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2 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Miraculous, historic Miracle Mile moving further into 21st century
By Suzan Filipek In the early 1920s, developer A.W. Ross turned a dirt road watched over by cows into a wealthy shopping enclave, which is how “Ross’s folly” became known as something of a miracle, and the name “Miracle Mile” was born. Parcels along Wilshire Boulevard quickly were improved, and many new shopping buildings were made to accommodate the automobile with entrances from the rear parking lots. Wilshire Tower housed both Silverwoods and Desmond’s in separate ground-floor wings. Built in 1929 as the first Art Deco structure on the Mile, it was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood (who also was the architect of the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park). The May Co. (now becoming home to the Academy Museum) opened in 1939 and remains a reigning example of Streamline Moderne architecture. HPOZ Adjacent homes and apartment buildings also were built in the early 20th century, mostly in Period Revival styles, many of which still stand today. So it seems only natural that this residential area became the city’s 35th Historic Preser-
vation Overlay Zone in 2017. There was last-minute opposition to the designation, so much so that the effort nearly failed. But the majority — the proponent of residents — won the day, and on March 28, 2017, the HPOZ ordinance was adopted by the City Council. It was a sigh of relief among
residents overwhelmed with a flurry of McMansions that were beginning to dot and overcrowd the neighborhood, according to Mark Zecca, chairman of the Miracle Mile Residential Association HPOZ committee. The next order of business is to appoint a five-member board for the HPOZ.
HPOZ board So far, one person has been appointed to the HPOZ board, which will work in tandem with the City Planning Department, said Ken Bernstein, principal city planner. Councilman David Ryu appointed architect Lisa Landworth DeBolske.
An additional appointment will be made by the mayor, who will select someone with real estate or construction experience. The Cultural Heritage Commission will choose both an architect and a renter or owner who lives in the Miracle Mile. “Our staff is setting up in(Please turn to page 3)
“Equinox just moved into this space in the fall… I love working here because we are so close to all of the museums and people in the field of art. I have a degree in graphic design, so this area and its architecture are very inspiring. The energy around the Miracle Mile, especially with all of the people walking around, is great.” Gabby Snavely, receptionist at Equinox
“We moved to this space in May of 2017. We used to be located at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, but we wanted to be closer to LACMA, the Craft & Folk Art Museum and the other museums, and this place just fell into our laps. We love the busy neighborhood and the residents are very receptive and hungry for art. The food scene here is also great: we have an Indian restaurant, a Japanese café and lots of other options. It’s truly a great community.” Rakeem Cunningham, TAG Art Gallery, Wilshire Blvd.
‘What do you love about working in the Miracle Mile?’
That is the question inquiring photographer Sondi Toll Sepenuk asked locals along Wilshire Blvd. near Wilshire Courtyard.
“I can remember when there wasn’t any development. Now, there’s a lot more and it’s much more lively. Of course, there’s more traffic now, too, but that kind of change is inevitable.” Armondo Gomez, First Entertainment Credit Union
“I love it because there are lots of places to walk to, good food, and it’s central to our clients in Santa Monica, downtown and Hollywood,” and “It’s also so close to LACMA and we have a wonderful Farmers Market here every Wednesday.” Dawn Telleson and Haley Mandel, Initiative Media in Wilshire Courtyard
Larchmont Chronicle
ON THE COVER
THE E. CLEM WILSON Building, circa 1935, was designed in 1929 by architects Meyer & Holler. The building, at the northeast corner of Wilshire and La Brea, is in Art Deco (Zigzag) Moderne style. It was used as the exterior of the Daily Planet building in the first season of “The Adventures of Superman” television series in 1952. Photo: USC Digital Library, Los Angeles Examiner Collection.
ONCE UPON A TIME. View looks west at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Cloverdale Avenue, circa 1939. The Sontag Drug Store is seen on the northwest corner. Today it is the location of Wilshire Beauty Supply. A and P Food Palace, a grocery store, was next-door to Sontag’s. Note the Wilshire Boulevard street lamps. Photo: Los Angeles Public Library.
FOUR STAR THEATRE opened in the 1930s on Wilshire Boulevard. It is the site of the nearly complete new apartment project, “The Mansfield.”
MIRACLE MILE
Published by the Larchmont Chronicle 323-462-2241
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The annual edition is delivered to residents, businesses and employees in the greater Miracle Mile area. It also is delivered to residents in Hancock Park, Windsor Square, Fremont Place, Park LaBrea and Larchmont Village, bringing the total readership to 100,000.
Miracle Mile 2018 3
31st annual edition
MM HPOZ
(Continued from page 2) terviews with the board applicants,” Bernstein said as the Chronicle went to press. Once in place, which is expected soon, the four board members will select the fifth member from the applicant pool. History takes time Meanwhile, City Planning Department staff members are reviewing building permit applications. When initiating a construction project, “what is most important is to first set up a consultation with [city planner] Christina Park to discuss any addition before plans are drawn up and permits are pulled,” according to the MMRA’s Mark Zecca. “She can guide them to what is permissible in this area. This will save them wasted time getting a project approved. “Pulling permits first without a consultation can delay the process.” Among early outreach to
all property owners was a city mailing of postcards about the new historic zone, and the MMRA also posted an “ABC’s of HPOZ” on its website. As new property owners buy into the area, they get an MMRA welcome packet informing them of their city planning HPOZ staff member Christina Park, Christina.park@lacity.org. “We urge all property owners to go to the city’s website for details on the Miracle Mile HPOZ, preservation.lacity.org/miraclemile. It is important for them to look up their property by street address and to study the new guidelines,” says Zecca.
Development on horizon
A new 12-story building is planned on S. La Brea Ave., just north of the future Purple Line subway station entrance. More next month!
OPENED IN 1952, the complex is the first large-scale facility designed for television production in the U.S.
Photo: Adrian Scott Fine/Los Angeles Conservancy
Commission to review historic status of CBS TV The city Cultural Heritage Commission was expected to consider historic status for the CBS Television City complex Thurs., March 1, after the Chronicle went to press. The five-member Commission had its first meeting regarding a city Historic-Cultural Monument designation for the storied television complex after it was recently nominated by
the Los Angeles Conservancy. “Assuming the Commission takes the nomination under consideration on March 1st, a two-member subcommittee of the Commission will tour the property and then the nomination will come back for final consideration, either in late April or early May,” said Ken Bernstein, principal city planner, Depart(Please turn to page 21)
4 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Mansfield Art Deco design pays homage to 1930s Theatre
By Suzan Filipek The Mansfield, a mixed-use project with 138 apartments above ground-floor retail, a yoga studio and dining, is getting ready for its close-up. The property at 5100 Wilshire Blvd. — at the corner of Mansfield Ave. — was once home to the Four Star Theatre, which opened in 1932. The apartment complex is set to start leasing soon for a May or June opening, said developer Aaron Korda of the Korda Group. Two floors of the six-story, Art Deco-style building feature lofts with 18-foot ceilings. Amenities at the complex include private balconies, a pool and Jacuzzi, fire pits, a gym, clubhouse, outdoor movie theater and spacious decks with views of downtown and the Hollywood Hills. The project has three levels of parking, two of them underground, with a total of 309 spaces. The garage will be equipped with electric vehicle charging stations. Automobile Club, yoga A ground-floor, 13,000square-foot retail area will include an office of the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is relocating from Century City to make room
ELEMENTS of Art Deco are reflected in the architecture.
for the Metro Purple Line station there, said Korda. The Automobile Club will lease 6,500 square feet on the west end, with a yoga studio opening on the east side of the building; another 2,500 square feet is available for a restaurant or coffee shop, Korda said. The Art Deco-style architecture is reminiscent of the original movie theater, which will be memorialized in the project breezeway by three murals by artist Jeanine Hattas based on historic photos, painted on canvas and applied to the concrete walls. The largest, 34 feet by 13 feet, shows crowds at a 1939 movie premiere attended by the Keystone Cops, Mr. and Mrs. Darryl Zanuck, Cesar Romero, Joan Crawford, Don
Ameche and Alice Faye among others. Three framed art pieces from the 900-seat theater will hang in the main lobby. Other notable events at the old theater included staging the press preview of “Gone with the Wind” in 1939. The Four Star was one of several theaters commissioned by United Artists and Fox West Coast Theatres and was designed by the firm of Walker and Eisen, with Clifford Balch as architect, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. The former movie house featured Art Deco details including inscribed chevrons, stripes, and abstract figurative and floral motifs, as well as a central tower that rose in a series of staggered steps.
