11-24-14

A Mayoral Thanksgiving | 5 Downtown’s Two Ice Rinks | 12

NOVEMBER 24, 2014 I VOL. 43 I #47

GIRL

Power

The Downtown Girl Scout Scene Grows, With Four Local Troops

Watch City Living on DTTV New Episodes Every Monday @ 9am on DowntownNews.com

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

photo by Gary Leonard

SEE PAGE 9

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AROUND TOWN

Instacart Begins Delivering Fresh & Easy Goods

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owntowners wanting a sandwich, salad or something else from Fresh & Easy no longer need to put on clothes and find their car keys. That’s because online delivery service Instacart last week announced a deal with the supermarket chain to bring goods to residents in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Instacart also delivers items from Ralphs, Whole Foods and Super King to Downtown. Similar to the way that Uber and Lyft utilize independent drivers, Instacart employs a fleet of what it dubs “personal shoppers” to fill and deliver orders placed at Instacart.com. For most orders two-hour delivery is $3.99 and one-hour delivery is $5.99. Prices on Instacart may be marked up from bricksand-mortar stores. “Online ordering and product delivery have been major priorities for Fresh & Easy this year and we are glad we are able to launch with such a strong partner in Instacart,” said Mike Evans, vice president of marketing for the supermarket, in a prepared statement.

Housing Projects Planned for Arts District, Little Tokyo

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he Downtown housing boom continues, with a seven-story project proposed for the Arts District, and a six-floor building planned for Little Tokyo. A partnership dubbed Colo-

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS rado Nour LLC is planning 234 live/work units at 527 S. Colyton St., said project representative Dana Sayles. The property, currently a pallet yard with two small structures, would be developed into open-floorplan apartments with 13,400 square feet of ground-floor retail. Units in the wood-and-concrete building on the corner of Palmetto and Colyton streets would range from 600-1,245 square feet. Meanwhile, in Little Tokyo, plans have been filed with the city by Southern California-based developer Etco Homes for an apartment building at 118 Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka St., alongside the Weller Court retail complex. The parcel is a surface parking lot and the project would create 66 units on top of ground-floor retail space and an unspecified amount of subterranean parking. No timeline or budget has been announced for either project.

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

Details Revealed for South Park High-Rises

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eveloper Mack Urban in February announced that it would build both mid- and high-rise structures on six acres of land in South Park, and the first part of the $750 million endeavor has long been known to be a pair of seven-story condominium buildings. Now, more details are coming out: Mack Urban last week revealed plans to create 37- and 12-story towers on a lot at the southeast corner of 12th Street and Grand Avenue. The taller structure would have 512 condominiums and about 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space. It would also have a six-story parking podium (with two more floors underground) with 752 stalls. On top of the podium would be

Why does this little burger stand attract over a million people a year?

November 24, 2014

Metabolic Studios

Jeremy Rosenberg

“Under Spring” Launch Party

a deck with a pool and a dog run, among other features. Thanks to a revised city law regarding helipads, the tower would feature a 100-foottall spire. The 12-story structure would contain 154 condos (mainly studio and one-bedroom spaces), open-air decks on the third floor and roof, and about 11,000 square feet of retail space. No timeline has been announced.

Book a Room, See a Movie

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he Theatre at Ace Hotel is hosting a highprofile screening of director Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming Inherent Vice, and there’s

November 16, 2014

a unique way to guarantee a seat: book a room.

Anderson, along with actors Jenna Malone and Joanna Newsom, will attend the screening on Monday, Dec. 1. The hotel is offering a promotion in which those who stay in the Broadway establishment (use the code “DOC” when booking to get a reduced room rate) get into the movie. Based on a novel by Thomas Pynchon, Inherent Vice tells the story of a drug-fueled Los Angeles detective in 1970 who investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend. Those who register through the hotel’s website (acehotel.com/calendar) could win tickets and a night’s stay at the hotel.

100 year

The Midnight Mission has been providing meals and services to the homeless community every day since 1914.

A resource of revival and renewal for the homeless community, The Midnight has been offering a path to self sufficiency for men, women and children who have lost everything.

anniversary 1914 - 2014

This is the day... to get involved

Find out at the landmark location near Downtown. Home of the original Chili-burger.

Quality and value since 1946:

Chili Hamburger .............. $2.30 Chili Cheeseburger ........... $2.80

Many Imitate, But None Compare!

to start fresh to volunteer to accept help

to come home.

Find out more at midnightmission.org/100 or call 213.624.4106

November 24, 2014

Downtown News 3

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Real People, Real Stories

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4 Downtown News

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EDITORIALS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

November 24, 2014

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

Prepping for the Special Olympics

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he biggest sporting event in Los Angeles next year won’t be the Super Bowl or, if things go right, the NBA Finals. If the Los Angeles Kings capture another Stanley Cup or the Dodgers reach the World Series that would be momentous, but neither would be the biggest event of the year.

No, the biggest happening, at least in terms of the number of people, is something most sports fans are currently unaware of: the Special Olympics World Games. But they are coming, and they stand to have a tremendous impact — financially, athletically and socially — on Downtown.

This will be an extraordinary and inspirational event for the entirety of Los Angeles. We’re pleased that local leaders worked hard to secure the World Games, and we look forward to what unfolds once they open.

Los Angeles Downtown News last week reported on the ongoing prep work for the games, which will bring an estimated 7,000 athletes from 170 countries to the city for nine days of competitions that start on July 25. There will also be 3,000 coaches and an estimated 2,000 members of the international media. Some 500,000 people are expected to check out the games.

The advance work is being run out of Downtown, with approximately 100 Special Olympics staffers now headquartered in donated office space in U.S. Bank Tower (the ranks will increase early next year).

What happens now isn’t attention grabbing but it is necessary, as the workers have to do everything from arranging housing for the athletes to setting up Internet infrastructure. That’s just the start of a very long and complex list, and it will be far easier for visitors to complain about what goes wrong than to recognize what is done right.

Downtown will play a prominent role in the Special Olympics. Basketball games will take place at the Galen Center (some athletes will stay at nearby USC) and the Convention Center will be the site of badminton, power lifting, roller skating, handball and other events. Even L.A. Live will get into the act: Lucky Strike Lanes will host the bowling competition.

There is almost unlimited opportunity for Downtown to become part of the games. Some local businesses are already working with the organizers and have donated goods or funds. We hope that in the coming months other area leaders and business owners also reach out and ask what they can do to make the games a success, and how they can help the athletes and the visitors.

In addition to the excitement and the competition, there is another big benefit: The Special Olympics will have an estimated $400 million economic impact, according to the research and consulting firm Micronomics. The outlook includes approximately $27.5 million in local and state tax revenue.

The games are seven months away, and that seems like a long time. However, the Special Olympics will be here before we know it. We look forward to this great event in Downtown.

Giving Thanks in Downtown

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his week, people will gather around tables, have a huge meal and, if things stick to tradition, they’ll reflect internally or state out loud why they are thankful. The expected responses get top billing, and deservedly so: health, family and friends.

In Downtown Los Angeles there is also a lot for which to be thankful. Nearly 15 years into the residential revolution, the community continues to grow, with the number of projects and the number of stakeholders both increasing. There is so much more opportunity and so many more options now than there were even five years ago.

Here are some of the things for which we are thankful in Downtown.

A Stronger Response to Homelessness: The issue of homelessness is perhaps the most pressing matter facing Downtown, and one day, one hopes, society will look back at the current state of Skid Row and wonder how such a situation, with so many people living in filth and misery on the streets, ever came to exist.

We may eventually see 2014 as the year when major change finally began. We’re thankful that City and County leaders are partnering in new ways, paying increased attention to both the conditions of the streets, and to the mental illness that prompts many people to refuse help. This coincides with increased efforts from the business community and other levels of government to get people into permanent supportive housing.

More Housing: Downtown is in the midst of the biggest residential boom since before the recession, with many projects, including a number of ground-up developments, now opening. The past year has been particularly busy, and having more people live here means more people who care deeply about and get involved in the community. We are seeing activity all across Downtown, from the 438-apartment One Santa Fe in the Arts District to the 216-unit Emerson on Bunker Hill. There’s Jia, a 280-unit rental complex in Chinatown, and the 290-apartment Eighth and Hope in the Financial District. Each of these projects means more people on the streets and more patrons for area businesses.

