursue foreclosure and instead will give Moinian new flexibility to pay its debt, said Oskar Brecher,

Jon Kaji of Kaji & Associates, the managing partner in the project, did not return recent calls. He previously stated that developer Nikkei Center LLC has an agreement with the city to purchase a five-acre parcel at First and Alameda streets for $44 million. The sale was expected to close before the end of the year. Nikkei Center LLC was selected in 2008, after a ninemonth competition, to develop the property bordering Little Tokyo and the Arts District. The city-owned site, known as Mangrove, is part of a 10-acre plot that also contains a fire station and an emergency operations center. Funding has not yet been secured for the $300 million development that would include 400 apartments, with 110 reserved for seniors and low-income residents; 80,000 square feet of largely Japanese-themed retail; an office tower; nearly 1,300 parking spaces; and public gardens. Urban Partners, an original member of the development team, dropped out.

SANTEE VILLAGE According to the most recent information available, one of the four for-sale buildings in the Fashion District mega-complex has been completed, but still has yet to open. Altogether, Santee Village houses 445 residences and 66,000 square feet of retail space. Bank of America has taken ownership of the four condominium buildings at the 780,000-square-foot project. In 2008, original developer MJW Investments backed out of the condo portion of the effort, leaving the buildings (and a $67.5 million loan from Bank of America) in the hands of its secondary lender, the Connecticut-based Patriot Group. The Patriot Group subsidiary Santee Village Partners LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009, according to court documents, but never followed through with a reorganization plan. Bank of America then took over.

THE GRAND Most of The Grand, a $3 billion, Frank Gehry-designed overhaul of Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill, remains stalled. Developer Related Cos. has been unable to obtain the $700 million in construction financing needed for the 1.3 millionsquare-foot first phase of the project. However, Related West

VIBIANA Negotiations are underway for a new restaurant in the former home of the mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said Anika Warden Ingalls, sales manager for Vibiana. Developers Gilmore Associates and Weintraub Financials Inc. recently completed a renovation of the events venue. The upgrades include a garden redesign, mechanical system improvements and a new kitchen. Plans also call for the transformation of the more than 130-year-old landmark into a new performance space, but there is no timeline yet for a long-term plan for that use. Additionally, Gilmore has discussed a high-rise for the property immediately south of the former cathedral. At vibianala.com.

WILSHIRE GRAND/ KOREAN AIR PROJECT Developer Thomas Properties Group is working on entitlements for a $1 billion redevelopment of the Wilshire Grand hotel at 930 Wilshire Blvd. Financing information has not been disclosed, and there is no current timeline for razing the hotel and replacing it with a residential, office and hotel complex, though the new effort could come in phases. Owner Korean Air announced the project last year. Preliminary plans by AC Martin Partners call for a 45-story tower with approxi-

Renderings by AC Martin Partners

After multiple days, the $125 million-plus project in the Old Bank District is slated for completion this summer, said developer Saeed Farkhondepour. The initial phase of the development on the northeast corner of Fourth and Main streets will bring 96 apartments in a six-floor building, as well as 85,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage for 260 cars, according to the website of project architect M2A Architects. A pocket park is also part of the design scheme. Originally the project was slated to hold about 200 units and 200,000 square feet of retail space. Previous plans to raze the headquarters of the Downtown Women’s Center on the block have been canceled; the DWC will renovate and use the building.

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 15

Development

mately 560 four-star hotel rooms and 100 residences, plus a 65-story Class A office tower. The project would meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Certification standards and include an approximately 18,000-square-foot plaza at Seventh and Figueroa streets, ground-floor retail and 1,900 parking spaces.

CIVIC CENTRAL REGION HIGH SCHOOL NO. 12 In early 2009, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board approved a plan to find a charter organization to develop and operate a new Downtown high school. The proposed 500seat facility would rise next to the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex at 322 Lucas Ave. in City West. The district’s next step is to solicit bids from charter groups to help fund and eventually run the school. At lausd.net.

CHINATOWN PLAZA IMPROVEMENTS A community-oriented effort to revitalize the heart of Chinatown is ongoing, as some 40 property owners have applied for up to $3 million in city grants to renovate their buildings. The Community Redevelopment Agency is leading the program to revitalize Central and West plazas and Bamboo Lane. The grants, through the CRA’s façade improvement program, would cover property owners’ efforts to add new paint, install Chinese architectural features and create neon lighting. Assistant Project Manager Bibiana Yung said that 20 of the proposed façade improvements are nearing finalization of design plans for the upgrades. The plazas are also gearing up to host “Chinatown Summer Nights,” which will feature a night market with vendors, live entertainment and other attractions every Saturday in August. The CRA is working with three artists to create new, large lanterns for Central and West plazas, as well as Bamboo Lane. Negotiations are under way with area property owners to get new benches, tables, umbrellas and trashcans installed by August. Other long-term proposals call for a teahouse in West Plaza and a stage in Central Plaza; a projection screen, refurbished public restrooms and a renovated wishing well in Central Plaza; and more lantern lighting throughout the area.

Construction Authority, said the line should be open to the La Cienega station by the summer of 2011, with a full opening by the end of the year. Currently crews are finishing work on a trench near Jefferson Boulevard and Flower Street. The $862 million project will connect Downtown to Culver City. The eight-mile route will share two stops with the Blue Line and will add nine new stations. Management of the project is a joint venture of FCI Construction, Inc., Fluor Corp. and Parsons Corp. At buildexpo.org.

FEDERAL BUILDING Work continues on a $90 million seismic upgrade at 300 N. Los Angeles St. that is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2011, said Gene Gibson, regional public affairs officer for the General Services Administration. The project grew in scope when it secured $19.5 million in Recovery Act funds that will make it a “High Performance Green Building.”

The money will in essence provide a “tune-up” to make the edifice more energy efficient. Meanwhile, some of the current work being done includes new fire safety systems, replacement of original ceiling and lighting systems, signage, security systems, elevator work and environmental remediation.

FEDERAL COURTHOUSE There is still no movement on plans to build a federal courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles, said Gene Gibson, regional public affairs officer for the U.S. General Services Administration. The agency is in discussions to develop a new strategy for the project. The 3.6-acre site previously held a state office building, though that was torn down; now there is just a fenced-off hole that fills with several inches of water when it rains. The project at First Street and Broadway was stymied by increased construction costs. Congress had see Projects, page 16

From here, you can see Hollywood, the Ocean and your floor seat at Staples Center.

DOWNTOWN REGIONAL CONNECTOR Metro plans to release a draft environmental impact report this summer for the Regional Connector, a two-mile transit link that would connect the Gold, Blue and under-construction Green lines. The report is studying three alignment options, including an all-underground route that has won widespread community support. The underground alternative would come with four new stations, including a Little Tokyo stop; one at Second Street between Broadway and Spring Street; at Hope Street between Second and Third streets; and on Flower Street between Fifth and Sixth streets. The project costs range from $709 million to $1.2 billion for the fully underground alternative. If the Metro board approves a route this fall, that alignment will be analyzed as part of a final EIR, which will take one year to complete. Once the EIR is finished, design and engineering would take another two years. Project completion is tentatively pegged for 2018.

AT&T Center’s new crown offers two full floors of the most dramatic office space in all of Los Angeles. Fully enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass, the views are unparalleled. From LA Live! and Staples Center, to Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean. The rest of this LEED® Gold Certified building is equally impressive - Award winning architecture is complemented by modern glass, granite and terrazzo lobbies and lush gardens. Corporate tenants include AT&T, Transamerica, Fox Sports, USC, California State Bar and more. The retail concourse features The Patina Restaurant Group’s new Market Café, Starbucks, Subway, Robeks, FedEx Office, an extensive dining center, and more.

photo by Gary Leonard

EXPOSITION LIGHT RAIL

The crown at AT&T Center is indeed a rare opportunity. And one most assuredly reserved for companies at the very top of their game. For leasing information: (213) 613-3333 R. Todd Doney, CB Richard Ellis John Zanetos, CB Richard Ellis

Downtown Los Angeles

Another LBA Realty Development

Work continues on the Exposition Light Rail line, although the latest schedule shows a 46-week delay to complete the project. Gabriella Collins, a spokeswoman for the Exposition Att ad 6.75X12 LADowntown news.indd 1

5/7/10 4:47:59 PM

16 Downtown News

Continued from page 15 appropriated $314 million for the project that called for 41 courtrooms, judges’ chambers and office space for federal agencies. But later estimates soared to more than $1 billion. There remains no timeline for future work.

ed to be completed by 2011. In January, the college opened its five-story South Campus project, which fronts Grand Avenue between Washington Boulevard and 23rd Street; the firm MDA Johnson Favaro handled the designs. The buildings are separated by a mini plaza that marks the campus’ new entrance. Anil Verma Associates, a Los Angeles-based architecture and engineering firm, is the campus project manager. Trade-Tech is in the preliminary planning phases for a new track and field, a sports and wellness center and a construction technology building.

photo by Gary Leonard

HALL OF JUSTICE

PARKER CENTER REPLACEMENT

Work continues on a project to clean and green 32 miles of the Los Angeles River, said Monica Valencia, a spokeswoman for Councilman Ed Reyes. The Elysian Valley Bikeway is projected to open by the end of the summer; it will extend the existing 4.5-mile Glendale Narrows bikeway from Fletcher Drive to Barclay Street. It will include an under-crossing at Fletcher Drive, repaving of the existing asphalt, and add striping and lights along the river. She said Reyes, other local leaders and representatives of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan went to Washington, D.C. in March to lobby for federal dollars for the project. The overall effort could cost $2 billion and take decades, though full funding has not been secured. An updated River Improvement Overlay Plan is available for viewing at the city Planning Department’s website. The Army Corps of Engineers is also working on a feasibility study for ecosystem restoration that is expected to be complete within two years. Of the five “Opportunity Sites” the revitalization features, three are in and around Downtown Los Angeles: the state park at Taylor Yard, the Chinatown area and the Industrial District. At lariver.org.

LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK Plans to develop the full 32-acre park adjacent to Chinatown are being reassessed by the State Parks Department to see what work is possible in the next few years, said Sean Woods, a project spokesman. Previous efforts, which stalled amid the state budget crisis, included creating a space for cultural events and an open meadow for recreation, as well as kiosks that would highlight the agricultural and cultural history of the city. Meanwhile, Woods said that there is now a food stand at the park that provides breakfast, lunch and curbside coffee service. Hours are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday. At parks.ca.gov/lashp or lashp.wordpress.com.

Parker Center, the LAPD’s 54-year-old former headquarters, has been mostly evacuated, following the department’s move into the Police Administration Building last year. The LAPD Jails Division is still housed in the aging edifice. In January, the city council’s Public Safety Committee was slated to consider a motion to authorize the undertaking of 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. The hearing was postponed and has yet to be rescheduled. The other options to be studied in the proposed EIR would be to demolish the building and replace it with a 1 million-square-foot structure and 500 parking spaces, or the same plan but with 1,000 parking spaces.

ROBERT F. KENNEDY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS photo by Gary Leonard

LOS ANGELES RIVER

CULTURAL/ENTERTAINMENT

METROPOLITAN DETENTION CENTER Though the $80 million Metropolitan Detention Center is complete, the LAPD Jails Division has still not moved in. The facility built to replace the smaller Parker Center jail requires more staffing — 164 employees compared to the 83 needed at the old jail — a situation complicated by the city’s budget deficit. The department is assessing the possibility of redistributing Jails Division staff across the city in order to open the MDC, said Capt. Clayton Farrell. The 160,000-squarefoot project on Los Angeles Street has no timeline.

The County Board of Supervisors is expected to receive a report soon with recommendations on how to proceed with the restoration of the 14-story building at 210 W. Temple St., said Tony Bell, communications deputy for Supervisor Mike Antonovich. Antonovich and Supervisor Gloria Molina last year introduced a motion asking to look at what it would take to re-open the building. Some of the recommendations could include issuing RFPs for the project, Bell said. There is no timeline yet or budget for the effort. The 1925 Civic Center structure is now empty and gutted, but once housed the Sheriff’s Department, a jail, the Coroner’s office and the District Attorney’s office. It was vacated after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Previous restoration efforts have placed the price tag as high as $300 million, though officials have said they think it could cost far less now.

minent danger. Tonya Durrell, a spokeswoman for the Public Works Department, said the final Environmental Impact Report on the project, which will analyze seven design options, is expected to be completed in late summer and go before the City Council shortly thereafter. The project is estimated to cost up to $359 million. Department officials have said that the replacement would be funded by a mix of federal and state sources. Construction is set to begin in late 2013 and be completed in 2016.

The first phase of the 24-acre, three-school campus on the site of the former Ambassador Hotel west of Downtown — a 1,050-seat school for kindergarten through third graders — debuted last September. The facility cost $80 million. A onethird acre park along Wilshire Boulevard that includes an art installation honoring Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who was killed in the hotel, was initially scheduled to open last year but now is slated to debut in the fall. It was held up in the design process, said Shannon Haber, a spokeswoman for the LAUSD Facilities Division. Still to come are a 1,000-seat school for fourth through eighth graders and a 2,474-seat high school; those are estimated to cost a combined $300 million and are slated to open this fall. The Hensel Phelps Construction Company is building all three schools. The campus will include two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, a soccer field and extensive athletic facilities. At lausd.net.

LOS ANGELES TRADE-TECHNICAL COLLEGE

SIXTH STREET VIADUCT REPLACEMENT

L.A. Trade-Tech’s multi-phase, $613 million upgrade continues. Currently underway at the campus at 400 W. Washington Blvd. is a restoration of the 102,295-square-foot A Building, which is budgeted at $65 million and is anticipat-

Plans to replace the ailing, 78-year-old Sixth Street Viaduct, which spans the Los Angeles River between Downtown and Boyle Heights, continue. A chemical reaction is breaking down the bridge, though officials have said there is no im-

BROAD FOUNDATION MUSEUM The Grand Avenue Authority, the city-county panel overseeing the $3 billion Grand Avenue project, is negotiating with philanthropist Eli Broad’s Broad Art Foundation to locate a new museum on part of the Bunker Hill site. Under a proposal that would have Broad’s foundation develop the site — instead of Related Cos., which is developing the larger Grand Avenue project — the foundation would get a longterm lease for $1 per year. The specific terms of that potential deal are still the subject of negotiations between Broad, the Grand Avenue Authority and Related, said Related West Coast President Bill Witte. Meanwhile, the proposal is also being reviewed by CEQA to determine whether it would require further environmental analysis beyond an already completed Environmental Impact Report, Witte said. The CEQA report is expected to be completed around July, he said. The institution would rise on a 1.3-acre parking lot just south of REDCAT at Second Street and lower Grand Avenue, and would house contemporary artworks from two of Broad’s collections that together encompass 2,000 pieces. The Broad Foundation is also considering a location in Santa Monica. The museum would replace a retail pavilion previously planned as part of the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Avenue project. Budget information has not been disclosed. A final decision on where to locate the museum is expected by the spring.

