LC Real Estate 06 2021 by Larchmont Chronicle

PRESERVATION

DEVELOPMENT

Page 8

Page 16

MUSEUMS

New 21-story tower in the Mile was envisioned by the late Jerry Snyder.

Wilton Place Craftsman had all the markings of a historic home.

Real estate MuseuMs, Libraries HoMe & Garden

Modern Art gets a fresh perspective in a new exhibit coming to LACMA.

Page 17

VIEW

Section 2

LARCHMONT CHRONICLE

JUNE 2021

HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • GREATER WILSHIRE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT

505 S. Rimpau Blvd. | Hancock Park | $8,995,000 NEW PRICE. Sophisticated, stylish & stunning estate designed by Gordon Kaufmann. 505Rimpau.com

546 S. Rimpau Blvd. | Hancock Park | $6,999,000 Grand Italianate w/ gst house! 6bed/6.5bBa, Amazing details! 2story entry! Co-listed.

228 S. Hudson Ave. | Hancock Park | $6,495,000 Stunning 2 sty hm on Golf Course. 4 Ensuite bds, mds & bth, 1bd 1ba GH w/kit. Recently Renovated. Elevator.

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

Lisa Hutchins 323.460.7626 CalRE #01018644

Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

134 S. Windsor Blvd.| Windsor Square | $4,160,000 Elegant Country English with generous light-filled rooms. 5 beds + 3 baths 134Windsor.com

677 S. McCadden Pl | Hancock Park | $3,499,000

571 Cahuenga Blvd. | Hancock Park | $2,850,000

Beautiful Mediterranean Villa w/ amazing kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 4 baths & guest house.

All redone in 2018. 3Bd / 3Bas + studio apt, pool. True Hancock Park! Move in ready! Lisa Hutchins 323.460.7626 CalRE #01018644

Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

165 N. Las Palmas Ave. | Hancock Park | $4,499,000 IN ESCROW. Stately English Tudor on a beautiful treelined st. 5Bd / 4.5Bas, covered patio, large pool. Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

135 S. Alta Vista Blvd. | Hancock Park | $2,595,000 2 Story character Spanish 4/3.5 + guest house. Appx. 3,100 sq.ft. 7,400 sq.ft lot. Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

8726 Shoreham Dr. #B| West Hollywood | $1,199,000

4455 Los Feliz Blvd #708| Los Feliz | $995,000

645 Wilcox Ave. #3B| Hancock Park | $949,900

631 Wilcox Ave. #2B| Hancock Park | $820,000

1930’s Hollywood Regency complex. View condo with 2 bedrooms & 2 baths. Charming.

Designer 2bed / 2bath. Hardwood floor. 9 ft. ceiling. Modern kitchen. Doorman. Gym. Balcony. Barbara Allen 323.610.1781 CalRE #01487763

Spacious 1,949 sq.ft. 1Bd 2Bth South Facing @ HPT. Watch LPGA Golfers from your own balcony! Cathie White 323.371.3152 CalRE #02088625

Sold Off Market! Represented Buyer! Golf course view Trust sale. 2bed/2.5baths. Lisa Hutchins 323.460.7626 CalRE #01018644

645 Wilcox Ave. #2D | Hancock park | $519,000

210 S. Norton Ave.| Windsor Square | $12,000/MO

1 Bed 1.5 bath 2nd floor unit. Hardwood floors. Hillside & Hollywood views. Priced to sell! Cathie White 323.371.3152 CalRE #02088625

FOR LEASE. Handsome Traditional in prime Windsor Square. 4 beds + 3.5 baths, large yard. 210Norton.com Loveland Carr Group 323.460.7606 CalRE #01467820, #0888374

6120 Barrows Dr. | Miracle Mile | $5,495/MO Carthay Circle Mediterranean. 4 beds + 3 baths, living rm w/fpl, hrdwd floors throughout.

316 N. Rossmore #303| Hancock Park | $3,750/MO LEASED. Elegant 1 bedroom, 1 bath in Hancock Park’s premier full-service condo building. A gem.

Cecille Cohen 213.810.9949 CalRE #00884530

Rick Llanos 323.810.0828 CalRE #01123101

COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Hancock Park 323.464.9272 | 251 N Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004 ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. CalRE #00616212

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

GWNC Land Use considers historic Rossmore apartment project

By Billy Taylor Representatives from Atlanta-based developer Domos Coliving returned to the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council’s (GWNC) Land Use Committee last month to present more detailed plans to renovate an apartment building at 410 N. Rossmore Ave. Domos had previously agreed to return at the committee’s request to allow for the project’s architect, Lorcan O’Herlihy, to present his plans directly to the group. Among other things, O’Herlihy explained to committee members his inspiration for the reconfiguration of a historic Hancock Park apartment building located opposite the Wilshire Country Club. “We are adding new housing and celebrating the existing building,” said O’Herlihy as he described the adaptive reuse project, to restore and modernize the original 1930s structure while constructing five additional floors of rental space. Once complete, the project will add more than 142 new rent-controlled units to the market. The project represents a new paradigm and contribution to relieving the housing crisis in Los Angeles,

RENDERING presented to the GWNC Land Use Committee by architect Lorcan O’Herlihy compares what is allowable under city zoning laws versus what is being proposed (at right).

O’Herlihy explained. Not only does it carefully adapt a historic building, but it also creates additional housing in a hybrid model of coliving and traditional apartments. In coliving suites, residents have private bedrooms and baths but share kitchen and living room facilities. Resident holdouts Since taking ownership, Domos has been in negotiations with existing residents, offering either “cash for keys” buyouts, or the option to return to the building postrenovations under the city’s tenant habitability plan, which

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Other local residents complained about the lack of parking for the project, additional traffic and the potential for an increase in short-term tenants moving in-and-out. When the topic of existing residents was raised, Domos Director of Design and Construction, Richard Loring, said he was “happy to address that.” “First of all, when we bought the building, I actually moved in, and I was able to interact and develop positive relationship with most, not all, of the residents,” said Loring. He explained that, of the

covers the cost of temporarily relocating in alternate housing. Not all residents are happy with those options. This project “is a chop shop” that is displacing a community, resident Cinzia Zanetti told GWNC committee members. “I have been in the building over 30 years and have that unit with the balcony for a reason. They are trying to displace me and other tenants with a massive reconfiguration and complete disregard for the law,” read Zanetti’s written statement submitted for the meeting.