MIRACLE MILE
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HOLLYWOOD’S Golden Age celebrities attended premieres at the former Four Star Theatre depicted in a mural featured in the Mansfield’s breezeway.
In the early 1970s, the San Francisco-based Mitchell Brothers purchased the Four Star and screened pornographic movies here. Oasis Church In 1997, the Theatre was purchased by Oasis Church, and, in 2007, renamed Oasis Theatre with church services held on Sundays. The building was sold in 2012 and was demolished in 2015 for the new mixed-use development spanning the entire block.
FOUR STAR THEATRE
A Miami Beach modern theme was nixed following ef(Please turn to page 14)
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
CARNEGIE HILL PROPERTIES AT 323.954.9100
Miracle Mile 2018 5
6 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Toy Hall settles in, other Chamber president sees transformation Courtyard business campus. Billy Taylor kid-friendly spaces abound As theByfounder Years later, Ratkovich acquired and president
When Whimsic Alley closed its doors last July, it opened up possibilities for Miracle Mile Toys and owner Christine Johnson and business partner Carrie Burkle-Harr. The store promptly moved across the street and has spent the last several months settling in. Keeping the village layout that former Whimsic Alley had put in place, Miracle Mile Toy Hall now uses the different village “shops” as rooms for different types of toys, from toddler toys to board and card games, and building blocks to dollhouses. The space is also used for birthday parties and other events, as well as groups such as Bob Baker Marionette Theater, which gives monthly performances (Burkle-Harr is a board member for the theater). There is a “Critter Visit” on Wednesdays, where kids can meet animals. In February, a photo booth was set up for kids to get their pictures taken and make a card. In April, Young Ninjas USA will have a ninja party at Toy Hall. Miracle Mile Toy Hall 5464 Wilshire Blvd. 323-389-1733 miraclemiletoyhall.com
YOUNG NINJAS USA brings their dojo to Toy Hall in April.
Toys, toys, toys If you can’t get enough toys at Toy Hall, Kip’s Toyland is arguably the oldest toy store around the Mile. The Farmers Market shop carries a selection of classic and retro toys, and it is always worth a visit for kids of all ages, and their parents, who want to get away from technology. Kip’s Toyland, Farmers Market 6333 W. 3rd St., Stall 720 323-939-8334 kipstoyland.com Story times, art, science But there’s more than toys to occupy a child or teen in this neighborhood. From story times for toddlers to earning community service hours for teens, to art, science and more, families can find it in the Mile. (Please turn to page 30)
of the Greater Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce, Steve Kramer has witnessed the area transform over the decades. And he says it just keeps getting better and better. “What is going on right now in the Miracle Mile is beyond a renaissance,” Kramer told the Chronicle in an interview at his Wilshire Boulevard law office. Things weren’t always so promising. When Kramer got the idea in 1995 to start a chamber of commerce, he says the Mile was a very quiet place. “I have lived in the area for 40 years, and in the ’80s and mid-’90s you just didn’t see people on the streets. There were a couple of restaurants, but not much activity.” Kramer can recall how just a few decades ago the Miracle Mile experienced a significant period of decline. “In the ’70s, large shopping centers opened up elsewhere, which caused department stores in the Mile to move, following a pattern around the country.” The loss of big-name stores caused an existential crisis to the once celebrated shopping district: “When you take out five department stores in a period of seven years, you lose a
STEVE KRAMER
lot. And in a negative way, that feeds upon itself,” says Kramer. But then, things slowly started to change, thanks in part, according to Kramer, to property developer Jerry Snyder, and later Wayne Ratkovich. Despite the area’s loss of luster at the time, both men believed that the Mile’s central location would bring people back. Snyder started investing in the neighborhood in the late ’80s by revamping the thennamed Museum Square building at 5757 Wilshire Blvd. — originally built in 1948 as Prudential Square, the western home office of the insurance company and now called the SAG-AFTRA Plaza. Just across the street, Snyder built the 1 million-square-foot Wilshire
the 30-story office building at 5900 Wilshire Blvd. and invested $34 million in a complete renovation of the tower. Kramer says that the respective projects that the two men undertook were instrumental in changing the narrative of the Mile. “These new buildings and major renovations were very welcoming to new tenants. Then we had a tremendous number of residential projects arrive. It brought activity back to the neighborhood.” It’s not likely that large department stores will ever return to the Mile — “It’s not going to happen,” Kramer concedes — but small, street-level businesses are flourishing. Miracle Mile Toys is a perfect example, according to Kramer, who notes that the family-owned toy store recently expanded and added an event space to their business model. “Also, next door to the toy store is Milk Jar Cookies, which serves cookies and ice cream. “Nobody would’ve opened an ice cream shop in the Miracle Mile in the ’90s,” Kramer says with a laugh. When asked why businesses are now flocking to the Mile, (Please turn to page 20)
Focused on the quality of life of Los Angeles neighborhoods, the L.A. City Attorney's Office has you covered. SENATOR BEN ALLEN
California State Senate, 26th District
Proud to Represent the Miracle Mile Community District Office (310) 318-6994 Capitol Office (916) 651-4026 Website http://sd26.senate.ca.gov Paid for by Ben Allen for Senate 2018 FPPC ID# 1369860
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Miracle Mile 2018 7
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8 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Misconceptions about La Brea Tar Pits, Ice Age animals, climate change
Dr. Emily L. Lindsey This article is adapted from a talk Dr. Lindsey gave prior to last year’s annual TarFest celebration in the Miracle Mile. In 2016, I moved to Los Angeles to take the job of Curator at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. This site is a U.S. National Natural Landmark, is generally ranked as one of the top places for tourists to visit in Los Angeles, and is intricately intertwined with the history of Los Angeles itself. However, even many locals, I have found, aren’t entirely sure what the La Brea Tar Pits are, and in some cases misconceptions have arisen. Here are a few examples: Dinosaurs Misconception 1: There are dinosaurs at the La Brea Tar Pits. Nope. No dinosaurs. (Sorry!) Well, that isn’t technically true, because birds are the living descendants of dinosaurs, and we have over 130 species of birds in our fossil collections. But the big, armored, toothy dinosaurs that you can see on display at our parent institution, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), over in Exposition Park, disappeared from earth more than 65 million years before the La Brea Tar
have extinct species of lions and jaguars and bears that used to wander what is now Wilshire Boulevard. And we have other big mammals that aren’t extinct, like coyotes and deer. And species that might go extinct in the not-too-distant future, like grizSPEAKING at LACMA at the launch of zlies and prongTarFest last year, Dr. Emily Lindsey. horn antelope. We also have less-giant aniPits began oozing up in Hancock Park (the County park, mals, like those 130 species of not the nearby residential birds, and lizards, and rodents. neighborhood), back when We have fish and snails and Los Angeles, and most of the even insects preserved in our rest of California, were still miraculous, ever-flowing goo. Incipient fossils hundreds of feet beneath the And we have plants too! If ocean. But if there aren’t any dino- you need to be convinced, just walk past one of the fencedsaurs here, what do we have? off, still-active asphalt seeps Mammals, like us We have giant animals — in Hancock Park, and you will mammals, like us! — that see thousands of incipient foslived here in Los Angeles not sils of modern plants stuck millions of years ago, but in a tar pit, just as they have (only) thousands. Animals that been getting stuck in our tar saw, and smelled, and prob- pits for tens of thousands of ably tasted — and were tasted years. All of which makes this one by — people. Saber-toothed cats and dire wolves, mam- of the only places in the world moths and mastodons, camels where scientists can look back and horses and bison, and (my in time and see not just one favorite) — giant sloths. We animal, or a group of animals,
NOT TO BE CONFUSED with a dinosaur, an Ice Age mammoth greets visitors at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
but an entire ecosystem of animals and plants, big and small, predators and prey; can start to guess at their behaviors, can divine their interactions, and can watch them move and change and travel through time until they come to where
INCIPIENT FOSSILS of modern plants and birds stuck in tar, just like thousands of years ago.