BROADWAY REVITALIZATION Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar is now two years into the 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative, which aims to revitalize the street between Second Street and Olympic Boulevard. Huizar said a streetscape plan, intended to improve the street’s appearance, is underway, with $7 million in sidewalk reconstruction completed in 2009 and another $4 million worth of infrastructure improvements slated for this year. The designs envision wider sidewalks, reduced traffic lanes, original-style streetlamps and other cosmetic upgrades. The City Council in September adopted the Broadway Entertainment Overlay Zone and Design Guide, which is aimed at encouraging commercial, entertainment and cultural uses on Broadway. Work also continues on efforts to create a streetcar; the $100 million project would connect the Music Center and Bunker Hill with L.A. Live, with a main southbound spine on Broadway. Huizar said officials hope to secure $25 million from the federal government, though if it does not materialize, the vision of opening the streetcar by 2014 could be pushed back. Meanwhile, plans for a $52 million parking garage to spark the renovation of the street’s historic theaters is stalled due to the city’s budget crisis. Officials are now looking at a fallback parking option. At bringingbackbroadway.com.

JAPANESE VILLAGE PLAZA photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

May 17, 2010

Development

The renovation of Japanese Village Plaza should be complete by August, said Marvin Lotz, president of American Commercial Equities, the owner of the outdoor mall in Little Tokyo between First and Second streets. The most noticeable part of the upgrade is the replacement of the Little Tokyo Fire Tower, which fronts First Street. The 30-year-old landmark was infested by termites and has been taken down; a metal replica will be erected by August, Lotz said. The renovation includes new walkways and landscaping and the replacement

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 17

Development

MOCA EXPANSION A plan to build a three-story, 90,000-square-foot building that would rise on a parking lot adjacent to MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo is in the works, but Museum of Contemporary Art officials still have no timeline or budget information, said Lyn Winter, a spokeswoman for the museum. According to Planning Department records, in 2009 MOCA requested a five-year period after approval to begin construction, which would take about 18 months. The project would involve 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.

photo by Gary Leonard

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

approximately one-acre park on Spring Street between Fourth and Fifth streets in 2011 are still on track, said a spokeswoman for Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry. The parcel was purchased by the city from developer Downtown Properties for approximately $5 million. The space between Downtown Properties’ Rowan and El Dorado buildings is currently a parking lot. Numerous community meetings on the proposal have been held.

BUSINESS

NINTH AND HILL PARK

CLEANTECH MANUFACTURING CENTER

7+FIG RENOVATION A timeline has not been announced for the completion of the second phase of the renovation of the outdoor shopping center at Seventh and Figueroa streets, said Bert Dezzuti, senior vice president for owner Brookfield Properties. He said they are close to an announcement, as the next round of upgrades is tied to the future tenant of the vacant Macy’s spot; the department store occupied 125,000 square feet in the mall. Although Brookfield Properties is not discussing plans for that space, numerous Downtown real estate sources last year stated that negotiations were underway between Brookfield and Minneapolis-based Target. The mall has already undergone preliminary upgrades including repainting the old 1980s color motif. An 80,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Bullock’s department store is also vacant.

photo by Gary Leonard

BYD HEADQUARTERS Exposition Park’s Natural History Museum will open its newly restored 1913 building in July with The Age of Mammals exhibit. The $115 million project will bring three new permanent exhibits to the rehabbed museum. Another new exhibit, Dinosaur Mysteries, will arrive in 2011. A third wing focusing on environmental history will debut in 2012. A new portion of the transformation was announced last month: a 3.5-acre project that will create a new “front yard” for the facility. The effort, known as the North Campus, will include interactive outdoor exhibits and create 11 “zones,” with monikers such as Urban Edge, Transition Garden and Car Park. It is set to open in July 2011. The North Campus itself will cost $30 million; $10 million comes from the county, and the rest will be raised from private donors.

cure a liquor license within 30 days, said company president Bill Lanting. This will allow for the opening of a restaurant called Tuck at the 600-room Cecil Hotel at 636 S. Main St.; the building also contains the youth hostel Stay. At the same time, crews are working on improvements to the Cecil rooms, including bathroom, electrical and HVAC upgrades. A lawsuit between the hotel owner, a development team headed by Fred Cordova, and the city over the building’s designation as a residential hotel is ongoing.

Coda Automotive, a Santa Monica-based electric car company, had been in talks with the Community Redevelopment Agency to develop a battery assembly factory on a city-owned 20-acre plot on the eastern edge of Downtown. However, the pace of the talks slowed considerably in late April and this month, said Coda spokesman Forrest Beanum. The CRA has been angling to bring an environmentally friendly technology company to its Cleantech Manufacturing Center site since September 2008. AnsaldoBreda, an Italian rail car maker, had been slated to develop the plot southeast of the Central Business District and near the Los Angeles River before it pulled out of a deal at the last minute last year. The city purchased the property, east of Santa Fe Avenue near the intersection of 15th Street and Washington Boulevard, from the state for $14 million in April 2008. The plot had a long history of industrial users, which led to heavy contamination. The city spent $2.2 million to clean it up. At crala.net/ct.

CORPORATION BUILDING A group of investors that owns the 14-story Corporation Building at 724 S. Spring St. continues to transform the commercial structure, which for years housed garment manufacturers, into creative office space. Units ranging from about 400-4,000 square feet are being leased for $1-$1.50 per square foot. The building is about 45% occupied, said Jay Lopez, who is handling leasing. Current tenants include artists, architects and other creative users. Also underway is a renovation of the building lobby and exterior. At corporationbuilding.com.

LUXE CITY CENTER HOTEL

A community group working with 14th District City Councilman José Huizar has applied for $6.6 million in grants to create a park on a current parking lot at Ninth and Hill streets. The group has applied for $5 million in state Proposition 84 funds and is seeking $1.6 million in Quimby fees to acquire the .7-acre site adjacent to the Eastern Columbia Building. The current proposal calls for the park to include a stage, a kids’ play area and a walking path with fitness stations, among other amenities. Group representative Rick Morris said nearly 100 people attended the most recent planning meeting and that they are working on lobbying and fundraising. At ninthandhillpark.com.

Chinese electric car company BYD last month announced plans to open a facility at 1800 S. Figueroa St., where it has signed a long-term lease. BYD (it stands for Build Your Dreams), which produces an array of clean technology products, plans to feature its vehicles, solar panels, energy storage systems and advanced LED lighting products in its new headquarters. The building, owned by the Shammas Group, will also house BYD’s research and development arm, which will develop current versions of the company’s autos now selling in China. The project is anticipated to create 150 jobs. The company plans to move in to the building in the fourth quarter of 2010 and roll out its hybrid electric E6 model for trial use by the end of the year.

SPRING STREET PARK

CECIL HOTEL/STAY

Design concepts are being developed and plans to open an

Cecil Hotel operator the Lanting Hotel Group expects to se-

photo by Gary Leonard

of some storefronts. Downtown-based Rothenberg Sawasy Architects is handling designs.

The Luxe Hotels company continues its renovation and see Projects, page 18

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18 Downtown News

OMNI HOTEL RENOVATION A $12 million renovation of the hotel will take place in several phases. Work will start late this year and completion is scheduled by mid-2011, said Chaya Donne, director of marketing for the Bunker Hill facility. The hotel will remain open throughout the process; work will include upgrading the guest rooms as well as public and meeting spaces. The 17-story hotel at 251 S. Olive St. has 453 rooms.

STANFORD REGENCY PLAZA An $80 million, 400,000-square-foot complex for wholesale garment businesses is about 90% complete, but remains on hold as developer the KI Group has sued the project lender. There is no timeline on finishing construction, pending the outcome of the legal proceedings, said the KI Group’s Wizeman Kangavari. Plans call for 132 showrooms that will sell for $1 million-$3 million. The project at 810 E. Pico Blvd. is being designed by the firm MAI. The project had been slated to open in fall 2009.

WESTIN BONAVENTURE RENOVATION A $35 million renovation continues at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, and completion is scheduled for this year, said Mike Czarcinski, managing director of the landmark building. An upgrade of 700 rooms was completed last month, and by the end of the year the refurbishment of the lobby, meeting space and entrances will be finished. The remaining rooms in the 1,354-room establishment at 404 S. Figueroa St. will be upgraded in 2011. The hotel will remain open throughout the renovations.

HOPE STREET FAMILY CENTER The California Hospital Medical Center is finalizing negotiations with the Community Redevelopment Agency to construct a $15.7 million recreation and childcare facility at the southeast corner of Venice Boulevard and Hope Street. The project has been delayed multiple times, but groundbreaking is now expected to take place in the fall. The Hope Street Family Center, which will be designed by the nonprofit Abode Communities, calls for a four-story, 26,000-squarefoot structure housing administrative offices, classrooms and an outdoor basketball court. California Hospital Medical Center has raised $10.3 million of the project’s $15.7 million budget, said hospital development associate Amy Parsons. Financing includes $3 million in state Prop 40 funds and an $8 million loan from the CRA. At chmcla.org.

PROJECT HOME Construction on the Downtown Women’s Center’s Project Home, a housing development for homeless women, is ongoing. The 67,000-square-foot industrial space at 434 S. San Pedro St. is being turned into 71 apartments for low-income women and is on pace to finish in October, with move-ins expected in December, said Joe Altepeter, the organization’s site director. Project Home will allow the DWC to help more than 3,500 homeless women and serve 75,000 meals annually, an increase from the current level of aiding 2,000 women and serving 45,000 meals a year at its 325 S. Los Angeles St. location. While initial plans called for the DWC to vacate the Los Angeles Street locale to make way for the nearby Medallion development, that project has been scaled back and will not require the DWC’s displacement, Altepeter said. Thus, once Project Home is complete, the DWC intends to renovate its current building and use it as well. The Community Redevelopment Agency has allocated $3.5 million for Project Home. Another $8 million is coming from state funds and the nonprofit is 85% finished with a capital campaign to raise $35 million for the project. At dwcweb.org/ projecthome.htm.

YWCA JOB CORPS CAMPUS

lar. The cars Sinai and Olivet go between Bunker Hill and the Historic Core.

CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER A $165 million expansion of the California Science Center opened on March 25. The highlight of the 170,000-squarefoot project in Exposition Park is the 45,000-square-foot Ecosystems exhibit, which explores various aspects of ecological science. The permanent exhibition includes a 180,000-gallon tank with more than 1,500 sea creatures, as well as 250 species of live animals and plants. “Zones” in the project are dedicated to regions including deserts, forests and rivers. The project also includes new administrative offices. At californiasciencecenter.org.

CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL On April 2, guests began checking in to rooms at the RitzCarlton, the second of the two hotels to open in the $1 billion structure that marks the final phase of L.A. Live. The five-star Ritz contains 123 rooms on floors 23-26 of the building; the four-star, 878-room J.W. Marriott debuted in February. The 54-story project, whose numerous restaurants include a 24th floor Asian cuisine establishment by Wolfgang Puck, was developed by the Anschutz Entertainment Group and designed by the firm Gensler. The tower also contains 224 Ritz-Carlton condominiums that are priced from $900,000-$10 million. The project’s $80 million Gallery Collection holds a series of ballrooms and meeting spaces to serve business groups.

SB TOWER photo by Gary Leonard

NONPROFIT/COMMUNITY BUDOKAN LOS ANGELES The Little Tokyo Service Center is still waiting for a green light from the city to move forward with its proposed recreation center. The facility is slated to rise on a city-owned parcel on Los Angeles Street between Second and Third streets in Little Tokyo. Last October, the city and the LTSC agreed on a basic deal to free up the space, said LTSC Executive Director Bill Watanabe. Formerly known as the Little Tokyo Recreation Center, the project has officially been dubbed Budokan Los Angeles. The city has long expressed interest in erecting a parking facility on the site, then letting the LTSC build the Budokan above the parking structure. But it remains unclear whether the parking garage would be a public or private operation, Watanabe said. The LTSC has begun to reach out to potential donors and is looking for public funds to help pay for the $15 million project, Watanabe said. Preliminary designs by architecture firm Takase and Associates call for an approximately 30,000-square-foot gymnasium that would house four courts for basketball, volleyball or martial arts, plus a rooftop outdoor space. At budokanofla.org.

Construction on the $73 million Downtown L.A. YWCA Job Corps Urban Campus continues. The 155,000-squarefoot building at 1020 S. Olive St. is set to open in mid-2012. The project is slated to house the YWCA Job Corps Center and will consolidate the program’s housing and service facilities, which are currently scattered throughout six sites in Downtown. The Job Corps program provides job training and transitional housing for homeless, emancipated and atrisk youth. The seven-story building will feature classrooms, a medical center and 200 residential rooms that will house 400 Job Corps trainees. The YWCA purchased the site in 2004 for $3.5 million.

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL EXPANSION

OPENED IN THE PAST Three MONTHS

Good Samaritan Hospital is working on getting city and state approvals for a medical office building that would break ground this summer, said Dan McLaughlin, vice president of Professional Services at the institution. Construction on the approximately 190,000-square-foot structure at Wilshire Boulevard and Witmer Street in City West is expected to take approximately two years. The development would house a first-floor women’s health/imaging center, a pharmacy and cancer treatment services. The building would also include an outpatient surgical facility on the second floor and five levels

photo by Gary Leonard

Continued from page 17 re-branding of the former Holiday Inn on Figueroa Street, across from L.A. Live, in partnership with longtime property owner Emerick Hotel Corporation. The project, with a budget estimated at about $10 million, is on pace to finish in the summer, said Seth Horowitz, vice president of operations for Luxe. In the interim before opening as the Luxe City Center Hotel, the property is operating as the City Center Hotel. It will stay open for business continually, as crews renovate floors in two or three-level batches, Horowitz said. The project, which will reposition the Holiday Inn’s 200 rooms as 180 larger rooms, including 15 suites, is being designed by Sand Design. At luxehotels.com.

of physicians’ offices. The project cost is estimated at $70 million to $80 million. Architecture firm Ware Malcomb is overseeing the design, while Millie and Severson is handling construction.

photo by Gary Leonard

Projects

May 17, 2010

Development

ANGELS FLIGHT After being closed for more than nine years because of a fatal accident, the Angels Flight railway opened to the public on the morning of March 15. The return of the funicular came after the California Public Utilities Commission approved the final safety tests. In its first month back in operation, the railway saw 59,000 passenger rides. Approximately $3.5 million was raised for the reconstruction of the funicu-

Developer Barry Shy opened the $58 million, 20-story SB Tower in April. The Historic Core adaptive reuse project has 270 apartments that range from 800-2,500 square feet; rents are $1,295-$3,200. Shy acquired the 1966 property at 600 S. Spring St. in 2006; it was part of a $75 million acquisition that also included the SB Main and SB Spring, both already open. The units feature white travertine floors and washers and dryers, and every residence has a balcony. The building, which has a sleek tower above a boxy, 40-foot base, previously held government office workers. At laloftrental.com.

