08-05-19

new designs for a coming park Page 7

the nisei week festival returns Page 11

AUGUST 5, 2019 I VOL. 48 I #31

The

STATE of the SCOOTER SCENE Dockless Vehicles Are Inundating Downtown, Pleasing Some People And Angering Others

photo By Jon Regardie

See page 8

FINAL WEEKS! CLOSING SEPT. 1 Get tickets at thebroad.org

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. SINCE 1972

2 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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AROUND TOWN

Meet the Police at National Night Out

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his week, people across Downtown Los Angeles will have the opportunity to spend an evening with their local partners in law enforcement. Tuesday, Aug. 6, marks the return of the annual National Night Out, and the LAPD Central Division’s main event is taking place at Pershing Square. The free happening, which runs from 5-9 p.m., will include a car show, food trucks and kids’ activities, in addition to the chance to meet numerous members of the local police force.

This year marks the 36th annual National Night Out, which aims to strengthen bonds between communities and police across the country. There will also be a National Night Out gathering at Union Station from 5-8 p.m. at the transit hub’s south patio. There will be LAPD equipment displays, including cars and K9 units, as well as activities including karaoke with a cop.

Luxury Hotel Coming to Fourth and Main

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ne of the Historic Core’s most notable buildings is getting an overhaul.

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Developer the Relevant Group will turn the Hotel Barclay at 103 W. Fourth St. into a 144-room, 4.5-star “luxury boutique hotel,” according to its website. The six-story Beaux Arts building was constructed in 1897, and most recently served as a 155-room single-room occupancy building serving low-income residents. Plans also call for converting the ground floor into a speakeasy bar. According to a 2006 legal settlement, any units lost at the Barclay must be replaced; the developer plans to construct two new projects, one in Skid Row and another in Westlake, according to documents filed with the successor to the former Community Redevelopment Agency. The Delijani family, which owns four Broadway theaters, purchased the Hotel Barclay in 2018 for $21 million. The Relevant Group is also renovating and expanding South Park’s Morrison Hotel. The developer anticipates finishing the project in 2021. No budget was disclosed.

Skid Row Housing Project Gets State Money

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he California Department of Housing and Community Development recently awarded $14.5 million to Mercy Housing’s low-income project at Sixth and San Julian streets, part of a $54 million allocation to eight housing developments in the city.

The developer is looking to convert an industrial building at the northeast corner of

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

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

Quality and value since 1946:

Chili Hamburger .............. $3.15 Chili Cheeseburger ........... $3.70

AUGUST 5, 2019

the intersection into 94 residential units, 50 of which would serve as permanent supportive housing. The project is budgeted at $54 million. The funds are the first being dispersed statewide through Proposition 1, a $4 billion bond measure approved by voters last November to subsidize the construction or purchase of housing and supporting infrastructure. Mercy Housing plans to break ground on the project in late 2020 and open by 2022.

EV Chargers Now at City Hall

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unicipal workers and Civic Center visitors who want to get away from gas guzzlers have more options. City Hall and City Hall East recently saw the installation of 100 new electric vehicle chargers at on-site public parking structures.

The chargers began service on July 1 and are available to both city employees and visitors. They arrived as a partnership between the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, the Department of Water and Power and the Department of General Services. “The installation of these EV chargers is important to our overall goal to support or directly install 4,000 EV chargers in municipal buildings or facilities by 2022,” LADWP Chief Sustainability Officer Nancy Sutley said in a prepared statement. “LADWP strongly supports the expansion of EV infrastructure to help reduce our city’s carbon emissions, improve our air quality,

and help reduce commuting costs for L.A. motorists because charging EVs is cheaper than gas.” Users can pay for an electric charge via an app, calling a representative or using a nearby kiosk.

Nearly Two Year Delay For Sixth Street Viaduct Project

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here’s a delay for one the biggest projects in Downtown Los Angeles, and it will impact thousands of motorists each day. A spokeswoman for the city Bureau of Engineering recently confirmed that the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement project has hit a snag, and that completion will be pushed back 20 months from mid2020 to March 2022. The delay is due to a slate of construction challenges related to work to support the bridge, and other technical issues. Additionally, the Bureau has notified the Board of Public Works of the need to extend right-of-way contracts with a group of railroad companies that run tracks near the project, pushing the total cost to $488 million, up $6 million.

The project involves replacing an original bridge where the concrete was deteriorating. The new bridge was originally slated for completion in 2019, but has encountered a series of delays. Once finished, it will connect Boyle Heights to the Arts District, and there will be arts and park facilities on both sides.

Continued on page 3

The Institute of World Culture presents:

The Bodhisattva Ideal

The Path of Service and Self-Transcendence The ideal of the Bodhisattva is one of the most sublime and elevating conceptions of human capacity handed down to modern culture by the sages of antiquity. In this forum, a panel of three speakers will explore the concept of the Bodhisattva from diverse viewpoints.

This will include an introduction to the highly revered text of Mayayana Buddhism, The Way of the Bodhisattva, or (Bodhicāryāvatāra) by the eighth century Indian scholar Shantideva, first translated into English from the Tibetan in 1997. The forum will explore how this lofty conception has parallels in other philosophical and religious traditions and how the ideal has been depicted in monumental sculpture and painting as found in the Ajanta and Ellora caves, at Borobodur, in Tibetan tankas and elsewhere. Finally, the speakers will explore the many ways in which the ideal is inspirational to diverse non-Buddhist seekers in the modern world. How does the Bodhisattva ideal provide salutary guidance in the re-education of thought, will and feeling in everyday life?

Saturday, August 10th, 2019 11am – 12:30 pm

Many Imitate, But None Compare!

THEOSOPHY HALL 245 W. 33rd Street, Los Angees, CA 90007 No charge for admission

AUGUST 5, 2019

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 3

New Owner for L.A. Downtown News Arizona’s Times Media Group Acquires Properties of Southland Publishing

Santa Barbara, California

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os Angeles Downtown News, which for 47 years has served residents and workers in Downtown Los Angeles, has been sold to Tempe, Ariz.-based Times Media Group. The acquisition is part of TMG’s purchase of Southland Publishing.

TMG owns more than 15 Arizona publications and websites, including the Pulitzer-Prize-winning East Valley Tribune. In a press release, Times Media Group President Steve Strickbine called the Southland purchase a strategic expansion step into Southern California.

“Our primary goal at Times Media Group is to grow the number of readers we serve with community news, because we believe telling great stories and bringing tangible value to our advertising partners is a recipe for continued success not just in Arizona, but anywhere,” said Strickbine. “The Southland publications have always been special in their connection with the communities they serve.

We can’t wait to further solidify that connection and do even more to demonstrate our commitment to our readers, our advertisers and our neighbors.”

In addition to Downtown News, Times Media Group acquired Pasadena Weekly, The Argonaut, the VC Reporter and San Diego City Beat. The purchase also includes three monthly magazines and Southland’s digital properties. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Strickbine, 48, is a former CPA who quit his job in 1997 to start a weekly community newspaper in North Scottsdale.

Southland Publishing was founded in 1997. Its newspapers, magazines and digital media properties have a combined monthly circulation of more than 1 million readers and web visitors.

Downtown News was founded in 1972 by Sue Laris, and for more than four decades she served as its editor, publisher and owner. She sold Downtown News to Southland in 2017.

In announcing the acquisition, Strickbine called the Southland properties “exactly the kind of special journalism operations we want to be a part of TMG.” He cited L.A. Downtown News as an example of Southland’s quality and independent spirit.

“What these publications do is the most important thing in journalism, at least as we see it,” said Strickbine. “Every community has stories that need to be told. What’s happening at City Hall? What business just opened? Which ones have closed? Who are our leaders and what sort of transparency and accountability do they practice?

The more local we can be, the more in-depth, the better we connect people to one another and to the community. We love being a part of that and we look forward to working with these publications starting as soon as possible.”

Join us for our Information/Orientation Day

Saturday, August 24, 2019 | 10 am - 4 pm Join us for our last Information/Orientation Day for fall 2019 enrollment and learn about our various degree programs in the tradition of Depth Psychology informed by the teachings of C.G. Jung, Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, James Hillman, and others.