Retail Revival: Downtown lacks the shopping opportunities that people in many communities take for granted. Still, things are changing. In the past year Downtown saw the debut of Urban Outfitters on Broadway, and H&M and Zara both opened stores in

the shopping center at Seventh and Figueroa streets. Independent businesses are arriving, too, with a particular concentration near Ninth Street and Broadway. Soon to open is a Gap Factory Store on Broadway, and more shops are coming to the retail portion of One Santa Fe. Each new outlet means there is a reduced need for locals to climb into the car.

Unlikely Additions: Along with the housing developments and the new shops, Downtown is seeing a number of unexpected businesses, the places that make the area a richer experience for residents and visitors. Out-of-the-blue arrivals include Velveteria, a velvet painting museum in Chinatown, the Historic Core taxidermy studio Prey and the Arts District’s indoor rock climbing business L.A. Boulders. The Arts District is also home to the bar/arcade EightyTwo. On Broadway, meanwhile, there’s an indoor children’s playground, the Around the World Kids’ Center, and over in Little Tokyo is U-Space, a ukulele shop. All of these make Downtown a more diverse and vibrant community.

Park Power: As with retail, Downtown is lacking in parks and playgrounds. Again, as with retail, that is changing. New parks are in the pipeline in Chinatown and the Arts District, and the city is beginning to draft plans to turn the site of a former state office building on First Street between Spring Street and Broadway into a park. Plans were announced this summer to build two children’s playgrounds at the southern end of Pershing Square, and on Saturday, Nov. 22 (after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press), a new playground inside Grand Park was scheduled to open. These outdoor additions provide recreation space and bring the community together.

A Change in Voting: As with Skid Row, we suspect one day society will look at the current state of Los Angeles and wonder how local leaders allowed civic participation, particularly in the form of voter turnout, to fall so precipitously. The 23% turnout in the 2013 mayoral runoff remains an embarrassment to Los Angeles. Now, finally, city officials are taking steps to change when municipal elections occur. We’re thankful that, in a few years, local elections may get off the odd-year track and coincide with state or federal ballots.

Having a participatory democracy will be better than the current sad state of affairs.

Again this year, Downtowners can pause and hold a glass high, giving thanks for all that has happened and all that is to come.

November 24, 2014

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Happy Mayoral #Thanksgiving!

Getting Ready for a Back-to-Basics Holiday Meal

By Jon Regardie ongratulations Angeleno!

You have been invited to the Mayor’s Inaugural Back-to-Basics Thanksgiving!

Or, as we like to say in the Spring Street Social Mediasphere, #Thanksgiving!

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THE REGARDIE REPORT The Mayoral #Thanksgiving! will be sponsored by Live Nation, and successfully serving the dinner with turkey and sides will show the world what can be accomplished in Los Angeles. Live Nation, which recently staged the Made in America Festival, will reimburse the city for all costs associated with hosting the event, except for the parts that Live Nation doesn’t reimburse because it’s not written into the contract.

The Mayoral #Thanksgiving! will take place from 3:37 p.m.-7:14 p.m. inside a #BigTent set up in the middle of the Los Angeles River (#ShoppingCartFish). All Angelenos, and not just the 23% who voted in the last city election, are free to be thankful for the mayor before and after this period.

The dinner will be livestreamed on the mayor’s website, and those who cannot attend are urged to set up a laptop computer in the center of their table, possibly on top of the sweet potatoes, and eat their dinner while watching the Mayoral #Thanksgiving! Anyone lacking a laptop is urged to borrow an Apple device from the Los Angeles Unified School District, which is working to buy a gazillion of them. Note: The

security filters on these laptops are as porous as the Los Angeles Lakers’ defense, and can be beaten by a drunk chimpanzee in about nine seconds (#OopsyDeasy).

The dinner will also be live Tweeted, with official updates released at least every 32 seconds.

The Meal Reflecting his agenda to focus on the things important to Angelenos, the Mayoral #Thanksgiving! will be super traditional, though also technologically advanced and energy efficient.

Servers inside the #BigTent will be solar-powered robots who will be paid a living wage, even if no one knows whether that means $10 an hour, $13.25 an hour, $15.37 an hour or something else. Don’t worry: Seven different studies, costing a total of $1.4 million, have been commissioned to determine this pay scale. At least three of those studies will be completed and then ignored by city leaders (#SameOld).

The centerpiece of the back-to-basics dinner will be a humanely treated, 313-pound fair trade turkey named Gulliver who, before sacrificing himself for the Mayoral #Thanksgiving, was adored like King Fowl VI and never once saw a cage. Gulliver enjoyed all the luxuries in life, including straw bedding, hormone-free feed and his own Twitter account, @BirdIsTheWord. Now that he is gone, that account is being managed by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell.

Sides will include City Controller Ron Galperin’s famous Big Data Stuffing, City Attorney

Mike Feuer’s Problem-Solving Potatoes, and leftovers of Antonio Villaraigosa’s Cranberry Sauce to the Sea. Villaraigosa will not attend the dinner because he’s not invited. Plus, he is probably spending the holiday with Charlie Sheen (#OyVey).

Desserts will include a couple council member specialties, among them fresh Tom LaBonge Berries, and Curren Cakes, from Ninth District rep Curren Price. Following the agreement to open the books of the secret DWP training institutes, IBEW union head Brian D’Arcy will deliver a heaping helping of Humble Pie. In recognition of the severity of the ongoing

drought, attendees will be given three glasses of water, but before the meal will be asked not to drink 20% of it. Those who accomplish this will receive a #DroughtHack sticker and tickets to an upcoming Moby concert (#MayorOnKeyboards).

Do’s and Don’ts Gas-powered vehicles will not be allowed on site. Instead, #EnergyEfficientAngelenos are urged to arrive via Prius, bicycle, Flintstonestype pedal car, ostrich or Conestoga wagon.

Anyone who drives solo in a gas-reliant car will have to sit at the Siberia table with former City Controller Wendy Greuel.

Be sure to wear your “I Love Business” or “I Love Labor” button so you know which side of the room to sit on. If you’re unsure where to go, look for the large contingent of council members: They’ll be on the labor side. They’re always on the labor side (#MissYouMariaElena).

No plastic bags will be allowed inside the #BigTent. Those wishing to take leftovers home must utilize tote bags made from canvas, hemp, goat hide or fair-trade mohair, whatever mohair is. Anyone who even thinks about a plastic bag will be booed (#KillingTheEnvironment).

Gifts for the host are discouraged, though if you insist, please check the City Ethics Commission website to see what is allowed (no concert or sports tickets!). Rather than material things, the mayor asks that you join his Volunteer Corps and serve three days a year, or give yourself the gift of lower #UtilityRates by decreasing your energy usage by 15%.

Artwork depicting this mayor sitting in a big chair in the governor’s office, or even the Oval Office, will be accepted. regardie@downtownnews.com

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6 Downtown News

November 24, 2014

With Neighbor Appeal Denied, South Park Project Could Finally Rise City Approval Expected This Week for 28-Story Tower

By Donna Evans owntown Los Angeles has generally been welcoming to housing developers, with little of the NIMBY-type opposition to projects seen in Hollywood and other communities. More often, Downtown residents have supported nearby condominium and apartment projects, opining that more neighbors will lead to more restaurants, bars and other community-serving businesses.

In South Park, however, a project proposed for 1133 S. Hope St. has seen a heap of opposition. Since 2007, some inhabitants of the adjacent Flower Street Lofts have complained that a proposed high-rise from Vancouver, Canadabased developer Amacon would block their natural light, complicate an already heavily trafficked alley, sit too close to their building and encroach on a fire lane.

Over the years, residents filed appeals with the Department of City Planning, wrote letters to city officials and attended hearings and community meetings with Amacon representatives, who have modified the 28-story project to assuage some of the concerns. Now, it appears as if the project will finally get a green light: The City Planning Commission denied an appeal in August, and this month the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee rejected a follow-up to that appeal related to bicycle parking. The matter moves

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Commercial Office Space for Lease

to the full council on Tuesday, Nov. 25, which is expected to echo the PLUM ruling. That would essentially clear the project and allow it to break ground.

Neither Amacon executives nor their local representatives would discuss the situation.

Jeffrey Springer, a Flower Street Lofts resident who has been a leader in opposing the project, also would not comment, except to say, “There are no further appeals to the city.”

However, a portrait of the opposition, and the response, is revealed in public documents, including those from the Planning Commission rejecting the appeal.