Downtown News 19

DowntownNews.com

photo courtesy of Evo

May 17, 2010

D OW N T OW N RESIDENTIAL

a special advertising supplement

Experience Evo’s Newest Designer Penthouse Buyers Rush to Downtown’s Hottest Luxury High-Rise Residence

oday’s real estate market is making a comeback. Rising prices, shrinking inventories, low interest rates and motivated buyers have all converged to help kick-off what is expected to be a strong spring FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

selling season. Nowhere is this more obvious than at Evo, Southern California’s best-selling luxury high-rise residential community. To help kick start the sales season, Evo unveiled its newest Designer Series Penthouse on May 1, giving interested buyers their first chance to see and experience the inspired residence that has been designed and decorated by Modern Home+Living. In addition to seeing one of the most spectacularly designed penthouses in Southern California, this month is also a great opportunity for prospective buyers to meet one of the most successful sales teams in all of Los Angeles. Led by Evo Sales Director Michelle Velky and her team of Downtown sales experts, Tommy Nguyen, Jamie Nemetz, Bridget Reeves and Genevieve Bornstein, Evo has tallied 15 new signed sales contracts for the month of April, while closing more than $23 million in sales since January. As a result, Evo is not only the most successful high-

rise luxury condominium in Los Angeles, it is also considered one the most successful real estate developments in the country. According to Velky, less than 75 of the original 311 homes are available, including the Designer Showcase homes that are available for purchase from the $800,000s to $3.7 million. “We are thrilled that Evo is selling so well. However, anyone seeking Downtown luxury should make the move to Evo soon because we expect to sell out the building in the fourth quarter of 2010,” Velky said. Evo’s residences feature floor-to-ceiling views, designer interiors accented by natural hardwood floors, sleek cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, stone countertops, operable windows, outdoor decks and spacious see Evo, page 24

IT’S HERE Eclectic and iconic, ALTA Lofts is a bold fusion of contemporary design and historic architecture. It’s where energy, possibility and creativity combine to bring true loft living to new heights.

Grand Opening

In Lincoln Heights near cafes, shops, the Brewery Arts Complex, the Gold Line and Downtown. Tour 2 fully decorated models. 1 & 2 bedroom lofts Flats and 2-story units From the $200,000s - $500,000s PRE-QUALIFY NOW 3% broker cooperation 200 N. San Fernando Rd., Los Angeles Sales office unit #101

323.223.3100 | LIVEALTA.COM Text ALTA to 22345 for ALTA Lofts info on your handheld. Prices and terms subject to change. See sales representative for details.10LHA132

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20 Downtown News

May 17, 2010

Residential

Resort Living With City Views Cultural Connection At The Orsini’s Grand Tuscan Village, A Luxurious Lifestyle Is Closer Than You Think

lose your eyes and envision yourself in a luxurious European village with lushly landscaped courtyards, grand fountains and gorgeous views set against the backdrop of a vibrant urban atmosphere. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

This dream could soon be a reality at The Orsini, a grand Tuscan village in Downtown Los Angeles offering world-class amenities, incredible city views and an unparalleled attention to detail that touches every corner of this urban paradise. Wrap yourself in luxury in one of The Orsini’s sophisticated living areas, offering airy interiors, stylish colonial crown moldings and gourmet kitchens equipped with sleek granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The luxurious baths are comprised of elegant tile floors, richly framed mirrors and beautiful Italian marble vanities. The Orsini is the perfect place for your active lifestyle, featuring a virtual sports center with Brunswick bowling and golf; a regulation-size indoor basketball court; an onsite park surrounded by a jogging track; and a state-of-the-art fitness center with vanity areas, locker rooms and steam rooms. Even the most active residents will enjoy lounging by one of the two resort-style pools, unwinding at the spa and free tanning facility or taking in a show at the 29-seat movie theater. A rarity in Downtown, Orsini residents can take advantage of ample free parking with each home, as well as a soon-to-open, one-of-a-kind karaoke lounge with a private resident liquor cabinet. Immediately outside of The Orsini’s gates lies a bevy of entertainment and cultural offerings such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Staples Center and

Downtown’s vibrant shopping and restaurant scene. With myriad unique floor plans to choose from, including studios, one- and two-bedroom units, the luxurious lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of is closer than you think. And with the grand opening of the Orsini Phase III, there are even more options for luxury living, including magnificently landscaped, secluded patios. The Orsini is at 550 N. Figueroa St. For leasing information, call (877) 267-5911 or visit theorsini.com.

The Towers Deliver A Rich Downtown Experience

owntown Los Angeles: Here, the living experience goes unmatched anywhere in the West. A lifestyle richly embellished with art, music FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

and the cultural events that make headlines. Downtown breeds success, housing prominent firms in impressive architectural sculptures composed of glass, steel and stone. Yet historical elements of yesterday also remain — artifacts of this city’s rich past. From the faithful climb of the renowned cars of Angels Flight to the fantastic urban spectacle of California Plaza, daily life in the Towers’ neighborhood remains unsurpassed. Extraordinary fountains, garden alcove retreats, gourmet dining and first-run entertainment provide the perfect setting for a lifetime of enjoyment. Downtown holds all the essentials to fulfill the most demanding lifestyles. During the day, you are moments from the business district, minimizing or even eliminating a commute. Evenings become immersed in a flood of nightlife, movies and culture beneath the brilliant lights of

the city. Day and night, the Towers place residents among all the excitement Downtown offers. Promenade Towers greets guests via a two-story lobby embellished with a tranquil indoor waterscape. Four impressive towers embrace a breathtaking pool, spa and fitness center in an oasis of flowing fountains and immaculate landscaping — a true departure from the ordinary. Promenade Towers’ individual Continued on next page

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 21

Residential

Continued from previous page design includes apartments with balconies, contemporary solariums and angular rooms as exciting as the property’s unique exterior styling. Grand Tower’s sensuous granite exterior distinguishes this landmark development as the address that reflects success. The 24-hour manned lobby provides impressive passage to spacious apartment homes with balconies and a rooftop pool, spa and fitness center with beautiful mountain and city views. Adjacent to the renowned California Plaza, entertainment can be found virtually at your doorstep. Museum Tower neighbors the beautiful Museum of Contemporary Art. This fine collection of apartment homes features expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. Exhibit your most precious belongings amidst the outstanding backdrop of the city skyline. A controlled access lobby, pool, spa and fitness center provide the upscale amenities Downtown residents desire. Double Assurance of Quality: For more than 50 years, Shapell Industries and Goldrich & Kest Industries have established themselves among America’s most successful and most honored residential developers. Today, their nationwide reputation for providing exceptional housing is earned through a consistent dedication to quality craftsmanship and design. As a result, many of their joint ventures have been cited as model developments. Marina Park in San Diego, Town Square in Santa Ana and The Promenade and Promenade West in the Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles have all achieved unparalleled success in these prominent urban centers. Together, they bring to the Towers 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) 617-3777. For leasing information at the Grand Tower, 255 S. Grand Ave., call (213) 229-9777. For leasing information at the Museum Tower, 225 S. Olive St., call (213) 626-1500, or visit TowersApartmentsLA.com

Inspired Living Within Reach Barker Block Offers Timeless Style And Modern Convenience in the Heart of the Arts District

arker Block is a new community in the Downtown L.A. Arts District, featuring some of the most welldesigned and beautiful lofts in the city. All are adorned with the signature style of The Kor Group — creators of properties like the Viceroy Santa Monica. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Barker offers a wide variety of layouts, sizes and styles throughout their collection. Each home has its own unique mix of historic warehouse details and authentic character, exposed wood and concrete elements, open floor plans and living spaces and sleek designer finishes. Barker Block’s location in the Arts District is one of those genuine places with a real neighborhood fabric, originality and creative energy that gives it a familiar big-city feel with a uniquely Angeleno vibe. The surrounding blocks are full of independent shops, fashion boutiques, unique restaurants, endless creative studios, art lofts, galleries and underground spots waiting to be discovered. Just a few blocks beyond, the marquee destinations of Downtown Los Angeles await. Residents are just minutes from fine dining and nightlife, world-class entertainment and sports at L.A. Live and Staples Center, and renowned cultural venues like MOCA and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Each welcoming residence at the Barker Block features a warm and eclectic mix of contemporary elements and historic materials. Wood rafters showing a century of character stand over polished concrete while original wood floors give a rich contrast to modern furniture. Brick walls from the early 1900s act as a backdrop to sleek countertops and steel staircases. Each home has been individually crafted with a unique variation of these materials, giving every one its very own character and persona. Just outside your home is an incredible collection of amenities and social spaces that include what has to be the

best rooftop deck in Downtown, complete with pool, spa and private cabanas overlooking the skyline. Along with this, there is a professional fitness center with floor-toceiling city views, an outdoor living room with a fireplace, roaming landscaped courtyards featuring a water garden and grass sitting area, on-site retail, live/work spaces and the Artist’s Alley, a public space for art shows and intimate concerts. Check it out, feel the vibe, see the character, fall in love and be inspired. To schedule a tour, call (213) 620-9650 or visit barker-lofts. com. The Barker Block Sales Gallery is located across from Urth Caffe at 510 S. Hewitt St., #105. Open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

introducing, Orsini III

Unquestionably the most luxurious accommodations in Downtown Los Angeles. Brand New World-Class Apartment Homes Premiering May 2010 INTERIOR AMENITIES

COMMUNITY ADVANTAGES

• GENEROUS WALK-IN CLOSETS WITH ORGANIZERS • HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS AVAILABLE

• GENEROUS WALK-IN CLOSETS WITH ORGANIZERS

• EIGHT (CATEGORY 5 SPEED) PHONE LINE CAPABILITY • DIRECT (SATELLITE) TV AVAILABLE

• DIRECT (SATELLITE) TV AVAILABLE

• LARGE PICTURE WINDOWS • PANORAMIC DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES VISTAS OR COURTYARD VIEWS

• LARGE PICTURE WINDOWS

• INDIVIDUAL APARTMENT BALCONIES OR PATIOS • DEN/STUDY*

• INDIVIDUAL APARTMENT BALCONIES OR PATIOS

550 North Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

866-479-1764

22 Downtown News

May 17, 2010

Residential

In the Heart of Little Tokyo Hikari and Sakura Crossing Blend Tradition and Contemporary Living

esigned by noted residential developer Related, Hikari and Sakura Crossing are the newest and most exciting homes to enhance Downtown’s historic Little Tokyo district. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

The stunning 128-unit Hikari features contemporary studio, one- and two-bedroom residences designed with oversized windows for views and light, sleek granite kitchens, sumptuous baths, media outlets, and washers and dryers. Hikari is more than a place of residence. It is a place of wonder, where residents can swim in a glistening blue pool, sunbathe on a private terrace, socialize in a fabulous lounge, exercise in a stateof-the-art fitness center, and even conduct business in a fullyequipped business center. There is also convenient 24-hour underground parking with direct building access. Little Tokyo is Downtown’s hottest place to live. Absolutely everything can be found in this diverse neighborhood, which is just a short walk to surrounding districts bursting with music, restaurants, art, shopping, sports and nightlife. Sakura Crossing Sakura Crossing is bold and contemporary. Its forms, colors and materials were inspired by neighborhood warehouses and Toy District buildings. The architecture of Sakura Crossing also references its immediate surroundings, especially the revered Noguchi garden directly across San Pedro Street. Modern, yet respectful of both its neighbors and the past, Sakura Crossing is a welcome new addition to the streetscape of Downtown L.A. Designed by Studio Gaia, this extraordinary collection of contemporary architect-designed homes ranges from spacious sun-filled studios to light and airy one- and two-bedroom apartments. Each showcases a gourmet kitchen with sleek, white contemporary cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, and polished Caesarstone counters and honed hardwood floors. Ceramic tiled baths are appointed with oversized medicine cabinets, abundant mirrors and opulent Caesarstone vanities. Notable features include a stackable washer/dryer, designer car-

Exclusively represented by The Mark Company

Sakura Crossing apartments highlight sophisticated, modern design.

Hikari offers stunning, contemporary homes in one of Downtown’s hottest districts.

peting in all bedrooms, and customized and/or walk-in closets. Many residences include private outdoor terraces. Luxury amenities include a rooftop lounge with landscaped sundecks for sunbathing, entertaining and private barbecue dining, a rooftop screening room with oversized outdoor private terrace, a courtyard terrace with outdoor fireplace, pool and Jacuzzi, and outdoor barbecue dining*, state-of-the-art fitness center**, and a professionally designed business center with Internet access*. For added convenience, there is 24hour underground parking with direct building access** and an on-site ATM. (*Additional charge; **additional charge for

some services.) Both Hikari and Sakura Crossing were envisioned as an oasis by Related, the nation’s most acclaimed developer of luxurious metropolitan homes. Over the past quarter-century, Related has dramatically redefined the American skyline through its contribution of important new architectural landmarks in such cities as New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston. The Hikari leasing office is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Call (213) 625-8500. The Sakura Crossing leasing office is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Call (213) 625-9200.

For Move-Up credit details, contact the Evo Gallery. Offer includes a $20,000 credit for homes over $800,000. Offer valid for a limited time. This is not an offer to sell, but is intended for information only. The developer reserves the right to make modiﬁcations without prior notice. Broker License # 01235902.

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 23

Residential

Yes You Can at TENTEN Wilshire The Only Place Where Living, Working and Playing Is Just a Suitcase Away

ENTEN Wilshire is the ideal place for business-minded individuals to live, work and play. Whether you are a travel manager, relocation specialist, working professional or entrepreneur, TENTEN Wilshire provides the perfect blend of amenities and necessities to make your decision an easy one. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

You have heard the phrase “Live, Work and Play” countless times, but not until now have all three been addressed in a single lifestyle solution. Located on Wilshire Boulevard,

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

TENTEN Wilshire offers 227 luxury suites in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. At TENTEN Wilshire, all suites are designated live/work, so conducting business from home in a professional manner just became possible. The suites at TENTEN Wilshire come equipped with 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, and custom outdoor billiard and foosball tables, all while being surrounded by endless panoramic views. A great venue for the complimentary happy hour five days a week, it is ideal for meeting people and networking. Stop by on Thursdays from 5:30-8 p.m. for a wine and cheese mixer. It is easy to see why TENTEN Wilshire is the complete lifestyle solution business professionals need. In an area lined by 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 Los Angeles’ subway system, instantly connecting commuters to Long Beach, Hollywood, Pasadena, LAX and more. Union Station, the access point to Los Angeles’ regional rail system, is also nearby. 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, a new lifestyle solution for professionals wanting to live, work and play… no matter how long or short the stay. For more information about TENTEN Wilshire contact (877) 338-1010 or visit 1010wilshire.com. TENTEN Wilshire is at 1010 Wilshire Blvd.