Neighborhood Gem. Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust Free admission. Located in Pan Pacific Park across from the Grove. Open seven days a week. Docent-led tours and Holocaust survivor talks are offered every Sunday. For a private tour, email info@lamoth.org. Museum Hours: Mon - Thu 10am - 5pm Fri 10am - 2pm Sat - Sun 10am - 5pm 100 The Grove Dr | www.lamoth.org
we are today, or disappear. Not actors Misconception 2: The people you see working in the excavations here in the park, and in the Fossil Lab inside our Museum, are actors — or a variation on this, are robots, or are part of a Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) art exhibit. People ask us about this frequently. And I get it. This is, after all, Los Angeles. And I have no doubt that, if we wanted to, we could get actors to come here and sit in the hot sun all day and pretend to be paleontologists. But we don’t need to do that — because we have real paleontologists! In fact, the La Brea Tar Pits (Please turn to page 28)
Larchmont Chronicle
Miracle Mile 2018 9
31st annual edition
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10 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Family friendly movies, ‘Doodles’ arts program at Park La Brea By Talia Abrahamson With its hard-to-miss apartment towers and 160-acre campus, Park La Brea is within walking distance of many mid-Wilshire parks, shops and museums. Unknown to passers-by, however, are the multitudes of activities offered to residents within the housing community itself. Located in the heart of the campus is the communal Activities Center, complete with a theater, cafe, gym, spin classroom and yoga studio. Residents can rent a meeting room in the back of the Center, where birthday parties are frequently held. Every Saturday at 2 p.m., with the oversight of activity coordinator Debora Gillman and activities center supervisor Sylvie Brousseau, residents have the option to watch a collectively chosen, familyfriendly movie in the theater.
ENTRANCE to the Park La Brea Activities Center.
According to Gillman, the movies are especially popular with the community’s younger residents. During the summer months, there are monthly kid-friendly movies shown outdoors in a park, with games and prizes before the showing. Contemporary movies are shown Sundays at 2 p.m. and more adult-themed movies
are at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, all year-round. The theater also serves as a gathering place for televised events. Gillman is preparing to show the Oscars live and to throw an Oscars party for residents. “We also just had the Super Bowl in here, with refreshments, and it was filled to
capacity,” said Gillman. “When there’s not a program or movie in here, we have something on the big screen, all day long, and it’s free.” Resident David Zlotchew believes that having a theater, among other activities, so nearby is one of the advantages of Park La Brea for families. “They’re here, and it’s convenient. We didn’t know about all of the activities when we moved here,” he said, referring to his wife and daughters, Lena, 6, and Eve, 4. “It’s nice to have that.” Eve Zlotchew reaffirmed her father’s statement with a resounding, “Yes!” ‘Debi Doodles’ The most well-attended and year-round children’s activity is the Debi Doodles program, started in 2009 and led by Gillman, a twice-a-month, after-school arts workshop. Attendance ranges from 40-60
RESIDENTS Eve, left, David, and Lena Zlotchew play in the courtyard at the Curson Café. Photos by Talia Abrahamson
participants, and craft projects and attendees tend to differ with every session. “Kids come with a parent or other adult. The kids are five and up, but if they have a younger sibling, they can bring them. We basically have all of the ages,” Gillman said. Lena Zlotchew views the Debi Doodles program as one of her favorite options in Park La Brea. “My favorite [activities are] doing art, playing with the ball, and riding on my scooter,” said Lena. In addition to planned activities, the campus contains acres of parks and courtyards, which are open for those who prefer less-structured forms of activity. Walking around Park La Brea — the largest housing community west of the Mississippi — is an activity for every age. Long-time resident Alexander Messmann prefers the non-structured alternatives to the class offerings. In addition to walking, Messmann swims in the community's two salt water pools and enjoys the jacuzzi, both not far from the Activities Center. “You can walk up and down the staircases in the towers, and that’s good exercise,” he adds. Adults can take yoga and water aerobics courses at the pool, and yoga courses are available in the gym. Adults can hire private gym trainers and participate in tai chi classes, dance classes, art classes and the gardening club. If you do not reside in Park La Brea, then make friends with a resident, because guests are welcome to participate. Talia Abrahamson, Plymouth Blvd., is a sophomore at Marlborough School.
ACTIVITIES SUPERVISOR Debora Gillman.
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Miracle Mile 2018 11
^
We invite you to visit LACMA! Open every day except Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Free for L.A. residents after 3 pm weekdays.
Thousands of Artworks | Free Concerts Films | Talks & Tours | Restaurants & Shops
Los Angeles County Museum of Art |lacma.org 5905 Wilshire Boulevard |Los Angeles, CA |90036
LACMA members support the arts and receive free admission. Visit lacma.org/members to join.
Mark Flores,See SeeThis ThisThrough Through (detail), 2010,purchased purchased with funds provided by AHAN: Studio Forum, Mark Flores, (4)(4) (detail), 2010, with funds provided by AHAN: Studio Forum, 2011 Here and andNow Nowpurchase, purchase, MarkFlores, Flores, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA 2011 Art Art Here ©©Mark photo © Museum Associates/LACMA
12 Miracle Mile 2018
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Police, fire, community come together, and then there’s chili
VV
The firefighters will be serving both paleo and vegetarian versions at this year’s Taste at the Original Farmers Market Tues., July 24 from 5 to 9 p.m. This year marks the 10th anniversary of both the Taste event and its non-profit partner First-in Fire.
“It promises to be great fun with great food, all showcasing our great local first responders,” says MacEwen Cohen. The event is a morale booster for firefighters who have been hard hit recently. Wildfire season is longer that
SEEN at “Taste of Farmers Market,” Ilysha Buss, The Original Farmers Market; Councilman David Ryu, CD4; LAFD Capt. Rick Crawford, Fire Station 61; Lyn MacEwen Cohen of First-in Fire Foundation; Melissa Kaufler, field rep for state Assemblyman Richard Bloom, District 51; and LAFD Capt. Frank Larez, Fire Station 29. Photo page 1: Left to right, Firefighters Jesse Contreras, Rich Vigliata and Gabe Lopez.
VV
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Kramer Law Group Salutes the Greater Miracle Mile Community
before. “You never know when danger is going to come.” As a result, fundraising pancake breakfasts have been postponed, but MacEwen Cohen hopes to have some dates soon. After all, “you can build friendships over pancakes.” Another icebreaker, Wilshire, a Dalmatian, is often seen accompanying firefighters on one of their trucks. “Preparedness can be fun, which is antithetical to what you normally think. “The serious message can be put in a playful package.” On other fronts, the Foundation has raised $46,000 for a new garden at Fire Station 29, 4029 Wilshire Blvd., to fill in a front yard that right now is mostly dirt. Fundraising began after the station’s centennial celebration in 2013. A design created pro bono by Mia Lehrer + Associates is waiting approval. MacEwen Cohen also heads the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition with Marc Cohen and Wally Marks. Celebrating its 30th year, the Coalition is championing
to expand first responder relationships. Championing unity among first responders Unifying the police, fire and community are key, says MacEwen Cohen. It has been a focus since 9-11, and has taken on added momentum. “L.A. is always the leader in all of these things.” And this is no exception, says MacEwen Cohen. The effort was witnessed in the recent Montecito fires, where the police enter first to evacuate residents, and the fire officials follow with rescue efforts. The challenge in coordinating locally is the geography, with Station 61, 5821 W. Third St., close to Farmers Market, while the Wilshire Division of the Los Angeles Police Department is miles away at Venice and La Brea. “It’s a big area to do this kind of work.” In the fall, The Civic Coalition’s 15th “Ready or Not! Safety Summit” will concern emergency preparedness and (Please turn to page 29)
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By Suzan Filipek Firefighters from Fire Stations 29 and 61 cook a mean “firehouse chili.” “It’s a secret recipe,” says Lyn MacEwen Cohen, founder and president of the Miracle Mile-based First-in Fire Foundation.
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Get up close with saber-tooth cats, giant sloths, Columbian mammoths, and more. Always on view at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
Miracle Mile 2018 13
14 Miracle Mile 2018
The following list of apartment buildings in and around the Miracle Mile area is not exhaustive, but it does cover a major portion of the community. These places are where we could find a contact telephone number and/ or website to verify information. There are many more apartment communities in the Miracle Mile area than listed here, but not all have vacancies or contact information listed for them. Call the numbers listed for information on units available to rent, however these numbers sometimes change. Some communities also have their own websites, while others are available online on information sites such as apartmentfinder.com, rent. com, rentcafe.com and forrent.com. All are ZIP code 90036 unless noted. If you have additions or corrections,
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Miracle Mile Apartments
please write to tips@larchmontchronicle.com. Avalon Wilshire 5115 Wilshire Blvd. 323-330-1168 avaloncommunities.com Boulevard on Wilshire 5353 Wilshire Blvd. 323-937-7001 liveboulevard.com Brighton Villas 318 S. Detroit St. 844-244-9994 Broadcast Center Apartments 7660 Beverly Blvd. 323-602-0248 broadcastcenterapts.com
Cochran Apartments 657–665 S. Cochran Ave. No phone number available.