Issues and Meetings Amacon’s project would create 208 condominiums in a neighborhood, South Park, which includes several other buildings with for-sale residences. The four-story Flower Street Lofts was the first to open, back in 2003, with 91 units. The Evo, Luma and Elleven condominium buildings are nearby.

Some of the opposition to Amacon’s building was registered on a change.org petition posted earlier this year. A total of 77 people signed the petition challenging the development for the “unsightly parking podium,” inadequate space on the property for loading and unloading, and a fire lane they claimed was too narrow between Amacon’s podium and the Flower Street Lofts.

The

Petroleum Building .com

S ION T OP G SIN A E L AT E GR

Second Floor

Third Floor

rendering by Chris Dikeakos Architects

Amacon staffers met four times with concerned residents since November 2013, according to documents the developer filed with the city. They also held an open house to discuss the design in response to neighbors’ worries.

Some changes have been made, including a 30-foot separation between the project and Flower Street Lofts, a parking podium lowered from five levels to three, and the promise to create a “green wall” to enhance the aesthetics of the podium. Updated plans include a paseo from Hope Street to the alley and a resident and retail loading bay.

Springer and his wife, Marilou Calderon, continued to oppose the project. In August, the City Planning Commission rejected their appeal, saying the revised project conforms to the Downtown Design Guidelines. Further, the Commission staff wrote, “The area consists of a mix of low, mid and high-rise development. The [S]outh [P]ark area is undergoing transition and numerous mid to high-rise developments similar to the proposed project have been approved or are under construction. No significant environmental impacts have been identified.”

Continued on page 20

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COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES Palmdale to Burbank Project Section

The California High-Speed Rail Authority will be holding Community Open House meetings to provide the public an opportunity to learn more about the alternatives between Palmdale and Burbank.

SHADOW HILLS SANTA CLARITA Tuesday, December 2, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Santa Clarita Activities Center 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway Santa Clarita, CA 91350 BURBANK Monday, December 8, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Buena Vista Branch Library 300 N. Buena Vista Street Burbank, CA 91505 ACTON/AGUA DULCE Saturday, December 13, 2014 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

High Desert School 3620 Antelope Woods Road Acton, CA 93510

LAKE VIEW TERRACE FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES Wednesday, December 3, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Stonehurst Recreation Center 9901 Dronfield Avenue Sun Valley, CA 91352 SAN FERNANDO Tuesday, December 9, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Las Palmas Community Center 505 S. Huntington Street San Fernando, CA 91340

PALMDALE Thursday, December 4, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Chimbole Cultural Center 38350 Sierra Highway Palmdale, CA 93550

SYLMAR Wednesday, December 10, 2014 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Olive Vista Middle School 14600 Tyler Street Sylmar, CA 91342

LANGUAGE AND OTHER NEEDS Interpretación en Español será disponible en todas las reuniones.

산타클라리타 모임에서 한국어 통역이 제공됩니다.

จะมกีารแปลเปน็ภาษาไทยในการประชมุทซ่ีานเฟอรน์นัโด

На собрании в Силмар будет предоставлен русский перевод.

Other language requests must be submitted 72 hours in advance. Meeting facilities are accessible for persons with disabilities. All requests for reasonable accommodations must be made three working days (72 hours) in advance of the scheduled meeting date. Please call (800) 630-1039 or the California Relay Service at 711.

www.hsr.ca.gov | (800) 630-1039 | palmdale_burbank@hsr.ca.gov

November 24, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 7

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL EXPERTS

Good Samaritan Hospital has great doctors, including the eye experts from Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group.

The following are answers to common eye disease questions from our doctors.

Dr. Rahhal received a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, then received his MD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He completed an Ophthalmology Residency at Cornell University Medical Center in New York City and subsequently, a two-year Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Uveitis at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. After fellowship, Dr. Rahhal returned to Cornell University as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and was appointed the Director of the Retina Service. Dr. Rahhal is currently a partner at RetinaVitreous Associates Medical Group in Los Angeles and is Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the UCLA School of Medicine – Jules Stein Eye Institute.

Can a detached retina be fixed?

Firas M. Rahhal, M.D.

Yes. Almost all retinal detachments can be repaired surgically, most with restoration of sight to normal or near normal levels. The retina is the thin light sensitive layer lining the inside of the back part of the eye (like film of a traditional camera). There are three types of retinal detachments, and the most typical is a subtype known as “rhegmatogenous retinal detachment”. This is where a hole or tear occurs in the retina, and then liquefied vitreous fluid leaks through the hole into the space under the retina, thus “detaching” it from the eye wall internally. It is akin to wall paper falling off of a wall. These can be repaired with surgery and the area of peripheral vision loss which occurred can usually be restored. The key to excellent visual outcomes is to repair the detached retina before it involves the macula, the area of the retina responsible for central vision.

Once the detachment involves the central vision, the visual recovery quickly becomes compromised. This is why a detached retina is frequently treated as an emergency. Most retinal detachments of this type occur spontaneously due to high degrees of myopia and/or age, but can also be associated with trauma and other medical conditions.

What is a vitrectomy?

Dr. Chu is an internationally recognized clinician, scientist and surgeon.

He attended Brown University in Rhode Island where he majored in Biochemistry. He completed his medical school training and doctorate degree in Biochemistry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Thereafter, he completed residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, followed by a retina fellowship at the Doheny Eye Institute, USC Keck School of Medicine. He has held academic positions at USC and the University of California at Davis. He has broad research interests, including the management of complicated retinal diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis and retinal detachment.

Thomas G. Chu, M.D., Ph.D.

A vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery that is used to treat certain disorders of the retina and vitreous. The retina is the light-sensing tissue lining the back wall of the eye. The vitreous is the clear, jelly-like material that fills the inside of the eye. The vitreous is removed during vitrectomy surgery, and the fluid of the eye cavity is replaced with either saline solution, or possibly air, gas or silicone oil. Vitrectomy surgery can be recommended to treat various conditions: retinal detachments, bleeding in the vitreous cavity secondary to diabetic retinopathy, macular pucker, macular hole, severe eye infections, ocular trauma and complications of cataract surgery. Vitrectomy surgery is a hospital or ambulatory surgical center procedure. It is performed in an operating room, under a microscope, under sterile conditions. It is typically an out-patient procedure, performed under local anesthesia. Patients go home the day of surgery. The operated eye is typically patched for only one day. Healing time varies based upon the extent of surgery and underlying condition. The overwhelming majority of patients undergoing this type of surgery are successfully treated, with a great number of patients improving or restoring their sight.

What is Macular Degeneration?

Dr. Tabandeh is an internationally recognized clinician, scientist and surgeon specializing in the medical and surgical treatment of diseases of the retina and vitreous. He has authored over 150 papers, book chapters, and abstracts and has extensive experience in the field of retina disorders. Dr. Tabandeh trained at three world-renowned eye institutes. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital. He spent three years in retina fellowships at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

Homayoun Tabandeh, M.D.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that causes damage to the macula , the central part of the retina located at the back of the eye. Macula is responsible for the sharp central vision. AMD affects individuals over age 50 years and is the most common cause of legal blindness in the USA. There are two types of AMD, dry AMD and wet AMD. Dry AMD is the more common form; it usually does not cause severe vision loss, and progresses slowly. Wet AMD is the more aggressive kind of AMD and is characterized by growth of abnormal fragile blood vessels under the macula that leak and bleed. Wet AMD can cause severe damage to the macula and loss of central vision. Risk factors for developing AMD include advance age, family history of AMD, high blood pressure, and smoking. Current management of AMD includes regular evaluations by your eye care professional, early detection, and healthy life style. While dry AMD does not require any active treatment, wet AMD needs to be recognized and treated promptly. Clinical research has shown that treatment is successful in stabilizing the vision in ninety percent of individuals. If you have been diagnosed with AMD, you will need to consult with your eye doctor regarding management options.

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November 24, 2014

Downtown Leaders Critical as Sidewalk Vending Effort Moves Forward Area Representatives Say Issues of Enforcement and Unfair Competition Remain Unanswered

By Eddie Kim idewalk vendors selling T-shirts, food and other goods are ubiquitous in Los Angeles, and especially in Downtown. The practice is also illegal, and has sometimes riled business owners who charge they are facing unfair competition steps from their stores.

Over the decades, city officials have tried numerous times to figure out a way to legalize and regulate sidewalk vending. Another effort is underway, and following an initial motion by Ninth District City Councilman Curren Price and 14th District representative José Huizar, the city has now created a loose outline of how a permitting structure would work.