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

24 Downtown News

New State Tax Credit Attracts Homebuyers Alta Lofts in Lincoln Heights Optimizes Overall Value

hen it comes to real estate, value is the utmost priority these days, and the dynamic new Alta Lofts in Lincoln Heights offers buyers more for their money. Buyers are discovering unrivaled value when combining great pricing, low interest FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

rates and unique design with the state tax credit of up to $10,000 on newly constructed residences. This new credit is enticing buyers like never before, and Alta Lofts is evolving as the first choice for today’s value-driven buyers. Soon to be FHA approved, Alta Lofts is

recharging the real estate market and offering many buyers, especially first-timers, the gratification of realizing their dream of homeownership. One of L.A.’s most exciting new addresses is now one of L.A.’s most affordable. “With its superb location that’s close to everything, and true industrial-style, authentic lofts, Alta Lofts is quickly becoming L.A.’s hot new address,” says Don Mercado, Alta sales manager. “Alta Lofts is different from anything else on the market. It’s historic with urban livability, and gets back to the essence of true loft living.” Alta Lofts is an adaptive reuse building that

TWO HOT! 2 Great New Luxury Rentals in LA’s Hottest Neighborhood. Sakura Crossing and Hikari have it all — SUNBATHE, ENTERTAIN AND BBQ Luxurious Rooftop Lounge with Three Sundecks

MOVIES AND STARS Rooftop Screening Room with Outdoor Private Terrace

LOUNGE, SWIM AND GET COZY Lushly Landscaped Courtyard Terrace with Outdoor Fireplace, Pool and Jacuzzi, and Outdoor BBQ Dining

WORK AND WORKOUT AT HOME Professionally Designed Business Center Ultra Private Fitness Center

METROPOLITAN HOME Custom Gourmet Kitchens with Stainless Steel Appliances and Designer Baths, and Washers and Dryers in Every Home

STEPS TO EVERYTHING Fabulous Downtown Location In the Heart of Little Tokyo

www.hikarila.com www.sakuracrossing.com

213.625.9200 STUDIOS, 1 & 2BRS PRIVATE TERRACES, CORNER HOMES TOWNHOUSE RESIDENCES ALSO AVAILABLE

375 East Second Street

May 17, 2010

Residential

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

235 South San Pedro Street

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 flats and two-story lofts with up to 1,700 square feet with one and two bedrooms. There are four historic floors featuring “hard lofts” with original oversized windows, exposed ducts, columns and no drywall. The original windows are 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. All lofts feature high ceilings, wood or concrete 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, first-floor courtyard and secured parking for residents and guests. Plans also call for an open-air fifth floor deck as well as ground floor commercial space. Located on San Fernando Road in Lincoln Heights, the neighborhood includes the Brewery Arts Complex, recognized as an exciting and dynamic art colony. The ideal Eastside locale is within walking distance to cafes, shops and a Metro Gold Line stop. Additionally, Alta Lofts is adjacent to Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Glendale, Echo Park and Pasadena, and is minutes from Downtown L.A. Reservations are underway. Be among the first to live at the provocative new Alta Lofts. The sales office and two professionally furnished models are open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Alta Lofts is priced from the $200,000s to the $500,000s. Alta Lofts is located at 200 N. San Fernando Rd. in Lincoln Heights. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (323) 2233100 or visit livealta.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Evo Continued from page 19 walk-in closets. Evo is the first LEED Certified Silver residential high-rise in Los Angeles, and features eco-friendly and energy-saving design elements throughout the building’s common areas and homes. Evo also includes elite amenities and services including Aqua, the sixth-floor sun deck and infinity-edge pool surrounded by lush landscaping and furnished social gathering areas; the TwoForty rooftop lounge with an outdoor terrace and fireplace that overlooks the Downtown skyline; and Tempo, Evo’s state-of-the-art fitness studio on the 24th floor with a floor-to-ceiling view of the horizon. In addition to these enviable amenities, Evo offers full-time concierge service, bell service and towel service at the pool and fitness center. Just blocks away residents can access the renowned restaurants, nightlife, theaters, concerts and sporting events at the world-class L.A. Live and Staples Center. “Evo is luxurious, modern, incredibly designed, eco-conscious and centered around one of the most vibrant communities and cosmopolitan living experiences in the entire city,” Velky said. “There just isn’t another building like it.” For more information, call the Evo Sales Team at (213) 622-5400 to schedule a personal showing, or visit evosouth.com.

May 17, 2010

Downtown News 25

DowntownNews.com

Parking Continued from page 1 the program. Some think having more available spaces will be good for business, while others fear demand based pricing may drive customers away. ExpressPark is slated to begin in July 2011, though it could last longer depending on the results. It is being funded with $15 million from the Department of Transportation and another $3.5 million from the city. The new meter technology will be deployed in areas including the Central Business District, Chinatown, the Civic Center and Little Tokyo. All city meters currently in use can be adapted with existing technology to charge rates based on usage. No meters would need replacing just for the plan. Prices could increase or decrease depending on how often the space is occupied and for how long. The system would boost rates if a block is filled with parked cars and decrease them when spaces are empty. It is still too early to tell if the prices will be adjusted automatically, or by someone monitoring the system, a DOT official said. People would be able to pay using coins, credit cards or even cell phones. Demand based parking will also be implemented for 7,500 city-owned off-street parking spaces in Downtown. Sensors will gauge their usage and implement the changing rates. More Spaces, More Money “This project will test ways technology will help the city realize its goal to increase the availability of limited parking spaces, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution and en-

photo by Gary Leonard

Parking is often limited in Little Tokyo. The community is one of the Downtown neighborhoods where meter rates could fluctuate as part of a DOT program.

courage alternate modes of transportation,” said Bruce Gillman, a spokesman for DOT. It could also mean that it will become more expensive to park in Downtown, at least during peak hours. KABC Radio, the first to report on the program, said Downtown meter rates could rise up to 50% over their current maximum of $4 an hour. The new rates, up to $6 an hour according to KABC, will increase revenues as much as $1.5 million during the pilot program. Gillman disputes both those figures, saying rates have not been determined. “Putting a price is totally erroneous at this

stage,” he said. “Those rates have not been really established yet.” He said the program could determine that some meters that are now $1 per hour should be $1.50. He also offered the possibility that some priced at $4 might be decreased to $3. “I think it’s erroneous to say some meters that are $4 will be $6 at peak periods. I don’t know, that’s really way ahead of the game,” he said. The price of meters gets to a complex issue, one with different points of view for storeowners and the people who patronize them. While most drivers say they want rates to stay low, business owners often say this enables cars to park in front of their stores for hours at a time, and prevents new customers from being able to get close. Some business owners in Little Tokyo welcome measures that would allow more people to find parking and shop. “The meters here are always full,” said Ichi Yoshida, a manager at Pop Killer, which sells vintage clothing and accessories on Second Street in Little Tokyo. “It’s nice to get more movement in front of our stores.” Nobu Watanabe, the owner of Firefly, a T-shirt shop that has been in Little Tokyo for about 20 years, feels differently. “It doesn’t make any sense that this would create more parking. It’s just going to end up

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with the city taking more money and costing us customers,” he said. Bong Suh, owner of Hibachi Korean BBQ, is keeping an open mind about the pilot program, although he fears it could discourage people from taking quick trips to Little Tokyo and other areas with congestion pricing. “You don’t want to discourage people visiting, so I hope it doesn’t get too expensive, especially since this area is short of parking space as it is,” he said. Gillman said there are other things the pilot program will do to help relieve traffic congestion. For example, he said it may lead to signage that can help drivers find empty spaces in Downtown. It will also provide real time parking information via websites and cell phones. “It isn’t just about increasing prices, it’s about potentially having a sign when you come off the freeway that says Pershing Square street garage has 206 parking spaces still available,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have people change their patterns of when they travel in and out, where they park or use alternative modes of transportation. It doesn’t necessarily take business away from a business person, but it may take traffic off of city streets.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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Life Among the Baking Homeboys A Very Early Morning Shift At the Legendary Business by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

t was almost too hot to hold as it came out of the oven. The aroma was almost too good to be true. The smell of freshly baked bread would put a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I was enjoying some of Homeboy Industries’ products at the crack of dawn. But I wasn’t there as a regular customer of their Homeboy Bakery. No, despite my remedial measuring skills, I had earned my piece of daily bread by showing up in the early morning. For several hours I worked alongside some former gang members who still manage to look hardcore, even while baking up fabulous Danishes, croissants and muffins. Homeboy Industries is pretty much a local legend by now. It was founded by Father Gregory Boyle in 1988 while he was serving as a church pastor in Boyle Heights. He created various businesses, including the bakery, as a way to give ex-gang members and at-risk youth the job skills necessary to escape their violent lives. The business had former rivals working side by side as scratch bakers. The bakery burned to the ground in 1999, the result of an

photo by Gary Leonard

The author gets instruction on proper technique from Homeboy Bakery’s Michael McDonald. The Bruno Street business makes bread, cookies, croissants, muffins and more.

electrical fire. In 2007, it reopened in the new Homeboy facility on Bruno Street near Chinatown. The bakery is now an almost 24-hour a day business. The 16 employees prepare up to 10,000 items daily for the inhouse Homegirl Café, as well as several clients who buy the goods for restaurants and cafes. The facility is also undergoing major changes under the supervision of general manger JC Levarrat and Michael McDonald, whose title is actually master baker. Two days day before I showed up, JC told me they hope to become a more artisanoriented bakery with original recipes, higher quality ingredients and exotic offerings such as lavosh, an Indian flatbread that has become the specialty of one Homeboy employee. “The goal is to teach them the higher skills of baking, where everything is baked from scratch like the old times,” he said.

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Then he told me something that really shocked me. What? “You’ll be starting work at the bakery at 3 a.m.,” he said. “What? Three a.m., as in the morning?” I responded. “Yes, that’s when everything starts to happen for the next day. If you want to be a true baker like the rest you start at that time.” I’m no stranger to the wee morning hours. I’ve been up until 3 a.m. more times than I can remember. But I can’t recall any other time when I would have to be up at 3 a.m. rather then until 3 a.m. I was nervous, wondering if I should even sleep. I contemplated just staying up and hitting a bar in Downtown, then heading to the bakery after last call. But the thought of a buzzed Guzmán next to raw eggs, dough and homeboys

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May 17, 2010

DowntownNews.com

photo by Gary Leonard

Ezekiel Galindo, a 24-year-old former gang member, with some lavosh, an Indian flatbread. It is part of Homeboy’s transition to a bakery focusing on more artisan wares.

quickly set me straight. Turns out, for these guys, 3 a.m. is old hat. When I arrived, a chipper McDonald was waiting for me. Already about 10 young men were hard at work. Some were shaping dough that was about to be put into the oven, others were glazing pastries or mixing flour and eggs. “These guys have been in the program anywhere from three months to a couple of years,” McDonald said. “Some of them have some skills, some of them don’t and are starting from scratch just like you.” I couldn’t tell by their looks who was a rookie and who had experience. But I knew each one could kick my butt. Some had visible gang tattoos protruding from their baker’s uniforms. Others had more faded ink as they went through the process of having their past literally removed from their skin. All were really busy and didn’t bat an eye when I came to their bakery. I have a shaved head and a few tattoos, so I guess I could pass for one of the guys if I had too — at least until it came time either to bake or to fight. McDonald, 32, has an impressive resume, having baked for

hotel chains like the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons. He’s in charge of all production, oversees the recipe development and trains staff on product and quality control. “I love it. These guys are so amazing and they are so eager to learn stuff it’s really inspiring. I can hardly keep up and they hit me up with questions all the time,” he said. McDonald had my morning planned out. I would work with some of the new recipes that were being developed for the artisan line, making some brioche and ciabatta. I started with the brioche, a highly buttered French bread that turns out very rich and tender. This was McDonald’s own recipe, which he is very proud of, so I didn’t want to mess up anything. “There’s a poor man’s version and a rich man’s version and it comes down to the amount of sugar and the butter you use,” he told me. “The poor man uses margarine. We use all natural butter.” Now he’s talking my language, sugar and butter. I wasn’t feeling sleepy anymore. I have trouble understanding measurements like grams and ounces. Fortunately, with the help of a digital scale, I mixed in the ingredients: eight pounds of flour, three pounds of butter, half a gallon of milk and 18 eggs. Surprisingly, I was able to crack all the eggs without a single shell landing in the dough. The butter was the best part. The bricks have to be dropped into a machine as it mixes the other ingredients. I grabbed two of them. With my hand full of butter and the bricks melting as I tore them apart, I felt like a real baker. Getting to use my hands for something other than typing was a surprisingly fulfilling experience. Under McDonald’s constant supervision, making the ciabatta went just as smoothly. I was energized by the activity in the bakery, and before I knew it the hours had flown by. I was ready to start throwing some dough into the oven. I Like Big Buns After shaping the ciabatta dough into buns, McDonald stuck them on a baker’s peel and instructed me on how to place them in the oven. I had to tilt the peel and pull it out fast while the heat from the oven danced around my arm hairs. At first I was too eager, and instead of tilting and pulling, I shoved and dropped. Luckily, McDonald caught some of the flying dough and flung it right back in the oven. While I waited for the bread to bake, I finally got a chance to speak with some of the real bakers. Pedro Mata was by my side as we shaped the ciabatta. He grew up in Wilmington, and as a gang member has been in and out of jail since he was a kid. The 25-year-old is grateful for his night shift at the bakery. “I’m here to learn as much as I can and get away from that life,” he said. “I have a good work ethic but with my record I have a hard time finding a job. And now I have two kids and

Downtown News 27

Homeboy Industries Lays Off 300 D

owntown-based Homeboy Industries, which helps gang members change their lives through jobs, laid off 75% of its workforce last week due to economic woes. The organization has failed to raise $5 million needed to keep operating and let 300 employees go, including all senior staff, said Kevin Faist, a spokesman for the organization. The only people still on staff are about 100 employees who work in the bakery, the store and Homegirl Café, said Faist, who is also the bakery manager. Faist said some services, such as tattoo removal, may continue operating. “Some people are filing for unemployment today,” Faist said Friday afternoon. “Some are still here volunteering.” Homeboy Industries was founded by Father Gregory Boyle in 1988 as a gang prevention program while he was a pastor in Boyle Heights. He moved the organization to an $8.5 million facility in Downtown on Bruno Street in 2007. Homeboy serves more than 12,000 people a year. Boyle publicly announced the layoffs Thursday at the Aloud speaker series in the Central Library, where he had been previously scheduled to read from a new book. —Richard Guzmán

another on the way, a family to provide for, so this for me is awesome. I’m earning a living.” Others have become experts in some of the artisan products being prepared at the bakery. For example, Ezekiel Galindo is a master lavosh maker. Ezekiel, 24, has also been in and out of jail, but the Watts native now takes more pride in his lavosh than his past. He’s used to the hours and enjoys his night shift. “It’s hard but you learn new things every day, like the lavosh, something I never even heard of before,” he said. Soon my ciabatta was ready. I picked up a hot bun and took a long whiff. I popped a piece into my mouth and, not to toot my own horn, it was delicious. McDonald told me I did OK for a beginner. Before I left, he rewarded me with a box of fresh bread to take home. Ezekiel made sure it included his lavosh. “You got some, cool,” he said, nodding his head as he wiped his hands on his apron, and headed back to work as the bakery prepared to open for the day. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownews.com.