HPG Miracle Mile 616 S. Burnside Ave. 844-822-0394
Ridgeley Apartments 649 Ridgeley Dr. 213-258-9609
Cochran Avenue Apartments 442 S. Cochran Ave. 323-939-5944 cochranavenue.com
Linda Manor Apartments 456 S. Cochran Ave. 310-430-2973
Tiffany Court 616 Masselin Ave. 323-937-5737 essexapartmenthomes.com
Cochran Island Apartments 342 S. Cochran Ave. 323-932-0450
Masselin Park West 5700 6th St. 323-934-1600 masselinparkwestapts.com
Cochran House 740 S. Cochran Ave. 844-782-0223 Curson Apartments 315-323 N. Curson Ave. 323-655-6972 cursonapts.com
Burnside Villas 649 S. Burnside Ave. No phone number available
The El Rey Apartments 660 S. Cloverdale Ave. 323-243-1365 urbanlaliving.com/the-el-rey
Carthay Circle Apts. 6209-6225 Olympic Blvd., 90048 323-936-3793
Essex at Miracle Mile 400 S. Detroit St. 866-815-4656 essexapartmenthomes.com
Miracle Mile Civic Coalition Salutes 10th Anniversary
FIRST-IN FIRE FOUNDATION
Micropolitan at Urban Lights 739 S. Ogden Dr. 323-319-5844 micropolitanco.com/urbanlights Museum Terrace 600 S. Curson Ave. 323-745-1251 museumterraceapts.com Oakwood Miracle Mile 5659 W. 8th St. 323-931-5659 oakwood.com Palazzo Communities 6220 W. 3rd St. 323-677-5843 palazzoatthegrove.com Palm Court Apts. 740 S. Burnside Ave. 323-930-2564 Park La Brea 6200 W. 3rd St. 323-549-5400 parklabrea.com The Preston 630 S. Masselin Ave. 323-965-1253 theprestonapts.com Redwood Urban 630 Hauser Blvd. 323-938-5653
Wilshire Embassy Apts. 5805 W. 8th St. 323-933-6020 wilshireembassy.com Wilshire La Brea 5900 Wilshire Blvd. 866-993-3520 essexapartmenthomes.com 109 N. Sycamore Ave. 323-886-9400 162/164 N. Detroit St. 323-230-0087 detroitla.com 328 S. Cloverdale Ave. 310-899-9580 rentcwp.com 632 S. Cloverdale Ave. 310-933-4191 pacificlistings.com 756 Ridgeley Dr. 323-545-6195 ridgeleyapts.com 5550 Wilshire Blvd. 323-645-9418 5550wilshire.com 5600 Wilshire Blvd. 866-812-6011 essexapartmenthomes.com 5880-5882 W. 8th St. 310-425-9070 6300 W. Olympic Blvd., 90048 844-245-0405 6526 W. Olympic Blvd., 90048 310-425-9070
Mansfield
Founded in 2008 ● ●
Connecting Local Citizens to Local Fire Stations Honoring 100 Years of Fire Service with a “Centennial Firehouse Garden” at FS 29 (Co-sponsor Hancock Park Garden Club)
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Partnering with “Taste of Farmers Market” and LAFD Partnering with Loeb & Loeb Supporting LAFD Leadership Academy, LAFD Girls Fire Camp and local
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Partnering with Park La Brea and WSHP Historical Society
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Presenting “READY OR NOT! Safety Summit” on Emergency Preparedness & Homeland Security
(323) 933-8164
(Continued from page 4) forts of the Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association and the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, which both welcomed Plus Architects’ redesign. “We originally had designed a modern building, and the neighborhood gave us feedback that they did not think it fit with the surrounding area. We were able to use that feedback and collaborate with our architect to ultimately come up with the Art Deco design,” Korda said. The new building’s homage to the area’s past includes a theater marquee and geometric parapets. Under the dropped ceiling of the marquee will be theater-style light bulbs. “Also, there is a fountain with custom tiling, and the balconies all have precast stone façades,” Korda said. The sidewalk will be widened on Wilshire with a double row of trees planted, including palms, and there will be outdoor seating. The building steps down to
THE THEATRE staged the press preview of “Gone with the Wind” in 1939.
two and three floors in the back. Parking for the retail will enter on Orange Drive, residential entry will be from Mansfield. An “Amazon Hub” for residents and the public will be in the breezeway. Residents will have a private package locker system. “Packages will be delivered into the secured lockers, and residents will receive a text, notifying them to retrieve the package from the locker.”
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Mid City West considers ‘unruly’ Fairfax shoppers, La Cienega project By Billy Taylor Board members of the Mid City West Community Council gathered Feb. 13 to consider, among other things, ways to improve the shopping on Fairfax Avenue and a controversial building project seeking support on La Cienega. Representing Supreme LA, a popular skateboarding and clothing shop on Fairfax Avenue, Michael Goldstein addressed the board at the start of the meeting, hosted in the auditorium of the National Council of Jewish Women. Goldstein recognized that there have been issues with unruly customers lining up for blocks — at times camping out for days — and complaints from residents about customer behavior and a lack of bathrooms on-site. “If you go out tonight, you will see there are no longer lines,” said Goldstein.
“What we’ve done is that we’ve changed our security and we’ve taken measures to improve the neighborhood.” Goldstein said that the company is “doing its best” to get rid of trash left behind by its customers. Supreme LA has hired a janitorial company to circle the block during business hours to keep things tidy. “All we are trying to do is to be a good neighbor,” said Goldstein. Also on the topic of improving the experience on Fairfax Avenue, the board voted to approve the selection of Gilberto Cruz, a graduate student researcher, to study the Fairfax shopping district between Melrose and Beverly. Cruz will identify and provide solutions for the long- and short-term problems such as street cleanliness, crowd management, poor tree and plant coverage and enforcing existing regula-
RESIDENTS complain that a proposed building design will dwarf existing homes.
tions along the strip. Working with board member Mehmet Berker, Cruz will submit his project findings to UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning in June. La Cienega In regard to land use issues, more than 40 public speakers provided comment to the
board on a controversial project proposed at 411-431 N. La Cienega Blvd. The project will consist of 72 apartments, including eight affordable units, with 70 subterranean parking spaces. Residents in attendance largely opposed the project’s lack of transitional height
Photos from the Purple Line Extension, Section 1
Thank You to the Miracle Mile Community! Skanska – Traylor – Shea values the communities where we build. We look forward to delivering a world-class transportation project to the Miracle Mile.
between adjacent single-family homes and its “wall-like” design. Pro-development supporters in attendance, namely Abundant Housing LA, argued that if you can’t build a high-density multifamily project on La Cienega, then where can one build housing in the city? After several hours of comment and debate, the board voted to support the project with additional conditions added, including that an open walkway be closed, that the pool be relocated on the roof and to close at 10 p.m. daily, that no short term rental be allowed, and that the project include one extra unit of moderate income housing.
Police to push Neighborhood Watch programs By Billy Taylor If you live in the Miracle Mile, you’ve probably seen Senior Lead Officer Perry Jones of the Los Angeles Police Department. He has worked for the police department for the past 28 years and has served the Miracle Mile in the Wilshire Division for 24 of those years. To get an idea of what’s happening on the streets of the Mile, we turned to Jones to tell us what’s on his radar. “Right now we are pushing for the development of more Neighborhood Watch programs,” said Jones. Neighborhood Watch programs are often referred to as the cornerstone of the police department’s crime prevention strategy. The concept is to enlist the active participation of residents, in cooperation with law enforcement, to reduce crime across Los Angeles. “We are trying to empower the community to be their own eyes and ears,” explained Jones. As such, you can expect to see Jones at community meetings this spring encouraging residents to work more closely with their neighbors. That old phrase, “lock it, hide it, keep it,” is still as relevant as ever, according to Jones, who says that opportunists are always looking for the chance to grab a package on your porch or a bag left in your car. “Be proactive. Before you’re a victim,” Jones recommends. Born and raised in the area, Jones has watched the Miracle Mile transform over the years. And he says the changes have been for the better. “There are more residents in the area, and more people on the streets,” said Jones. “And any time you have people, there is money. That brings (Please turn to page 29)
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next stop: more rail From the current terminus at Wilshire/Western, the Purple Line Extension will extend westward for about nine miles and will add seven new stations providing easy access to the Westside, our region’s second-largest job center. Travel time between downtown Los Angeles and Westwood is expected to be about 25 minutes. The project is being built in three sections. The first section between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega is now under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2023. Local businesses will be open during construction.
contact us 213.922.6934 purplelineext@metro.net metro.net/purple @purplelineext
To get construction notices via email, go to metro.net/purple and sign up to stay connected.
