area newsletter JUNE 2018 • SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
20 18 TM
Community News Condos under construction in Warner Center
Construction has begun on a low-rise condominium project in Warner Center, an area that has seen increased development in recent months. The new project is located at 6800 Variel Ave., at the intersection of Vanowen St. and will include 18 units in one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. The developers behind the project, California Home Builders, are also building two projects adjacent to the Westfield Topanga mall. Two unrelated mixed-use projects are also under construction at Variel Ave. and Oxnard St.
Van Nuys apartments sell for $22.7 million
A portfolio of 9 apartment buildings in the San Fernando Valley, including 6 buildings in Van Nuys, was recently sold for $22.7 million. Universe Holdings, a company based
in Century City, closed the deal in March, acquiring 123 residential units in the process. The Van Nuys properties include buildings at 6935 Woodman Ave.; 6461 Kester Ave.; 5840 Hazeltine Ave.; and 14108, 14129, and 14133 Gilmore St. The other three buildings included in the deal are at 8924 Van Nuys Blvd. and 3182 Langdon Ave., in Panorama City; and 6502 Vineland Ave. in North Hollywood. The new owners plan to undertake significant renovations to the properties, both interior and exterior. Officials with the company indicate that the average rent of the apartments is $1100, well below the market rate, so they expect to increase rents over time, as improvements are made.
Earthquake warning app coming to smartphones If you feel anxiety waiting for the next big earthquake to strike the Southland, perhaps you will take some solace when an earthquake warning app is released for smartphones. Early Warning Labs, a tech company based in Santa Monica, has developed such an app and is currently beta testing it with select users in Los Angeles. Those users received a warning on their cell phones about 30 seconds before a recent 5.3 earthquake occurred in the Channel Islands. Similar technology has been implemented successfully in Japan and Mexico, with residents of Mexico City receiving a 60 second warning before a devastating 8.1 earthquake happened in September 2017. The QuakeAlert app was developed in partnership with the United States Geological Survey, and is scheduled to be released publicly by the end of the year.
Community News New movie studio to be built in Sun Valley
upgrade for a neighborhood that has seen several attempts to replace the store since it closed in 2001. The project was recently approved by the city’s Planning Commission and referred to the Los Angeles City Council.
Valley transportation project receives state funding Line 204, a production rental company, is moving forward with plans to build a 240,000 square foot entertainment production complex in Sun Valley. The project involves the construction of two buildings on 10 acres of land and represents the largest studio construction in Los Angeles in nearly 30 years. Line 204 hopes take advantage of the recent increase in local production, which coincided the adoption of California’s 2.0 Production Tax Credit incentive in 2015. The project is not without its critics as residents in the area filed a lawsuit over the project, complaining of the size of the main structure, and the increase in traffic that will result. Line 204 prevailed in Superior Court in November 2016, and in the Court of Appeals in April 2018. Ground will be broken on the project in September with a tentative completion date of late 2019.
Mixed use project in Panorama City The site of a shuttered Montgomery Ward store will soon be home to a mixed-use project that includes 623 apartments, 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and a landscaped plaza. Located near the intersection of Roscoe Blvd. and Van Nuys Ave., the project will be a welcome
The State of California recently awarded over $2 billion in funds to transit projects in Southern California, including 2 projects based in the San Fernando Valley. A plan to improve the Orange Line rapid transit busline and the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project both received funds. The Orange Line project would create 34 gated street crossings and a 1 mile bridge between the Van Nuys and Sepulveda stations, improving travel time between Canoga and North Hollywood by 14 minutes. The transit corridor project calls for the construction of either a rapid busline or a light rail line between Sylmar and Van Nuys. Significant planning remains for the latter project, but construction of the Orange Line improvements is expected to begin in 2019.
Restaurant
Spotlight
Laurel Point
The Nook
Rodini Park Greek Kitchen
12050 Ventura Boulevard Studio City
17316 Ventura Boulevard Encino
11049 W. Magnolia Boulevard North Hollywood
For those of you who are picky about your fish (which you should be), Laurel Point is your new go-to spot. They source fresh seafood and seasonal oysters and pair them with sustainable and organic ingredients. Laurel Point is all about the fresh, seasonal goods and of course, amazing cocktails made with their home-made syrups. If all of this hasn’t convinced you yet… add weekday happy hour with $1.50 oysters and sub-ten dollar glasses of rosé to the list. And if you aren’t feeling up to sit down meal, they have something for you too... stop by and grab one of their Tackle Box meals for two and eat wherever you choose. At the park, on the beach, anywhere you want to enjoy fresh seafood, oh and warm cheddar chive biscuits.
The Nook restaurant provides clean and simple meals. The warm staff, convenient location and sweet brunch options make this venue one for the books. This ador¬able eatery offers outdoor seating and reasonable pricing. The menu provides fun breakfast and lunch entrées like red fury pancakes, chocolate crunchy French toast and scrambled eggs with chicken-apple sausage. The Nook sup¬plies a variety of options and is a pleas¬ant environment for a perfect Saturday morning treat. The establishment’s hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., and Saturday – Sunday from 7 a.m. 4 p.m. Pop in for a delightful dining experience!
Located in sunny North Hollywood along the NoHo Art District, lies Rodini Park. This eatery will make you forget everything you knew about Greek cuisine. The menu here is simple; pick your plate, what you want to fill it with, your toppings, and finally your sauce. The possibilities are endless! Rodini Park serves pita wraps, bowls, gyro, shawarma, and kebabs. Most choices cost about $8 for the finished product, and everything is less than $10 unless you load up on extras. The restaurant also has a full in-house bakery that makes breads, cookies and various other sweets. Rodini Park Greek Kitchen is open daily from 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. The kitchen is now serving weekend breakfast from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES
Annenberg Space for Photography 2000 Avenue of the Stars #10 Los Angeles, CA 90067 CURRENT EXHIBITION: Not An Ostrich: and Other Images From America’s Library April 21 - September 9, 2018 Noted curator Anne Wilkes Tucker has displays nearly 500 images selected from the archives of the U.S. Library of Congress including photos that are rarely seen by the public as well as iconic portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez, and Elizabeth Taylor. The exhibit shows a vivid cross-section of the history the United States in photographic form.
LACMA
MOCA Grand Avenue
5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
152 North Central Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
A Universal History of Infamy: Those of This America January 27 - October 6, 2018
Jackson Pollock’s Number 1, 1949: A Conservation Treatment March 4 - September 7, 2018
As part of LACMA’s community art education program, this exhibition is presented at their satellite gallery at Charles White Elementary School, featuring the work of contemporary Latino artists, writers, and activists, alongside pieces from LACMA’s permanent collection. Public hours are on Saturdays, 1-4 pm.
In collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute, MOCA is undertaking an extensive restoration of a Jackson Pollock painting in a gallery that will be open to the public. Three other Pollocks from the MOCA collection will also be displayed.
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