original 56 residents, 40 have negotiated with Domos a buyout, with an average compensation of $64,000. The average compensation rate for buyouts in Council District Four is $21,000, Loring said. “I think it’s important for the committee to realize, when you have a developer that’s paying three times what the average is for buyouts, that developer isn’t behaving in a way that is below market expectations. “We think that the way we’ve interacted with residents here is a model for how developers should approach such a development. We take pride in that,” said Loring. Addressing concerns about potential transient tenants, he also noted that Domos will offer 12-month leases for the coliving units: “We are not marketing the units any differently than any other apartments in Los Angeles.” Committee opposes After a somewhat contentious public comment period, committee members voted, six to four, to approve a motion to oppose the project as presented. The Chronicle contacted Domos’ Loring to get his reaction the morning after the (Please turn to page 19)

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581 N. Plymouth | $1,995,000 3 Bed+2 Bath| LARCHMONT Pete Buonocore

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Does earthquake fault pose a danger, or not? Does an active, and dangerous, earthquake fault run under the site of the proposed Hollywood Center Project? Developers of the 46- and 35-story skyscrapers — which would be the area’s first at those heights — say the project is safe to build. The findings of its consultant geologists differ, however, from those of staff members of the California Geological Survey. The state’s findings say the site is on top of an active fault and that lives would be at risk if the project is approved. The city has ordered the developer, Millennium Partners, to dig a trench under the site of the proposed project to determine the presence of earthquake faults. The trench is next to the Capital Records building and

north of the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The project had been set to transform the aging block when developers first announced it a decade ago. The project also includes two 11-story buildings for low-income seniors. All in all, it will have about 1.3 million square feet of developed space on 4.5 acres of land, and it will add 1,000 housing units and 30,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. An alternate plan includes 880 housing units and a 220-room hotel. The City Council is expected to vote on the differing geologists’ findings and the future of the project. “The trenching continues at the Hollywood Center site, so that the issue of potential seismic activity at the site

AERIAL PHOTO shows an exploratory trench dug at the site of the proposed Hollywood Center Project. City officials seek to make geological findings related to an earthquake fault under the site.

Photo by Gary Leonard

can finally be addressed. Once completed, the findings will be

available,” Dan Halden, interim communications director

in the office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell said.

La Brea hotel / residential project moves ahead; Appeals denied

By Suzan Filipek The Los Angeles Planning Commission denied appeals of a hotel / residential complex planned at 629 S. La Brea Ave., paving the way for the mixeduse project to move forward. The Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of the eight-story, 121-apart-

ment and a 125-hotel room building at the May 13 meeting on Zoom. Many residents spoke in favor of the CGI Strategies development, just north of the under-construction Wilshire / La Brea Purple (D) Line subway station. During the public hearing,

speakers welcomed a hotel to the area and approved of the building’s green design with car and bike share offerings and other programs in the transit-adjacent corridor. The project’s 13,000 square feet of commercial space will add to the area’s walkability factor, and many speakers

were pleased that the developer increased the affordable units from 15 to 19 units. However, nearby residential neighbors on Detroit St. and a next-door business owner said the hotel’s daily deliveries and valet parking would add stress to the already impacted alley, as well as on La Brea.

“The community is already here, and this project has to fit into the community,” said James O’Sullivan, of Fix the City and a representative for appellant Alyssa Ashton Shah, owner of Design Mix Furniture, 611 S. La Brea. “With the museums, we (Please turn to page 14)

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

La Brea Hancock residents talk trees, speeding cars with Raman

By Suzan Filipek Trimming tree branches in danger of falling, accidents caused by speeding drivers, and real estate development were among topics at the La Brea Hancock Homeowners Association meeting May 19. Councilwoman Nithya Raman told the 20 residents in attendance at the Zoom meeting that City Hall would reopen June 15 and that trash collection and other services would soon be improved. “We have better times ahead, and those are starting now,” Raman said. While the pandemic slowed the new councilwoman’s efforts since taking office in December, she has since hired a 24-mem-

ber staff, including Andrea Conant, deputy chief of staff. “It was a very, very strange time to be taking office,” Raman said. “Andrea was hired weeks before we met her in person. Now we’re getting back to normal.” Also on staff for Council District Four are a homeless coordinator and a tenant policy advocate, and Raman sits on Council committees that deal with issues of digital divide in Los Angeles, procurement reform, immigration affairs, housing and the homeless. A volunteer corps that had been created, before her election campaign, has continued, providing vaccine distribution to seniors, maintaining a list

of shelter beds and helping with homeless encampment clean-ups. Tree trimming La Brea Hancock President Cathy Roberts told the councilwoman that the area’s London plane sycamores on 11 blocks are 60 years old. Coupled with climate change and invasive insects, their branches are a safety hazard. So far, branches have only fallen on cars, but they are a concern, Roberts added. Speeding drivers Speeding on Sixth Street is another problem. One resident mom has had cars land in her front yard. “We don’t allow the kids in the front yard. It’s not safe,”

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said the mom, Mansfield Avenue resident Jenn Rojas. She has a file of paperwork she’s collected of accidents during the four years she has lived here and which she shared

with former Councilman David Ryu. Her family built a wall three years ago when a car almost entered their property. Six (Please turn to page 14)

THE DESIGN by TCA Architects features a contemporary building with a central courtyard.

Eight-story mixed-use project proposed at Wilshire / Highland

An eight-story, mixed-use development is proposed on the site of a strip mall on the northwest Wilshire Boulevard and Highland Avenue, according to plans submitted to the City Planning Dept. The Pacific Springs LLC development includes 242 apartments above 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a three-level, underground garage with 354 parking spots. Under the city Transit Oriented Community (TOC) guidelines — a TOC being defined as the area within one-half mile of a major transit stop — the proposed new building is larger than allowed by city zoning in exchange for 25 of the proposed apartments being set aside as extremely low-income units. The design by TCA Architects features a contemporary building with a central court-

yard. Amenities include a rooftop deck facing Wilshire and Citrus Avenue. As proposed, the project would vacate a segment of alley which runs behind the strip mall to merge the site with an adjoining parking lot to the north. This space would be converted into an 18,000-square-foot landscaped green space, similar to Mansfield Avenue Park across Citrus Avenue. Ground-level townhome units would line the new green space along the northern side of the building. Thus far, the preliminary plans have been presented to local homeowner groups with more meetings planned in the near future, said Cathy Roberts, president of the La Brea Hancock Homeowners Association. The project is close to the new Metro Purple Line station at Wilshire and La Brea, scheduled to open in 2023.

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

New parkway trees planted thanks to resident volunteers

6407 Drexel Avenue Co-listed with Bryant \ Reichling

440 S. June Street

PARKWAY trees being planted May 22 on Clinton Street.

gorgeous,” he explains. The Larchmont Tree Project is only possible with the support of resident volunteers, who seek out homeowners missing trees in their parkways to convince them of the many benefits that come with a lush canopy. “Volunteers and block captains are the essential ingredient to the project,” said Wilkerson, who explained that identifying a location for the trees is the easy part;

getting in touch with the homeowner is the hard part. “People no longer answer their doors, so it’s hard to make contact. That’s why volunteer block captains are essential because they often have existing relationships with neighbors.” Once a signature of approval is obtained from the homeowner, the project coordinates the rest. LA City Plants provides the grants, which means that the trees are free for

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homeowners, and Los Angeles Beautification provides the landscaping manpower. “It’s nice to walk the dog and see the new trees plant-

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ed,” Wilkerson reflects. If you would like to get involved with the group, contact Larchmont Trees Project on Facebook.