18-19228mir Š2017 lacmta
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Directory of Elected Officials
Sen. Dianne Feinstein * 11111 Santa Monica Blvd. Ste. 915, 310-914-7300 feinstein.senate.gov Sen. Kamala Harris 312 N. Spring St., Ste. 1748 213-894-5000 harris.senate.gov Rep. Adam Schiff* 28th District 5500 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. #416 323-315-5555 schiff.house.gov/28th-district Rep. Ted Lieu* 33rd District 5055 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 310 323-651-1040 lieu.house.gov Rep. Jimmy Gomez* 34th District 350 S. Bixel St., #120 213-481-1425 gomez.house.gov Rep. Karen Bass*
37th District 4929 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 650 323-965-1422 bass.house.gov Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-445-2841 gov.ca.gov State Senator Ben Allen* 26th District 2512 Artesia Blvd., #320 Redondo Beach, CA 90278 310-318-6994 sd26.senate.ca.gov Assemblymember Richard Bloom* 50th District 2800 28th St., Ste. 105 Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-450-0041 a50.asmdc.org Assemblymember Miguel Santiago* 53rd District
320 W. 4th St., #1050, 213-620-4646 a53.asmdc.org County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl* 500 W. Temple St., #821 213-974-3333 supervisorkuehl.com Councilman Paul Koretz 6380 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 800 323-866-1828 councilmemberpaulkoretz.com Councilman David Ryu 200 N. Spring St., Rm. 425 213-473-7004 davidryu.lacity.org
Chamber
construction, redevelopment of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) campus, the coming-soon Academy Museum and recent renovations at the Petersen Automotive and Craft and Folk Art museums are all contributing to the neighborhood’s allure. In fact, with multiple largescale projects in the pipeline, Kramer is confident that the Mile’s best days are still ahead: “People can debate, but the
Mile will be one of the cultural capitals of Southern California. And I don’t think that’s hyperbole on my part; it’s the truth.” Of course, a Miracle Mile “renaissance” is good for the Chamber’s membership as well. The organization started out with about 44 members, but now is up to 120. “That is very much a factor of our executive director Meg McComb, who has done an amazing job,” says Kramer.
(Continued from page 6) Kramer is clear: “Location, location, location.” “For people who have some transcendental relationship to the entertainment business, the Mile’s location is phenomenal. You can get anywhere in the city pretty darn easily.” Commercial space isn’t the only reason to celebrate the area. The Metro Purple Line
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*The primary election is June 5 and the general election is Nov. 6. Several seats will be up for election, both state and Federal, including those with asterisks by their names. Gov. Brown is ineligible to run in the gubernatorial race.
Miracle Mile Real Estate Sales*
THIS HOME at 941 S. Cloverdale Ave. sold for $1.15 million in September 2017.
Single-family homes 932 S. Stanley Ave. 836 Masselin Ave. 917 S. Ridgeley Dr. 941 S. Cloverdale Ave.
$ 1,375,000 1,371,500 1,175,000 1,150,000
Condominiums 600 S. Ridgeley Dr., #PH9 749 S. Cloverdale Ave., #PH2 5525 W. Olympic Blvd., #303 750 S. Spaulding Ave., #238 750 S. Spaulding Ave., #315 5525 W. Olympic Blvd., #202 648 S. Ridgeley Dr., #201 648 S. Ridgeley Dr., #103
$ 1,040,000 1,030,000 795,000 722,000 695,000 695,000 375,000 369,000
*Last six months.
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Beverly Grove Homeowners Association Stan Brent, president 6404 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1618 323-929-2499 Boundaries: La Cienega to Fairfax, Wilshire to Third. Beverly Wilshire Homes Association Diana Plotkin, president 323-653-6254 Boundaries: Wilshire to Rosewood, La Cienega to La Brea, excluding Park La Brea.
CBS complex
(Continued from page 3) ment of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources and Citywide Policy Planning. If approved by the Commission, the City Council has 90 days to vote on the final designation. “Designation as an HCM means that any permits for demolition or substantial alteration would be referred to the Cultural Heritage Commission and Office of Historic Resources for review,” Bernstein explained. “The Commission may object to the issuance of demolition permit for 180 days, with a potential 180 day extension by a vote of the City Council. In addition, the building would be a historical resource under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which means that, before demolition could be considered, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) would need to be prepared, which would include an evaluation of preservation alternatives,” Bernstein added. The move followed news that CBS Corporation may be interested in marketing the 25-acre property at Beverly and Fairfax. A possible sale has raised concern over the fate of the structure, identified as National Register-eligible in Los Angeles’ SurveyLA. Landmark designation will offer protection to the property by requiring preservation design review and approval through the city’s Office of Historic Resources, according to the Conservancy website. Opened in 1952, the complex is the first large-scale facility designed for television production in the U.S. Architecture firm Pereira & Luckman designed the buildings, which contain soundstages, studios, editing rooms, offices, rehearsal halls, shops, and storage. Interior flexibility was key: studio walls, and even some exterior walls, could be moved and rearranged to accommodate the needs of specific productions.
Residential Associations
Carthay Circle Neighborhood Association carthaycircle.org Ivan Light, president 323-939-9694 president@carthaycircle.org Boundaries: Wilshire to Olympic between Fairfax and La Cienega.
from Olympic to San Vicente. A map of the boundaries is on the website. Park LaBrea Residents Association plbra.org Bernie Clinch, president Park LaBrea Residents Assoc. 401 S. Burnside Ave.
La Brea-Hancock Homeowners’ Association labreahancock.com Barbara Savage, president Cathy Roberts, secretary crmaison@gmail.com Boundaries: Wilshire to Third, Sycamore to Citrus. Miracle Mile Residential Association miraclemilela.com James O’Sullivan, president Boundaries: Wilshire south to San Vicente (Fairfax to Meadowbrook), stops at Olympic, then from Meadowbrook to La Brea and from Fairfax east to La Brea (Wilshire to Olympic), but to Meadowbrook
323-934-1177 plbra@ca.rr.com Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association sycamoresquare.org Conrad Starr, president info@sycamoresquare.org Boundaries: Wilshire to Olympic, La Brea to Citrus.
Information of interest to residents is also available from: Greater Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce miraclemilechamber.org 5858 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 205 Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-964-5454 info@miraclemilechamber.org
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Below is a list of residential groups, including contact information, located in and around the Miracle Mile.
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3932 Wilshire Blvd., #100 • Free Parking in back of building
Gregory D. Kaplan D.D.S. General & Cosmetic Dentistry
(213) 386-3336
COUNCIL THRIFT
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Museums: Urban Light, continuing construction on the Row
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., commemorated the 10th anniversary of Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” last month. Its 202 vintage street lamps pay homage to the city, and they now are environmentally friendlier, thanks to a recent donation of 309 LED bulbs from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. (Some of the lamps have two globes.) The Urban Light installation exhibit will be joined by a major new building planned for LACMA. The project is scheduled to begin demolition and construction in late 2019, with the new building and its galleries spanning Wilshire Blvd. slated to open in late 2023. A Final Environmental Impact Report is expected to be completed this summer for architect Peter Zumthor’s ex-
URBAN LIGHT lights up with its new LED bulbs at a February 2018 ceremony at LACMA.
pansive design. The total amount committed to the Building LACMA Campaign thus far is approximately $450 million. Another equally stunning project is already underway —the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Set in and behind the historic May Co.
department store, the Academy Museum is primed for a 2019 opening. A spherical building with rooftop views of the Hollywood Hills will house the 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater, while restoration has begun on the gold mosaic tiles on the cylinder “perfume bottle” long gracing
MAYOR GARCETTI, officials from the city and LACMA, donors and Nancy Rubins, widow of the late “Urban Light” artist, Chris Burden, point to the Wilshire Boulevard installation on its 10th anniversary.
the corner of Fairfax Ave. and Wilshire Blvd. A showpiece worthy of Le Mans, the racy-red exterior at the Petersen Automotive Museum, at 6060 Wilshire Blvd., adds drama to the opposite corner at Fairfax and Wilshire. Petersen exhibits include the newly opened “The Porsche Effect,” as well as displays of hot rods and low riders. Take a tour of the museum vault for a peek at cars that belonged to the famous and the infamous. Book ahead for the vault tour. Art exhibits, crafts and a shop with wares from around the world are at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., a Miracle Mile institution since 1965. The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., is a world-class Ice Age fossil site, with paleontologists digging deep into the gooey tar seeking remains of extinct plants and animals. See their
finds in the Fossil Lab and watch the mammals’ plights come to life in the film, “Titans of the Ice Age 3D.” Hear about the holocaust from survivors at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, 100 The Grove Drive. Tours and exhibits offered. Learn Japanese at classes offered regularly or visit the first and third Wednesday of the month for yoga or other wellness lunchtime programs at The Japan Foundation Los Angeles, 5700 Wilshire Blvd. Visit the website for information on free movie screenings. The 2018 Olympic Winter Games are featured in an exhibit, “Now, It’s PyeongChang” at the Korean Cultural Center, 5505 Wilshire Blvd., through March 18. Films, language classes and more are offered. The Goethe Institut, Wilshire Blvd., 5750 Wilshire Blvd., offers films, books and more. Visit the website for updates.