Pacifica is an accredited graduate school offering degrees in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, the Humanities and Mythological Studies. The Institute has two beautiful campuses nestled between the foothills and the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara. All of Pacifica’s degree programs are offered through low-residential learning sessions that take into account vocational, and life commitments.

Experience Pacifica’s unique interdisciplinary degree programs led by our renowned faculty.

Tour both of our beautiful campuses including the Joseph Campbell Archives and the Research Library.

Pacifica’s $75.00 application fee will be waived for all attendees.

Learn how to navigate the admissions and financial aid processes to make graduate school a reality.

Enjoy complimentary continental breakfast and lunch.

Hear from Pacifica faculty and alumni about their experiences and career outcomes.

AROUND TOWN, 2 Downtown Organizations Receive Arts Grants

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ast month the County Department of Arts and Culture handed out nearly $5.5 million in arts grants to nonprofits and school districts, and a number of Downtown-based organizations are among those chosen. Recipients include Skid Row’s Inner-City Arts (receiving $49,000 for arts education) and the Historic Core’s Latino Theater Company ($42,400 for its 2020 Global Encuentro theater festival). “These grants are making art more accessible across the County,” County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a prepared statement.

“We want every person in this County to have access to the breadth, depth, and diversity of the arts, now and into the future.” Other Downtown grant winners include the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center ($33,100), the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles ($27,400) and the Los Angeles Poverty Department ($19,200). A full list of recipients is at lacountyarts.org

We will be giving away a $200 bookstore gift certificate.

This is the last Information Day before fall enrollment.

Space is limited - register early.

Featured Presentation with Michael P. Sipiora, Ph.D. James Hillman’s Political Legacy

While his project was to re-vision psychology, James Hillman’s vision extended beyond that discipline to the world at large and his concerns for democracy and the life of the citizen.

Now Enrolling for Fall 2019 249 Lambert Road, Carpinteria, CA 93013

4 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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EDITORIALS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

AUGUST 5, 2019

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

The Allure of the Alamo

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he fate of Downtown Los Angeles does not depend on any single business or tenant. With more than 400,000 daily workers, approximately 75,000 residents and a collection of buzzworthy restaurants, bars and shops, the community is surging.

All that said, the recently opened Alamo Drafthouse is a fantastic addition to Downtown, and one that both benefits the community and enhances the neighborhood’s reputation. Having the 12-screen Alamo sends another strong signal that Downtown is ripe for investment and is a desirable location for number-crunching retailers. Additionally, it lends a patina of cool to the neighborhood.

As Los Angeles Downtown News reported last week, the Alamo debuted on July 20 in the Financial District complex The Bloc. The two-level project is a major play, and in addition to the 539 seats (individual theaters hold between 40 and 63 people), the Alamo includes a bar with food and dozens of beers on tap, a gaming arcade, a store and even a space where people can borrow DVDs. It’s a place to catch a film or hang with a group of friends.

Alamo is a unique brand, and stands out from some of the other worthy but still cookie-cutter chain stores that have popped up in various Downtown neighborhoods. In a way the Alamo Drafthouse is a connecting point between the Whole Foods, which opened in the Financial District in 2015, and Downtown’s first Apple store, which is under construction in the old Tower Theatre on Broadway. Yes, Downtown has other supermarkets and computer stores, just as it has other places to catch a movie, but branches of Whole Foods, Alamo Drafthouse and the Apple store all also function as destinations. They draw people to a neighborhood, and their presence, singularly and collectively, can help lure other businesses to the area.

Getting Alamo open wasn’t easy. The Downtown location was initially announced in 2014 with plans for a 2015 debut. The delays stemmed from a combination of design changes Alamo effected, and a construction process that lasted longer than anticipated.

Alamo’s arrival also fits in a Downtown where the growth extends beyond hip retailers and entertainment spaces. The new theater is the type of business that will appeal to the rising number of local employees at tech and creative firms, among them workers at Warner Music Group and Spotify, both recent arrivals in the Arts District.

Give the Alamo corporate team credit for making its first Los Angeles outpost in Downtown, and for picking a site near mass transit (The Bloc connects to mass transit via the 7th Street/Metro Center Station).

Many businesses might be more inclined to have their initial L.A. location be in a neighborhood such as Hollywood, Santa Monica or Pasadena. Alamo settled upon the Financial District five years ago, and in the period since then designed a space intended to appeal to Downtown workers and residents.

Alamo is also a strong addition to The Bloc, which itself is a transformed destination. The once fortress-like Macy’s Plaza was completely remade and today boasts an inviting courtyard that beckons passersby on Seventh Street. The project, and its new tenant, show just how far Downtown has come.

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-481-1448 realpeople@downtownnews.com

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Dodger Stadium

Unveiling

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COMMENTS

July 23, 2019

during his six years as mayor. It’s a complete fail for Eric Garcetti!

—Erick Rey Acuna

Regarding the editorial “Metro Charter Elementary School, 2013-2019”

Regarding the editorial “Again, Los Angeles Needs a Homelessness CEO”

There are many barriers to having a school in urban centers like DTLA that are beyond a developer or the business community’s control. For example, the California Building Code dictates that K-2 facilities cannot be located above the second story. Land is a scarce resource in our city, let alone DTLA, and this requirement on its own is prohibitive in an area like DTLA where a majority of new construction is high-rise. The Central City Association is working with our government leaders to reduce obstacles to building a sustainable DTLA that is welcoming to families.

—Jessica Lall, president and CEO, Central City Association

Andy Bales of the Union Rescue Mission would make sense. He’s been a fighter for homeless people for decades. If he is not the guy, then ask him who should be.

There is not a better man to have play a huge role toward a solution.

—Troy Wade

Regarding the column “Six Years and Four Chapters of the Mayor,” by Jon Regardie

Hey You! Speak Up!

Eric Garcetti is the worst mayor in Los Angeles history!

He wasted two years trying to launch his failed presidential campaign and during those two years homelessness exploded, rising to the highest levels in history. Also, the lack of affordable housing rose to high levels, crime grew, the city is now full of trash, graffiti increased and there are potholes in every street. Every single issue L.A. had before he was elected has taken a turn for the worse

EDITOR: Jon Regardie STAFF WRITERS: Nicholas Slayton, Sean P. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre

Again, have FEMA come in. Outlaw street camping and instead create a bunch of designated camping-only sites for 50-100 people at a time. Include bathrooms, showers, wardens and security. Who is running this circus?

—Linda Simeone

Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like, or dislike, a story or editorial, let us know. Or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community.

Participation is easy. Post a comment online at the bottom of any story, or go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, email regardie@downtownnews.com.

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Lake Trout

ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard OFFICE MANAGER: Claudia Hernandez ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb

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DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo

PRESIDENT: Steve T. Strickbine VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Hiatt

©2019 Times Media Group. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Times Media Group. 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.

Los Angeles Downtown News has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in Court Judgement No. C362899. One copy per person.

AUGUST 5, 2019

When it Comes to Homelessness, We Must Do More and We Must Do it Now A Focus Solely on Permanent Supportive Housing Is Flawed

By Rev. Andy Bales and G. Michael Arnold os Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands of individuals living on the streets and facing disease, unimaginable squalor and violence. Day after day we make excuses

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GUEST OPINION for our inability to effectively address one of the most critical and expensive crises our city has ever faced. Instead of tackling this issue head-on, our representatives are spending tremendous amounts of money to address only a small percentage of the problem.

While our idealistic plans of permanent housing for every person are laudable, they don’t address the urgent question that 60,000 people in Los Angeles County face each evening: Where will I sleep tonight? For those without shelter, that question is pressing. It should also be pressing for the rest of us.

Approximately 75% of the 130,000 people experiencing homelessness in California have no place to seek safe shelter. Such a significant number of unsheltered persons has led to filthy conditions that spread disease. Crime by desperate and often mentally ill or drug-intoxicated individuals has increased. These conditions put all of us at risk.

The city’s current strategy — focusing almost exclusively on permanent supportive housing — takes too long, is too expensive, and addresses the needs of only 20%-25% of Los Angeles’ homeless population. We cannot continue down the path of believing there is only one approach for addressing this crisis. We need permanent supportive housing, and we need emergency shelter, and we need bridge and transitional housing. We need more and we need it faster.