NOTES accompany the new Larchmont parkway trees.

Sold Off Market | Represented Buyers Larchmont Village Craftsman 3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,504 Sq Ft | $1,600,000

Leased 1927 Classic Hollywood Hills Spanish 3 Bed I 2.5 Bath I 2,222 Sq Ft | $8,000/month

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

By Billy Taylor The Larchmont Trees Project was busy last month getting 16 new parkway trees planted in the neighborhood. Larchmont resident Haines Wilkerson, the group’s coordinator, told the Chronicle that, during the pandemic, he had the necessary free time to reorganize the group of volunteers: “We got the band back together again!” Months of planning came to fruition on May 22 when a truck full of trees arrived, ready to plant in the parkways along Lucerne, Rosewood and Clinton in the Larchmont Heights neighborhood. The Larchmont Trees Project, first started in 2001, works to fill treeless parkways, with help from LA City Plants and the Los Angeles Beautification Team. “We believe that the magicin-the-street happens when the street is lined on both sides with consistent tree types,” said Wilkerson. As an example of his group’s success over the years, Wilkerson points to the 600 block of N. Lucerne Blvd., which at one point was nearly treeless: “It was a concrete expanse, desolate and barren, with the Hollywood sign behind it, but now the block is green and

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Last call for Rite-Aid on Crenshaw? Windsor Village hopes so

By Suzan Filipek Windsor Village residents are protesting the renewal of a liquor license at their neighborhood Rite-Aid, because of public drinking of alcohol on store grounds and near the area’s single-family homes. “The Windsor Village Association (WVA) has for some time tried to work with Rite-Aid about several issues without success, and we have reached a tipping point…” WVA President Barbara Pflaumer said. “The sale of alcohol is extraordinarily problematic for the neighborhood,” added WVA board member Jeff Estow. Estow is the closest neighbor to the store, at 959 Crenshaw Blvd. He said he daily picks up empty bottles of beer, wine and vodka and other spirits he finds littered on the grounds of the pharmacy and store. The homeowners association filed a complaint with the state Alcoholic Beverage Control, LA/Metro Central Office. “ABC has assigned an agent to look into this concern. I am unable to comment further at this time,” said John Carr, ABC agency information officer. Listed under owner Thrifty Payless, the store’s next alcohol license renewal is June 30.

HOMEOWNERS have filed a complaint with state Alcoholic Beverage Control against the Rite-Aid at 959 Crenshaw Blvd.

A senior real estate director with the Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid Corporation refused comment but said the matter has been turned over to the company’s legal and communication department, who did not get back to us by press time. Landscape issues The landscape is another point of contention with the neighborhood. The area includes a triangle of grass at the corner of Olympic and Victoria Ave. and another strip of land behind the parking lot on Victoria. A homeless encampment has intermittently sprung up at the triangle median the past

1218 months, and while at the moment it has been disbanded, it has only exacerbated the issue, Estow added. A 1998 agreement between the city and Rite-Aid called for the drug store and pharmacy to maintain the green space around their enterprise. “They have not delivered on this promise,” Pflaumer said WSA members have reached out to Councilwoman Nithya Raman and the District Four office for support. “Windsor Village is a lovely neighborhood. We take real pride in our community, work diligently to maintain our friendly, clean and warm society of people.

DRINKING on the grounds is a nuisance to neighbors.

CORNER at Olympic and Victoria has been a homeless camp.

“We have no objection to the presence of the Rite Aid, but we feel strongly that they

need to honor their original agreement with us,” added Pflaumer.

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The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. CalRE #00616212

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Building a better forest — outsized outcomes in tiny spaces

By Helene Seifer As we grapple with pollution, climate change, soil erosion and threats to biodiversity, we should remember a lesson every child learns in elementary school: trees are good for the planet. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, as quoted on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, “In one year a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.” Mindful of the value of trees beyond their beauty, we plant greenery in parkways and along freeways. However, evidence exists that there is a more efficient protocol for aiding our planet and improving the quality of our lives. Theory In the 1970s the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki began thinking of forests as tree communities. He developed a reforestation approach of densely planting a mixture of native trees, the types that would have grown there before human influence. After preparing the soil with locally sourced supplements and analyzing historic and contemporary data on indigenous vegetation, the next step in the Miyawaki

ONE-MONTH OLD MIYAWAKI METHOD TINY FOREST in the Netherlands. Photo courtesy Shubhendu Sharma, Aﬀorestt

approach to a better forest is to plant a multiplicity of species in four distinct layers: lower shrubs, sub-tree layer, tree layer and taller-growing trees to form the forest canopy. In direct contrast to traditional row plantings, used by loggers to replace the trees they cut down in the forest, the Miyawaki method imitates how trees develop in the wild, randomly spaced in heterogenous groupings, which encourages healthy competition among the greenery. Compact, diverse forests take hold very quickly, maturing 10 times faster than trees planted on a grid, and creating 20 times more biodiversity, an outsized outcome in a tiny space. After two to three

years of human caretaking, the new forests become selfsustaining, making them very practical additions to urban, rural and traditionally forested landscapes, even in places with depleted, barren soil. Theory into action At least that’s the theory. Winner of the Blue Planet Prize, given by the Asahi Glass Foundation to recognize contributions to environmental science, Miyawaki put his theory into action, planting over 40 million trees in site-specific forests in Japan and 14 other countries, including China, where he oversaw restoration of the forest along the Great Wall. Impressed by Miyawaki’s ideas, Shubhendu Sharma, an

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CHILDREN MEASURE FOREST GROWTH, same Netherland forest, at nine months. Photo courtesy Shubhendu Sharma, Aﬀorestt

engineer for Toyota in Japan, created a standardized guide for the Miyawaki Method. His

company Afforestt has advised on, and planted, reforestation (Please turn to page 9)

SITE OF FUTURE FOREST in Grifﬁth Park.