CONSTRUCTION continues at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
GOLD MOSAIC TILES are being restored on the “perfume bottle.”
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The following list of restaurants in and around the Miracle Mile area is not exhaustive, but it does cover a major portion of the community. All are in ZIP Code 90036 unless noted. If you have additions or corrections, please write to tips@ larchmontchronicle.com. Apollonia’s Pizzeria 5176 Wilshire Blvd. 323-937-2823 apolloniaspizzeria.com Black Dog Coffee 5657 Wilshire Blvd. 323-933-1976 blackdogcoffee.com Busby’s East 5364 Wilshire Blvd. 323-823-4890 busbysla.com Candela Taco Bar & Lounge 831 S. La Brea Ave. 323-936-0533 candelalabrea.com The Counter 5779 Wilshire Blvd. 323-932-8900 thecounterburger.com
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Restaurant Directory
Einstein Bros. Bagels 5550 Wilshire Blvd. 323-330-9501 einsteinbros.com El Diner 5515 Wilshire Blvd. 323-931-1281 eldinerla.com Fatburger 5001 Wilshire Blvd., #103 323-939-9593 fatburger.com Five Guys Burgers and Fries 5550 Wilshire Blvd., #101D 323-939-2360 fiveguys.com Genwa Korean BBQ 5115 Wilshire Blvd. 323-549-0760 genwakoreanbbq.com India’s Tandoori 5468 Wilshire Blvd. 323-936-2050 indiastandoori.net International House of Pancakes 5655 Wilshire Blvd. 323-297-4467 ihop.com
Isa Japanese Restaurant 916 S. La Brea Ave. 323-879-9536 isajapanese.com Jinya Ramen Bar 5168 Wilshire Blvd. 323-954-6477 jinya-ramenbar.com Kass (opening in April) 320 S. La Brea Ave. More information to come. La Brea Bakery Café 468 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-6813 labreabakery.com Marie Callender’s Grill 5773 Wilshire Blvd. 323-937-7952 mariecallendersgrill.com Met Her at a Bar 759 S. La Brea Ave. 323-847-5013 metheratabar.com Milk Jar Cookies 5466 Wilshire Blvd. 323-634-9800 milkjarcookies.com Mixt Greens 5757 Wilshire Blvd. 323-935-0826
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mixt.com Mo Better Burgers 901 S. La Brea Ave., #2 310-737-8556 mobetterburgers.com Odys + Penelope 127 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-1033 odysandpenelope.com Ono Hawaiian BBQ 5550 Wilshire Blvd. 323-525-1688 onohawaiianbbq.com Rascal Restaurant 801 S. La Brea Ave. 323-933-3229 rascalla.com Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6180 raysandstarkbar.com République 624 S. La Brea Ave. 310-362-6115
republiquela.com The Roof on Wilshire 6317 Wilshire Blvd. 323-852-6002 theroofonwilshire.com Spare Tire Kitchen 5370 Wilshire Blvd. 323-823-4890 sparetirepub.com The Sycamore Kitchen 143 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-0151 thesycamorekitchen.com Tom Bergin’s 840 S. Fairfax Ave. 323-936-7151 tombergins.com Wirtshaus 345 N. La Brea Ave. 323-931-9291 wirtshausla.com Yuko Kitchen 5484 Wilshire Blvd. 323-933-4020 yukokitchen.com
Chef Emé comes to South La Brea By Rachel Olivier Chef Christophe Emé, formerly of Ortolan on Third St., will be bringing his savoir faire for French wine and fresh cuisine to his new eatery Kass, 320 S. La Brea, formerly Wilde Wine Bar (and 3Twenty Wine Lounge before that). Emé said he wants to provide a few fresh weekly rotating menu items with a large selection of good French wines, and later possibly fine cognacs and whiskies. When asked how it would compare to Ortolan, Emé said he wants Kass to be more casual, to be a place where people can drop in after work to relax with a glass of wine and a charcuterie board or other ap-
Locals are James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists
What do Michael Cimarusti, Jessica Koslow and Margarita Manzke have in common? They are part of a select group of chefs, restaurateurs, restaurants, bars and wine programs that made it as semifinalists for a James Beard Foundation award this year. Michael Cimarusti of Providence, 5955 Melrose Ave., and Jessica Koslow of Sqirl, 720 N Virgil Ave., #4, were both nominated for “Best Chef of the West” (California, Hawaii and Nevada). Margarita Manzke, of République, 624 South La Brea Ave., was nominated for “Outstanding Pastry Chef.” Other local nominees included Providence restaurant for “Outstanding Service” and a.o.c., 8700 W 3rd St., for “Outstanding Wine Program.” The foundation will announce the final nominees for all award categories Wed., March 14 in Philadelphia. Winners will be announced in May. For more information, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
CHRISTOPHE EMÉ will keep the exposed brick at Kass.
petizer and be able to choose between fresh fish or a good burger for dinner. Although the restaurant itself is small (and the kitchen is tiny), he hopes to open up the kitchen so diners sitting on the banquettes nearby can see the action. Emé said he wants to provide protected outdoor seating, with vertical shutters creating a break between diners and passersby on the street. There might also be a TV set up for those who want to catch a sports match after work. While the exposed brick, dark wood and burgundy coloring of the prior wine bars made for a cozy feel, Emé said he would like to make people feel like they have room to breathe by lightening up the room. The exposed brick wall will stay, along with the lighter woods, but the colors of the walls and chairs will be creamy whites and grays to help give that light feel. The proposed hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. daily for dinner, with the bar open until midnight. There will be a Sunday brunch “for sure!” said Emé. A soft opening is planned for the first week in April; look for a grand opening shortly after. “It will be very good and beautiful. I am very excited,” said Emé. Follow Chef Emé on Instagram to keep up with his progress.
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Dinner is Served Join us upstairs for dinner, wine and cocktails nightly, and weekend table brunch on Saturdays & Sundays DominiqueAnselLA.com
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Machine Age brewery coming to Firestone site
By Suzan Filipek You will have to wait a little longer to enjoy a brew at the historic Streamline Moderne Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. building at the corner of Eighth Street. and La Brea Avenue. The building’s Machine Age design was considered ultra modern when it opened in 1938, and plans for a restaurant and microbrewery at the former tire and repair shop will be equally stunning. “It’s going to look awesome,” said developer Brad Conroy of Conroy Commercial. Originally expected to open by early 2018, the building’s adaptive reuse was reviewed by the City Cultural Heritage Commission last year. “We now understand that the design team is revising the plans based on some operational changes and revised tenant requirements,” said Ken Bernstein, principal city planner, in the Department of City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources. The development project team is expected to present its updated plans to the City Cultural Heritage Commission Fri., March 2. “There is a proposal for a microbrewery and up to three restaurants, as an adaptive reuse of the existing building,”
MICROBREWERY and a restaurant are on tap for the landmark Streamline Moderne building at La Brea Avenue and Eighth Street.
Adrian Biondo/L.A. Conservancy.
Bernstein said. The City Planning Department approved an application for a conditional use permit for a full line of alcohol sales for the 199-seat restaurant. While a retail area also was approved, an outdoor coffee kiosk and outdoor seating were denied for the city HistoricCultural Monument. Conroy met with members of the Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association to discuss parking, hours and repurposing the former tire and service center at 800 S. La Brea Ave. into a 3,493-square-foot restaurant and microbrewery. The 12,724 square-foot property has no on-site parking. Valet and Uber drop-off areas will be offered, Conroy said.
He plans to retain many of the Firestone building’s original features, including its fireengine-red sign. The tire store was in continuous operation from 1938 until the last owner, Bridgestone, closed the business in the fall of 2015. The building’s aerodynamic design gives the illusion of speed, precision and efficiency, with uninterrupted horizontal lines and rounded corners, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy website. Rooftop lettering sits atop a curving canopy illuminated by fluorescent lights and is clad in original baked porcelain enamel panels of pale yellow accented with burgundy, a one-time popular color scheme.
