Hollywood Projects

[DJM19]

Good to see Technicolor is opening some operation in Hollywood. Currently they are all in North Hollywood (and offices around the world)

[cookiejarvis]

That appeal, made by East-West Studios LLC owner Doug Rogers, was rejected 3-0 by the commission at its Sept. 12 meeting...

I think that's where Green Jelly Studios used to be.

[LAMetroGuy]

Not sure if this was already posted:

City, Developer Reach Deal on W Hotel

By DANIEL MILLER

Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

A deal has been reached between a group of local officials and Hollywood business owner Robert Blue to incorporate his Bernard’s Luggage Co. store into the planned Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street development that will feature a W Hotel.


City officials said Blue was the last holdout fighting the development.


Blue worked out the deal with Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles, and project developers Legacy Partners Inc. and Gatehouse Capital Corp., said Josh Kamensky, spokesman for Garcetti.


“This agreement is the result of a lot of late night meetings,” Kamensky said.


Details of the deal are to be released at a press conference in Hollywood this morning.


The mixed-use project, which will be located south of Hollywood Boulevard between Vine Street and Argyle Avenue, includes the hotel, condos, apartments, and retail space. The price of the project has been estimated at $400 million.


The deal takes place against the backdrop of Proposition 90, which would limit eminent domain to public uses, such as parks, roads and schools. Blue received attention last year when he fought the CRA’s use of eminent domain to clear property for a private developer. Blue’s case has been cited as an example for boosters of the proposition, which is on the November ballo

[Damien]

You know what, for all of the ridicule the guy got from everyone on this board (myself included), this is exactly what should happen.

I truly hope the deal will be structured in a way that it can serve as a model for developers who want to cash in on the densification of Los Angeles, and we who are concerned about the Starbuckization of our local communities.

[Damien]

You know what, for all of the ridicule the guy got from everyone on this board (myself included), this is exactly what should happen.

I truly hope the deal will be structured in a way that it can serve as a model for developers who want to cash in on the densification of Los Angeles, and we who are concerned about the Starbuckization of our local communities.

[DJM19]

The problem is that often the businesses located in the area are directly contributing to how bad or melancholy its doing. So if you dont replace the business, you arent doing much better in terms of making the place attractive to visit. Not many people need crappy luggage. Its a niche store that has no use to people more than once every 10 years. Its not like replacing a coffee shop that could be visited 3 times a week by a person. And coffee shops are all about location. A luggage store could easily be 3 blocks down and nobody will know the difference.

[POLA]

Now the juice shop next door, that should have been saved because that is a great local place that will never survive changing locations. But, there building isn't historical, so they can't put up as much of a fight. That luggage store was not adding to the hood.

[Damien]

My concern is the high rents that come with the new developments, which prevent anyone but Borders, Starbucks, Gap and Olive Garden from opening up shop. Creating businesses that pay $8 an hour with all profits going to multi-nationals with headquarters in another state, region or country is not exactly my idea of growing the local economy.

I don't want to see every community to look like the same faux-tuscan towncenter brought to you by the latest could-give-a-shit-about-the-community developer, and I hope someone can figure out a way to add homes and apartments to Los Angeles without doing that.

[cookiejarvis]

Originally Posted by POLA

Now the juice shop next door, that should have been saved because that is a great local place that will never survive changing locations. But, there building isn't historical, so they can't put up as much of a fight. That luggage store was not adding to the hood.

Apparently Juices Fountain has found a new space to do business on Hollywood Blvd.

[danparker276]

I'm sure that luggage store will change the quality of things they sell. Probably target the people staying at the hotel. Who knows, maybe it's inside the hotel.

[Wright Concept]

^ Good Point. If this luggage store may become a convienent assest to the Hotel for things like locks, name tags, and smaller goods, rollered carriers. With the changing demographic of Hollywood and really the city trying to cater to the Business traveler, a local luggage store might be the small thing that might not seem needed but it does makes a difference.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by LAMetroGuy

A deal has been reached between a group of local officials and Hollywood business owner Robert Blue to incorporate his Bernard’s Luggage Co. store into the planned Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street development that will feature a W Hotel.

That's good news. I know one of the SSPers several wks ago gave a hint (in this thread?) about a settlement being reached between the luggage store & the CRA, but I wasn't sure if I should believe it until I saw it in hard print.

I hope this means the predicted start up of construction by November (or in about a month or two) is realistic.

The clock is ticking!

[POLA]

Originally Posted by cookiejarvis

Apparently Juices Fountain has found a new space to do business on Hollywood Blvd.

Hurrah!

Originally Posted by Damien

I don't want to see every community to look like the same faux-tuscan towncenter brought to you by the latest could-give-a-shit-about-the-community developer, and I hope someone can figure out a way to add homes and apartments to Los Angeles without doing that.

great point, I totally agree with you and see your point.

I really shouldn't be so hard on the luggage store. And man, I love it when everyone on this message board has really smart and insightful things to say!

[RAlossi]

Originally Posted by Damien

My concern is the high rents that come with the new developments, which prevent anyone but Borders, Starbucks, Gap and Olive Garden from opening up shop. Creating businesses that pay $8 an hour with all profits going to multi-nationals with headquarters in another state, region or country is not exactly my idea of growing the local economy.

I understand your sentiments, and it might be hard for the luggage shop unless it gets reduced rents (a very likely possibility as part of the settlement). But keep in mind that there will be so many more potential customers walking past the luggage shop with a hotel/retail/condo development than there have been on that block for years. The luggage shop can do a lot more business once the project is completed.

[Wright Concept]

^ Which is probably the reason why they fought as hard as they did.