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CALENDAR The University of Miss Saigon Musical-Documentary Hybrid Builds on Three Actresses Who All Played a Famous Role

(l to r) Jennifer Paz, Joan Almedilla and Jenni Selma all played the role of Kim in the Broadway or national touring productions of Miss Saigon. East West Players’ Road to Saigon examines the impact the role had on their lives.

by Pamela albanese

illions of people around the world are familiar with Miss Saigon, the musical that debuted in London in 1989 and ran on Broadway for nearly a decade. But those who check out Road to Saigon, a world premiere that stems from the 21-year-old work, may have trouble comparing it to anything they’ve seen before. Jon Lawrence Rivera, the director and creator of the show that opens May 19 at East West Players’ David Henry Hwang Theatre, tentatively references A Chorus Line, though he notes that musical was developed out of a series of interviews to create composite characters. Road to Saigon, he said, is more of a musical-documentary hybrid “about three women telling their story.” The show, which runs at the Little Tokyo theater through June 13, delves into the personal and artistic lives of actresses Joan Almedilla, Jennifer Paz and Jenni Selma on their paths to playing the role of Kim in Miss Saigon. The three actresses each played Kim during the height of Miss Saigon’s popularity: Paz joined the musical’s first national tour in 1992 and stayed for three years; Selma joined the national

tour in 1993, closed the tour in 1996, and then joined the Broadway company in 1997, staying until it closed in 2000; and Almedilla was part of the Broadway company from 1995 through 1997. Road to Saigon traces their journeys backwards in time, from the moment each actress is about to step into the role of Kim, to the early events in their lives that shaped their goals and ambitions. The production draws heavily on autobiographical narrative and musical numbers — based on pop songs from their childhood and teenage years — to illustrate the challenges, hardships and joys that led them to the pivotal experience of playing Kim. Discovering New Challenges Primarily set in Saigon in 1975 — during the final days of the Vietnam War — and in Bangkok three years later, Miss Saigon was one of the first productions to employ a significant number of Asian-American actors. The musical’s setting and subject matter represented a major opportunity for an underrepresented community. “A lot of women, who are singers, who are Asian American, this is the dream role for them, and it’s not an easy thing to just get,” said Rivera on a recent Sunday afternoon, shortly before a rehearsal. The Filipino-American director also has a close familiarity to Miss Saigon. Rivera directed it last year at Cal State Fullerton, and throughout his career he has worked with many people who have been part of the show. “In the Asian-American community, that’s our link,” he said. “At some point, we’ve been involved in Miss Saigon, especially in musical theater.” The show evolved from Tim Dang, East West Players’ longtime artistic director. He approached Rivera, Almedilla, Paz and Selma about developing a show based on playing Kim. Rivera then interviewed the three actresses and compiled a script outline. The actresses, all accustomed to the technical, physical and emotional demands of starring in a hit musical, discovered a new set of challenges after reading through the early draft of Road to Saigon. “You can’t hide behind the character. It’s you,” said Almedilla, a quick-witted, petite woman with soft features. “As we dug deeper into these stories, for me, because it’s autobiographical, it was terrifying,” added Paz, who has a vivacious personality and a slender build. Despite the challenges of playing themselves on stage, the actresses have placed a tremendous amount of trust in Rivera, who helped shape their stories and weave together common themes — such as the desire to perform, mother/daughter relationships, or growing up in the Philippines — between their individual experiences. “Jon is the net. When you leap, he’s the net,”

said Almedilla. Although the production showcases the unique personalities of the three women through their individual stories, aspirations and tastes in fashion and music, it also emphasizes the overlapping histories that bond them. Miss Saigon producers often recruited very young, raw talent for the role of Kim. “We all got plucked out of college,” said Selma. “We all played it at 19 years old. We’d all never lived alone before. We just got thrown into this huge responsibility and huge role at such a young age, and we grew up fast. We call it growing up in the university of Miss Saigon. Common Thread The three actresses also see a common thread between their personal stories and the role. The character of Kim makes the ultimate sacrifice to give her child a better life in America; Paz, whose family emigrated from the Philippines to the United States, identifies with the immigration story, while Almedilla and Selma know well the complex issues and emotions that accompany motherhood. Road to Saigon gives the three women an opportunity to revisit the formative events of their lives and careers, and it doesn’t come without the privilege of hindsight. In the opening act of Miss Saigon, Kim is a naïve, 17-year-old girl; by Act Two, she is the mother of a 3-year-old, desperate to provide a better life for her child. Imagining the emotional depth of motherhood was difficult for the women at 19. “When you’re that young, you can’t really grasp the concept. You can try, but it’s not as real,” said Selma. “Now that we can grasp the concept, it’s like, yeah, that role is a little too young for us,” she laughed. Rivera stresses that those who have not seen Miss Saigon will still be able to relate to the experiences of Almedilla, Paz and Selma. Road to Saigon, he said, tells a universal story of life’s challenges and the sacrifices that people make to achieve what they want. “These three women sacrificed a great deal, overcame a lot of obstacles to play the role of Kim,” said Rivera. Then again, fans of the famous musical will discover something new in the show at the Little Tokyo performance space. “Audiences are going to see a different side of us, completely,” said Paz. “Since Kim is such a dramatic role, they’ll see the lighthearted side of all of us, our quirky side. People who know the show and are fans of the show will find it interesting to look back with us, talking about the audition process, talking about the mistakes that we made, laughing at ourselves.” Road to Saigon runs May 19-June 13 at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso St. Performances are Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m. More information at (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers.org.

May 17, 2010

DowntownNews.com

Downtown News 29

A Devilish Good Time Downtowners Drive In to Fun With a Rooftop Outdoor Movie Theater by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

owntown Los Angeles is just about the last place one would expect to find a drive-in movie theater, complete with carhops and cult classic films. Not only is there no actual drive-in screen, there is all the traffic, the noise, the street life and so on. But near the corner of Fourth and Broadway, people keep parking on the rooftop of a two-story building. In fact, it has been going on for more than four years. The Devil’s Night Drive-In launches its summer season this week, with a lineup of films that range from Gen-X favorites to ’60s classic to family friendly adventure flicks. Events normally attract about 80 cars and 100-150 people. “It’s more of a community event than a traditional movie theater where you have to sit quietly,” said Morgan Night, founder of Devil’s Night. “Here it’s kind of fun if you’re talking to friends and laughing along while you watch a movie.” The summer lineup begins Saturday, May, 22, with a screening of late director John Hughes’ teen classic Pretty in Pink. Shows continue twice a month through September, always on Saturdays after sundown. Highlights this season include Showgirls on June 26, Easy Rider on July 10, Pulp Fiction two weeks later and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark on Sept. 11. The series continues year-round, though it happens monthly after September. Entrance is $10. The summer films are preceded by a live

cabaret performance, inspired by whatever film is playing, from a group known as Wig Out. There are also carhops on roller-skates serving food and soft drinks. The films are projected on a 24- by 18-foot inflatable screen. Night also brings an Astroturf area where patrons set out lawn chairs or blankets. Although some people watch from their cars, others ride bikes or walk. “We’re not technically a drive-in theater,” Night said. “We’ve just taken the idea and made it our own.”

‘We’re not technically a drive-in theater. We’ve just taken the idea and made it our own.’ —Morgan Night, Devil’s Night

Although the sound system in traditional drive-ins is pumped into individual cars, at Devil’s Night it is a mix of signals transmitted to individual autos via their radios, and speakers set up for those in the seating area. Night, who runs the Devils Production company, which also operates an Internet radio station and produces music videos, and

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photo by Paul Gronner

A crowd at a past Devil’s Night drive-in event. Approximately 150 people come to the films shown on a Downtown rooftop.

recently opened a trailer park inn in Joshua Tree, started the Downtown drive-in with his business partner Heather Williamson in 2006. For the first few months, the event was held at a parking lot near the Alexandria Hotel. The series was launched with a screening of the 1985 hit Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, since it is one of Night’s favorite films, and it also happens to end with a scene at a drive-in. But they had a little trouble with some of the tenants of the Alexandria, Night said. “People at the hotel were throwing stuff out the window to our customers, so we had to move to a better spot,” he said. The new space is the rooftop to a parking garage. It offers more room and a flatter surface then their old spot. That also makes it easier for the carhops to get around.

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Jean Spinosa, who runs the Wig Out cabaret group, has been a fan of the Drive-In since its launch in 2006. Her group performs before films once a month. They do five onesong acts that match the theme of whatever movie is playing. Their next show will be at a June drive-in event. “Devil’s Night Drive-In is just the best place to see a movie outside,” Spinosa said. “It has a really good vibe to it, the crowd is great, it’s a great screen and it’s Downtown, so it’s beautiful with all the buildings around you.” “And,” she added, “they pick all of my favorite movies.” Devils Night info is at (310) 584-1086 or devilsnight.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

30 Downtown News

LISTINGS The ‘Don’T Miss’ LisT

SPONSORED LISTINGS

Tuesday, May 18 Blessing of the Bicycles Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 W. Witmer Ave., (213) 977-2911 or blessingofthebicycles.com. 8-9:30 a.m.: Whether pro, pleasure-rider or commuter, get breakfast and get blessed for safe riding for a year at Good Samaritan Hospital’s Annual Blessing of the Bicycles. The recipients of the Golden Spoke Award will also be honored. Town Hall Meeting: Record Stores — From Vinyl Past to Digital Future Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. A245, (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. 7:30 p.m.: Music journalist Phil Gallo will moderate a panel of music industry peeps and record store owners to discuss how music consumption has evolved and the future of record stores in the digital age. Panelist Gary Calamar of KCRW and Gallo will sign copies of their new book Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again after the program. Wednesday, May 19 MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 6:30 p.m.: For MOCA’s fourth annual Art Panel Series, a range of experts will discuss “30 Years of Art in L.A.,” exploring the evolution of contemporary art in Los Angeles and the city as an art center. This month’s gathering will consider interdisciplinary art. Moderated by MOCA Associate Curator Bennett Simpson, speakers include artists Jorge Pardo and Lauren Bon. Thursday, May 20 Thursdays at Central 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7272 or lapl.org. 12:15 -1 p.m.: Batman in the movies, hipsters reading Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and grandmothers reading the graphic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Take a peek into the wide-ranging world

ONE

by Lauren CampedeLLi, Listings editor calendar@downtownnews.com

hat would Babar think? REDCAT caps its 2009-2010 Sharon Disney Lund Dance Series with the Los Angeles premiere of There Is an Elephant in This Dance. Choreographer/dancer Lionel Popkin and his ensemble play off a comically overlarge plush elephant costume, sometimes worn whole, sometimes in pieces, to explore how one “body” can contain multiple histories and cultural identities. The Hindu god Ganesh, Remover of Obstacles, is evoked and unpacked, as well as a trunk-load of elephant imagery and associations. Popkin’s history as the son of a Jewish father and South Asian mother growing up in Indiana provided the seed of inspiration for the project, begun in 2007 as a solo. Through May 23 at 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

photo by Simeon Den

he Smell is pure. The Smell is cool. The Smell is D.I.Y. The Smell is grassroots. The Smell welcomes the pure and unadulterated singer/songwriter Jonathan Richman with drummer Tommy Larkin on Tuesday, May 18, at 9 p.m. Richman’s straightahead songs, catchy compositions, insightful lyrics and humor have earned him a fiercely loyal following — of all ages — for more than 30 years. Conan O’Brien is a fan, too, and made him a frequent guest on his (late) late night show. Richman tours nearly non-stop all over the world, and Tuesday night you can walk down an alley off Third Street and see him up close and personal. At 247 S. Main St., thesmell.org. photo by Rory Earnshaw

leger and fashion ostume design as nominated dw end Edith Hea on y Awards and w for 35 Academ e th ng si ng career dres eight in her lo see her handiwork in can stars. Now you Costume ches in The Art of itute et sk al its origin st the Fashion In . The Illustration at g in d Merchandis ay 18, of Design an M opens Tuesday, ns. It exhibit, which io at than 225 illustr rtrays contains more po ars of work and also spans 75 ye ume design illustracost the evolution of ncerts. levision and co tion for film, te of Two Cities (designs le From 1935’s A Ta s) to 1969’s Butch lle Va on gt in rl by J. A d (Edith Su e ndance Ki Cassidy and Th ) to 2010’s Alice in here Head, shown , experiolleen Atwood) t in a Wonderland (C ar en ng and unse ence the unsu e show Th n. y to creatio costume’s journe June 12 at 919 S. ugh continues thro 4-1201 or fidm.edu. ) 62 Grand Ave., (213

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TWO

Monday, May 17 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Melding memoir and history, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kai Bird fuses his early life in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt with an account of the American experience in the Middle East. He’ll discuss his experience, and writing, with L.A. Times Editorial Page editor Nick Goldberg. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. 8:30 p.m.: Hilton Als, theater critic for The New Yorker, gives a talk on fact, fiction and the role of the critic in contemporary art.