The Chief Legislative Analyst’s office has prepared a report, which followed an initial report in May, and the new document could be released as soon as this week, according to city analyst Felipe Chavez. It will be presented before the city council’s Economic Development Committee at City Hall on Dec. 2.

The process has drawn the ire of some Downtown stakeholders. The leaders of three prominent business improvement districts say that, despite five months of work, far more questions exist than answers, especially regarding how the city would fund and operate an enforcement system.

Carol Schatz, president and CEO of the Central City Association and the Downtown Center BID, said the Economic Development Committee and

S

its chairman, Price, had said in May that stakeholders would have the chance to give input as the city develops its sidewalk vending framework. Instead, Schatz, Fashion District BID head Kent Smith, and South Park BID Executive Director Jessica Lall say the city has not come to the table for such a discussion.

“The bottom line is, too many critical components are missing,” Schatz said. “So why is there a key hearing on Dec. 2, knowing full well there’s very little time to analyze a report that comes out a week before it? There’s absolutely no time for input from the people who are affected.”

The BID leaders were particularly critical about a Nov. 14 meeting on sidewalk vending in which Chavez presented a framework of a permitting system, but had no answers regarding enforcement budgets, guidelines for how many vendors can set up in an area, and other details.

“We are still figuring out a lot of the smaller, finer details,” Chavez said at a subsequent Nov. 18 meeting, which featured the same presentation. He said that “working figures and costs” for elements such as enforcement could be figured out by Dec. 2, but are still being reviewed by the city.

Huizar, who sits on the Economic Development Committee, said in an email that a safe and effective regulatory system is needed “no matter what side of the debate you sit on.” Such a major policy change requires time to figure

The city is looking at how to legalize and regulate sidewalk vending, with a new framework for fees, penalties and inspections. While the practice is ubiquitous in Downtown, it is also illegal.

photo by Gary Leonard

out key details, he said.

“There will continue to be a need for public input on how this is going to work,” Huizar said.

“Even after it is implemented, we will monitor and get feedback from the public on how it’s going, what’s working, and what needs adjust-

ments. The conversation is far from over.”

The Nov. 18 presentation featured a draft flowchart of how vendors would receive their permits. They would need to go through a training protocol devised by the city’s Economic and Continued on page 20

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Downtown News 9

Girl Power The Downtown Girl Scout Scene Swells, With Four Troops in the Central City

By Donna Evans n the winter, you’ll find them set up on some of Downtown’s busiest sidewalks, sporting badge-covered vests and confident smiles. To passersby they pose that decades-old question, “Would you like to buy some cookies?”

Other times of the year, pedestrians ambling about South Park may spot them, maps in hand, huddled at Grand Hope Park, trying to use city clues to orient themselves on an urban hike. Or perhaps they’ll be found planting trees in the Arts District.

They are, of course, Girl Scouts, and while many observers might think they are on a field trip to Downtown, it turns out they are based here. In fact, the Central City boasts four Girl Scout troops, with a combined 168 kindergarten through high school students in the ranks.

Girl Scout troops have actually been in Downtown for decades. The Nisei Temple group in Little Tokyo formed 30 years ago, said troop leader and Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles master trainer Ted Oyama. While his girls are members of the temple and hail from Palos Verdes to Montebello, the other three Downtown troops are comprised mostly of kids who live in the Central City.

It’s a trend that is increasing. As people move Downtown and have children, they look to create community in the same way they would in the suburbs, said Carol Dedrich, the chief external relations officer for GSGLA. Melanie Larsen, the organization’s communications manager, added that there are more girls who would like to join the troops than there are leaders to run them — right now 10 Downtown girls are on wait lists (6,500 girls are waitlisted in the region, she said).

“Downtown really is coming back with a wonderful community spirit and family, said Dedrich. “We’ve found anywhere that

I

Hello humankindness.

photo by Gary Leonard

A group of Girl Scouts receive badges during a recent ceremony in South Park. Scouting has become so popular in Downtown that there is a wait list to join a troop.

there are girls, there are girls that want to be involved in Girl Scouts.”

Knife Skills The mission of the 102-year-old nonprofit organization is to help instill confidence in young girls and teenagers, often

through teaching a variety of life skills. There are also lessons geared toward science, technology, engineering and math, said Dedrich.

Not to mention knife safety.

Continued on page 10

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10 Downtown News

Girl scouts, 9 Downtown resident Ginny Brideau, who started troop 16155 in 2013, admitted that she was terrified to sit cross-legged in a circle of young girls and brandish the wooden folding knife her father carved for her when she was a Girl Scout. Brideau feared that parents would worry when she showed the girls a pointy blade.

Still, she maintains that it’s an important lesson, and even if the girls won’t use the skills in Downtown, they might on camping trips.

“This is serious business,” Brideau said.

“They’re going to use this to cut rope or open a can. They have to know how to open and close the knife safely.”

In addition to knife skills and cookie sales, the girls participate in community service projects, everything from float decorating for the Tournament of Roses Parade to improving landscaping at a local day care center. Oyama’s troop of 90 girls repurposed pallets that once held hundreds of cookie boxes and turned them into planters.

Then there are those urban hikes. Brideau’s 38 girls have traipsed from Pershing Square to Grand Hope Park and ended up at Spring Street Park. They also go beyond Downtown, with occasional weekend camping excursions, beach trips and even horseback riding camps.

“We are looking to make sure the girls feel empowered and can take care of themselves,”

November 24, 2014

Brideau said.

Maria Caniz said the Girls Scouts have helped her 9-year-old daughter, Samantha, come out of her bashful shell. Before joining Brideau’s Girl Scouts troop, Caniz said, Samantha would ask her brother to fetch more ketchup or get a soda refill in a restaurant. Now, she has no qualms about approaching strangers who walk by her cookie booth and asking if they’ll make a purchase.

Apparently Samantha’s sales skills have swelled with her confidence: Last spring she earned the title of top cookie seller in Downtown, peddling 1,700 boxes of Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties and Savannah Smiles.

Caniz volunteers for cookie stands and helps facilitate the twice-monthly meetings. Some-

times she chaperones field trips. Dedrich said the organization needs more volunteers like Caniz.

For Brideau, Girl Scouts represents a journey come full circle. She had such fond memories of her own childhood scouting that she sang camp songs to her daughter Iolani rather than nursery rhymes. She said she always knew she would start her own troop, and now is trying to recruit other Downtowners to expand the local ranks.

They just need to know that it involves more than cookie sales.

Anyone interested in joining a Downtown Girl Scout troop or being a troop leader should email gs16155@gmail.com. donna@downtownnews.com

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Downtown News 11

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The Central City Crime Report

By Donna Evans Let Them Eat Cake: A woman hosting a party in the 1100 block of East Seventh Street at 2 p.m. on Nov. 11 heard strange sounds outside her door. When she opened it, two people, one brandishing a screwdriver, demanded she hand over the shrimp and cake she was serving. The host complied and the suspects fled.

Danger Dogs: Three men surrounded a street vendor in the 1500 block of South Hope Street on Nov. 12 and demanded money they said he owed them. Although the vendor denied the debt, he handed over $20 during the 7 p.m. incident. The suspects threated to kill him if he called the cops, but he dialed 911 anyway, which led to one person getting arrested.

ATM Robbery: A 71-year-old man who withdrew money from an ATM in the 500 block of South Hill Street was followed down the street on Nov. 10. The suspects ordered him to “Give it up, old man.” He did and the robbers fled in a vehicle.

Repeat Offender: A man arguing with another man at Sixth and Olive streets on Nov. 9 waved a knife and made stabbing movements. Following the 9 a.m. incident, police found the suspect, who was wanted for assault with a deadly weapon, and arrested him.

Poor Judgment: A woman at The Falls, at 626 S. Spring St., attempted to stab a security guard in the groin on Oct. 29. She fled the location before police arrived, but when she returned to the bar on Nov. 9, the security guard recognized her and called the police. She was arrested.

Long-Stalled Hotels Could Finally Open 2015 Debut Anticipated After Clark, Embassy Get by Union Opposition

By Eddie Kim pair of Downtown dead zones could finally return to life next year, following a Central Area Planning Commission ruling in favor of the owner, who had long clashed with an influential local union.

The Clark Hotel, at 426 S. Hill St., and the Embassy Hotel, at 831 S. Grand Ave., have both been owned for more than a decade by New York’s Chetrit Group. The company’s effort to turn the long-shuttered structures into boutique hotels screeched to a halt when hotel workers union Unite HERE Local 11 filed appeals.