Photo by Zach Grossman

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

The plot thickens on illegal demolition at Wilton Place home

When last we checked in, 215 South Wilton Place, otherwise known as the architecturally significant 1907 Thomas C. Churchill Residence, had been willfully despoiled by its new owners, K-Pop star Samuel Arredondo, his mother Kyung Ju Kim and Mr. Roy Yun. When the city, alerted by neighbors, finally brought an end to the illegal work, the historic Craftsman interior, carefully restored by the previous owner, had been illegally demolished, oak floorboards ripped up, rare woodwork torn out, original horse hair plaster walls brought down to the studs. A letter from the City of Los Angeles to these new owners, dated April 12, indicated that the city representatives were appalled at the “deplorable condition of the property.” The city

ordered a halt to all work, but also emphasized that the house was under a Mills Act contract — a preservation incentive that significantly reduces an owner’s property tax burdens. The city then said the owners had 30 days to assemble a team of qualified preservation experts to bring the house back to mandates with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation, or face the cancellation of the contract. Once cancelled through unpermitted and unapproved work, an owner loses its tax break, and the owner must pay a 12.5 percent fee to the County of Los Angeles — in this case roughly $225,000. Call a lawyer! Not surprisingly, the new owners, in a letter from their lawyer to the city on May

CRAFTSMAN DINING ROOM before the unpermitted, illegal demolition.

On Preservation by

Brian Curran

4, feigned ignorance of the house’s landmark designation and its Mills Act contract. They blamed the seller and the realtors for negligence in not informing them of their obligations in buying this particular historic home. They further requested a reduction in the cancellation fee and complained of their estimated high costs of remediating the damage they had caused ($300,000!). Well, the city wasn’t having any of it. In its reply through the City Attorney on May 11, the city reminded the owners of their obligations under the contract and explained that the penalties were non-negotiable as they are set by state law. The City Attorney also pointed out that any demolition or alteration of the property, as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument (HCM), is subject to prior review by the Office of Historic Resources. A Mills Act contract is part of the title to a property, appears in title reports, and is posted as

HARD TO MISS was the historic marker outside the front entrance of 215 S. Wilton Place when the home was being sold.

a part of the city’s public “ZIMAS” property record system. Not to forget that there was a city plaque on a brick column right by the front entrance! So now, the good Mr. Arredondo, Ms. Ju Kim, and Mr. Yun find themselves in a legal and financial bind of their own making. Contracts being legal agreements are by nature not easily gotten out of, especially those that provide exceptional benefits such as the Mills Act. The trio’s lawyer seems to think that his clients can simply pay the cancellation fee of 12.5 percent and then cancel or not renew the contract. First, his clients cannot cancel the contract, only the government (Please turn to page 9)

POST-DEMOLITION photo of the formerly beautiful dining room, taken from the kitchen entrance (the portal at the right in the “before” photo at left).

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232 S. June St.| Sold 5 Beds / 6 Baths | $3,495,000

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Larchmont Chronicle

On Preservation (Continued from page 8)

can; and second, his clients can choose not to renew the contract, but they still will be obligated to fulfill the terms of the preservation-related terms of contract until it expires, which could be up to 10 years. But the fact remains: the new owners’ illegal actions make them in violation of the contract, and it is only the government that has the choice to sue for mandates or to cancel the contract, as the city has threatened. When so cancelled, the owners must pay the hefty fee and will incur taxes on the full

Tiny forests

(Continued from page 7) projects worldwide. The TED Talk given by Sharma emphasizes that a forest of 300 trees can “grow on an area as small as the parking spaces of six cars — for less than the price of an iPhone.” Sharma is not alone in picking up the tiny forest mantle. Nonprofits, corporations and governmental infrastructure programs worldwide have experimented with tiny space planting. The Miyawaki Method has been extensively tested in dry and alluvial tropical zones in Asia, South Asia and the Amazon, and tiny forests

JUNE 2021

market rate of the property. More than just Mills Act But cancellation of their contract still does not get the owners out of their self-inflicted Wilton Place quagmire. The property remains a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Therefore, in order to get any future permits (their first, apparently), the owners will have to comply with the Office of Historic Resources and the Cultural Heritage Commission requirements to restore the significant interiors as they were. Being the owner of a house of this vintage and importance, and knowing the costs

involved just to maintain it, the $300,000 figure that the owners’ lawyer tossed out sounds a bit low to actually recreate a series of lost interiors, elements of which must be custom reproduced out of expensive materials. Regardless, that is the owners’ self-inflicted challenge. “Nuclear option?” The “nuclear option” for the trio would seem to be to seek cancellation of the contract and removal of the HCM designation, but this would require paying the cancellation fee, the extra taxes and the extensive costs of compiling an Environmental Impact Report ... plus

dot Europe, as well. Since 2009, over 100,000 trees have also been planted in North America using the dense and diverse forestry concept, but only one has been tested in California’s Mediterranean climate. The Yokohama Tire Company Forever Forest initiative planted 3,900 trees in Fullerton on the grounds of what was then their headquarters. Hancock Park Garden Club Los Angeles soon will have a local opportunity to test the efficacy of the Miyawaki Method. The Bette Davis picnic area of Griffith Park, named for the actress who lived on nearby Rancho Drive, has been selected as a site for a new com-

pact forest. In April 2021, the Board of Commissioners of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) approved a proposal to plant a 1,000-square-foot circular micro forest with a bifurcating path for hikers to enjoy. The Hancock Park Garden Club has provided RAP with the means for implementing the plan. Garden Club volunteers will install and maintain the forest for two years, by which time it should be fully established and self-sustaining, building a better forest for our community. There soon will be more to see and learn at this latest, local implementation of the Miyawaki Method.

SECTION TWO

one case — while the loss is devastating, although it can be remedied — the enforcement mechanisms coming into play are ironclad and prohibitively expensive enough to serve as a deterrent. The former owner of 215 South Wilton Place, Marita Geraghty, must feel some comfort that the protections she worked hard to put in place [HCM designation and the Mills Act] are working as designed to protect the house from further harm and might even force its restoration. Stay tuned! As for the demolition desperados on Wilton Place: Again, caveat emptor! Let the buyer beware!

hiring land use attorneys to see them through the process of de-listing, which could take months, if not years. While this is something a major developer might undertake for a large commercial project, I think it an unlikely one for a regular homeowner. Even if accomplished, the result would be that the property then would remain as merely a “contributor” to the nation’s Wilton Historic District, and only the house’s outside façades visible from the street would remain subject to government review. While I can often be critical of Los Angeles’ stewardship of its historic resources, this is

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Should housing be a human right? This really is a no-brainer