Our failure to address the needs of all homeless people is both morally and fiscally irresponsible. We know that people living unsheltered face a significant threat to their health, safety and well-being, and that unsheltered living conditions result in a need for more intensive and expensive services.

The cost of a one-time intervention to get a homeless individual into permanent housing is around $20,000. That increases to an annual cost of $20,000 in housing and services if that person is chronically homeless. This doesn’t take into consideration the tremendous expense in police, fire and medical services on behalf of chronically homeless individuals. We literally cannot afford to look the other way.

By no means are we suggesting that the current solutions are not good. We agree that the increased focus on permanent-support-

DOWNTOWN NEWS 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

ive and affordable housing is important and necessary. When successful, it will not only provide homes to those in need but will also provide access to support services for a variety of conditions affecting people experiencing homelessness.

However, it currently costs around $500,000 to build each unit of permanent supportive housing. Again, this unwieldy amount only addresses the needs of about 25% of the population and it will take years if not decades to achieve. By contrast, Union Rescue Mission was able to build a structure just in the last few months with heat, air conditioning and case management 24/7 for only $10,000 per bed.

Recently, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg authored an Op-Ed that recognized the need for Sacramento and the state of California to do more, and to do it immediately. He makes clear that fighting the homelessness crisis is not a one-dimensional battle. Instead, it requires a creative and multi-faceted approach, and support from all areas. He is correct. Our solutions need to reflect the current state of the infrastructure, as well as the infrastructure we need to develop for housing and services solutions.

We need to empower city officials to enforce laws and regulations concerning people experiencing homelessness, and to facilitate the ability of individuals living on the street to take personal responsibility to seek shelter and services. We must be prepared to provide these individuals with safe and sanitary housing. Then we need to provide them with services that will incentivize them to stay — services such as job assistance, emergency health care and mental health support.

Waiting until we somehow have an ideal solution — a forever home for every homeless individual — is not an option. It is time for us to do more and we must do it now.

We need temporary and permanent solutions for all people experiencing homelessness.

Getting people off the streets and into appropriate housing and services benefits all of us. It’s good for the person or family experiencing homelessness; it’s good for the neighborhood and the whole community; it’s good for business; and it’s good for our cities, our counties and our state. Our streets are for us to enjoy, not to be forced to avoid.

The alternative is that we allow the most vulnerable among us to wither and die while we sit on our hands. In one of the wealthiest and most progressive cities and states in the nation, that is unacceptable.

Rev. Andy Bales is CEO of the Union Rescue Mission. G. Michael Arnold is President and CEO of the Midnight Mission.

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6 DOWNTOWN NEWS

AUGUST 5, 2019

LOCAL JOURNALISM MATTERS Dear Readers ,

ries. ournalism M atters� se J l ca Lo “ l ra gu au in r nch ou Next week we will lau back News will be looking wn to wn Do les ge An s d ths, Lo ed stories that have ha as -b ity Over the next few mon un m m co e th of visiting some helped through our archives, re d the civic discourse or ge an ch ve ha at th d an l City, an impact in the Centra forward. drive the neighborhood ng ournalists years our a ard- inni 4 r fo d an , 1 in report Our first issue publis ed e you live or work. We er wh ity un m m co e th t you to on you can t have worked to connec ns to you informati ea m it at t bu is, pride s about fa e ne s, e not ust on at t e ne uc m so r ea u yo en a time ost important find any ere else. t sources to bring the m e bl lia re g in us d an ep our ered e ery onday in ourselves on digging de li de d, ee sp er o cts ers. t s fa local stories to our read daily on our website. print edition and updated the wnNews.com seek to be to wn Do d an ws Ne siness to elected officials, bu y Los Angeles Downtown ctl re di ea sp to e icl ication e ics, t e food community s commun g ne s, business, polit in er co s it er et bors. leaders and your neig . we aim to be your voice t, en scene or entertainm e and gone. y competitors a e com an m s de ca de e t er o ission is isn t easy, and d mar edly. et our m ge an c as y str du in e sm edented heights, we ar ec dditionally, t e ournali pr un w, ne to s ar so as Downtown this community. remains the same, and primarily on covering s se cu fo at th on ati z ni the last orga ers and e business o ners, or t of t or pp su e t ed ne . e do.

But e can t do it alone ntinue to do the work we co to les ge An s Lo wn residents of Downto you riod e ill be as ing pe at t g rin du d an , 11 o ember ill elp e series ill conclude feature. our donation ial ec sp s er att sm ali l ourn unity where you to donate to our Loca the Downtown comm to ted ec nn co d an t an keep your voice relev work or live. s aped rtant stories t at a e po im t os m e t of e m at so we need your lease en oy a loo bac to keep doing this, but nt wa we at th r be em m Downtown L.A. And re alism M atters. than ever, Local J ourn support, because more contact the or to make a donation, n.com. on ati rm fo in e or m r Fo or realpeople do nto 4 14 14 1 at e fic of L. . Do nto n e s

AUGUST 5, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Updates, Designs Revealed for First and Broadway Park $28 Million Civic Center Project Now Scheduled to Break Ground Next Spring

By Sean P. Thomas f all goes according to plan, construction on the long-gestating First and Broadway Park could begin next year, and could lead to a facility with extensive food options, open pathways and a seamless connection to the adjacent Grand Park.

On Monday, July 29, city officials and designers revealed the latest update for a project now expected to cost $28 million. Previous designs for the two-acre attraction have been tweaked, with the addition of more trees and green space, as well as a more accessible plaza and a plan that links the park to the greater Civic Center.

The updated proposal includes a third floor for a restaurant on the northwest corner of the plot. Plans call for a bar, rooftop patio and dining terrace on the second floor, as well as a coffee shop on the ground level with outdoor dining.

Joella Hopkins, Downtown director for the office of 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, said that designers took into consideration future Civic Center development, as outlined by the Civic Center Master Plan. The document provides an outline to completely overhaul the area with new office buildings, retail and residential towers by 2032.

“The intention is to have folks come out of the Regional Connector, and come straight through that property onto First

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photo of rendering by Sean P. Thomas

The First and Broadway Park is now expected break ground next spring and be completed in 2022.

and Broadway Park and into the Civic Center,” Hopkins said.

Nate Heyward, senior project coordinator at the Department of Recreation and Parks, said the updated design reflects a future with more workers and residents in the neighborhood. That also takes into account a major mixed-use project planned for the former headquarters of the Los Angeles Times, immediately south of the park site.

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“We need to think that we’re not building anything in the city for today,” Heyward said.

“We’re trying to re-envision how we think about our city.”

The park will rise on what is now a dirt lot on First Street between Spring Street and Broadway. The site once held a 13-story state office building, which was severely damaged in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and demolished five years later. Portions of the foun-

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dation remained, and though fenced off, the site became a destination for skateboarders and graffiti taggers.

The city bought the property in 2013, and a year later cleared the site and began looking for a designer. In 2016, Studio MLA (formerly Mia Lehrer + Associates) was selected for the job.

The initial design included a two-story building with an amphitheater with seating underneath the second floor overhang, as well as a hardscape central plaza with smaller segments of greenery and permanent seating.

The building has since added a level. The design team also proposed more shade trees, widening the open space and reducing the hardscape by adding decomposed granite. A series of metallic, shade-providing canopies dot the park.

A proposed new addition is a sculpture called “Wings of Mexico” by Mexican artist Jorge Marin. The piece, with angel wings similar to the painted wings found on buildings around Downtown Los Angeles, was donated to the city by the Mexican consulate.

“People can come, take a photo with it and really try to bond with this sense of shared culture found around the world,” said Ben Feldmann, a principal with Studio MLA. The park will include more to-be-determined public art. Attendees of the meeting were asked to weigh in on where art should be installed.

Searching for Money The park is estimated to cost $28 million, including land acquisition. According to a Continued on page 16 1

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AUGUST 5, 2019

State of the Scooters

Six months into a city dockless vehicle pilot program, Downtown has become one of the densest regions for the new form of transportation.

Scooters and electric bikes are parked — or plopped — on nearly every street and corner.