Although the union raised questions about the projects’ environmental impact reports, most observers believed the opposition was related to whether the hotels would hire union workers.

On Oct. 28, the five-person commission denied the appeals on both hotels, allowing them to move forward with permits.

No further appeals will be considered, according to the CAPC. The Clark and Embassy are slated to open in about four and eight months, respectively, said Elizabeth Peterson, who is representing the projects. Both buildings have secured their certificate of occupancy, she added.

A tour of the 11-story, 1912 Clark Hotel in July showed that much of the work was complete. The lobby is built out in clean

A

gray marble, and a second-floor pool deck is finished with landscaping. Many of the 347 Mod-style guest rooms have furniture, wallpaper and paint. The second-floor ballroom and multiple restaurant spaces on the first and second floors are being completed now, Peterson said.

Work is also ongoing at the Embassy, and the building’s large Trinity Auditorium has been redone with new flooring and seating. On the roof, a new pool deck and bar have been built. The 1914 building will have 183 guest rooms and feature a ground-floor dining space connected to an outdoor patio.

An operator for the hotels has not been revealed.

Although 14th District City Councilman José Huizar in August expressed frustration at the lack of communication between his office and the Chetrit Group, he pointed to the benefits of increasing the local hotel stock.

“While much of the delay surrounding these projects started with ownership, at this point we need to move forward and ensure that these hotels are good additions to Downtown Los Angeles,” Huizar said in an emailed statement. “We need more hotel rooms Downtown and after so many years of dormancy, having these historic buildings converted into hotels will contribute to that goal.”

The hotels’ slated openings would likely

photo by Gary Leonard

Work at the Clark Hotel at 426 S. Hill St., just north of Pershing Square, is finishing and owner Chetrit Group expects to open it in about four months.

coincide with the start of the city’s new minimum wage for hotels, a measure that was approved by City Council in October and is now awaiting Mayor Eric Garcetti’s signature. Garcetti has indicated he would sign the measure.

If it passes, hotels with more than 300 rooms will begin paying a minimum wage of $15.37 an hour starting in July.

Hotels with 150-300 rooms would begin paying that wage by July 2016.

Representatives of Unite HERE Local 11 did not return multiple calls for comment. eddie@downtownnews.com

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By Donna Evans rosty conditions are returning to Downtown Los Angeles in the form of two ice skating facilities: the Holiday Ice Rink at Pershing Square and the L.A. Kings Holiday Ice at L.A. Live.

The 60-by-100-foot facility in the Financial District opened Nov. 13 and will continue through Jan. 19, 2015. The rink in SouthnNe Park, ws Facebook.com/L.A.Downtow which measures 132-by-80 feet, will begin welcoming skaters on Saturday, Nov. 29. It Downtown News on Facebook will runLike through Dec. 31.

The Pershing Square rink the older of the & Be Entered toisWin Movie Tickets! facilities, and is now entering its 17th season.

However, changes have been made. The attraction known last year as Downtown on Ice has a difference: The only frozen ground in Down Downnew name and management. Willy Bietak Protown is the ice patrons are gliding across. ductions, which has long been responsible for Although a new operator is running the ice building the rink, is operating it this year and show, a plethora of events will take place on footing the bill. That came after city funding the rink and in the park throughout the run. was eliminated, said Department of Recreation On Thursday nights beginning Nov. 20, DJs will and Parks Superintendent Sophia Pina-Cortez, spin tunes while the coordinated and wobbly who estimated the infrastructure costs at more legged alike lap the rink. Wednesdays in Dethan $200,000. cember will be themed to the musical Wicked, The new makeup allows the winter family with glowing green ice and the soundtrack to event to continue at 532 S. Olive St. At the openE-NEWS s.comexntownNewBietak Dowpresident the show playing at the Pantages Theatre. A n up atand ing, company N UP Sigowner SIG winter festival featuring Santa, snow and sledpressed enthusiasm about the setting, where ding is planned for Dec. 13-14. palm treesSign and skyscrapers soar over the rink.

Up for Our E-News Blasts & A new addition is the Polar Bear Skate.

“This isBe a picturesque location, ” Bietak said.

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Downtowners will get a chance to ring in 2015 “This brings a lot of happiness to a lot of peoby whipping around the rink in bathing suits. ple. I don’t want to see it die.”

From Dec. 20-Jan. 4, Pershing Square will Bietak said the Downtown rink makes him host a series of free lunchtime (12:30-2 p.m.) nostalgic for his childhood home in Vienna, and weekend afternoon (3-4:30 p.m.) conAustria. It reminds him of the outdoor rink certs from a variety of rock, pop, salsa and soul across from his school, where he skated every bands. Radio Rebels and their 1980s sounds day in the winter. start off the winter concert line-up on Dec. 20.

Smiling, he pointed out one meteorological

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be a new musical soundtrack of holiday songs this year, as well as the option of buying a VIP pass. General admission is $15 including skate rental, but for $23 patrons can glide to the front of the line.

Another special offer is the Supper & Skate program, which includes dinner at an L.A. Live restaurant, ice skating and skate rental for a set price. Options include a $30 package with dinner at The Farm of Beverly Hills, where the meal will include an appetizer, entree and dessert. At the new Ford’s Filling Station in the J.W. Marriott Starts Nov. 14 Hotel, the menu runs $40 for two courses plus dessert. Other participating restaurants include Lawry’s Carvery and Rock’n Fish.

For Roth, Nokia Plaza is akin to a town square where people meet up before heading off to a January brings a broomball tournament. show or sporting event. Hosting an ice rink is A collection of Downtown-based teams will another way of reinforcing the communal naslip and slide past each other. Los Angeles ture of the plaza, he said.

Downtown News finished second in last Plus, he said, the increasingly popular rink is year’s tournament. something that people make time for in their Frozen in South Park busy lives.

Over in South Park, representatives from “Every family has holiday traditions,” Roth Anschutz Entertainment Group are preparing said. “I think it’s wonderful and it makes us feel for Downtown’s largest skating rink. The sixth really great that we’ve established a holiday trainstallment of the L.A. Kings Holiday Ice will be much the same as it was year, though Nowlast Playing/Starts Nov. 21dition for Los Angeles. We recognize that there are people who come back every year with there is one notable addition: The Alberta their kids, who get a little bigger and skate a Holiday Lodge, which will be erected alonglittle better.” side the rink in Nokia Plaza, will serve warm Holiday on Ice runs through Jan. 19, 2015, at beverages and holiday cocktails, said Michael Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive Ave., (213) 624-4289 Roth, a spokesman for AEG. Parents, or those or holidayicerinkdowntownla.com. Admission is who don’t want to risk their limbs on frozen water, can have a drink while they watch their $9 plus $3 for skate rental. L.A. Kings Holiday Ice runs Nov. 29-Dec. 31 at L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic family and friends skate.

Blvd., (213) 763-5483 or lalive.com. Admission is The centerpiece of the L.A. Live set-up will $15 including skate rental. be a 66-foot artificial Sequoia tree with more donna@downtownnews.com than 120,000 white LED mini-lights. There will

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The L.A. Kings Holiday Ice is the larger of Downtown’s two rinks, measuring 132-by-80 feet. The L.A. Live attraction will open Nov. 29 and continue through Dec. 31.

photos by Gary Leonard

CALENDAR

Starts Nov. 24

November 24, 2014

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Downtown News 13

East West Players’ Gender Bender Play Explores a Real-Life All-Female Theater Troupe

By Jeff Favre n Japanese culture there’s tatemae — the façade you show to the world — and honne, the silent truth that bubbles beneath the surface, forced down by generational breeding of self-repression. It’s an internal conflict that is examined in Susan Soon He Stanton’s fascinating but slightly sluggish Takarazuka!!!.

Takarazuka is the lesser known and younger theatrical cousin to kabuki. Named after the town of its origin 100 years ago, the all-female company, known as the Takarazuka Revue, specializes in Western-style musicals with women playing male roles.

Stanton has her hands full trying to educate audiences about this Japanese company in the context of a “Behind the Music” style documentary exploring the seamy side of the business that begins when the show ends.

Stanton originally mounted the play with music in 2012 in New York. She has reworked the two-act melodrama, set in the 1970s, for Little Tokyo’s East West Players, where it’s running through Dec. 7 as part of the company’s 50th anniversary.

Stanton’s script needs more editing to avoid needless repetition, a detriment not helped by director Leslie Ishii’s deliberate pacing. Fortunately, the highs overcome the lows thanks to the novel topic and several engaging performances.