Simply put, should everyone who lives and works in Los Angeles be able to find an affordable place to live? I believe this is a “no brainer”! All residents should be able to find affordable housing within a reasonable distance of their work and children’s schools. So why do we push back against affordable housing in our own neighborhoods? One of my previous columns examined the ways in which we define people who live on the street. We’ve become accustomed to the idea that if we build affordable housing, then lazy, drug-addicted or mentally ill people will move into our neighborhood. That is a myth. It’s time we examine how these myths also affect us, our community and our city. These myths were used to rationalize discriminatory policies and the budget cuts that dismantled our mental health care system several decades ago, relegating people with mental health issues to endure a life of undiagnosed and/or untreated mental health conditions. The lazy “welfare mom” myth was used to make cuts in the “safety-net” and is evident in the scarce resources in impoverished neighborhoods, lack of health care, poor schools and food deserts. Poverty, trauma, mental health and

substance use are a few of the leading causes of homelessness. Lack of affordable housing But one of the largest contributors to our increasing homeless population is a severe lack of affordable housing. Housing prices in Los Angeles are some of the highest in the nation. While the price of housing has increased, wages have stayed relatively flat. In a healthy and equitable rental market, our rents should not exceed 30 percent of our income. Today, 60 percent of renters pay as much as 90 percent of their income on rent. Affording rent is nearly impossible for a large percentage of our low-wage workers. We’ve gained a heightened appreciation for our “essential” workers during this pandemic. We also have learned that the overcrowded housing utilized to afford even the most basic rent puts these very workers at a higher risk of getting COVID-19 and of death. We now understand what an essential worker is, someone who is essential for our communities to continue functioning. I think it is time we raise our employees’ salaries so they can afford to pay their rent. A city functions well when every citizen who lives and works there is a valued piece of

The NIMBY Diaries by

Marilyn Wells the whole. Quality of life affects everyone. When a part of the whole is struggling to keep up and can’t afford a place to live, we all suffer. If the home health care worker who cares for your elderly mother drives two hours to and from work, she is not a thriving member of our community. If she has kids, the hours away from home and the stress of trying to afford rent make it difficult for her children to thrive. Who cooks their dinner and helps them with their homework? If a student at the local community college can’t afford housing and has to live in a car (as many do), mental health and physical health suffer and the chance of graduating falls tenfold. We all lose, because we are missing the opportunity to hire a resilient individual with a strong work ethic who has had to work harder than most of his or her fellow students. Are we ready to accept that everyone deserves an afford-

able home that allows him or her to remain safe in difficult times? TOC / affordable homes As overwhelming as it may seem, our homeless problem IS solvable, and we hold the solutions to these seemingly intractable problems. We need to support the building of affordable housing in all of our neighborhoods. But if we continue to prevent the development of adequate affordable housing, the problem will never be solved. Some of the recent city and state legislation, such as TOC (Transit Oriented Communities) laws, allows us to build more housing more rapidly. If we say “no” to housing because the number of parking spaces is lowered, or because the proposed building is a story or two taller than the buildings nearby, and/or the driveway will cause traffic congestion, we are saying “no” to affordable housing (and we are increasing the cost of that housing, paid in part by our taxes). That is because buildings with TOC incentives add affordable units. Therefore, we also will benefit. The “T” in TOC stands for “transit.” Many people do not own a car because they can’t afford one or because they don’t want one. I’d vote

for less parking and fewer cars on the road! The “C” in TOC stands for “communities.” Let’s vote to give our home health care workers and our college students an opportunity to live in our community. Change is hard, but — if we want our city to thrive for all of our citizens — we need to accept necessary change. If we want clean streets without tents and tens of thousands living in their cars, and a healthy and safe community for our essential workers and neighbors, we can no longer ignore the simple fact that many of our land use, zoning and housing policies exclude lower wage earners and people of color from living in safe and affordable housing near their places of work. It’s long past time for us to create a city we are proud of. A city that is proactively working to solve homelessness by supporting legislation on both the state and local level, neighborhood by neighborhood, that creates more equitable housing for all of the members of our community. Larchmont Chronicle guest columnist Marilyn Wells, Psy.D. is a resident of Hancock Park and an advocate for people with lived homeless experience. She is a co-founder of storiesfrontline.org.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Letters to the Editor Battle for soul of CD4?

Most of the neighbors I know intend to work feverishly with our new Councilmember Nithya Raman so that, together, united, we help enable all Council District 4 residents to thrive. On May 21, I wrote to our Councilmember’s field manager, Su In Lee, on the pressing topic of the opportunistic housing bills being pushed by real estate and construction interests in Sacramento. I wrote to our Councilmember not only as a 30-year resident of Windsor Square, but also as a former President of the Windsor Square Association and as a former President of the City Planning Commission. For Larchmont Chronicle readers, I offer, in what follows, my response to Councilmember Raman’s recent position statement regarding Senate Bills 9 and 10, which in large part eliminate single-family zoning. Her statement is on online at: tinyurl.com/9484kups. My letter to Su In Lee (slightly abbreviated) follows: “[Councilmember Raman’s] statement may either create a tremendously helpful community dialogue or a fierce battle for the soul of CD 4. In either event, I fear that Councilmem-

ber Raman may find herself at war during the entirety of her City Council tenure for the insensitivity of this most recent statement to a wide swath of her constituents. “I offer these, for her and your consideration: “Senate Bill 9. I am pleased that the Councilmember is opposed to SB 9. However, her stated reasons for opposition repudiate a good portion of my life’s work. I have a passion for history and diversity, which I treasure in all forms and locations. I seek to protect their legacy for all of us. Why then does the Councilmember discount the value of, and ask to place on the chopping block, the Los Angeles historic neighborhoods? The workmanship of these homes is unparalleled; it cannot be recreated. Undeniably, some of these properties were once subject to hateful exclusionary restrictions on sale. But NONE continue to bear that stamp of shame. It is unlikely that I, a widowed self-supporting Jewish female, could own my historic home if these disgraceful wrongs of history had not been righted. But shouldn’t we salute this progress, with my eternal devotion to my former boss

Mayor Tom Bradley and the many who walked in his shoes and led this very fight against racial, religious and gender restrictions? They are heroes who would not endorse this misuse of their hard-fought gift to us. “Senate Bill 10. The Councilmember’s support of SB 10 takes my breath away. As you surely know, I was a devoted Planning Commissioner in this City. According to the Councilmember’s biography, she is also a proud urban planner. What does this shared résumé feature mean? Most simply stated, Planners work to define our physical spaces. The discipline demands vision. It does not condone shrugging your shoulders at, and vocally discrediting, a lousy Senate proposal, while then acting to support it anyway, giving developers “options” to build, build, build, like a house afire. The Planner’s unenviable task is to create a livable City for everyone. The topics are hard. Their solutions often intractable. Where do we authorize housing? How do we DEMAND and DELIVER affordable housing? (Note to self, this answer is easier than you may think.) With what height, shade, landscaping, and open space

“THIS COULD BE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THIS FALL,” warns an image in a presentation by organization United Neighbors, an alliance of communities opposed to Senate Bills 9 and 10. See: unitedneighbors.net.