Six Months Into a Pilot Program, Dockless Vehicles Draw Both Support and Displeasure

By Sean P. Thomas n March, the city launched a one-year pilot program for dockless vehicles, allowing scooter and electric bike companies to bring tens of thousands of the devices to Los Angeles. The program came with the hope that this will get more people out of cars, but with the caveat and knowledge that it will be a work in progress. Six months in, Downtown Los Angeles has emerged as a key neighborhood, with devices parked — or plopped — on seemingly every block.

The results so far appear mixed, with some people using them to bridge the first-mile, last-mile gap posed by public transportation options, and others angered over scooter “clutter.” Many riders seem unsure whether to use the devices on sidewalks or the street, while police deal with the challenge of whether to spend their time ticketing scofflaws (sidewalk riding is illegal).

The pilot program, implemented by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, was the result of nearly two years of discussions, and established a slate of guidelines for dockless vehicle operators. Permits were issued to eight companies in March, and so

far approximately 36,000 vehicles have been green-lighted in Los Angeles, according to LADOT, more than any other city in the United States. Approximately 30,000 are scooters operated by companies including Bird, Lime and Lyft. Dockless bicycles account for the remaining stock, operated by companies such as Wheels, Spin and Jump.

While some communities are filled with devices, more are coming. According to the LADOT, only about 20,000 vehicles had actually reached city streets by June, with the remaining 16,000 eligible to be deployed.

The greatest number of devices, approximately 7,700, are in Council District 11, which includes Venice. The 14th District, which covers Downtown, ranks fourth, with 3,300 vehicles, though maps that chronicle the density of deployment show that the Central City is among the most packed neighborhoods for the devices.

In a prepared statement, a spokesperson for LADOT said that the vehicles are cutting the number of car trips in the city. Accord-

I

photo by Jon Regardie

ing to the department, there are nearly 1 million dockless vehicle trips each month in Los Angeles.

“Those one million dockless trips translate into one million single occupancy vehicle trips avoided,” the statement read. “This is a good reminder that access to various transportation choices helps connect us to more people and to more places.”

Clutter and the Community Dockless vehicle users download an app to a smart phone and then scan a device to use it. They often pay about $1 to activate it, and 15 cents per mile traveled. Helmets are encouraged, though California law does

not mandate their use. While companies ask riders to be considerate, the devices can be dropped anywhere.

In the effort to address clutter, the pilot program allows people to report improperly parked vehicles on the city’s My311 app. Once a report is made, operators have two hours to address the issue. LADOT reserves the right to revoke or modify pilot permits for companies that do not follow the rules. It is uncertain if any companies have faced penalties.

The app has been used frequently in Downtown. According to a recent LADOT report, CD 14 accounted for 587 service calls through June, second only to the 1,687 re-

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quests in Council District 11.

Timothy Li, a Little Tokyo resident, said that he reports scooters blocking driveways and sidewalk onramps “nearly every day,” with concerns that they make life difficult for the neighborhood’s senior citizens.

“I see a lot of people just leave the things near crosswalks so I report them and then move them out of the way,” Li said. “The public shouldn’t be the ones that have to be on top of it.”

The LADOT requires riders to leave vehicles within what is called the “furniture zone,” the space between the curb and where pe-

way because we want a six-foot sidewalk,” Straniere said. “I really do want a six-foot sidewalk, but that’s just the type of thing that we have to address with development moving forward, and we’ll have to come up with Approximately 36,000 solutions for the vast majority dockless vehicles have been permitted in Los of the sidewalks that we have Angeles, with about here in Los Angeles.”

3,300 of them in the LADOT has also created near14th District, which ly 50 “drop-off zones” in Downincludes Downtown. town, which are marked by paint and text on the sidewalk, though users are not required to park devices there.

During a June town hall meeting on the subject of scooters, representatives for Lime, Jump and Bird said that they are working to encourage good rider behavior, including perks photo by Sean P. Thomas for those who submit images of destrians walk. LADOT asks that at least six their properly parked vehicles.

Many operators noted that they reserve feet of space be left for pedestrians and persons with disabilities to pass. Yet that require- the right to kick riders off of the platform if they are the source of repeated complaints. ment is nearly impossible to enforce.

In a prepared statement, a Bird spokesperGeoffrey Straniere, a senior project coordinator with the city’s Department of Disabil- son pointed to an in-app feature called “Comity, said that elderly and disabled individu- munity Mode” that allows people to directals increasingly raise the issue of improperly ly report improperly parked scooters to the parked scooters blocking sidewalks and bus company. Bird has the second largest stock of vehicles in the city, with 6,500 permitted. stops.

“These reports help Bird promptly respond Yet Straniere noted that few sidewalks in Downtown are wide enough to satisfy every- and take appropriate action, including removing people from our platform,” the stateone.

“We can’t just knock buildings out of the ment read.

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Uber, which owns the dockless mobility operator Jump and has the third larger roster of vehicles citywide, declined a request to comment.

A representative for Lime, which has the largest fleet of dockless vehicles in Los Angeles, said that the company is partnering with LAPD to hold rider safety and etiquette events.

At the town hall, José Elias, Metro Bike Share Coordinator, reiterated that the rules and regulations guiding dockless vehicles are meant to be augmented based on community response.

“It is a pilot program,” Elias said. “That is why we are here, to see what works and what needs changing.”

Health and Safety While improperly parked vehicles cause consternation, a greater issue in Downtown may be safety, particular the risks for pedestrians from riders who duck rules and whip the speedy vehicles along sidewalks.

Vanessa Conklin, who lives next to Grand Central Market, said she keeps her head on a swivel as riders blow past her on the sidewalk. Still, she said she is seeing more people now riding in the streets.

“It seems to be getting better, Conklin said. “At first it was a few groups of riders that would almost take over the sidewalks. They still use the sidewalks but it’s not as many.”

Mobility advocate Terenig Topjian lauded the expansion of dockless vehicles. Still, he acknowledged a point that many users have touched upon: Riding scooters on DownContinued on page 10

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10 DOWNTOWN NEWS

SCOOTERS, 9 town streets that lack protected lanes — and instead just have painted stripes or no designated area — makes riders feel unsafe and deters some people from using the streets.

“If you don’t have a lane for bikes and scooters you feel unsafe right next to the cars, and there are parked cars [whose drivers] are going to open their doors,” he said.

“Sometimes I myself find going on the sidewalk at a slower speed just for safety reasons.”

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services Bureau, from Jan. 1-May 25 there were 160 accidents involving scooters in the city. Fifty-nine people were transported to a medical facility.

A recent LADOT report stated that there were 52 traffic collisions involving scooters from January through the end of April. It is unclear how many were the result of a scooter on the sidewalk.

The prevalence of dockless devices has drawn some scrutiny from elected officials.

In June, 11th District Councilman Mike Bonin (who chair’s the Council’s Transportation Committee) called for a reduction of the fleet size, while First District Councilman Gil Cedillo has sought, so far without success, to ban the vehicles from Chinatown by excluding the neighborhood from the pilot program. At the same meeting, the council directed the fire and police departments to explore a new fine structure to deter riders from using sidewalks.

Currently, riding on the sidewalks nets a $197 fine.

“It’s basically the wild wild West,” Cedillo said. “One day all of these scooters just showed up in my district. They have disrupted my district, a district of immigrants and seniors and new families, because there are no rules and regulations.”

In a July 30 letter to the City Council, Caroline Samponaro, Lyft’s head of micromobility policy, acknowledged Cedillo’s concerns while noting that the company is working on safety and parking solutions including endof-ride photo requirements, incentivizing the use of city parking zones and tipped scooter sensors.

“As Councilmember Cedillo’s motion indicates, there are policy concerns related to scooters regarding safety and clutter,” the letter states. “Lyft takes these concerns seriously and continues to incorporate stakeholder input to implement solutions.”

During the June meeting Councilman David Ryu, whose Fourth District includes portions of Hollywood and Koreatown, which have also seen heavy scooter deployment, said that the pilot program was instituted to avoid the scenario that Cedillo was describing.

“These new technologies are really coming at full speed and we want to make sure that we are ahead of the curve and not behind it,” Ryu said.

An LADOT spokesperson said that the department will evaluate the program after a year in regards to public safety, equitable access and sustainability.