Larchmont Chronicle
Mixology: tasty — and early — libations in this miracle of miles
hour, Callender’s Grill on By Amy and Jim Cuomo Developer A.W. Ross likely Wilshire Boulevard offers had a different vision when theirs from 3 p.m. until closhe imagined his auto-centric ing Mondays through Saturzone in the 1920s, but the days, and, dangerously, all day abundance of great finds for Sunday. Likely known by most food and drinks in the Miracle as merely a casual food opMile makes it the perfect mon- tion, Callender’s Grill houses a long, oldiker in our fashioned minds, espestyle bar and cially if one a selection is a fan of of specialty happy hour drinks, our and, even, favorite gasp, the being the occasional “Strawberry drink before URBAN LIGHT at Ray’s and Stark Blonde.” five o’clock. D a y t i m e Bar, a concoction of pisco, lemon, This comd r i n k i n g strawberry, blackberries and rose b i n a t i o n Patron may receive water, honors LACMA’s outdoor of a bad rap, art installation of the same name. silver, lime yet it is a fun trick to beat the juice, simple syrup, muddled late-night crowds. Start early; strawberry and a jalapeno slice leave early. Well, in theory at works wonderfully well. Rascal, on South La Brea least. We begin our Mile-adja- Avenue, for those willing to cent exploration at Whisper wait until five o’clock for that Lounge, tucked away in a qui- favorite adult beverage, offers eter, quainter quarter of The a selection of happy hour food Grove, exuding the old school and drink from 5 to 7 p.m., vibe we cherish. Whisper and all evening on Mondays. Lounge happily begins happy Rascal serves a refreshing hour at 3 p.m. daily until 6 cocktail (although not on the p.m. Their “Avignon Spritz” happy hour menu) named the is a delightful combination of Isle of Capri, containing BotaAperol, St. Germaine, prosec- nist gin, blood orange Italian soda, splash of tonic and co, lemon and grapefruit. For another early happy (Please turn to page 27)
Larchmont Chronicle
Mixology
Thanks, L.A., for 87 Terrific Years!
(Continued from page 26)
COCKTAILS are shaken and stirred at Ray’s and Stark Bar.
Ray’s and Stark Bar 5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Resnick name to be in Westwood too
The Hammer Museum announced a $180 million Capital Campaign with a $30 million lead gift from Lynda and Stewart Resnick. The multi-year project to renovate and expand the Westwood site was announced last month. The museum building will be named for the Resnicks, museum officials said. Founders of the Wonderful Co., the Resnicks gave $45 million to LACMA, where the Resnick Exhibition Pavilion will open the exhibit "City and Cosmos; The Arts of Teotihuacan" March 25.
Book your event here. E S TA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 3 6 , T H E E L R E Y I S A N O R I G I N A L A R T D E C O T H E AT R E IN THE THE HEART OF THE MIRACLE MILE, ONE OF LOS ANGELES’ PRESERVED ART DECO DISTRICTS.
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a lemon twist. For the truly adventurous, try their kombucha cocktail; let us know how it tastes, as we are not that brazen! For a bit of culture, head to Ray’s and Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, open lunch through dinner, also offering a lovely happy hour from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. A visit here is the perfect cap to a day at the museum, or a day pretending to be at the museum (we won’t tell). After all, the LACMA gift shop alone is worth a visit, especially followed with a thyme elderflower gimlet. This stylish bar served as the perfect last stop in our quest for craft cocktail creations as the bar closes at 8 p.m. most days, keeping us to our plan to be home at a decent hour. Although, to our knowledge, no miracles have occurred in this storied section of Los Angeles, we know you will enjoy your search for tasty libations in this miracle of miles. All are in ZIP code 90036: The Whisper Lounge 189 The Grove Drive Callender’s Grill 5773 Wilshire Blvd. Rascal 801 S. La Brea Ave.
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Tar Pits
(Continued from page 8) is one of the most important paleontological research sites in the world. We have an active, growing, research department, which besides me includes postdocs, graduate students, excavators, fossil preparators, research associ-
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
ates, and collections staff. In addition, we have an army of incredible volunteers who dedicate their own time every week to helping us do science. And, we have scientists visiting from all over the world, almost every single day of the year, conducting research on everything from what ancient camels ate to how saber-
toothed cats hunted to what kinds of molecules are preserved by asphalt to how animals adapt to climate change. A hotter world Which leads me to: Misconception 3: The La Brea Tar Pits are all about cool stuff that happened a very long time ago. It’s true, what tends to capture the imagination
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most intensely is that vision of a mammoth or giant sloth trapped in the tar pit, being attacked by a saber-toothed cat or a pack of hungry dire wolves. And we have that here, in spades. But while the fate of those animals is long sealed, the fossils in the Tar Pits can actually provide us with tools we need to help care for those who survived: As our planet moves into a warmer future, one of the greatest challenges facing scientists and conservationists working to save species will be to understand what plants and animals are going to do in a hotter world. Where will they go, what will they eat, which species are most in danger of going extinct, and which ones are most important for preserving other species? And, as they try to figure this out, it will be really valuable to know what these, and other species, have done when climate changed in the past. And we are incredibly lucky that one of the only places we know of on earth that captures an entire ecosystem moving through the last major episode of global climate change
izens to engage in empirical reasoning themselves, is more important now than ever before, and it is up to institutions like museums, which count among the most sought-out, and trusted, sources of scientific information in our country, to take the initiative. Miracle Mile an asset Finally, our location along the vibrant Miracle Mile in particular gives us a chance to go one step further — we are blessed with a diverse set of neighbors here with whom we can develop groundbreaking partnerships in science, art, entertainment, and education. Here are a few examples: Recent fossil discoveries during Metro’s Purple Line Extension excavations have reinvigorated the public’s excitement and awareness about the deep history of Los Angeles lying just beneath our feet; last summer we partnered with Metro and the paleontological monitoring company Cogstone, to showcase the preparation of one of their coolest finds, a juvenile mammoth skull, inside our Fossil Lab.
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YOUNG MAMMOTH skull, found during Metro's Purple Line Extension excavation, is one of the museum's "coolest finds," says Dr. Lindsey.
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is right here in Los Angeles, at the La Brea Tar Pits. Sharing research The potential that this site has to teach us about Los Angeles’ past — and its future — is incredible. But the Tar Pits’ location in the middle of the third biggest city in North America provides an opportunity to do something more — not just to conduct worldclass research, but to communicate that research to the world. We welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, including more than 50,000 Los Angeles school students. And, because we excavate, and prepare, and study fossils on public view year-round, we have a truly unique opportunity not only to teach about earth’s past, and about extinction, and about climate change, but to showcase the entire process of science, from discovery, to analysis, to results, all in one visit. This demystification of science, the empowering of cit-
We have partnered with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA to host a series of panel discussions about pressing social and environmental issues in our Museum gallery; in 2016 we debated Extinction; last fall our topic was Climate Change, and we are currently finalizing the theme for this year’s series. And, this past year, we partnered with LACMA and the South American art collective Mapa Teatro to produce a performance piece in our Fossil Lab as a contribution to their exhibit, “A Universal History of Infamy,” for Pacific Standard Time LA/LA, which just wrapped up a few weeks ago. New dawn here With all the exciting new initiatives just on our block — the new Academy of Motion Pictures Museum, LACMA’s coming reconstruction, the Purple Line — it is a new dawn on the Miracle Mile, and the Tar Pits is no exception. As we develop as an international (Please turn to page 29)
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museums. Watch fossils tens of thousands of years old being unearthed before your eyes. Come inside to see paleontologists piecing together and 3D-scanning bones of animals that roamed the Miracle Mile when half of North America was still covered in glaciers. Watch a film about climate change in our 3D theater, or
meet our life-sized saber-tooth cat puppet, Nibbles, and our performing artists who bring him to life. You may just find that you want to stick around, too. Dr. Emily L. Lindsey is assistant curator and excavation site director at the Los Angeles County’s Natural History Museum La Brea Tar Pits
and Museum. She also is an adjunct faculty member at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Lindsey studied at Brown University and UC Berkeley, and was a Fulbright scholar at the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in Uruguay. She joined the Natural History Museum staff in 2016.
YELLOW SCHOOL busses parked along Curson Ave. give the impression that the museum is for kids only, but it's not!