requirements, so that our neighbors and the climate win, too? Or do we just throw up our hands in despair, as the Councilmember has done with her support of SB 10, refusing to even tackle these subjects? I, for one, stand against this free-for-all, where the beauty, and yes, damn it, the thoughtful Planning, of our physical spaces is thrown away like yesterday’s news. “Su, I realize that I must give you latitude and a learning curve. The Councilmember and all of you are new to your responsibilities. But this is an ignoble opening salvo. And, I am not naive. I shudder at the mayhem it may portend. Is there so much anger at success that it must be

stripped from existence in our most diverse neighborhoods, where those voters who are still waiting for their own success may allow? Ironic that our choice to live in diversity may be our downfall. Notably, the Councilmember has expressly removed her own home from the list of the locations that may suffer under her leadership. “Su, please tell the Councilmember that I hope that dialogue and wisdom will prevail. I will be your most willing partner in these discussions. “Many thanks for sharing the Councilmember’s statement with me and for seeking my response.” Jane Ellison Usher Windsor Square

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Real Estate Sales

Bernstein’s book on preservation is focus of WSHPHS talk

Real Estate Sales Condominiums

SOLD: This townhouse condominium at 608 Wilcox Ave. in Hancock Park was sold in April for $1,135,000.

Single family homes 326 S. Windsor Blvd. 326 S. McCadden Pl. 404 Lorraine Blvd. 330 S. Irving Blvd. 201 S. Plymouth Blvd. 75 Fremont Pl. 824 S. Citrus Ave. 653 S. Orange Dr. 134 N. McCadden Pl. 611 N. Curson Ave. 801 Muirfield Rd. 136 S. Vista St. 119 S. Alta Vista Blvd. 156 S. Arden Blvd. 138 N. Wilton Pl. 518 S. Van Ness Ave. 890 S. Bronson Ave. 516 N. Citrus Ave. 465 S. Citrus Ave. 208 S. St. Andrews Pl. 417 N. Windsor Blvd. 547 N. Detroit St. 5128 Melrose Ave.

$9,415,000 6,900,000 4,850,000 4,325,000 4,200,000 4,200,000 3,650,000 3,570,000 3,055,500 2,800,000 2,525,000 2,349,000 2,335,000 2,300,000 2,275,000 2,150,000 2,050,000 1,731,250 1,685,000 1,540,000 1,463,000 1,311,260 995,000

608 Wilcox Ave. 611 N. Bronson Ave., #10 835 S. Lucerne Blvd., #301 651 Wilcox Ave., #2F 739 Lorraine Blvd., #304 821 S. Mansfield Ave., #2 970 S. St. Andrews Pls., #205 853 S. Lucerne Blvd., #101 4822 Elmwood Ave., #305 350 S. Norton Ave., #H 585 N. Rossmore Ave., #310 5037 Rosewood Ave., #314 5037 Rosewood Ave., #209 4813 Oakwood Ave., #302 811 S. Lucerne Blvd., #202 600 S. Ridgeley Dr., #307 4830 Elmwood Ave., #103 443 S. Gramercy Pl., #C 4943 Rosewood Ave., #104 5051 Rosewood Ave., #204 533 S. St. Andrews Pl., #403 648 S. Ridgeley, #205

$1,135,000 1,040,000 976,000 967,500 949,000 850,000 830,000 799,000 799,000 780,000 780,000 738,000 735,000 728,000 720,000 715,000 660,000 644,000 620,800 600,000 450,000 385,000

Hear a talk on “Preserving Los Angeles: How Historic Places Can Transform America’s Cities” by principal city planner Ken Bernstein and photographer Stephen Shafer on Wed., July 7 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The talk, hosted by the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society, will focus on City of Los Angeles historical preservation programs and the citywide survey of local historical resources and monuments. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for non-members, or $66 including an autographed copy of the book for members and $71 for nonmembers, which includes an autographed copy of the book. For more information on this and other talks in the series, visit windsorsquarehancockpark.com.

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La Brea Hancock

(Continued from page 4) crashed through the wall and likely could have hit her two young boys, who were in the living room directly behind it, she said. A day earlier a speeding driver injured a young girl. “Speed on the street is a real issue,” Rojas said.

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

The city Dept. of Transportation met with residents in 2020 and has not yet responded. “[They] can’t do anything until [they] have the study,” Rojas said. The councilwoman said she would follow up on the tree trimming and driving conditions on Sixth Street. In other news shared with residents at the meeting, deputy chief of staff Conant said

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public comment on the (maybe “K”) northern extension of the Metro Crenshaw Line ended May 28. It is the very beginning of a long process, said Conant. Alternative routes are being considered up Fairfax or La Brea, she said. The Draft Environmental Impact Report is expected in 2023. Better development Residents also asked that developers consider better design with deeper setbacks and adding more trees and affordable apartments. Raman in turn asked the neighbors to step up when affordable housing options are proposed. More building is needed, she said, and underutilized city properties for homeless shelters and RV parking are limited in the district. But Roberts said the neighborhood was “under assault” with potential development … because of the area’s close proximity to the Purple (D) Line subway station under construction at La Brea because of state legislation under consideration, (Senate Bills 9 and 10). Instead of adding housing and density on single-family zoned streets, residents pointed to opportunities at large intersections, such as the eight-story mixed-use project proposed at Wilshire Boulevard and Highland Avenue. It (Please turn to page 15)

HOTEL and residential complex is planned on La Brea Ave., just north of the subway station opening in 2023.

629 S. La Brea (Continued from page 3)

definitely could use a hotel. I think a lot of people would support that. The rest of the project I’m not so sure,” O’Sullivan said. A representative for the appellant Unite Here Local 11, the hotel workers’ union, which had filed an appeal, said the group no longer opposes the project because of its green building technology and five more affordable units. The proposed 200,000-square-foot building’s one- two- and three-bedroom apartment units are above the ground floor and two levels of subterranean parking with a total of 185 parking spaces. The project is designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, partnering with Togawa Smith

Martin. Amenities include a rooftop lounge and pool deck. Because of its affordable housing and location within walking distance of a subway station, the developer received an 80-percent density bonus under the city’s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) program. The project, filed under applicant La Brea Bliss LLC, had been conditionally approved by the city Planning Dept. staff on Jan. 21. A conditional use permit for alcoholic beverages was also approved in January. According to CGI Strategies’ website, the project is anticipated to break ground in 12 to 18 months, subject to close of escrow and completion of entitlements for the project. Construction will take approximately 24 months plus a sixmonth stabilization period.