What Stanton does well in the 75-minute first act is inject solid humor and musical sections to balance the bleak existence of its pro-

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tagonist, Yuko (a dual role portrayed by Fiona Cheung and, when she’s singing and dancing, Janelle Toyomi Dote). For several years Yuko has been the James Dean of the Takarazuka Revue, whose almost all-female fan base swoon and scream for her as if she’s the lead of the era’s hottest boy band.

Like boy bands, however, the adoration is short-lived. Company members are expected to get married by their mid-20s and leave the spotlight, which proves difficult for some, including a previous member who hanged herself. The fan culture is embodied by Junko (Joy Regullano), whose devotion includes seeing all of the performances and keeping a scrapbook of all things Yuko.

Now, Yuko’s time to retire has arrived, and it’s being chronicled as part of a documentary by Nigel (Joseph Lim Kim), a half-Japanese filmmaker for the BBC. The plot construct allows Stanton to explain the history and day-to-day operations of Takarazuka.

Nigel is attracted to the aloof Yuko, whose years portraying a man give her swagger and bravado. She’s a stark contrast to her demure and obsessively modest co-star Chifumi (Grace Yoo), a woman who plays only female roles.

What’s also explained is that even though the stars of Takarazuka are women, the boss, director Ariyoshi (Michael Hagiwara), runs things.

The company operates like a boot camp, and even the headliners defer completely to Ariyoshi.

The backstage story is interspersed with

4:25 PM

The East West Players show Takarazuka!!! focuses on an all-female Japanese troupe that specializes in Western-style musicals. It runs through Dec. 7 at the David Henry Hwang Theatre in Little Tokyo.

photo by Michael Lamont

whimsical and often funny musical numbers that resemble popular Western works, sung in Japanese with supertitles. Cindera Che’s choreography, combined with June Suepunpuck’s costumes, competently convey a lavish highend production.

Takarazuka!!! loses steam when Stanton pushes the concept that “foreigners can’t understand the Japanese way” too often in the first half. It’s not needed, in particular because she nails the idea in a simple scene where an Old Man (also Hagiwara) juxtaposes tatemae and honne.

The transitions between scenes are fluid, but Ishii’s pacing in several dramatic moments is labored, in particular the silent interactions between onstage and offstage Yuko.

Even through the slower moments, Cheung shines. Her male persona is captivating, even

more so when she allows glimpses of Yuko’s feminine side.

The other standout is Regullano, whose rabid portrayal of Junko provides several needed laughs.

The people who run the real Takarazuka Revue would not likely be fans of Takarazuka!!!

There are also sure to be those of Japanese descent who disagree with the characterization of their culture as universal and ceaseless mass repression.

Accurate or not, Takarazuka!!! opens a door to a world that outsiders cannot fully comprehend. It may not be an ideal production, but it’s an appropriate one for East West Players.

Takarazuka!!! runs through Dec. 7 at East West Players’ David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers. org.

14 Downtown News

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November 24, 2014

CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS

Laughs on Stage, Cars in a Convention Hall And the Unpredictable Ariel Pink

By Dan Johnson | calendar@downtownnews.com

Saturday, noveMber 29 LA Kings Holiday Ice Rink LA Live, 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-5483 or lalive.com.

Nov. 29: The annual combination of frozen water and wobbly Southern Californians returns to Nokia Plaza in L.A. Live. Enjoy the holiday season of slipping and sliding, and remember this sage advice: loose hips sink ships. Through Dec. 31.

Straight from Kilkenny, Ireland, by way of our own City of Angels, 3D designer David O’Reilly is a graphics wizard and starstudded collaborator with an increasingly rare tandem of creative ingenuity and artistic sensibilities. You may know his work on a U2 music video, his contributions to Spike Jonze’s Her or his guest bout directing Adventure Time, but this week O’Reilly’s more abstractive 3D visuals find their way to REDCAT for a night of imagery from the ultra-world. On Monday, Nov. 24, the experimental art space will screen some fantastic animations ranging from the subversive to the digi-spiritual.

At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

The musician Ariel Pink is a mess, and he’s just fine with that. The somewhat disheveled purveyor of often eccentric lo-fi, and sometimes-shimmering and always-intriguing indie rock, has a grimy pink mop to match his devil-may-care attitude. When Pink and company roll into the Regent Theatre on Friday, Nov. 28, the set may be a bit sloppy and the performer may appear detached to the point of abject disinterest. But that’s OK: This is how Pink wants it. At 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheater.com. photo by Philip Pirolo

The recently opened L.A. Auto Show features more than 60 world and North American premieres. If you’re dying to see the new Porsche Cayenne GTS (shown here), the Jaguar 2016 F-Type All-Wheel-Drive or any number of other cars you’ll never be able to afford, then you’ve got until Sunday, Nov. 30, to get your act in gear and roll down to the Convention Center. Test drives, new feature demos, brand booths and an omnipresent new car smell make the event a delight. The riveting testament to automotive powers will be open Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 24-26, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Thanksgiving Day from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

At 1201 S. Figueroa St., (213) 741-1151 or laautoshow.com. photo by Vika Pobeda

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

Nov 25: Joey Sellers’ Jazz Aggregation.

Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org.

Nov. 24, 8:30 p.m.: Dorothy’s residency closes with a rousing evening of hipster spirituals.

Nov. 25, 9 p.m.: Mr. Gnome is one part folk, two shakes art rock and a hearty spoonful of Buffalo Bill (the skin collector, not the Wild West icon).

Nov. 26, 8 p.m.: Tomorrow, singer/songwriter Wolfprize will be giving thanks for Garageband and Soundcloud.

Nov. 28, 9 p.m.: May McDonough and Company already said it best when they described themselves as “neo-psychedelic sexpunk for the teenage soul.”

Nov. 29, 4:30 p.m.: Shades of the recent Young Rapscallions show with McLovin playing drums as child actor Braeden Lemasters brings his band The Narwhals out into the world.

Nov. 30, 8 p.m.: RIP to Roses, because once you’re not playing a residency in Downtown anymore, you’re dead to us.

Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

Nov. 26, 7:30 p.m.: Heavy hitters abound with West Coast Feast III featuring DJ Quik, jackrabbit fast Too Short, Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound and more. Yes, people here will be old.

Nov. 28, 9 p.m.: Rapper Jeezy has apparently dropped the “Young” from his name.

Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

Nov. 24, 10 p.m.: Sadly, the iconic Vespa you’ve seen parked outside the ’Dites is gone, but Kat Meyers and the Buzzards are still there.

Nov. 25, 10 p.m.: Black Hole Past and Matt Van Winkle Band both dish out the musical goods.

Nov. 26, 10 p.m.: Is the Noogies a band or a blatant ambush from your obnoxious older brother, Kenny?

Nov. 28, 9 p.m.: The Black Tongued Belles had a lovely Thanksgiving, thank you for asking.

Nov. 29, 10 p.m.: Frank Fairfield returns.

Nov. 30, 10 p.m.: Don’t ever change, RT. You keep those 44s blazing.

Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com.

Nov. 26: Arty.

Nov. 27: Give gratitude this Thanksgiving by leaving your family at home so you can listen to a three-hour set from Andy C and ponder the modern age’s schism with its past.

Nov. 28: Rebecca and Fiona.

Nov. 29: Joseph Capriati.

Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6030 or nokiatheatrelalive.com.

photo courtesy L.A. Auto Show

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

photo by Grant Singer

Playwright Joe Orton cued into untapped voyeuristic potential when he penned his 1969 farce What the Butler Saw. Forty-five years later it’s back, and the just-opened reboot runs at the Mark Taper Forum through Dec. 21. Freud and Kinsey both would be delighted to observe what transpires when a psychoanalyst and a nymphomaniac find themselves caught in a dance of love.

Alas, such knowledge is only for the butler and you, the audience. The cast features a number of familiar faces, among them Paxton Whitehead, Frances Barber and Charles Shaughnessy. What the Butler Saw plays this Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.

At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup. org.

photo by Craig Schwartz

Monday, noveMber 24 David O'Reilly REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org 8:30 p.m.: The graphics wizard whose resume includes work on a U2 music video and the Spike Jonze movie Her comes Downtown to showcase and discuss the latest and greatest 3D visuals.

L.A. Auto Show Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., (213) 741-1151 or laautoshow.com.