Some folks on this forum need to own their own business on a street and watch as someone tries to force you out to build a development on your property. I bet some of you here will try to do the exact same things the luggage owner is trying to do. Going by how strong some of these posts are I doubt any of you will just say "Ok, let's go". You'll try to fight it because it directly effects your livelihood and income.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ HAHA, do you guys really think his luggage shop will be tied in with the infamous W Hotel? lol

First of all, to be associated with such a high end name like the W, the luggage store owner will probably have to restock his entire inventory with luggage that matches with the W name. Nothing lower than Samsonite or Tumi would be accepted.

And secondly, from my understanding, he'll have to go thru the process to be authorized to sell those kinds of high-end names.

Anyway, all this talk is ridiculous about keeping the status quo of a neighborhood to maintain it's "character." All neighborhoods change and evolve. What is today, was not that way it was yesteryear, and will likely change again. And the change is only dramatic in a setting like Los Angeles, where it grew up as a "quiet" suburb, and now is becoming a bustling metropolis more akin to Sao Paulo. In addition, I am around Hollywood/Vine a lot and I don't see many people going into the luggage store or any of those other small businesses around there. So it didn't work in attracting people, so it's time to move on.

[RAlossi]

Originally Posted by PracticalVisionary

^ Which is probably the reason why they fought as hard as they did.

Well, initially there was a very big fight to stop the process entirely. I don't think the luggage owner had a long-term plan in place when the lawsuit was filed. Those guys were going for blood when they started arguing that federal/CRA money/land couldn't be used to build for-sale condos and/or retail.

They had a valid argument on that basis (valid in the eyes of the law, not valid in what's best for the city and district), but since there's no formal opposition anymore AFAIK, it won't be an issue. I think the developers are shifting some money around to make the CRA grants apply only to the affordable housing portion, or something.

It's kind of like how the MTA is using federal money to tunnel for the Eastside Gold Line even though there's a ban on using local funds for subway construction. Whether they're allowed to intermingle funds like that is questionable, but again, there's no opposition.

[Damien]

Originally Posted by RAlossi

I understand your sentiments, and it might be hard for the luggage shop unless it gets reduced rents (a very likely possibility as part of the settlement). But keep in mind that there will be so many more potential customers walking past the luggage shop with a hotel/retail/condo development than there have been on that block for years. The luggage shop can do a lot more business once the project is completed.

Of course. And my guess is reduced rents as well. How do you determine what a fair period of reduced rent is? Does it end after some arbitrary negotiated date or after the business starts bringing in a certain amount of sales/customers? Or is there another concession in addition to or in place of reduced rents?

I really hope they make the details of the deal public, because when it comes to redevelopment projects the national chains that come with them is one of my major beefs. This question isn't unique to Hollywood Blvd. We have plenty of streets in the Southland where 75%-plus of the buildings can/should/must be demolished and rebuilt as multi-story residential possibly with retail on the bottom. I constantly wonder how to fill those retail spots with small businesses that give a street its attraction and uniqueness. And what's the point in creating more fertile economic soil if the only people reaping the benefits are paying poor wages and are out of state?

The result is more detrimental to a community like those in South LA along Crenshaw or Vermont, where a new develop with new paint looks nice, but the jobs pay just as poorly, no one in the store is making enough decent money to live in the condos above, and the entire community is forced to pay increased property taxes and apartment rents.

[Damien]

First of all, to be associated with such a high end name like the W, the luggage store owner will probably have to restock his entire inventory with luggage that matches with the W name. Nothing lower than Samsonite or Tumi would be accepted.

And secondly, from my understanding, he'll have to go thru the process to be authorized to sell those kinds of high-end names.

Do you think businesses survive for decades in this city, especially those in areas that have seen their socio-economic make-up change numerous times without being able to adjust? He'll either adapt or be forced to close up shop. I'm saying based on how well he played this in the media, he probably isn't a fool, and he may be around longer than you think he will.

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

Anyway, all this talk is ridiculous about keeping the status quo of a neighborhood to maintain it's "character." All neighborhoods change and evolve. What is today, was not that way it was yesteryear, and will likely change again.

No one is talking about keeping the status quo. I'm saying I don't want every corner in Los Angeles look the same and question the rationale of dumping lots of precious tax dollars building new developments that increase rents and property taxes only to send local money out the region. I'm talking about community empowerment.

I seriously suggest you go and live in an older city where local communities have been thriving for over a century, so you can take a look at just who rents those retail spots. The Subways, Starbucks and Olive Gardens are few and far between. It's small business owners that keep that local economy moving and the residents employed not the corporate nationals. It's the small businesses and local businesses that make the Inman Square experience different than the Copley Square experience, and therefore keep both economies moving.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ I am concerned as much as you regarding WHAT KIND of retail leases out spaces in new developments. It's fun and interesting to come and theorize our view points and opinions on here (almost like a virtual college course discussion class), but I am personally involved with some retail developments in Downtown LA right now, and I am usually the one advocating independent businesses to set up shop. Independent businesses, if maintained well, are much more interesting to people. BUT, certain business chains also validate that an area is doing well. For example, I am very excited that LA Live will be getting many chains like PF Changs, Gladstones, etc. because everyone in the industry knows that those kinds of restaurants would never come into Downtown LA if it wasn't getting better.

Overall, an area should include a healthy mix of chains and independent mom and pops. This has been done nicely if you look at LA as a whole, or a condensed Manhattan. The best area for interesting shops used to be Main St. in Santa Monica or Westwood Village. Downtown LA has the potential to become truly a slice of Manhattan, or even a condensed version of it. The historic core has some of the most potential in becoming the next shopping haven, esp. Broadway and the numbered streets.