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE shares the southern half of its city block with the Audrey Irmas Pavilion, designed by the New York office of the international architectural firm OMA, founded by Holland’s Rem Koolhaas. The new building, nearly complete, stands in contrast to the original sanctuary completed in 1929 and designed by A.M. Adelman, S. Tilden Norton, and David C. Allison. Note to Readers: The Larchmont Chronicle is putting our monthly photo coverage of the construction on pause until closer to the new building’s opening. Stay tuned for news reports as the opening draws near! Aerial photograph by Gary Leonard, April 25, 2021

La Brea Hancock

(Continued from page 14) includes 242 apartments over ground-floor retail. The project’s developer met with the homeowner group in April. Residents’ concerns included the building looming over neighbor yards, and residents asked for stair-stepping in the rear. The developer plans to return to hold a joint meeting with several neighboring groups soon, Roberts said. Also at the meeting, Hancock Park residents Clif Lord and Jennifer DeVore spoke to their La Brea Hancock neighbors about a city-proposed Stress-Free Connections program for pedestrians and bike riders, part of which would run along Fourth Street. “It’s been a contentious issue for years,” said DeVore. A city study was “incredibly biased” towards cyclists and assumed Rossmore and Highland at Fourth Street were stressful, she said. La Brea Hancock residents responded that they would study the issue, but they added that traffic improvements might be needed at busy Highland Avenue intersections.

Wildlife online workshop in June

Los Angeles City Planning has released a Draft Wildlife Ordinance and a new Wildlife Pilot Study webpage. To learn more, attend a workshop Thurs., June 10 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The study supports important habitats and regulations for new development that can be more compatible with the land, water, plants and animals to make the city a world class natural environment. Visit https://tinyurl.com/2kn7x759

SECTION TWO

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

ONE MUSEUM SQUARE apartment tower, center left, features panoramic city views.

Snyder’s One Museum Square now open By Billy Taylor The Miracle Mile’s newest residential development, One Museum Square, officially completed construction last month. The 21-story tower, comprised of 285 residen-

tial apartment units, is now open and accepting tours by appointment. Located at 640 S. Curson Ave., the 296,000 square foot project, previously known as the Wilshire Curson Apartments, was developed by the J.H. Snyder Company. One Museum Square — the first project the firm has completed since founder Jerry Snyder died last year — includes a large open-air activity patio with dining and lounge seating, a residents’ lounge that opens up to another patio, flexible workspaces, fitness center and a rooftop pool. “Our vision for the project was to create a metropolitan oasis that embodies sophisticated, luxury design both inside and out and creates an elevated resident experience for area professionals,” said J.H. Snyder Partner Lon Snyder. MVE + Partners When deciding on an architect for the project, the late Jerry Snyder tapped his longtime friend and architect Carl McLarand of MVE + Partners to create a building worthy of the location on the east edge

of the County’s Hancock Park, immediately overlooking the Tar Pits Museum. The two men had worked together previously to produce notable Los Angeles-based projects such as the Wilshire Courtyard, the Santa Monica Water Garden and the Howard Hughes Entertainment Center. “It is a very unique opportunity in that One Museum Square is sitting perpendicular to the axis of the La Brea Tar Pits, which is like the Central Park of Los Angeles,” said Carl McLarand, of the project. “By its very nature it will be iconic. There are a number of unique features in this building, like the predominance of glass and the view, that are unlike any other.” One Museum Square offers a mix of studio, one- and twobedroom units ranging from 495 to 1,300 square feet complete with private glass balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Visit omsapts.com

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Exhibit offers a fresh take on LACMA’s Modern Art Collection

Picasso, Giacometti and Matisse are among the nearly 200 artists whose works are featured in a sweeping new exhibit that offers a fresh perspective on the holdings of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The exhibit, Modern Art Collection, opens Sun., June 13 on Level 3 of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) at LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. The show features 250 works and includes German Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism and art of

LIBRARIES* FAIRFAX 161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191 JOHN C. FREMONT 6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521 MEMORIAL 4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732 WILSHIRE 149 N. St. Andrews Pl. 323-957-4550 ASK A LIBRARIAN 213-228-7272 infonow@lapl.org HOURS *Fifty branches are now open for limited hours and service. Libraryto-Go will continue at Fairfax and other select libraries. Hours for regional libraries are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. For information, ask a librarian or visit lapl.org.

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Southern California. The comprehensive new exhibition includes some works previously located in the Ahmanson Building. The new presentation is suffused with natural light from the Renzo Piano-design skylights of BCAM (the Broad Contemporary Art Museum), and the new exhibit spaces have been redesigned in collaboration with Frank O. Gehry and Associates. Several included works are drawn from the museum’s Decorative Arts and Latin American holdings. “This installation is an opportunity to rethink how we display our collection and bring together longtime favorites with works that have never been on view …” said Stephanie Barron, senior curator and department head of Modern Art at LACMA. “Many of our most beloved modern art masterpieces are now in a fresh and beautiful context in BCAM — framed in Renzo Piano’s light-filled galleries …” said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director.

LACMA’S NEW INSTALLATION of Modern Art is on BCAM level 3, ongoing from June 13, 2021.

The exhibit includes new interpretive texts, audio tours, a 30-minute film and a collection soundtrack. Purchase advance, timed tickets at lacma.org. The exhibit is ongoing.

Local library branches open for limited services Wilshire library branch and John C. Fremont library branch are now open for limited services. This includes 60-minute browsing sessions, computer access and picking up books on hold. Wilshire and Fremont join other branches added to Los Angeles Public Library’s rolling reopening schedule. The Memorial branch opened for limited services last month. Fairfax library continues to operate the Library-to-Go program.

Under the reopening, hours for branches continue to be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit lapl.org/reopening.

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‘Wildest party’ — Beastly Ball — goes virtual June 5 The wildest party in Los Angeles, the Beastly Ball, hosted by Joel McHale and the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), is happening virtually Sat., June 5 at 6 p.m. The event, honoring actors and philanthropists Jackie Chan and Leila George, is in its 51st year. Besides conservation stories, there will be musical performances by Weezer, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, Slash with Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, and Stone Temple

Pilots’ Robert DeLeo. This is the first year the event has held an art auction. It features 65 original pieces with contributions from comedian Mike Myers and the late poet Allen Ginsberg, among others. The theme is nature, wildlife, climate change and the planet. Last year, which also was a virtual event, more than 21,000 people from around the world joined in, says Tom Jacobson, GLAZA president. For more information, visit lazoo.org/beastlyball.