A Small Stage, Big Ice, Dancing Elephants and More

E E R H T

Where’s the Money? Access to Capital Business Expo Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, 711 S. Hope St., (213) 488-3599 or vedc.org. June 12, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Join the VEDC for a day of education, resources and business growth. Discuss your financing needs in a oneon-one consultation. Obtain information from business resource providers. Attend workshops about unconventional financing, recovering from the recession, using online marketing, repairing credit and creating a financial plan. Sponsored by Cathay Bank. ‘Mixed’ and ‘Textured Lives’ Exhibitions Extended Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., (213) 624-0415 or janm.org. “Textured Lives,” an ongoing exhibit at JANM, explores Japanese immigrant clothing from the plantations to Hawai’I, in the collection of Barbara Kawakami. It has been extended through August 22. “Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids” by Kip Fulbeck has been extended through Sept. 26. Amgen Tour of California L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., amgentourofcalifornia.com. May 22, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Lance Armstrong and the largest cycling race in North America, the Amgen Tour of California, come to L.A. Live. Catch the world’s top cyclists in a demanding time trial course. Don’t miss the MBT Lifestyle Festival featuring a health and fitness expo, cancer awareness education, cycling gear, bike safety, entertainment and more.

e l 892 Archiv Guild, Loca

inyl’s back, baby, and if you dig combing through used record shops and yard sales for 33s, 78s or 45s, or just care about music, you’ll want to catch the Town Hall Meeting: Record Stores — From Vinyl Past to Digital Future at the Grammy Museum on Tuesday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. Music journalist Phil Gallo will moderate a panel of music industry peeps and record store owners to discuss how music consumption has evolved and the future of record stores in the digital age. Panelist Gary Calamar of KCRW and Gallo will sign copies of their new book, Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again, after the program. Who doesn’t love that old snap, crackle and pop? At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. A245, (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

lympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek is pulling double duty these days. He’s not only competing on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” but is also headlining the Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour, which makes a stop at Staples Center on Thursday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. Fellow Angeleno and Olympian Mirai Nagasu and a cast of other prominent figure skaters will perform to a potpourri of pop music, from Cheap Trick and Elton John to the Kiki Dee Band and the Dixie Chicks. Lysacek will carve up the ice to Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Nothing beats ice on a warm May night. At 1111 S. Figueroa St., (800) 745-3000 or staplescenter.com.

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

photo by Paul Harvath

EVENTS

May 17, 2010

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May 17, 2010

Downtown News 31

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Lakers Try to Keep The Suns From Rising

Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. May 17-21, 7:10 p.m.; May 22, 4:10p.m.; May 23, 1:10 p.m.: The Dodgers, who are inching back to respectability and a .500 record, are home all week, starting with two games against the Houston Astros. After that, the San Diego Padres come to town for two more, and then Detroit arrives for a three-game weekend set. Despite the disappointing start, the Dodgers have had a few bright spots. Andre Ethier has been hot, with 11 home runs, and James Loney has a .326 average. The pitching remains spotty, but rookie John Ely has impressed Joe Torre enough after two strong starts — out-pitching Arizona ace Dan Haren in one — to keep him in the rotation. —Ryan Vaillancourt

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Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. May 17 and 19, 6 p.m.: The Lakers are bigger. They’re stronger. They have more facial hair. But are they fast enough to keep up with the Phoenix Suns? As a team, Phoenix has a hot hand from three-point land, and even their backup center Channing Frye is a serious threat from downtown. Then there’s steely veteran Steve Nash and the pick and roll game he runs with Amar’e Stoudemire. The Lakers are certainly the favorites, especially after their dismantling of the Utah Jazz. But the high-flying Suns, who just swept the San Antonio Spurs, may have much less to lose. The first two games are in Staples Center, followed by two in Phoenix.

 Suim nner m i D ch and D Lun 

We Got Games

of graphic novels on your lunch hour. MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 6:30 p.m.: MOCA Associate Curator Rebecca Morse will lead a walkthrough of “Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years,” focusing on the museum’s collection of photography. Parole Reform Shakeout: Who Wins and Who Loses? Church of the Nazarene, 419 E. Sixth St., (310) 259-1038 or slapovertydept.org. 7-9 p.m.: The Los Angeles Poverty Department hosts a panel on the effects of the state’s parole reform on current parolees and transitional programs Downtown. Currently, one-third of the city’s parolees are in Downtown. Smucker’s Stars on Ice Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (800) 745-3000 or staplescenter.com. 7:30 p.m.: Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek headlines Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour including a cast of Olympic, world and national champions figure skaters.

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Friday, May 21 Farmlab Public Salon The Metabolic Studio, 1745 N. Spring Street #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: Artist Karen Atkinson will speak about GYST, an artist-run company that applies the creativity of an artist’s mind to the world of professional practices in contemporary art.

See Complete Listings on the Web at ladowntownnews.com/calendar.

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May 17, 2010

Downtown News 33

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323.298.0100 DRE#01455075

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DOWNTOWN L.A. OVIATT BUILDING

2 offices for rent, all hook-ups, partly furnished. 530 sqft. flex lease.

213.623.7008 or 213.280.5452

ALA 99¢/Sq. Ft. High Rise Office Space Walking distance to Metro Station, Social Security Office, Immigration Office, and Jewelry District. Close to 110 &101 Fwy. On site security guard.

213-892-0088

ORSINI III - Now Pre-leasing for May 2010. Hard Hat Tours Available by appointment. Never Lived in, Brand New Luxury Apartment Homes, Free Parking, Karaoke Room, Free Wi-Fi, Indoor Basketball, Uncomparable Amenity Package. Call today to schedule a tour - 866-479-1764.

Downtown LA

1250-2500 sq.ft., 20ft ceiling, water included, central AC w/private restroom. Call Pierre or Terri at 818-212-8333 or 213-744-9911

Apartments/Unfurnished

Milano Lofts Now Leasing!

Cemetery Plots Office space lease/sale

FREE RENT SPECIALS Up to $3500 off select apartment homes! Additional Look + Lease specials may apply. Free parking, free tanning, free wi-fi + biz center avail. Cardio Salon, pool, Spa, steamroom, sauna. Call us today. 866-742-0992.

PANORAMIC VIEW Overlooking San Gabriel Valley. Rose Hill at Whittier. 818-669-4496, owner. Commercial Investment MANAGING ASSISTANCE If you need help collecting the rent or managing/supervising your business or property. Call Rik Martino ...Conservator/executor/ investigator...(Actor M D B) youtube.com 323-850-8580.

• Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views 6th + Grand Ave. • 213.627.1900 milanoloftsla.com FREE RENT SPECIAL $725, spacious studio with large kitchen, newer carpets, appliances. 131 S. Carondelet Street. 310922-5437. Free ReNT SPECIALS @ the Medici. Penthouse 1 & 2 bdrm apts. Granite kitchens, washer/ dryers, business center, 2 pools, spa! Visit TheMedici.com for a full list of amenities. Call 888886-3731.

homes/unfurnished

Back House For Rent in Echo Park on Temple & Burlington Ave.

$1200/mo. 2 bd., 1 bath, 1 pkg. space. Includes stove/oven. Clean move-in Ready. No pets.

(213) 453-0876

Loft/Unfurnished

Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com

LA Live Loft 1 & 2 Bdrm Lofts

Hardwood, Bar, AC, Sauna, Greenhouse, all appliances, Was./Dryr., Secure, Garage.

Starting @ $1695 (310) 275-2076 Commercial Space TWO GREAT ARTIST’S work studios. Sunny, 16’ ceilings, gated parking, wi-fi. Close to downtown and freeways. 240sf for $350/mo, 300sf for $465/mo. WORK ONLY/NOT LIVE-IN. 213-509-4403

Town Houses

Rental Exchange

CHARMING HIGHLAND PARK Townhome. 1/2 block from Goldline, 15 minutes downtown, near 110FWY, 2 bed/2.5 bath, 1131SF, quiet building, central AC/heat, garage, laundry in-unit. $1,695. (626) 625-6096 and (818) 731-5670.

ELDEN PARK VILLA is a 44 Unit Modern/Contemporary Design Condominium offering 1Bed+Den, 2Bed, 2Bed+Den, and 3Bed units. 1 Mile West of LA Live and Downtown LA. www.eldenparkvilla.com (213) 276-2459 Continued on next page

We've got what you're searching for! DowntownNews.com

The Downtown Renaissance Collection

I c o n i c B e au t y

Be Inspired...

S e e k s S t y l i s h M at e

Best Downtown Locations!

On Spring St.

Spring Tower Lofts:

1900 sqft, open LOFT w/views $2850/mo • 17 ft ceilings, Live/Work space • 14 story bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly

Premiere Towers:

2 bdrm/2 bath, $1,650/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/ GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

City Lofts:

680 sqft, 16 ft ceilings, $1450/mo. • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C

Please call 213.627.6913 www.cityloftsquare.com

FOR RENT? FOR LEASE? FOR SALE? People are looking here, shouldn’t your ad should be here?

(213) 481-1448 Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

NOW LEASING

$1,400’s/Mo. Free Parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

Monthly from $695 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151

550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.

877-231-9362

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

Medici

MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing! • Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views

madison hotel Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

Orsini

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.

Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348

725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.

877-239-8256

WWW.THEMEDICI.COM

Elegant World Class Resort Apartment Homes

Piero 616 ST. PAUL AVE.

877-235-6012

WWW.THEPIERO.COM

Visconti 1221 WEST THIRD ST.

866-690-2888

WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM

FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans • Free Resident/Guest Parking in Gated Garage • Private Library, Business Center & Conference Rooms • Free Wi-Fi & DSL Computer Use • Resident Karaoke Lounge • Directors Screening Room • Lavish Fountains & Sculptures • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball, BBQ’s and Jogging Track • Night Light Tennis Courts • Indoor Basketball

Version 1

• Brunswick Four-Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Free Tanning Rooms • Massage Room, Sauna & Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Rooms • Concierge Service • 24-Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-Site Management • Magnificent City Views *Amenities vary among communities

34 Downtown News

May 17, 2010

Twitters/DowntownNews Continued from previous page

Legal Notice

EMPLOYMENT

NOTICE OF POLLING PLACES AND DESIGNATION OF CENTRAL COUNTING PLACE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk’s office of polling places designated for the PRIMARY ELECTION scheduled to be held on June 8, 2010. NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that the RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk’s facility, 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk California 90650 has been designated as the central counting place for the above election. Polling places shall be open between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Persons requiring multilingual assistance in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, or Vietnamese regarding information in the notice may call (800) 481-8683. POLLING PLACES 9000029A (9000029B, 9000029C, 9000029D, 9000029E, 9000029F, 9000029G and 9000029H CONS) - ALPINE RECREATION CENTER 817 YALE ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9000053A (9000053B, 9000053C, 9000053D and 9000053E CONS) - MAGNOLIA AVENUE ELEM SCHOOL 1626 ORCHARD AVE LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9000272A (9000272B, 9000272C, 9000272D and 9000272E CONS) - COLDWELL BANKER 119 N LARCHMONT BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9000355A (9000355B, 9000355C, 9000355D and 9000355E CONS) - MARIPOSA-NABI PRIMARY 987 S MARIPOSA AVE LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9000360A (9000360B, 9001537A and 9001537B CONS) SEOUL INTERNATIONAL PARK 3250 SAN MARINO ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9000418A (9000418B, 9000418C, 9000418D and 9000418E CONS) - HOLLYWOOD REALTY CO 554 N LARCHMONT BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9000454A (9000454B, 9000454C, 9000454D, 9001592A, 9001592B, 9001592C and 9007542D CONS) - NORWOOD ST ELEMENTARY SCH 2020 OAK ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9000464A (9000464B, 9000464C, 9000464D and 9000464E CONS) - ALPINE RECREATION CENTER 817 YALE ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9000476A (9000476B, 9000476C, 9000476D, 9000476E and 9001740C CONS) - ALEXANDRIA AV ELEM SCHOOL 4211 OAKWOOD AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9000502A (9000502B, 9000502C, 9000502D and 9000502E CONS) - WOO 209 S GAREY ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9000517A (9000517B, 9000517C, 9000517D and 9001680B CONS) - LEO POLITI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2481 W 011TH ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9000554A (9000554B, 9000554C, 9000554D, 9000888A, 9000888B, 9000888C and 9001028A CONS) - WARD VILLAS SENIOR HOUSING 1177 W ADAMS BLVD LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9000731A (9000731B, 9000731C, 9000731D and 9000731E CONS) - HARVARD BLVD ELEM SCH / AUD 330 N HARVARD BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9000884A (9000884B, 9000884C, 9000884D, 9000884E and 9000884F CONS) - HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH 751 CRENSHAW BLVD LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9000914A (9000914B, 9000914C, 9001160A, 9001639A and 9001852A CONS) - HOOVER RECREATION CENTER 1010 W 025TH ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9000965A (9000965B, 9000965C, 9000965D, 9000965E and 9000965F CONS) - FIRE STATION #6 326 N VIRGIL AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9000989A (9000989B, 9000989C, 9000989D, 9000989E and 9000989F CONS) - SEOUL INTERNATIONAL PARK 3250 SAN MARINO ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9001008A (9001008B, 9001008C, 9001008D and 9001008E CONS) - SEOUL INTERNATIONAL PARK 3250 SAN MARINO ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9001024A (9001024B, 9001024C and 9001024D CONS) VERMONT AVE ELEM SCHOOL 1435 W 027TH ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001025A (9001025B, 9001539A, 9001539B and 9001794A CONS) - CARECEN 2845 W 007TH ST LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9001026A (9001026B, 9001026C, 9001026D, 9001026E and 9001026F CONS) - ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CHR. 3500 S NORMANDIE AVE LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001046A (9000893A, 9001046A, 9001046B, 9001046C, 9001046D, 9001046E, 9001046F, 9001046H, 9001046J and 9001046K CONS) - AUDI OF DOWNTOWN LA 1900 S FIGUEROA ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001046G (9001046M, 9001046N, 9001046P and 9001046R CONS) - JOHN ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL 151 W 030TH ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001069A (9001069B, 9001069C, 9001069D, 9001069E and 9001069F CONS) - MIJOO PEACE CHURCH 170 BIMINI PL LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001082A (9000338A, 9000716A, 9001082A, 9001686A, 9001686B, 9001686C, 9001813A and 9002200A CONS) - FARM LAB 1745 N SPRING ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9001097A (9001097B, 9001097C, 9001236C, 9001236D and 9001236E CONS) - BUNKER HILL TOWERS 800 W 001ST ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9001098B (9001098C, 9001098D, 9001098E and 9001098F CONS) - FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH 2936 W 008TH ST LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9001190A (9001190B, 9001190C, 9001190D, 9001190E and 9001190F CONS) - THIRD ST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 201 S JUNE ST LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001499A (9001499B, 9001499C, 9001499D, 9001499E, 9005757B and 9005757F CONS) - UNION FERRARO TOWERS 455 S UNION AVE LOS ANGELES 90017 Accessible: Y 9001613A (9001613B, 9001613C, 9001613D, 9001613E and 9001613F CONS) - THIRD ST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 201 S JUNE ST LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001620A (9000050A, 9001541A, 9001541B, 9001541C, 9001541D, 9001620A, 9001620B and 9001620C CONS) - SAINT JAMES MANOR 615 S GRAMERCY PL LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9001621A (9001621B, 9001621C, 9001621D, 9001621E, 9001621F and 9001621G CONS) - RESIDENCE 160 S WINDSOR BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001631A (9001631B, 9001631C, 9001631D, 9001631E and 9001631F CONS) - CAHUENGA ELEM SCH/M-P ROOM 220 S HOBART BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001660A (9001660B, 9001660C, 9001660D, 9001660E and 9001660F CONS) - SOLANO AVE ELEM SCHOOL 615 SOLANO AVE LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9001668A (9001098A, 9001668A, 9001668B and 9001668C CONS) - FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH 2936 W 008TH ST LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9001681A (9001681B, 9007107A, 9007107B and 9007107C CONS) - SOPHIA T SALVIN SPEC. ED CTR 1925 BUDLONG AVE LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001684A (9001022A, 9001684A, 9001684B and 9001684C CONS) - VERMONT AVE ELEM SCHOOL 1435 W 027TH ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001685A (9001685B, 9001685C, 9001685D and 9001685E CONS) - VIRGIL MIDDLE SCHOOL 152 N VERMONT AVE

LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001704C (9001704D, 9001704E and 9001704F CONS) GRATTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 309 S LUCAS AVE LOS ANGELES 90017 Accessible: Y 9001714A (9001702A, 9001702B, 9001702C, 9001702D, 9001714A and 9001714B CONS) - WILTON KOREAN PRESBYTERIAN 470 N ST ANDREWS PL LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001739A (9001739B, 9001739C, 9001739D, 9001739E and 9001739F CONS) - FIRST A M E ZION CATHEDRAL 1449 W ADAMS BLVD LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: N 9001741A (9000649A, 9000991A, 9001741A, 9001741B and 9002233A CONS) - FIRST A M E ZION CATHEDRAL 1449 W ADAMS BLVD LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: N 9001751A (9001751B, 9001751C, 9001751D, 9001751E and 9001751F CONS) - JOHN W MACK ELEM SCHOOL 3020 S CATALINA ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001757A (9001757B, 9001757C, 9001757D, 9001757E and 9002451B CONS) - WEEMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1260 W 036TH PL LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001762A (9001762B, 9001762C, 9001762D and 9001762E CONS) - WEEMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1260 W 036TH PL LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001781B (9001781C, 9001781D, 9001781E, 9003645A and 9003645B CONS) - NORMANDIE RECREATION CENTER 1550 S NORMANDIE AVE LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9001801A (9001740A, 9001740B, 9001801A, 9001801B, 9001801C and 9001801D CONS) - ALEXANDRIA AV ELEM SCHOOL 4211 OAKWOOD AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001804A (9001804B, 9001804C, 9001804D and 9001804E CONS) - ROSEWOOD UNITED METH CHR 525 N KENMORE AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001810A (9000971A, 9000971B, 9001810A and 9001810B CONS) - CAHUENGA ELEM SCH/M-P ROOM 220 S HOBART BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001810C (9002017A, 9002017B and 9002017C CONS) FRANK DEL OLMO ELEMENTARY 100 N NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001814A (9001814B, 9001814C, 9001814D and 9001814E CONS) - PORTALS 269 S MARIPOSA AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001820B (9000371B, 9001797H, 9001820B, 9001820E, 9001820F, 9001820G and 9001820H CONS) - GRATTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 309 S LUCAS AVE LOS ANGELES 90017 Accessible: Y 9001838A (9001838B, 9001838C, 9001838D, 9001838E and 9001838F CONS) - FIRE STATION #6 326 N VIRGIL AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9001864A (9001236A, 9001864A and 9001864B CONS) ANGELES PLAZA 255 S HILL ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9001875A (9001781A, 9001875A, 9001875B, 9001875C, 9001875D and 9001875E CONS) - NORMANDIE RECREATION CENTER 1550 S NORMANDIE AVE LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9001920A (9001920B, 9001920C, 9001920D, 9001920E and 9002159A CONS) - SUNG KWANG PRESB CHURCH 1359 W 024TH ST LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001929A (9001929B, 9001929C and 9001929D CONS) OUR SAVIOR CATHOLIC CENTER 3207 UNIVERSITY AVE LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001956A (9001956B, 9001956C, 9001956D, 9001956E, 9001956F and 9001956G CONS) - ROGER WILLIAMS BAPTIST CHR 1342 W ADAMS BLVD LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9001958A (9001958B, 9001958C, 9001958D, 9001958E and 9001958F CONS) - FIRE STATION #15 915 W JEFFERSON BLVD LOS ANGELES 90007 Accessible: Y 9002001A (9000911A, 9002001A, 9002001B, 9002001C and 9002001D CONS) - IGLESIA MISSIONERA CHURCH 3018 W PICO BLVD LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: N 9002012A (9002012B, 9002012C, 9002012D, 9002012E and 9002012F CONS) - LEO POLITI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2481 W 011TH ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9002947A (9000899A, 9002947A, 9002947B and 9002947C CONS) - HARVARD BLVD ELEM SCH / AUD 330 N HARVARD BLVD LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9002952A (9002952B, 9002952C, 9002952D, 9002952E and 9002952F CONS) - FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH 2936 W 008TH ST LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9003185A (9001236B, 9001236F, 9003185A, 9003185B and 9003185C CONS) - BUNKER HILL TOWERS 800 W 001ST ST LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9003952A (9003952B and 9003952C CONS) - FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH 2936 W 008TH ST LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9003961A (9003961B, 9003961C and 9003961D CONS) MIJOO PEACE CHURCH 170 BIMINI PL LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9004230A (9001714C, 9004230A, 9004230B, 9004230C, 9004230D and 9004230E CONS) - THE ORIENTAL MISSION CHURCH 424 N WESTERN AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9005006A (9005006B CONS) - WILSHIRE CHRISTIAN MANOR 616 S NORMANDIE AVE LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9005007A (9005007B CONS) - PORTALS 269 S MARIPOSA AVE LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9005300A (9005300B, 9005300C and 9005300D CONS) HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH 751 CRENSHAW BLVD LOS ANGELES 90005 Accessible: Y 9005389A (9005389B, 9005389C, 9005389D, 9005389E and 9005389F CONS) - THIRD ST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 201 S JUNE ST LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y 9005399A (9001781F, 9005399A, 9005399B, 9005399C, 9005399D, 9005399E, 9005399F and 9005399G CONS) BERENDO JR HIGH SCHOOL 1157 S BERENDO ST LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9005401A (9002229A, 9005401A, 9005401B, 9005401C, 9005401D and 9005401E CONS) - FIRST KOREAN METHODIST CHURCH 1230 S HOBART BLVD LOS ANGELES 90006 Accessible: Y 9005543B (9005543C, 9005543D, 9005543E, 9005543F, 9005543G and 9005543H CONS) - HOLY HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH 1111 SUNSET BLVD LOS ANGELES 90012 Accessible: Y 9005757A (9001704A, 9001704B, 9005757A, 9005757C, 9005757D, 9005757E and 9005757G CONS) - GRATTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 309 S LUCAS AVE LOS ANGELES 90017 Accessible: Y 9005769A (9005769B, 9005769C, 9005769D and 9005769E CONS) - IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH 847 GREEN AVE LOS ANGELES 90017 Accessible: Y 9005778A (9005778B, 9005778C, 9005778D, 9005778E, 9005778F and 9005778G CONS) - WILTON KOREAN PRESBYTERIAN 470 N ST ANDREWS PL LOS ANGELES 90004 Accessible: Y DEAN C. LOGAN Acting Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk County of Los Angeles

5/17/10 CNS-1858023# DOWNTOWN NEWS

Computers/IT ATTN: COMPUTER WORK. Work from anywhere 24/7. Up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/ mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-800-330-8446. Drivers COMPANY DRIVERS (Solos & Hazmat Teams) * Great Pay * Great Miles * CDL-A Required. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call 866-789-8947. Swift. (CalSCAN) DRIVERS IN DEMAND! 20 Positions Available. Solo OTR Drivers & Team Drivers West states exp/hazmat end, great miles/ hometime. Andrus Transportation 1-800-888-5838, 1-866-8065119 x1402. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. We Train and Employ You. Company Drivers up to 40K First Year. New Team Pay! Up to 48c/mile Class A CDL Training Regional Locations! 1-877-3697092 www.CentralDrivingJobs. net. (Cal-SCAN) NATIONAL CARRIERS needs O/Os, Lease Purchase, Company Drivers for its expanding fleet. Offering Regional/OTR runs, Outstanding Pay Package, excellent benefits, generous hometime. 1-888-707-7729. www.NationalCarriers.com. (Cal-SCAN) REGIONAL DRIVERS Needed! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! 12 months OTR required. Heartland Express 1-800-441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com. (Cal-SCAN)

SLT NEEDS CDL A Team Drivers with Hazmat. $2,000 Bonus. Company teams paid $0.68 for all miles. Owner operators paid up to $1.70 per mile. 1-800-8359471, 1-877-253-2897. (CalSCAN) TRUCK DRIVERS: CDL training. Part-time driving job. Fulltime benefits. Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. Up to $15,000 bonus. www.NationalGuard.com/Truck or 1-800-GO-GUARD. (CalSCAN) General

UP TO $2,000 WEEKLY Income Online. Start earning Today! For Complete Information Visit Us At: www.OneHourHomeBusiness. com. (Cal-SCAN)

SERVICES attorneys

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Child Support / Custody Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean

Get your GREEN CARD or CITIZENSHIP

AUTOMOTIVE Great jobs in downtown LA! Full time or part time. Two blocks south of the Staples Center at Figueroa & Venice. Toyota Central is growing! Sales Associates - all levels. Internet Associates. Service Technicians. Service Consultants. Drivers. Cashiers. Receptionists. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern and women encouraged to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits. Please call 800-597-5516 or send resume to autosuccess@ aol.com. EOE. HELP WANTED Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710

Business Services SHINE TIME SHOE CARE pick service complete shoe care “Boston Gloss” Dwayne Whitson 213-2181237. Education HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-5623650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN) Financial Services CASH NOW! Get cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. High payouts. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SETTLEMENT (1-866-738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (Cal-SCAN)

Business Opportunities

Accounting/Bookkeeping

ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)

EXPERIENCE COUNTS Bookkeeping, Accounting, Projections. Contact Office Mgr. 213880-5992 stephanie@jkbassoc. com 600 W. 9th St. #1102, LA, CA 90015.

Legal Notice I certify, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct. Dated this 21 day of April, 2010.

NOTICE OF DIVIDED PUBLICATION

Made pursuant to Section 3381, Revenue and Taxation Code Pursuant to Sections 3381 through 3385, Revenue and Taxation Code, the Notice of Power to Sell Tax-Defaulted Property in and for Los Angeles County, State of California, has been divided and distributed to various newspapers of general circulation published in the County. A portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers. NOTICE OF IMPENDING POWER TO SELL TAXDEFAULTED PROPERTY Made pursuant to Section 3361, Revenue and Taxation Code Notice is hereby given that real property taxes and assessments on the parcels described below will have been defaulted five or more years, or, in the case of nonresidential commercial property, property on which a nuisance abatement lien has been recorded or that can serve the public benefit by providing housing or services directly related to low-income persons when three or more years have elapsed and a request has been made by a city, county, city and county, or nonprofit organization that property will become subject to the tax collector’s power to sell. The parcels listed will become subject to the tax collector’s power to sell on July 1, 2010, at 12:01 a.m., by operation of law. The tax collector’s power to sell will arise unless the property is either redeemed or made subject to an installment plan of redemption initiated as provided by law prior to 5:00 p.m., on June 30, 2010. The right to an installment plan terminates on June 30, 2010, and after that date the entire balance due must be paid in full to prevent sale of the property at public auction. The right of redemption survives the property becoming subject to the power to sell, but it terminates at 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before actual sale of the property by the tax collector. All information concerning redemption or the initiation of an installment plan of redemption will be furnished, upon request, by Mark J. Saladino, Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, 225 North Hill Street, First Floor, Los Angeles, California 90012. The amount to redeem, in dollars and cents, is set forth opposite its parcel number. This amount includes all defaulted taxes, penalties, and fees that have accrued from the date of tax-default to the date of June 30, 2010.

MARK J. SALADINO TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES STATE OF CALIFORNIA PARCEL NUMBERING SYSTEM EXPLANATION The Assessor’s Identification Number (AIN), when used to describe property in this list, refers to the Assessor’s map book, the map page, the block on the map, if applicable, and the individual parcel on the map page or in the block. The Assessor’s maps and further explanation of the parcel numbering system are available in the Assessor’s Office, 500 West Temple Street, Room 225, Los Angeles, California 90012. The real property that is the subject of this notice is situated in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows: PROPERTY TAX DEFAULTED IN YEAR 2007 FOR TAXES, ASSESSMENT, AND OTHER CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006-2007 2847 $5,966.31 FARNSWORTH,SHAWN SITUS:654 N NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90004-2113 AIN: 5538-027-002 2848 $4,365.61 FARNSWORTH,SHAWN SITUS:4216 MELROSE AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3509 AIN: 5538027-004 2849 $14,269.25 FLECK AND ASSOC SITUS:675 N KENMORE AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90004-2109 AIN: 5538031-013 2851 $20,160.06 NEW GROVE LLC SITUS:531 N HOOVER ST LOS ANGELES CA 90004-2308 AIN: 5539-028-010 PROPERTY TAX DEFAULTED IN YEAR 2005 FOR TAXES, ASSESSMENT, AND OTHER CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2004-2005 2844 $216.98 DISTEFANO,JAMES M AND GRETCHEN G SITUS:4958 MARATHON ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3712 AIN: 5535-029-019 2845 $12,633.43 CERON,REYNALDO A AND CERON,ELISEO SITUS:5336 LA MIRADA AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1009 AIN: 5537-004-006 2846 $26,526.82 YEZEGELYAN,NERSES SITUS:5079 ROMAINE ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2462 AIN: 5537-019016 2850 $45,296.44 123 RAMONA LLC SITUS:4119 NORMAL AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2907 AIN: 5539-012020 2852 $10,631.77 KAZAZIAN,AIKAZ AND TAKOUHI TRS KAZAZIAN TRUST SITUS:1130 N KENMORE AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1504 AIN: 5540-028-003

May 17, 2010

massage

EZ SHIATSU & MASSAGE 30mins. (reg. $30) $10 OFF 1st customers only. 400 e. 2nd st., #205 la ca 90012

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213-680-4970 advertising ADVERTISE ONLINE in a network of 120-plus newspaper websites. Border to Border with one order! $7 cost per thousand impressions statewide. Minimum $5,000 order. Call for details: (916) 288-6010. www. CaliforniaBannerAdNetwork. com. (Cal-SCAN) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 2886019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com. (CalSCAN)

Downtown News 35

DowntownNews.com IF YOU ARE ACTIVE, Reserve, or National Guard and you have suffered a traumatic injury, you my be entitled to up to $100,000. Call the Rolshouse Law Firm at 1-800-969-5633. Licensed in Minnesota. www.MainstreetLawFirm.com. (Cal-SCAN) IF YOU TOOK Levaquin and suffered a rupture of Achilles, shoulder, bicep, or hand tendon call the Rolshouse Law Firm at 1-800-969-5633. Licensed in Minnesota. www.MainstreetLawFirm.com. (Cal-SCAN)

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classic autOs

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Pre-OWned

may 23 6am-3pm 209-777-5654

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DONATE YOUR VEHICLE! Receive Free Vacation Voucher. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf.info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, NonRunners Accepted, 1-888-4685964. (Cal-SCAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

autOs Wanted

‘08 HONDA CIVIC EX only 16K miles with navi. N13552/507882, only $17,999. 888-838-5089.