Tar Pits
low school busses often seen parked along Curson, some people think that the Museum is primarily a destination for schoolchildren (but it’s not — that’s Misconception 4). Save the world The Tar Pits comprise a vibrant community of real scientists doing real science, and we’re trying to use a bunch of dead things to save the world. So the next time you’re in Hancock Park, I invite you to check out the signs describing the discoveries from our still-oozing asphalt seeps around the
Crime watch
remain vigilant.” One of the best ways to stay informed, said Jones, is to follow the police on social media: “We want to communicate with residents, specifically through NextDoor and Twitter. It’s a great way to get everyone involved.”
First in Fire
one when the subway opens in 2023. “We’re going to be around to make sure they keep their end of the bargain,” Marks said. LAPD beautification The Coalition recently finished a beautification project at the Wilshire Division Community Police Station. Joining forces with donor Park La Brea / Prime Group, the community and LAPD completed a much needed restoration of the station’s back entrance patio. The area was transformed, including painting massive picnic tables navy blue, and an ammunition barrel red and white. Also installed was a patriotic Thin Blue Line flag. Future plans include a “Fallen Officer Memorial” and a “Wilshire Division Police Garden.”
(Continued from page 28) research center and an unparalleled opportunity to educate people about climate change and the scientific process, we are excited to continue partnering with our neighbors on projects at the intersection of science, art, and learning. A lot of people I meet here in Los Angeles tell me that they love the Tar Pits, but that they haven’t visited since they were a kid. And perhaps because of this, or because of the yel-
(Continued from page 18) money to the community. “But at the same time,” cautioned Jones, “we can’t become complacent from living in a nice area. We are still in a major city, and we need to
(Continued from page 12) homeland security or extreme weather. The event has included a senior FBI official among speakers in the past. Wally Marks, vice president of the Coalition, added the group has been a steward for the area, coordinating the safety summit with the museums and high-rise office and apartment buildings. And, it was instrumental in the creation of Museum Row, as well as in the creation of islands with palm trees along Wilshire Blvd. Subway construction removed 82 trees and 62 agave plants — many were relocated — but Metro promised to replace the trees two-to-
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Kid-friendly spaces
(Continued from page 6)
Libraries
Student Smart, story times, crafts, volunteer hours Programs vary from month to month, but kids from ages 18 months to 18 years have many options for activities at local libraries. At the Fairfax Branch, “Bark,” which helps children develop reading skills by bringing therapy dogs for them to read to, comes through once or twice a month. Story times for both babies and toddlers are weekly. At Memorial Branch is a social justice story time once a month for children ages 4 to 8 years, and a junior scientist club for 4th to 8th graders. At both branches, teens can sign up for craft times, game days, volunteer hours, and a Student Smart study series. Fairfax Library 161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191 lapl.org/ branches/Fairfax ~ Memorial Library 4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732 lapl.org/branches/memorial
Museums
Crafting art CraftLab Workshops are offered on the second Sunday of the month for families and people of all ages. Other craft workshops, including yarn bombing, jewelry making and more, may be more
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
appropriate for teenagers on up. Craft & Folk Art 5814 Wilshire Blvd. 323-937-4230; cafam.org Ice Age shows, day camp Kids of all ages, and their families, can watch “Titans of the Ice Age” in 3-D or see the “Ice Age Encounters” puppet show, featuring a “saber-tooth cat” and her kitten Nibbles. The show performs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kindergarten to fifth graders can attend “Adventures in Nature,” a two-day spring camp, Wed., March 28 and Thurs., March 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Summer day camp will run from Mon., June 18 to Fri., Aug. 3. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum 5801 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6300; tarpits.org NexGen, brush painting Children up to age 17 can register for the NexGen program at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This provides a free entrance to museum exhibits. There are also Andell Family Sundays, which include artist-led workshops and family-friendly gallery tours. The Boone Children’s Gallery in the Hammer Building is a free creative space where visitors of all ages are invited to learn the art of East Asian brush painting. Los Angeles County Museum of Art 5905 Wilshire Blvd. 323-857-6512; lacma.org
MIRACLE MILE TOY HALL has a variety of toys and activities at its new location.
Field trips, art, story times A Purim party with noisemakers and feathery masks is Sun., March 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. Storytime and crafts recognizing women’s contribution to history is Sun., March 11, 2 to 4 p.m. There are also story times, messy art classes and preschool prep classes throughout the week. Camp Sharewell, a spring day camp for kids ages three to eight, will be Mon., March 26 to Fri., March 30 and Mon., April 2 to Thurs., April 5. Art, crafts, music and other activities focus on social responsibility. Students can sign up for separate days or all week. Zimmer Children’s Museum 6505 Wilshire Blvd., #100 323-761-8984 zimmermuseum.org
Other venues
Dr. Seuss’ birthday, story times
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Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday Fri., March 2 at 6:30 p.m. with games, treats and Dr. Seuss stories. Other story times at Barnes and Noble are Saturdays at 11 a.m. March 3 is “A Very Hungry Caterpillar,” March 10 is “The Magician’s Hat,” March 17 is “The Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun” and March 24 is “The Little Blue Truck.” Call store or check website for other events. Barnes & Noble 189 The Grove Dr., Ste. K 30 323-525-0270 barnesandnoble.com Music, crafts, food Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with traditional Irish food, activities for the kids and live music Fri., March 17. There will be strolling Irish folk bands and a bagpiper throughout the afternoon. Other family activities include live music, parades and other activities the rest of the year, usually centered on holiday and seasonal events. Farmers Market 6333 3rd St. farmersmarketla.com Swim and play Water safety, swimming skills and being more comfortable in the water are all taught at the Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy. Besides parent-tot classes, there are also small groups by age and skill level. Private les-
School Directory
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Cathedral Chapel School 755 S. Cochran Ave. Ph: 323-938-9976 Principal: Tina Kipp Grades: K to 8, 255 students cathedralchapelschool.org Hancock Park Elementary 408 S. Fairfax Ave. Ph: 323-935-5272 Principal: Ashley Parker Grades: TK to 5, 700 students hancockparkschool.com Wilshire Crest Elementary 5241 W. Olympic Blvd. Ph: 323-938-5291 Principal: Gayle Robinson Grades: K to 5, estimated at 215 students Wilshire Private School 4900 Wilshire Blvd. Ph: 323-939-3800 Principal: Darcia Chong Grades: Jr. K to 6, 50 students wilshireschool.org MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Call 323.794.2488 today! For Home, Auto, Life and Business. Restrictions apply. Discounts may vary. Not available in all states. See your agent for details. Insurance is underwritten by Farmers Insurance Exchange and other affiliated insurance companies. Visit farmers.com for a complete listing of companies. Not all insurers are authorized to provide insurance in all states. Coverage is not available in all states.
sons are also available. There is usually a summer swim camp. Also, the academy is available for pool parties. Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy 5870 Olympic Blvd. 323-525-0323 lennykwim.com Basketball, swimming, Shabbat Basketball, swimming and more are available at Westside Jewish Community Center. Basketball for ages 3 to 17 is on Mondays, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturdays 2 to 6 p.m. Family swim time is on Sundays from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Teens can also take part in overnight camps, summer day camps, a bakery for social change and other community events. JExplorers helps kids kindergarten to fifth grade learn about Jewish culture, religion and heritage through field trips and other activities. Parents with infants up to 18 months can go to Friday Friends once a month to connect with other adults and celebrate Shabbat. A familyfriendly community Shabbat with crafts and dessert also happens monthly. Westside Jewish Community Center 5870 Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2531 westsidejcc.org
Fusion Miracle Mile 5757 Wilshire Blvd. Promenade One 323-692-0603 Principal: Katheryn Nguyen Grades: 6 to 12 Classes are one-on-one student to teacher fusionacademy.com
John Burroughs 600 S. McCadden Pl. Ph: 323-549-5000 Principal: Steve Martinez Grades: 6 to 8, estimated at 2,000 students burroughsms.org New LA Charter 1919 S. Burnside Ave. 323-939-6400 Principal: Daryl Brook Grades: 6 to 8, 300 students. newlamiddle.org HIGH SCHOOLS
Girls Academic Leadership Academy 1067 West Blvd. Ph: 323-900-4532 Principal: Elizabeth Hicks Grades: 6 to 10, 340 students. galacademy.org Fairfax 7850 Melrose Ave. Ph: 323-370-1200 Principal: Kenneth Adiekweh Grades: 9 to 12, 2,000 students fairfaxhs.org Los Angeles 4650 W. Olympic Blvd. Ph: 323-900-2700 Principal: Travis Brandy Grades: 9 to 12, 1,600 students lahigh.org
Larchmont Chronicle
31st annual edition
Miracle Mile 2018 31
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31st annual edition
Larchmont Chronicle
The Mansfield Apartments at 5100 Wilshire Blvd on the Miracle Mile
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