Currently, the department provides quarterly updates to the council. sean@downtownnews.com.

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Rent Hikes, Evictions Averted at Chinatown Building Tenants, Council Office Reach Deal to Preserve Affordable Housing

photo by Nicholas Slayton

Dozens of residents of Hillside Villa faced steep rent hikes and evictions after a 30-year covenant ended last year.

Negotiations with the city have halted that while a final agreement is worked out.

By Nicholas Slayton esidents of a low-income building in Chinatown are getting a reprieve from the threat of skyrocketing rents following the involvement of the local City Council office.

Last month, the office of First District City Councilman Gil Cedillo and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles announced that preliminary terms had been agreed to on a deal to avoid rent hikes and possible evictions for 59 residents of Hillside Villa. The project at 636 N. Hill Place opened in 1988 and, as part of its initial agreement, could have begun charging market rates last summer. The city and owner Thomas Botz are working on a deal that could keep the units dedicated to low-income tenants for another decade (the deal does not include additional apartments in the building that are largely occupied by people who have Section 8 housing vouchers to subsidize their rent, according to the Legal Aid Foundation).

The deal is being finalized, but the landowner has walked back proposed rent hikes of up to 90%, and eviction notices sent to some tenants on June 1 have been rescinded.

Brandon Dimond, an attorney representing Botz, said the property owner has guaranteed to extend the current rates for a full year.

“Rents will remain stable, only going up on July 31, 2020,” Dimond told Los Angeles Downtown News.

The four-story Hillside Villa was built using funding from the now-defunct Community Redevelopment Agency. As with many projects funded by the CRA, it was required to serve as low-income housing for a set period, in this case 30 years, after which the landlord would be free to charge market rates. That period ended in August 2018.

While that three-decade timeline may have

R

seemed on the distant horizon when the CRA and the developer agreed on the original covenant, the deal expired at a time when Los Angeles is experiencing a crisis in affordable housing and homelessness. Supply has not kept up with demand, and as rents have risen throughout the region, homelessness has spiked. Local elected officials have said the county has a low-income housing shortage of more than 500,000 units.

That scenario posed additional challenges for residents of Hillside Villa. After notices detailing steep rent hikes were sent to tenants, residents organized and protested. Cedillo’s office stepped in to help negotiate, and in May the councilman introduced a motion calling for preserving affordable housing covenants, citing Hillside Villa by name.

Cedillo has also introduced a motion calling for restructuring the loan that funded Hillside Villa to extend the affordability covenant by a decade, and to identify further resources that could offer assistance to renters. The City Council was scheduled to vote on it on Friday, Aug. 2 (after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press).

“Los Angeles is seeing the worst housing crisis to date,” Cedillo said in a statement. “This deal ensures that the most vulnerable residents in my district get to stay in their homes.”

The current negotiations have eased tensions on all sides. The Legal Aid Foundation halted a lawsuit that was filed after eviction notices were sent.

The building’s tenants were involved in the negotiations, according to Jonathan Jager, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Foundation.

He said that the agreement also calls for adding a good cause eviction requirement to protect tenants.

Rene AlexZander, president of the Hillside Continued on page 16

AUGUST 5, 2019

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 11

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Toyo Miyat

ake Studio

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Traditional Meets Contemporary at Nisei Week The 79th Annual Festival Takes Over Little Tokyo For Nine Days

The nine-day Nisei Week festival, which highlights Japanese and Japanese American culture, returns on Aug.10-18 with a slate of performances, events and exhibitions across Little Tokyo.

S

By Sean P. Thomas ince 1934, Nisei Week, the annual festival of Japanese culture, has lit up the streets of Little Tokyo. Thousands of people come out each year for a variety of events that highlight the experiences and culture of Japanese Americans (“Nisei” refers to second-generation Japanese Americans).

Despite a six-year halt during World War II, the festival remains a vital part of the Little Tokyo community. The 79th annual Nisei Week returns this week, with a slate of programs and events taking over the historic neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles.

Starting on Saturday, Aug. 10, and continuing through Aug. 18, this year’s events

are scheduled mostly on the weekends and feature everything from the traditional grand parade to educational classes to the popular gyoza-eating competition.

While the festival showcases nearly 90 years of Japanese American culture, Nisei Week President David Yamahata said that in recent years the focus has been on bridging the gap between the festival’s traditional options and newer events that will draw a younger and diverse crowd to Little Tokyo.

“Our mission is to share the Japanese and Japanese American culture with as many different communities as possible,” Yamahata said. “But with that said, we’re also trying to mix the traditional with some new ideas.”

Striking a balance can be challenging.

Yamahata said that one of the greatest difficulties is finding a younger generation of volunteers to join the Nisei Week board and suggest events to attract a younger audience. Activities including a car show, a Rubik’s Cube tournament and a cosplay competition all reflect this aim.

Randy Masada, a board member and Vice President of Events and Programming, said that by changing up the offerings, the festival is matching the ever-developing neighborhood. That reflects a community that now has an array of housing complexes, restaurants and shops, including many that do not directly target a Japanese American audience.

“Little Tokyo is changing,” Masada said.

“The whole area is gentrifying, you’re seeing all different kinds of people come in, young and old. If you look up Little Tokyo online, it’s listed as a tourist destination.”

The bulk of the festival takes place at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center plaza. Last year, the board added Sunset on the Plaza, a sort of night

market that features local businesses, live music, food, and a beer and sake garden.

The event returns on Saturday from 5-10 p.m. with 12 musical acts.

Inside the JACCC, people can find exhibits on tea ceremonies, ceramics, flower arranging, calligraphy and more.

Masada said that there is a push to use the festival as a platform for artists and businesses.

“We really crammed it in this year,” Masada said. “We wanted to try to support as many artists as we could in a short period of time.”

Another returning feature is Aki’s PupUp Party. Named after the festival’s mascot, Aki the Akita, and taking place on Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the JACCC plaza, the event is an ode to the dog lovers of Downtown, and includes a dog fashion show, pet snacks and animal adoption opportunities.

Helen Ota, a Nisei Week board member and director of donor engagement and special events at the JACCC, said that the addition of the Pup-Up also reflects a changing Downtown.

“Especially in Little Tokyo, we’re seeing Continued on page 13

12 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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AUGUST 5, 2019

Restaurant Buzz More Coffee, a New Noodle Spot, and a Few Closures Hit the Downtown Food Scene

By Sean P. Thomas oar at the Row: Things continue to heat up at Row DTLA. The long-awaited Go Get Em Tiger opened on July 1, adding to the culinary options at the Industrial District complex. The Row iteration — Go Get Em Tiger’s fifth outpost, and second in Downtown following an Arts District location — offers a large breakfast menu with everything from a chickpea frittata with seasonal veggies and pickled beets, to ricotta granola pancakes. Among the lunch options are a BLT, the prosciutto sandwich and the Go Get Em Burger, the brand’s first burger.

There is also the typical list of espresso, cappuccino and latte drinks. A shake is available, for $10.50. The interior is bright and sunny, with a pastel color scheme offset by hanging plants. Got Get Em Tiger is open daily from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

At 777 Alameda St., (323) 579-1368 or gget.com.

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Bulking Up the Bloc Pt. 1: Downtown has yet another place to slurp up a hearty bowl of traditional Japanese soup. Marugame Udon held a grand opening at The Bloc on July 9, with a celebration that included a DJ, gift card handouts and a taiko drum performance. Marugame Udon specializes in Sa-

nuki-style udon noodles, known for their square shape and flat edges, and soaked in savory broth. Diners can also customize the dishes with toppings such as tempura flakes and green onions. Bowls can be served hot or cold. Basic udon bowls start at $5. The restaurant has a sizeable imprint in Japan, with more than 1,000 restaurants dotted across the country. Hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and weekends, 11 a.m.8 p.m.

At 750 W. Seventh St., (213) 628-3209 or marugameudon.com.

Bulking Up the Bloc Pt. 2: One of the largest food additions yet recently opened at The Bloc. Joey DTLA, part of a casual chain that serves dishes from different regional cuisines, including Latin, American, Italian and Asian, also held a grand opening at the Bloc, this one on Thursday, Aug. 1. The Joey restaurants come from Canada, where there are 20 locations, but have spread stateside with outposts across the Pacific Northwest and, locally, in Woodland Hills. The interior has an open industrial look along with a street-level patio, brown wooden tables, black chairs and plenty of greenery.