DONATE YOUR CAR! to Songs of love! Seen on the TODAY SHOW! Make a sick child smile and get a tax-deduction. Endorsed by Bob McGrath of Sesame Street! Call 888-909-SONG (7664) (Cal-SCAN)

DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (Cal-SCAN)

PETS/ANIMALS

vOlunteer OPPOrtunities

adOPt a Pet

HELPING KIDS heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information.

ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation. org.

LOFT LIVING Your number 1 source for Loft sales, rentals and development! LAdowntownNews.com

cHurcHes THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 E Third St. www. thebridgewired.org.

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

2002 911 TURBO X-50 yellow, loaded, 28k miles, one owner,vin 686559, 888-685-5426. 2007 AUDI A4 Certified, vin7a005605, $21,888. Call 888583-0981. 2007 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 280 Black/black, 3.0 liter, certified,17k miles, (vin139699), $30,994, call 888-319-8762. 2008 INFINITI G37 Low Miles, Loaded, CO1055D1-1/122597. $31,887. 888-879-9608 2008 KIA OPTIMAAbsolutely like new! $8,985. CUO129P/222797. Call 888-203-2967

Luxury Rooms in Downtown

Burbank • Brentwood Century City • Downtown L.A. Woodland Hills

Monthly Rents Start at $780 1 & 2 Rooms Available • Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid • • Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym • • Close to USC & Loyola Law School • • Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite

Special STUDeNT RaTe! $690 1 person

2010 VOLKSWAGON CC 2,369 miles, white, carfax 1 owner, VIN 528667, $25,888. Call 888781-8102

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Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301 jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com

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Real Artist Lofts available in original 18 unit Downtown Artist Loft bldg. close to Southern Cal. School of Architecture. Starting at approximately 1200 to 2100 Sq. ft. large open space with new kit and bath. Laundry, gated parking and intercom entry from $1200.

f u r n i t u r e

8342 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 | 323.655.3325 www.davinciLA.com

HELP WANTED Employee Counselor: Provide counseling ser &constructive advice to employees. Analyze & evaluate employee's abilities. Research & devlp ednal & infol materials. MA in General Sociology, Education or HR req. Send your resume to DTI Services, Inc. at 601 S. Figueroa St, Ste 4300, LA, CA 90017.

Casaloma L.A. Apartments Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with bath at $695/mo. Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

For English Call Pierre or Terri 213.744.9911 For Spanish Call Susana 213.749.0306

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

ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@ BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

fictitiOus

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fOr 4 insertiOns

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(The Downtown News does not perform filing services)

Unfurnished rooms starting at $480 a month

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Don't settle for anyone less experienced! Call us today! Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com

rOsslyn HOtel

ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Live/Work in Downtown Fashion District

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hELP wANtEd Manage sales staff for 3 So Cal locations for construction/installation home improvement business. Prepare technical reports & projections; confer w/ sales, provide technical support to clients, collaborate w/ contractors & installers. Requires a master’s degree or foreign equivalent in Business Administration, Construction Mgmt, Civil Engineering and/or related, w/ 3 yrs in job offered or as a Sales or Technical Manager to include window/door industry exp. & knowledge of engineering & construction principles. Employer will also accept a bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent w/ 5 years exp. (same degrees and experience as above). Resumes to: J. Pasternak, Intel Home, 20946 Victory Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91367

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Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.

36 Downtown News

May 17, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

A Foundation to Build On The Future of the Figueroa Corridor

hen Figueroa Corridor Partnership founder and chair Darryl Holter reflects on the future of both that street and the community surrounding it, he believes the

mula in the corridor. The formula is simple: retail and commercial store-fronts on the ground level, housing above it, parking in the back or below greade, and a streetscape that’s as pedestrian friendly as possible, given the area’s urban density. The largest new mixed-used project of this genre is the University Gateway student housing development. “The City of Los Angeles altered its General Plan Amendment for designated properties on Figueroa Street and the west side of Flower,” Holter said. “That laid the foundation for a new set of projects that are in various levels of

fROM OUR ADveRTiSeRS

framework of what’s to come is already in place. The Partnership’s Clean and Safe program, a burgeoning transit system, the new nodes of economic activity at light rail stations, and about two billion dollars of new investment paved the way for something else — a new mixed-use for-

development. Some of them are being built right now, and others are in the planning phase, but this is the formula for Figueroa.” The way Holter sees it, many of the fast food restaurants will change because they were built on a suburban-based development model—parking lots that front the street, the building in the back of the parking, and often, a drive-through configuration. That layout will start to give way to developments that are based on the reality that increasingly, people are going to live on top of these structures: The parking lots will go away, the retail establishments will move closer to the sidewalks, and the businesses will rely less and less on drivethroughs. “People who live in University Gateway aren’t going to get in their cars and drive across the street,” Holter said. “They’re going to walk.”

Darryl Holter is the founder and chair of the Figueroa Corridor Partnership.

DOWNTOWN L.A. AUTO GROUP

Downtown L.A. Motors MERCEDES BENZ

349 359

Lease

PICK YOUR PAYMENT ON 2010 C300 SPORT’S

+ Tax per month for 36 months $349 + tax, 36 months on approved Tier A 1 credit. $4,143 total due at signing includes tax, license, doc fee and first payment. $0 security deposit. 10K total miles per year. $0.25 cents per mile excess. MSRP $38,625.

+ Tax per month for 36 months $359 + tax, 36 months on approved Tier A 1 credit. $4,153 total due at signing includes first payment and acquisition fees. $0 security deposit. *10K miles per year. 25¢ per mile excess. MSRP $39,034 *For details, exclusions and limitations on Mercedes-Benz Star Service Prepaid Maintenance, contact your dealer, visit www.mbusa.com/maintenance, or call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES.

R8’s Ready For Immediate Delivery!

NEW AUDI A8

HUGE SAVINGS

DISCOUNT New 2009 A8 (1) at this price. VIN: 9N0001448

OFF MSRP. New 2008 VIN: 8A146669

O UP T5,000 $1 F

0.9%

Offer applies to limited model and model years, see dealer for details. Offer ends May 31, 2010.

Down payment: $999 Refundable security deposit: $0 Acquisition fee: $625 First month’s payment: $399 Amount due at lease inception: $2,023 Excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer charges

2010 A4 2.0T FWD Premium

429

lease per month for 36 months Now through July 5, 2010

Down payment: $599 Refundable security deposit: $0 Acquisition fee: $625 First month’s payment: $429 Amount due at lease inception: $1,653 Excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer charges

*36-mo. closed-end lease.. Rate based on $33,275 MSRP of 2010 Audi A4 2.0TPrice excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer charges. Purchase option at lease end for $16,970. Lessee responsible $0.25/mile over 10,000 miles per year. On Approved Credit with Audi Financial services.

service Department Open on saturday

Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm & Sun. 9:30am – 8pm

PRe-OWNeD VeHICLes

‘09 SENTRA 2.0 S

Certified Pre-Owned. 7 Year or 100,000 Mile Warranty. #9L625196.

2010 Jetta Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance 3 Years or 36,000 Miles of No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance

‘07 FRONTIER SE CREW CAB Certified Pre-Owned. N10682-1 #7C459722.

‘09 ALTIMA 2.5 S

$1,849

Due at lease signing.

Including security deposit. 12,000 miles per year, 20 cents per mile over 36,000 miles. Stk. # C1022D/148330.

$199 per month for 39 months

Certified Pre-Owned. 7 Year or 100,000 Mile Warranty. #9N441101.

Only 6K Miles. N10726-1 #88136468.

& Sun. 9:30am – 8:30pm

service Department Open on saturday

New 2010 Panamera S

$139

PRe-LOVeD VeHICLes

‘09 ROUTAN SE CAR FAX, 1 OWNER 6,983 miles, Silver. VIN 545946

‘08 EOS

CONVERTIBLE FACTORY WARRANTY 26K miles. VIN 018284

‘08 R32

CERTIFIED CAR FAX, 1 OWNER 30,903 miles, Gray. VIN 152236

$14,888 $20,888 $22,888 $27,888 1900 S. Figueroa St. • 888-781-8102 Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm service Department Open on saturday

& Sun. 9:30am – 8pm

PRe-OWNeD VeHICLes

‘05 CHEVY MALIBU LT

‘08 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID 48 MPG Dark Blue, Back-Up Camera. VIN 790050

Stk # UC566, VIN 224393

$1399

‘10 CHEVY CAMARO SS

COUPE 2D, 6.2 LTR. V8 Auto., Lthr., Loaded! (1) Stk # UC515R, VIN 9110364

$7,887 $15,887 $33,887 3330 S. Figueroa St. • 888-879-9608 service Department Open on saturday

Porsche of Downtown L.A.

California Edition

Plus tax. $2,499. Excludes tax, title, options, first payment, dealer fees, $625 bank fee. Security deposit waived requires tier A approval with VCI. Excess mileage charge .20 per mile. Only for VIN 101604.

3.99%

‘08 HUMMER H3

‘07 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV Black, Loaded. Stk # UC539, VIN 410947

$39,887

Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm & Sun. 10am – 8pm

Carson Nissan 2010 ALTIMA 2.5

Carson Nissan Discount $2296 Sale Price $18499 Rebate $1000 College Grad* Rebate $500

$16,999 Plus Tax and Lic., Doc. Fee Model 13010 Stock#C100446. VIN#N433594.

/Month +Tax

1 available at this payment VIN AL063148

/Month

‘08 JETTA S

2010 CHEVY COBALT COUPE

RaTes as LOW as

$14,999 $15,999 $16,999 $22,999 635 W. Washington Blvd. • 888-838-5089 Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm

Volkswagen of Downtown L.A.

CERTIFIED CAR FAX, 1 OWNER 26,605 miles, White. VIN 068033

Felix Chevrolet

Stock#N10547. VIN389813. 1 at this price.

1900 S. Figueroa St. • 888-583-0981

2.49%

service Department Open on saturday

1801 S. Figueroa St. • 888-319-8762

1.6 Litre, 4 Door Sedan

Special certified pre-owned vehicle financing with rates as low as 0.9%* Financing for approved credit by Audi Financial Services.

*39-mo. closed-end lease. Rate based on $32,675 MSRP of 2010 Audi A3 2.0T FrontTrak® Premium Plus with Automatic Transmission, Open Sky sunroof and destination charge. Price excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer charges. Purchase option at lease end for $16,338. Lessee responsible for $0.25/mile over 10,000 miles per year. On Approved Credit with Audi Financial services.

RaTes as LOW as

Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm & Sun. 10am – 8pm

Special Certified Audi APR Offers

2010 A3 2.0T FWD Premium Plus * $

399

$8,888

SCO

Finance a new 2010 Audi A3, A4 and A6 with special APR financing as low as 1.9% for limited term. Offer good through July 5, 2010. Or lease an A4/A3 for the following special offers:

lease per month for 39 months Now through July 5, 2010

34 MPG Hwy. 26 MPG City

SIGN & DRIVE

+ Tax per month for 36 months $459 + tax, 36 months on approved Tier A 1 credit. $0 total due at signing includes first payment and acquisition fees. $0 security deposit. 10K miles per year. 25¢ per mile excess. MSRP $38,265

2010 NISSAN VERSA SEDAN

00 T 0 , 4 $1 UN

MANY OTHER MODELS AT HUGE SAVINGS!

459

Nissan of Downtown L.A.

Audi of Downtown L.A.

NEW AUDI S4

STAR SERVICE PREPAID MAINTENANCE*

Lease

WWW.DTLAMOTORS.COM

On approved credit, 36 month closed end lease. $7500 total due at signing. $0 security deposit. 10k miles per year. Residual $48,144. 30 cents per excess mileage charge.

CeRTIFIeD PRe-OWNeD VeHICLes

‘05 CAYENNE V6 Silver/Black, Nav., Must See, CPO. VIN A22651.

‘07 CAYMAN Red/beige, Tiptronic, Only 8k Miles. CPO. VIN 760184.

‘06 CAYENNE S

TITANIUM EDITION Iceland Silver/Black-Grey, Nav., CD Changer, CPO. VIN A67729.

‘06 CARRERA S CABRIOLET Seal Grey/Black, Full Leather, 6-Speed, CPO. VIN 765197.

$35,888 $42,988 $44,988 $62,888 1900 S. Figueroa St. • 888-685-5426 Mon.-Sat. 8:30am – 9pm service Department Open on saturday

& Sun. 9:30am – 8pm

*Graduate within the next 6 months or the last 2 years.

PRe-OWNeD VeHICLes

‘08 KIA SPECTRA

‘08 NISSAN VERSA

‘02 TOYOTA CAMRY

‘08 MAZDA 6

What a steal of a deal! CU0170R/528396

Vica Versa what a deal! C100637-1/429073

Very clean, must see! C100832-1/524353

Great young buyer car! CU0160R/M12941

$7,999

$9,988

$9,998

$10,999

Drive up until 8pm for your oil change or service! 1505 East 223rd St., Carson • 888-203-2967 seRVICe: Mon.-Fri. 7am – 8pm, Sat. 7am – 5pm saLes: Mon.-Sun. 8:30am – 10pm

All vehicle subject to prior sale. All advertised prices exclude government fee and taxes, any finance charges and emission testing charges. Subject to credit approval. Ad expires day after publication.