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

POLICE BEAT

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a few doors down, a safe was stolen from inside a home on the 300 block of S. Mansfield Ave. after a suspect smashed a balcony door to gain access and kicked open the back door to flee the location on May 15 at 8:35 p.m. BURGLARIES THEFTS FROM VEHICLE: Clothing was stolen from inside a vehicle parked on the 600 block of N. Sycamore Ave. after a suspect smashed the rear side window on May 6 between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Consumable goods were stolen from inside a vehicle parked on the 400 block of N. Sycamore Ave. between May 7 at 5:30 p.m. and May 8 at

12:15 p.m. Clothing was stolen from a vehicle parked on the 100 block of N. La Brea Ave. on May 6 between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Documents and credit cards were stolen from inside a vehicle parked on the 400 block of S. Sycamore Ave. after a suspect used a tool to gain access on May 4 between 3 and 3:14 a.m. OLYMPIC DIVISION BURGLARIES: Two suspects entered a homeowner’s yard on the 800 block of S. Bronson Ave. and stole a bicycle on May 2 between 7:20 and

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‘Ellroy Palooza’ at Chevalier’s Books

Hear James Ellroy discuss his new book, “Widespread Panic,” with John Anderson, Grant Nebel, Joan Renner and Zoe Dean, on Tues., June 22 at 5 p.m. Participants can pre-order signed copies of the books.

In addition, the first installment of the Liz Newstat poetry series, hosted by Brendan Constantine, will be Wed., June 9 at 7 p.m. RSVP for the events at chevaliersbooks.com.

Pride makes a difference with Big Sunday

The Los Angeles Pride celebrations may be smaller this year, but Big Sunday, 6111 Melrose Ave., will be participating in the “Pride Makes a Difference” philanthropic program this month. The campaign encourages volunteers and donations, in partnership with Big Sunday, to aid food insecurity, housing insecurity, health and wellness, and protecting the environment in underserved communities, including the LGBTQ community. Participants in the campaign can register at Big Sunday to donate, volunteer or drop off goods all month long. There will also be an Amazon registry link available. For more information, visit bigsunday.org.

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on the 400 block of N. Plymouth Blvd. between May 19 at 5 p.m. and May 20 at 7 a.m. GRAND THEFTS AUTO: A 2015 Kia Optima was stolen while parked on the 700 block of S. Gramercy Dr. between April 30 at 11 p.m. and May 1 at 9 a.m. A 2018 Kia Sportage was stolen while parked on the 1300 block of S. Van Ness Ave. on May 1 between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. A suspect attempted to steal a gray Nissan Maxima parked on the 100 block of S. Norton Ave. on May 2 at 3:30 a.m. when the owner ran outside causing the suspect to flee in another vehicle.

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8:30 a.m. Despite a locked and secured gate, a suspect entered a property by cutting a hole in the fence at a home on the 500 block of S. Van Ness Ave. on May 16 at 6:05 a.m. The suspect got to the front door, damaging a camera, before forcefully attempting to break the door’s lock. Unsuccessful, the suspect fled, but the incident was caught on security cameras. A suspect broke the lock to a front door and made entry to a home on the 900 block of S. Wilton Pl. on May 17 at 7:45 p.m. Appliances were stolen from inside a home being renovated

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WILSHIRE DIVISION

WILSHIRE DIVISION BURGLARIES: Money was stolen from inside a home on the 600 block of S. June St. after a suspect smashed a rear window to gain access to the residence between April 27 at 2 p.m. and April 28 at 1 a.m. Money was stolen from inside a home on the 100 block of S. Arden Blvd. after a suspect used an unlocked front door to quickly gain access on May 12 at 9:10 a.m. Three suspects jumped out of a van that pulled into the driveway of a home on the 200 block of S. Rossmore Ave. on May 14 at 8:25 p.m. The men started to remove a window screen to gain access to the residence when the homeowner, who was inside, called out to her dogs, causing the suspects to flee. Money and jewelry were stolen from inside a home on the 300 block of S. Mansfield Ave. after a suspect used a tool to gain entry and ransacked the interior on May 15 between 7 and 10:45 p.m. Around the same time, just

Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

Strategies and Tactics, Part II: Thin the field, raise the pot Last month, in Part I, we defined strategies and tactics as applied to poker. A strategy is a plan of action; and tactics are the ways to execute your strategy. To explain, we used an example of a player who had been dealt A-K offsuit — a great drawing hand. Let us now look at two different examples when playing lowlimit hold’em. Pocket Kings It is a low-limit hold’em game, and you have been dealt

Poker for All by

George Epstein pocket Kings — a made hand. At this point, you are almost certain to be well in the lead. Only pocket Aces is a higher starting hand. And the odds are 221-to-1 against it! But,

with eight opponents in the hand and five more cards to be dealt out, there is a reasonable chance someone will draw out on you. So, in this case, your best strategy is to thin the field. And your only tactic is to raise the pot. Make the raise with confidence — sort of a reverse tell — to encourage some opponents to fold their hands. Ideally, you would like to have three opponents staying to see the flop. (Certainly, you do not

410 N. Rossmore (Continued from page 2)

meeting. “There were a lot of people spreading misinformation and lies,” said Loring, who noted the “appalling” way that he and Domos Principal Daniel Alexander were treated by the public speakers. “The committee didn’t even try to stop the nonsense.” What’s next? Loring says that Domos is moving forward. “We submitted a building plan check, and we will continue to work with residents that want to work with us to make the transition as smooth as we can.” But make no mistake, said Loring: “We are committed

STREET VIEW of what the reconfigured building at 410 N. Rossmore Ave. will look like after the project is complete.

to this project, and we are doing this project. It is a ‘by-right’ development, so if you don’t like the city’s zoning code, go to City Hall and change it. Otherwise, get out

of our way.” Construction is expected to begin in late September.

want all of your opponents to muck their hands, resulting in a very small pot should you have the best hand at the end.) Small pairs Suppose you found yourself with a pair of 5s in the hole. That hand almost certainly must improve to win the pot. You are hoping to catch a set of 5s — or better — on the flop. The odds are about 8-to1 against you. So, what is your best strategy? In this case, the best answer is: “It depends!” In general, your best strategic goal is to see the flop multi-handed (so there will be a better chance to build the pot if/when you connect) and, with no raises pre-flop, invest as little money as possible until after you see the flop. What are your best tactics to achieve this goal? Much depends on game texture, the types of players you are up against, and position. From an early/middle position, just call along before the flop. At a table with lots of tight players, you dare not raise; keep them in the pot until you see if the flop improves your pocket 5s. Prefer that no one

raises (minimize your investment pre-flop). If you are in a late position, you can see if these tactics are fulfilled before you must make your investment. That is relatively easy at a loose table. If no one has raised, consider making the raise to steal the blinds. On the other hand, from an early position, be prepared to fold your 5-5 unless it is a loose-passive game so it will be cheap to see the flop. Should there be a raise, do not hesitate to fold your hand. With only two outs to improve your small pocket pair, most of the time, expect to muck them after the flop. Do not defy the laws of probability. Do not chase. Life/Poker Quote of the Month “We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.” – Helen Keller George “The Engineer” Epstein, a long-time local resident, is the author of three poker books, including, “The Art of Bluffing” and “Hold’em or Fold’em – An Algorithm for Making the Key Decision.”

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Larchmont Chronicle

JUNE 2021

SECTION TWO

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