At 700 S. Flower St., (213) 372-5335 or joeyrestaurants.com.

photo courtesy Joey DTLA

One of the largest additions to The Bloc is Joey DTLA, a pan-regional casual restaurant. It opened Aug. 1.

French Fowl: The Spring Arcade Building continues to lease up, with the latest addition being French rotisserie chicken restaurant Mon Petit Poulet. Signage for the establishment, which originated in Paris, has gone up in the Historic Core arcade, though no opening date has been revealed. The restaurant will serve organic rotisserie chicken as well as organic duck, vegetables and dessert options. During dinner, the meats are sold per pound, but the restaurant also will offer lunch boxes with sides. The Downtown Mon Petit Poulet will be the brand’s second

outpost in the United States, joining a Venice restaurant that opened in 2017.

Coming to 541 S. Spring St. or monpetitpoulet.la.

L.A. Live Closure: The L.A. Live restaurant Triple 8 China Bar and Grill has made its exit. The swanky Cantonese establishment on the north side of the complex has called it quits after four years. Details behind the closure are slim and calls to the restaurant were met with a message that the phone has been disconnected. Triple 8 debuted

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photo courtesy Marugame Udon

Marugame Udon debuted at The Bloc on July 9. It specializes in savory noodle dishes.

on the Olympic Boulevard side of L.A. Live in 2015. The menu was packed with Cantonese dishes including Peking duck, chicken and pork dumplings, and crispy orange chicken.

RIP Ricebar, Hello Baon: If chef Charles Olalia’s diminutive Ricebar proved also anything during its run, it’s that small can be mighty.

Maybe that’s why it took just a few weeks after the Downtown favorite’s closure for a new eatery to squeeze into the tiny Financial District space. Chef AC Boral, known for his Long Beach pop-up Rice & Shine, opened Baon, a Filipino lunch counter spot, on June 17.

The restaurant specializes in Filipino comfort foods, including pork adobo, ulam and chicken afritata. Baon is open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

At 419 Seventh St.

DOWNTOWN NEWS 13

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

V Formation: The space that housed Más Malo on Seventh Street is springing back to life, as evidenced by signage spotted at the location. The newcomer is simply called V, and is expected to open this month. Details are slim, but what is know is that the restaurant comes to Los Angeles from Sweden and the team behind the concept focus on melding technology with dining experiences. According to the signs affixed to the building, the restaurant will offer entrée plates, salads, sourdough pizzas (that diners can partially control and maneuver in the oven as they cook) and bowls, as well as coffee and cocktails. The branding refers to the incoming restaurant as “your stylish neighborhood hangout.” The team behind V could not be reached for comment.

Coming to 515 W. Seventh St.

NISEI WEEK, 11 a lot of dogs in the neighborhood,” Ota said.

Eat Those Dumplings The new events are intended to complement, not overshadow, the longstanding neighborhood traditions that make up the bulk of Nisei Week. That includes the Natsumatsui Family Festival, which returns to the Japanese American National Museum on Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors can glimpse JANM’s exhibits, check out performances and participate in family-friendly arts and craft opportunities.

A Nisei Week highlight is always the Grand Parade. Starting on Sunday at 4 p.m. and snaking throughout Little Tokyo, it includes a colorful array of floats and dancers, as well as war veterans and community members.

This year Akemi Miyake, a local philanthropist, will serve as the parade grand marshal, and the Los Angeles Clippers will be the parade marshals.

A huge crowd is expected at the 13th annual Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship, which takes place at the JACCC on Aug. 17. Last year, competitive eating champ Joey Chestnut consumed a startling 359 dumplings in 10 minutes.

The festivities conclude with the Ondo Public Street Dancing Party along First Street on Aug. 18, followed by a closing ceremony. Yamahata said it’s not uncommon to see people jump out of the crowd and into the fray to try a few of the traditional dance moves.

“It really attracts a large crowd and that is where you really get to see that this is really for all ages,” Yamahata said.

With an 80th year celebration on the horizon, Ota said she hopes that people not only enjoy Nisei Week, but also view it as an educational opportunity, and soak up knowledge about Japanese art and culture.

A full Nisei Week schedule is at niseiweek.org. sean@downtownnews.com

Peeling Back the Plaza: The finishing touches are being applied to the Music Center Plaza’s $41 million overhaul, and the food and beverage options coming to the Bunker Hill complex have been revealed.

The Music Center recently announced that the 53-year-old plaza between the Mark Taper Forum and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion will house Abernethy’s, a full-service restaurant, Mullins Wine Bar, with wine provided by local wine shops, and a coffee bar operated by Go Get Em Tiger. The three options join Cocina Roja and Upstage Burger, which opened at the Music Center last year. GGET and Mullins will open on Aug. 29 as part of the weekend celebration for the completion of the renovation. Abernethy’s will debut on Sept. 5, and will have an emerging chef’s program, with a slate of up-and-coming individuals who rotate in at

the helm of the kitchen.

Coming to 218 N. Hope St. Charitable Carnitas: Gobble up tacos for a good cause when the annual Taco Festival fills Grand Park on Aug. 17 from noon-8 p.m.

Organized by the Boyle Heights-based nonprofit Jovenes Inc., which focuses on providing services for people 18-25 transitioning out of homelessness, the festival brings out scores of taqueros as well as musical performances, vendor booths and activities for the kids. Participants will include Epic Tacos, Kogi BBQ, Rice Balls of Fire and Casa De Brisa. The event is free, though a $5 donation is suggested.

At 200 N. Grand Ave. or latacofestival.com.

Have any juicy food and beverage news?

Send over any tips to sean@downtownnews.com.

image courtesy Music Center

Once renovations at the Music Center Plaza are complete, the space will include a new wine bar, restaurant and coffee bar joining the already open Upstage Burger and Cocina Roja.

FIVE NISEI WEEK HIGHLIGHTS

T

he 79th annual Nisei Week festival runs from Aug.10-18, and features a trove of events, exhibits and performances. While you may not be able to do everything, here are five highlights.

Tanabata Festival Aug. 10, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Aug. 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

At 100 N. Central Ave. The two-day festival, now in its 11th year, is a Nisei Week favorite. It strings together workshops, food vendors and live dance and musical performances. The focal point is the kazari, the colorful paper streamers popular in traditional Japanese customs. Kazari workshops are available and you can vote on your favorite kazari on display. New this year is a cosplay contest that nets the winner a free badge to the 2020 Anime Expo.

Sunset on the Plaza Aug. 10, 5-10 p.m.

At the JACCC, 244 S. San Pedro St. The JACCC plaza will be filled with food vendors, live music, exhibits and more. Grab a drink at the beer garden and dance the night away to music from 12 live acts. There will also be food trucks.

Grand Parade Aug. 11, 4 p.m.

Various locations The colors are vibrant, the floats are big and the marchers are filled with energy. The parade brings out members of local community groups, as well as performers, war veterans and more. Philanthropist Akemi Miyake is this year’s grand marshal. Watch closely and you’ll see L.A. Clippers mascot Chuck the Condor, as the team is the parade marshal.

Nisei Week Deko-Car Show Aug. 17, 11- 6 p.m.

At Nishi Hongwanji Parking Lot, 815 E. First St. Gear heads and car enthusiasts will get revved up at this unique show. Mixing art, anime and car culture, the event is filled with decked-out vehicles, vendors, an artist table and live music.

Admission is $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Ondo Public Street Dancing Aug. 18, 4 p.m.

Along First Street This annual happening is a traditional take of communal dancing, and fills First Street between San Pedro Street and Central Avenue. Expect members of the audience to join in on the fun.

—Sean P. Thomas

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Aug. 8: Anna Morgan, Gangsta Boo, Jubilee, Om Unit, Salva.

Aug. 9: Catching Flies.

Aug. 10: Club 90s.

Aug. 11: Aux Wars.

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E.S. Onizuka St. Suite 301, (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

Aug. 5: Will Lyle presents a tribute to the Magical Trio.