Nov. 24-26, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Nov. 27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Nov. 2829, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Nov. 30, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.: Now in its final week, the auto show brings you copious car premieres, demos and test drive opportunities. It’s even open on Thanksgiving Day.

In the world of classical music, performing a concert without a conductor is a daring and foolhardy maneuver on par with Luke Skywalker turning off his targeting computer before his final run on the Death Star’s thermal exhaust port. In other words, it’s not recommended. But the force runs strong with the Colburn School’s Academy Virtuoso Orchestra. On Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 5:30 p.m., these gallant human metronomes will assemble to perform work from Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Elgar and Bartok at the school’s Thayer Hall. Tickets were still available at press time. At 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

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

Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.

Nov. 28, 7 p.m.: If you’re looking for films to help you rethink your stance on casual Tinder hook-ups, 25 To Life may fit the bill.

It’s the story of someone who kept his HIV-positive status secret for 25 years.

IMAX California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Island of Lemurs: Madagascar 3D is an eye-popping journey full of, you guesses it, lemurs.

Forces of Nature promises a panoply of nature’s worst destruction.

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THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Bob Baker’s Nutcracker Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 2509995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Nov. 27-30, 11:30 a.m. The March of the Sugarplum Fairy will never be the same after marionettes have their way with Bob Baker’s version of The Nutcracker.

Florencia en el Amazones Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

Nov. 30, 2 p.m.: Soprano Veronica Villarroel stars in this Amazonian riverboat-themed opera written by Il Postino’s Daniel Catan. Through Dec. 20.

The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., (213) 4890994 or thelatc.org.

Nov. 27-29, 8 p.m. and Nov. 30, 3 p.m.: The Robey Theatre Company, in conjunction with the LATC, offer the story of a Central Avenue hotel during the Jazz Age. Sleepaway Camp Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.

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Nov. 25, 9 p.m.: Every Tuesday this irreverent stand-up comedy cavalcade takes up residence at the Downtown Independent.

Takarazuka East West Players, 120 Judge John Aiso Court, (213) 6257000 or eastwestplayers.org.

Nov. 27-29, 8 p.m. and Nov. 30, 2 p.m.: As she prepares for retirement, a Japanese showgirl in an all-female theater troupe confronts her past and her future. See review, p. 13.

What the Butler Saw Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Nov. 25-28, 8 p.m. and Nov. 29, 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Nov. 30, 7 p.m.: John Tillinger directs Paxton Whitehead in this Joe Ortonpenned psychiatric farce. Through Dec. 21.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Monday, noveMber 24 Los Angeles Youth Orchestra: Exploring a

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New World Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 6212200 or colburnschool.edu.

7:30 p.m.: Dvorak, Brahms, Verdi, Bizet and Borodin will practically float off the strings and from the pipes of these young prodigies.

Monday, noveMber 24 Academy Virtuoso Orchestra Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 6212200 or colburnschool.edu.

5:30 p.m.: Who needs a conductor? Not this gang. They’ll play works by Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Elgar and Bartok.

Friday, noveMber 28 Dudamel and Capucon Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

Continued on next page

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FILM

Flight of the Butterflies is visually stunning.

Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/ movies.

Through Nov. 27: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 (10, 11:20 and 11:50 a.m., 12:20, 1, 2:20, 3, 3:40, 4:20, 5:40, 6:20, 7, 7:40, 9, 9:40, 10:20 and 11 p.m.); Beyond the Lights (10:50 a.m., 1:30 and 10:30 p.m.); Dumb and Dumber To (10:30 and 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 2:10, 4, 6:50 and 9:50 p.m.); Big Hero 6 (10:20 a.m., 1:10, 1:50, 3:50, 7:20 and 9:30 p.m.); Big Hero 6 3D (11:10 a.m., 4:30, 6:40 and 10:10 p.m.); Interstellar (11:40 a.m., 12:40, 2, 3:10, 4:40, 6, 7:10, 8:30, 10 and 11:10 p.m.); Nightcrawler (12:10 and 6:10 p.m.); Gone Girl (2:50 and 8:50 p.m.).

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Nov. 29, 8 p.m.: Espinoza Paz has only been nominated for a Latin Grammy. Keep dreamin’ big guy, and one day it may just come true.

Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com.

Nov. 24: Coma Twins, Stacey Dee, Todd Smailes, Snake Morales and Harry Jerkface.

Nov. 25: The Folks & Company and JQ & The Revue.

Nov. 26: True Rivals, Lysolgang, Death March and Los Creepers.

Nov. 29: Moonshine, Bella Novela, Lightnin’ Woodcock & The BMFs and Veronica Grim.

Nov. 20: Theodora Kelly Project, Agenda 21 and Yours Cruelly.

The Regent 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheatre.com.

Nov. 28, 8 p.m.: Ariel Pink promises myriad indie pleasures.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la.

Nov. 24: The vibes will be in full effect with the Nick Mancini Group.

Nov. 25: The Makers identify more with the Native American side of the Thanksgiving narrative, but still appreciate a good European-style stuffing.

Nov. 30: The Sheriffs of Schrodingham are not sworn officers of the law. They’re probably not from Schrodingham either.

Downtown News 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

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November 24, 2014

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

16 Downtown News Continued from previous page Nov. 28-29, 8 p.m. and Nov. 30, 2 p.m.: Cellist Gautier Capucon joins Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil to power through symphonies from Reger, Haydn and Schubert.

Sunday, november 30 Korean American Youth Symphony Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

7 p.m.: This is described as a “classical music concert by the Korean American Youth Symphony.” Say what you will about these guys, they’re straight-forward and concise.

S I N C E 19 7 2

ople@downtownnews.com

5 OFF

African American Firefighter Museum 1401 S. Central Ave., (213) 744-1730 or aaffmuseum.org.

Ongoing: An array of firefighting relics dating to 1924, including a 1940 Pirsch ladder truck, an 1890 hose wagon, uniforms from New York, L.A. County and City of L.A. firefighters, badges, helmets, photographs and other artifacts.

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LUNCH

twitter: DowntownNews

MUSEUMS

*

SPECIAL

FIDM Museum FIDM, second floor, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidmmuseum.org.

Ongoing: The FIDM Museum presents an exceptional collection of fragrance, cosmetics, and ephemera from the house of Lucien Lelong. This group of objects was donated by Monique Fink, wife of artist Peter Fink, who worked for Monsieur Lelong as package designer and interior decorator.

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez

Gourmet Fast Casual Restaurant Since 1973 7 Days-7am to 10pm • FREE Parking • We Cater 1657 W. 3rd St. at Union Ave. • 213-483-8885

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Ongoing: Accessories from The Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection surveys footwear, fans, gloves, purses and hats.

California African American Museum 600 State Drive, (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org.

Through March 1: The untold prejudices inherent to albinism are the creative catalysts behind this exhibit of Yrneh Gabon Brown’s work.

Ongoing: The multi-functional Gallery of Discovery offers visitors the opportunity to connect with the lineage of their own family, engage in artistic workshops, educational tours and other programs of historical discoveries. Hear recordings of actual living slaves from the Library of Congress archives and discover stories

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November 24, 2014

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News twitter: DowntownNews ©2014 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

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

One copy per person.

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

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November 24, 2014 from the past.

California Science Center 700 State Drive, (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Through January 4: Evocative archaeological artifacts, volcanology and social history form the nucleus of Pompeii: The Exhibition.

Ongoing: Mission 26: The Big Endeavour presents Los Angeles’ very own space shuttle/tree destroyer in all its splendor.

Ongoing: Science in Toyland presents physics through favorite kids toys. This hands on exhibit engages museum visitors with Dominos, Sails and Roller Coasters in a fun, but informational primer on friction, momentum and chain reactions.

Ongoing: The Science Center’s permanent exhibits are usually interactive and focus on human innovations and inventions as well as the life processes of living things. The lobby Science Court stays busy with the High Wire Bicycle, a Motion-Based Simulator, the Ecology Cliff Climb and Forty Years of Space Photography. The human body is another big focus: The Life Tunnel aims to show the connections between all life forms, from the single-celled amoeba to the 100-trillion-celled human being. The new Ecosystems exhibit explores how life on our planet is shaped by geophysical and biological processes.

Chinese American Museum 425 N. Los Angeles St., (213) 485-8567 or camla.org.

Through December 14: Transpacific Ties: Bridging Hong Kong and Los Angeles Through Art highlights the cross-continental symbiosis of creativity uniting two of the Pacific Rim’s most vibrant cities.

Permanent: Origins presents the story of the Chinese-American community in Los Angeles.