Aug. 6: The Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki evening features art by Chiho Harazaki and music from Motoko Honda, Vinny Golia, Satnam Ramgotra and Matt Piper.

Aug. 7: Klyph, Tra$h Magnolia, Electroapocalypse.

Aug. 8: Angel City Jazz presents Pilgrim.

Aug. 9: John Kirby and Marcel Camargo.

Continued on page 15

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turon Sa ep s e t com d “Ke hligh eling” an week, g i h this is Fe . The t. e free ’t Fight Th the park at sunse r a m t y the Can ida so a all of hip out “ door. Al rse on Fr square. , n i a g e e ce ag and will w ots at th e Spiderv /pershin n o d g p ys , an s.or he b to th hows course t be standb -Man: In or lapark s f o f r St. ay ide do tion ollec stage, an t there m ing of Sp 2 S. Olive c a h it e the e, bu screen . At 53 ek w s we here) tak t press tim a gratis 7:30 p.m i h t There’s one final weekend to catch the cutt rs a n on rolls n (show booked uare offe hursday a e ting-edge artists selected for REDCAT’s 16th r a y o q T u ll g Sq eedwag ., was fu ershing S t Park on n annual New Original Works Festival. i h Pers s REO Sp -10 p.m n, and P ing Stree t a Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 8-10, marks the s 7 o r r e i e o p rt ser s hitmak runs from sday at n nearby S e finale of the three-weekend run, and as c n er co en 1980 , which Wedne s at the m always, there’s a trio of avant-garde acts. m t n h u r m The s ug. 10, w he conce els play o ro perfor Source Material (pictured here) will perform t T b A day, ing You.” Radio Re anda Cas its new musical-theater piece A Thousand v s m on Lo ficionado singer A Tongues, which mixes international music z a ’80s nally, jaz with visuals in an exploration of isolation. tio Addi In addition, Austyn Rich honors the black and brown troops that were “front-lined” by the military in BL**DY SPAGHETTI, and JesIt’s been a great year for the Bodega Boys. Desus and Meru, comedians from The Bronx, moved se Bonnell freshens up texts by playwright on from Viceland and landed a well-received late-night talk show on Showtime in February. Now Richard Foreman in Paradise Island. Each the duo continues its trajectory, and in addition to having a popular podcast, they’re an all-around performance begins at 8:30 p.m. At 631 W. comedic force. Catch the pair live when they bring their quick-witted pop culture takes to the TheSecond St. or redcat.org. atre at Ace Hotel on Monday and Wednesday, Aug. 5 and 7. Expect hilarious riffs on situations such as dealing with a soul-sucking job and the latest story in the hip-hop world. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. At 929 S. Broadway or theatre.acehotel.com.

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It’s the final week to watch things go completely off the rails — in the best possible way. The Play That Goes Wrong is wrapping up its run with eight performances this week at the Ahmanson Theater. Just try to stifle the guffaws as the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society presents its whodunnit The Murder at Haversham Manor, only for everything to fall to pieces, with forgotten lines, faulty set pieces and a “dead” body that just can’t stay still. There are 8 p.m. shows Tuesday-Saturday, Aug. 6-10, with a 2 p.m. performance on Saturday and a 1 p.m. show on Sunday. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatergroup.org.

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It’s been 25 years since DJ Jab opened the record store-turned record label Fat Beats in Manhattan’s Lower East Side; it quickly emerged as a hub (and source of employment) for up-and-coming hip-hop artists such as Q-Unique of the Arsonists and DJ Eclipse. Back in the limelight after the store reopened in the Fashion District last October, the Fat Beats brand is celebrating the quarter-century mark with an anniversary concert at The Regent on Saturday, Aug. 10. Dilated Peoples is the headliner, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the packed lineup includes The Alkaholiks, Cut Chemist (of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli fame, shown here), LA Breakers with J. Rocc and more. The show begins at 7 p.m. At 448 S. Main St. or spacelandpresents.com.

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

photo by Samantha Shay

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

1 photo courtesy Showtime

TUESDAY, AUG. 6 National Night Out Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St. or laparks.org/pershingsquare and Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St. or unionstationla.com/happenings.

5 p.m.: Join members of the LAPD for an evening of activities and community-bonding exercises.

FRIDAY, AUG. 9 Dance DTLA Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave. or musiccenter.org/ dancedtla.

7 p.m.: Have you ever wanted to learn how to salsa dance?

Stop wanting and start learning at this free event.

Movements at Union Station #3 Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St. or unionstationla.com.

8 p.m.: In the final installment of this series, enjoy a night of Afro-Latino jams, arts and crafts and food.

SATURDAY, AUG. 10 Chinatown Summer Nights Chinatown Central Plaza and elsewhere, 951 N. Broadway or chinatownsummernights.com.

5-10 p.m.: Make crafts, eat food and dance to live music from KCRW DJs at this free outdoor festival.

SUNDAY, AUG. 11 “We’re All Gonna Die!” Dystopian Book Club The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7:30 p.m.: Author Peter Clines leads a lively and in no way nihilistic discussion on Chuck Wendig’s novel “Wanderers.”

AUGUST 5, 2019

photo by Randee St. Nicholas

EVENTS

photo by Jeremy Daniel

CALENDAR LISTINGS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

photo by Elisabeth Fried

DT

14 DOWNTOWN NEWS

AUGUST 5, 2019

LISTINGS, 14 Aug. 10: Teryn Ré Big Band.

Aug. 11: Mike Gurrola Quartet.

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

Aug. 5: Folk singer A.O. Gerber starts an August residency.

Aug. 6: Disco revivalist Donny Benet is back in Downtown.

Aug. 7: Cuffed Up has a record release show.

Aug. 8: Meanwhile, Jason Ayala has both an EP release show and a birthday party. It should be wild.

Aug. 9: Feminist jam band Gauche makes its way to Downtown from Washington, D.C. Aug. 10: Beach Bums, backed by Desert Island Boys and Slay Squad.

Aug. 11: Austin rockers Think No Think.

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

Aug. 9: Mark Sherry.

Aug. 10: Dirty South.

Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd. or grammymuseum.org.

Aug. 7: Guitarist Robert Randolph performs ahead of the release of his new album.

Ham and Eggs Tavern 433 W. Eighth St. or hamandeggstavern.com.

Aug. 6: Sad Park, Peyote Ugly, Sanguine Knight, Bird of Paradise.

Aug. 8: Bogus Genius (band name of the week), Good Dog, Salt, Brochure.

Moroccan Lounge 901 E. First St., (213) 395-0610 or themoroccan.com.

Aug. 6: The Shelters unfortunately will not be housing those families living on the streets in Skid Row. Aug. 7: Ethereal dream pop with Meernaa. Plus, Spooky Mansions, which is the best kind of mansion.

Aug. 8: Singer-songwriter Sidney Gish has the early show.

Aug. 9: Rockers Hannah Wicklund and the Steppin Stones.

Aug. 10: Pixx’s latest album is “The Age of Anxiety,” which is accurate.

Aug. 11: Gabriel Delicious, Albacore Club, Hooveriii.

Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St. or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Aug. 7: Radio Rebels.

Aug. 10: Rock out in an old-school way with REO Speedwagon.

Resident 428 S. Hewitt St. or residentdtla.com.

Aug. 6-7: Alt Bloom stages its first live shows over two nights.

Aug. 8: Citris, Noelle Tannen, Dirty Cakes, The Beatjackers, Nightgown, A Reminder.

Aug. 10: That Big ’80s Party.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0736 or sevengrandbars.com/la.

Aug. 5: Slim Pickins returns.

Aug. 6: The Makers are fried in the heat.

Aug. 7: Delta Soul.

Aug. 8: The New Experience includes a member of The Doors!

Aug. 9: 9th Ward All Stars.

Aug. 10: Midnight Blues Revue keeps you up to date with blues.

Aug. 11: Curtis Parry Quartet.

The Redwood 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com.

Aug. 6: Stone Deaf, Mezzoa, Mountain Tamer.

Aug. 7: Michael Des Barres and the Mistakes, Hammered Satin, The Claws.

Aug. 8: The Darbies, with Cabin Fever.

Aug. 9: The Fleshtones!, The Magnet Hearts, The Brutalists, Frankie Deumane & the Electric Needles.

Aug. 11: Deaf Whale, Mean Heat, Ted Marengos.

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

Aug. 10: Celebrate 25 years of Fat Beats with Dilated Peoples, The Alkaholiks, DJ Eclipse and more.

The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org.

Aug. 11: Moaning, Traps PS, Kuromi, Prissy Whip, and The Chonks play a fundraiser for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign. It will be huge. Sanders probably will not attend.

Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Aug. 8: Turkish rockers Altin Gün will show you how Anatolia jams.

Aug. 9: Ty Segall’s residency continues with performances

DT

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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.

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Daily and weekly excellent location.

Furnished. Daily from $60, weekly from $250. 1214 W. 8th Street.

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LEGAL FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2019 184343 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) VINTAGE VORTEX V V, 5213 HOLLYWOOD BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90027 LOS ANGELES COUNTY are hereby registered by the following registrants: MICHELLE SHARPLES, 724 ECHO PARK AVE APT A, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026. This business is conducted by an Individual.

Registrant(s) started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 05/2014.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on July 2, 2019.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk.

A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself autho-

of his new album “First Taste” and his breakthrough “Melted.”

Aug. 10-11: Canadian singer-songwriter Lights does two nights, it might be a delight.

Alamo Drafthouse 700 W. Seventh St. or drafthouse.com/los-angeles.

Through Aug. 11: Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (11:45 a.m., 2:15, 3:05, 5:35, 6:30, 7:25, 10 and 10:45 p.m.); Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (11:45 a.m., 12, 1:10, 2:10, 3:15, 3:50, 5, 6, 7, 7:45, 8:50, 9:50 and 10:50 p.m.); Booksmart (12:15 p.m.); The Farewell (12:45, 1:45, 3:30, 4:30, 6:15, 6:45, 9:30 and 10:15 p.m.); Midsommar (3:05 p.m.); Spider-Man: Far From Home (11:15 a.m., 2:30, 5:45 and 9 p.m.); The Lion King (11:20 a.m., 1:25, 2:25, 5:30 and 8:35 p.m.).

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

Aug. 5-8: Enjoy a 4K restoration of the 1966 documentary The Queen. The film looks at a drag show competition.

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

Dogs can do more than just slobber over your shoes. Check out all of their unique abilities in Superpower Dogs 3D. Witness the destructive and raw power of volcanoes as Volcanoes 3D: The Fires of Creation tours different hot spots around the globe.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing with the documentary Apollo 11.

Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St. or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Aug. 9: Enjoy the best Spider-man film in 15 years with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse.

Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/movies.

Through Aug. 11: Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (9:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m., 12:40, 1, 2:30, 3, 3:30, 4, 4:20, 6, 6:30, 7, 7:20, 7:30, 9:30, 10, 10:30 and 10:40 p.m.); Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (9:40 and 10:40 a.m., 1:30, 2:10, 3:30, 5:20, 6:30, 9:10, 9:40 and 10:10 p.m.); The Lion King (9:30, 10 and 11:50 a.m., 1, 4, 4:40, 6:10, 7:40, 9:20 and 10:40 p.m.); Crawl (9:30 a.m., 12:50, 3:40 and

rize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 and 8/19.

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code.

The undersigned will sell on the 13th day of August 2019 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: Name of owner: Space number

FILM

10:40 p.m.); Midsommar (9:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m.); Spider-Man: Far From Home (12:30, 2:50, 7 and 9:50 p.m.); Toy Story 4 (10:10 a.m., 1:20, 4 and 7:10 p.m.).

Rooftop Cinema Club Level Furnished Living, 888 S. Olive St. or rooftopcinemaclub.com.

Aug. 6: Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett start a heist in Set It Off. Aug. 7: Get down with McLovin in Superbad.

Aug. 8: It’s a sing-along version of The Greatest Showman. This one time you too can be Hugh Jackman.

Aug. 9: Guess what movie it is. If you guess A Star Is Born, you win.

Aug. 10: If you guessed Bohemian Rhapsody for that last one, you were off by one day.

Aug. 11: Tell us more, tell us more. It’s a sing-along screening of Grease.

CLASSICAL

Carmen Goes to the Movies Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave. or laphil.org.

Aug. 11, 2 p.m.: The California Philharmonic performs excerpts from the opera “Carmen,” plus film scores from Ennio Morricone, John Williams and Elton John.

THEATER & DANCE 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.

2 YOUR EVENT INFO

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Description of goods Amount Valerie Arreola Personal effects $1071.00 Jose Domingo Morales Personal effects $840.00

D-28

E-2

Greg Wiele Personal effects $716.00

E-12

Yvette Del Muro Personal effects $1001.00

D-15

‘ Helping Everyone Find their Place in Downtown Los Angeles Since 2002 ’ Bill Cooper 213.598.7555 • LARealEstateExpert.com Bill@LARealEstateExpert.com

Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.

Place your

Thriftee Storage Company LLC

Call 213.481.1448 x141

Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager Agust 5, 2019

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PARK, 7

TRILOGY

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Apartment Amenities: Breathtaking Views Spacious Floorplans Central Air & Heating Balconies / Urban Patios (Most Units) Deep Soaking Tubs Luxury Stainless Appliances & Finishes Sky Level 27th Floor Penthouse Units: Complimentary Wi-Fi & Basic Cable Waterfall Countertops Bosch Appliances Nest 3rd Generation Thermostats Up to 2 Parking Spaces Included On-Site: Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

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representative for the city Department of Public Works, nearly $19.5 million for the project has come through Quimby funds, which are charged to developers to aid in park creation.

The city hopes to cover the remainder through Proposition 68 allocations. The ballot measure was approved by California voters last November to provide funding for parks and recreation opportunities in underserved communities. Heyward said the city will learn by December if its application for the money has been approved.

The First and Broadway Park has suffered numerous delays.

At a 2017 community meeting, park representatives said it would break ground in early 2018 and be completed by early 2020. That date came and went, and now a 2019 groundbreaking will also be missed.

“We have every intent to fully fund this project,” Heyward said. “If we don’t get the funding in December, yes it could hold us up maybe a couple of months, but we don’t see a substantial delay due to that.”

Last week city officials said they expect a groundbreaking next spring, with completion by winter 2022.

People who attended the meeting posed questions and expressed concerns. Alex Sasayama, who lives near Fifth and Hill streets, said he is worried that the park will rely too heavily on special events.

“Special events are great and we have a lot of them across the city, but we as residents in the neighborhood need places that function daily for us,” Sasayama said. “The failure of some of our biggest parks in the neighborhood is that they are not places that we can really use on a daily basis unless it is a special event.”

Hal Bastian, a business consultant and longtime Downtown resident, questioned why the bulk of the restaurant’s rooftop patio seating seems to face City Hall, while turning its back on Grand Avenue.

“The views looking westward are fabulous. It’s the federal courthouse, it’s going to be The Grand, and Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Bastian said. “Looking at that, it doesn’t seem like you are going to be able to see that at all.”

Representatives for the Bureau of Engineering said that another community meeting will not be held before the groundbreaking. sean@downtownnews.com

Apartment Amenities: City and Mountain Views Luxury Appliances & Finishes Central Air & Heating Balconies (Most Units) Basic Cable *All Amenities Under Renovation

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Villa Tenants Association, put the situation in the context of rents that are rising in Chinatown and other communities.

“Our victory is a large victory for us, but it is also a very small victory for the thousands of people who are facing illegal evictions and displacement through gentrification,” AlexZander said in a prepared statement. “The Hillside Villa Tenants Association is committed to taking our experiences and joining forces with other tenants throughout the city, fighting against the injustices of unethical landlords.”

This is not the first time Cedillo has stepped in to help preserve low-income housing in Chinatown. Last August, his office executed an agreement to forestall an 8% rent hike at the Metro Lofts in Chinatown, an affordable housing project on Spring Street for seniors. In that case, developer Atlas Capital, which is working on projects in the neighborhood, agreed to cover the increases imposed by the landlord.

If the City Council approves the current motion, the City Attorney’s office and the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department will finalize the agreement with the tenants and the landlord. That is expected to happen by the end of the fall. nicholas@downtownnews.com