Permanent: Re-creation of the Sun Wing Wo, a Chinese general store and herbal shop, and Journeys: Stories of Chinese Immigration, an exhibit exploring Chinese immigration to the United States with an emphasis on community settlement in Los Angeles. Outlined into four distinct time periods, each is defined by an important immigration law and/or event, accompanied by a description and a personal story about a local Chinese American and their experiences in that particular historical period.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument 124 Paseo de la Plaza, (213) 485-8372 or elpueblo.lacity.org.

Ongoing: The whole of El Pueblo is called a “monument,” and of this monument’s 27 historic buildings, four function as museums: the Avila Adobe, the city’s oldest house; the Sepulveda House, home to exhibits and the monument’s Visitors Center; the Fire House Museum, which houses late 19th-century fire-fighting equipment; and the Masonic Hall, which boasts Masonic memorabilia. Check its website for a full slate of fiestas, including Cinco de Mayo, Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in November and December’s beautiful candlelight procession, Las Posadas. Open daily, though hours at shops and halls vary.

Grammy Museum L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

Through November 30: California Dreamin’: The Sounds of Laurel Canyon tells the compelling story of Los Angeles music in the 1960s.

Through Winter 2015: The 75th anniversary of the illustrious jazz label gets the museum treatment with Blue Note: The Finest in Jazz.

Through Spring 2015: Dresses, personal items and gold records illuminate the life of the “Queen of Disco” in Donna Summer: Four Seasons Of Love.

Ongoing: 360 Sound: The Columbia Records Story provides an in-depth look at all aspects of Columbia Records’ history and offers a virtual history of the music industry from its infancy, tracing Columbia’s pivotal technological as well as business innovations, including its invention of the LP. Ongoing: Featuring copious memorabilia including drum kits and a cape, Ringo: Peace & Love is the first major exhibit to be dedicated to a drummer at the museum.

Ongoing: White sequined gloves and other wardrobe pieces are the focal point of the new exhibit case paying tribute to the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. This special display serves as a follow-up to the Museum’s past exhibitions, Michael Jackson: HIStyle and Michael Jackson: A Musical Legacy. Housed on the Museum’s third floor, the launch of the new exhibit coincided with the second anniversary of Jackson’s death.

Ongoing: Roland Live is a permanent installation courtesy of the electronic musical instrument maker, Roland Corporation. The exhibit gives visitors a chance to participate in the music-making process by playing a wide variety of Roland products, from V-Drums and BOSS pedals to VIMA keyboards and the MV-8800 Production Studio.

MORE LISTINGS Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

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

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

Downtown News 17

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$10,988 2013 Dodge Challenger ........................ $24,980 Black, 3.6L V6, 27 mpg highway TU0865R/718960 2009 BMW 328i Sports Wgn ................. $18,988 Blue, Auto, AWD, Only 63k Miles TU0700-1/540038 2007 Mazda MX-5 ..................................

Black, 80k miles, manual, T142099-1/131900

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$

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$29,889 2013 Mercedes E350 .............................. $37,781 Certified, Prem. Pkg.1, Low Miles, Must See, 7735C/DA662426 2012 Mercedes E350 Coupe .................. $38,881 Certified, Prem. Pkg. 1, Only 13k MIles! 7747C/CF140628 AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2011 Mercedes GLK 350 ........................

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1 at this price. (EZ369787/F15594)

$

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Manual trans. Excludes title, tax, options, $625 acquisition fee and dealer fees. At lease end lessees responsible for $0.20/mile over 36,000 miles and excessive wear and tear. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by VW Credit. VIN 236121 1 at this price. Offer ends 12/31/14.

$

14,999

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$23,995 2010 Cadillac SRX SUV .......................... $26,703 Bronze, Low Miles! Reduced! ZA10815-1/608818 2013 Audi Q5 2.0T SUV ......................... $36,995 Certified, Silver/Black. ZA10808/064686 PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2011 Audi A4 2.0T Prem. Front Trak ...

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$50,898 2013 Cayenne S Demo ........................... $70,988 Silver/Blk, Nav, XM, Prem, Pkg., PASM, Pk. 5k miles (DLA85183) 2013 Panamera GTS ...............................

Silver/Blk, CPO, Bose, Pk Assist, Camera, Lthr, 17k miles (DL075593) $95,816 2008 Porsche Carrera S Cab .................

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TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

18 Downtown News

November 24, 2014

Map © 2014 Cartifact

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LEGAL name chanGe SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. ES018313 Petitioner (name of each) Narine Nana Gevinian, 1305 North Columbus Avenue, #115, Glendale, CA 91202, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: NARINE NANA GEVINIAN Proposed name: NARINE GEVINIAN THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objec-

Downtown News 19

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To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448, or go to DowntownNews.com Deadline classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FORfor RENT All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. tion that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 02/03/2015 Time: 08:30 a.m.

Dept.: E The address of the court is 600 East Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206-4304. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in LA DOWNTOWN NEWS, 1264 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 of general circulation, printed in this county.

Prepared by: Sherri R. Carter, Executive Office/Clerk.

Glendale Courthouse 600 East Broadway Glendale, CA 91206 Date: November 20, 2014 Hon. Mary Thornton House Judge of the Superior Court Pub. 11/24, 12/01, 12/08, and 12/15/2014.

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20 Downtown News

November 24, 2014

VENDING, 8

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Workforce Development Department. Food vendors, which were the focus of the presentations, would be required to get certified by the county Department of Public Health. After that would come city business tax registration and an assessment by the EWDD. Ultimately the departments of Public Works and Recreation and Parks would assign vendors locations and times where they could set up.

Area business leaders are not the only ones concerned about the details of regulating sidewalk vending. Clare Fox, director of policy and innovation at the L.A. Food Policy Council, asked at the Nov. 18 meeting how the county would designate certain vendors as “healthy food” options, and how that could be incentivized. Jeri Wingo, a vendor from Leimert Park, asked about penalties for vending infractions, noting that vendors often can’t afford hefty fines. A representative from the California Restaurant Association asked what sorts of guidelines would protect brick-and-mortar eateries from vendors setting up shop directly in front of them. Another vendor asked whether she could stay in her current neighborhood with a permit, or if she would be forced to go to another community.

None of these concerns were answered definitively at the meeting. Chavez said that multiple city departments are ironing out details.

That sparked concern from the South Park BID’s Lall.

“It’s pretty clear that the nuts and bolts are not figured out,” Lall said. “Stakeholders should have access to all the details, and there’s no reason to rush.”

The biggest concern for the Fashion District BID’s Smith is enforcement. He said his district has “hundreds” of mobile food vendors who park on the street, as well as illegal swap meets on the sidewalks.

“We’ve been seeing a diminishing number of staff and overtime resources for LAPD, the city, and the county. So where are these enforcers coming from?” Smith asked.

Schatz noted that the city tried a similar effort before. The Special Sidewalk Vending District Ordinance, adopted in 1994, had regulations and enforcement standards akin to the current proposed citywide plan. Part of the reason it failed, Schatz said, was the lack of consistent and serious enforcement. eddie@downtownnews.com

South Park, 6 Continuing to state their case, Springer and Calderon furthered their appeal on Sept. 11. In a letter to the City Council, Springer wrote that the “resulting design is an abomination all the way from its ugly, pedestrian unfriendly parking podium and will leave the homeowners at the Flower Street Lofts with our front door on a walled-off alley.”

He went on to state that he believes that the high-rise denigrates, rather than complements, existing buildings.

“While both I and my neighbors support new residential developments in the South Park area, this project represents an abomination. Every person involved in this project, from advocate to apologist, should be ashamed,” he wrote.

The project is supported by Jessica Lall, executive director of the South Park Business Improvement District. She said she has seen Amacon’s residential complexes in Canada. She called them “first class,” and said they would fit with Downtown.

“They’re bringing high-end condos, which everyone is well aware we need more of,” said Lall. “They’ve been remarkable in working with the community, a model example of the type of developers we’d like to see in Downtown and South Park.”

Carol Schatz, president and CEO of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District and the Central City Association, said homeowners in Downtown need to realize when they move into a building with a parking lot next door that there is no guarantee that space will remain open. She noted that housing developments are rising on former parking lots across the community, from the Historic Core to the Arts District.

“Developments have to be good, and they have to respect the communities they’re in, but we can’t stop development to preserve views in every case,” said Schatz.

Amacon has not announced a timeline for breaking ground on the project. donna@downtownnews.com