Around the Halls: September 29 - October 1
Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — It's Monday, September 29. Council's on recess Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday's got a lot on tap for Downtowners. Most notably, a draft of the film permitting services RFP goes to Public Works. Expect high drama.
MONDAY & TUESDAY: Council's on recess.
WEDNESDAY: Five committees and a Council meeting make for a full slate.
At Housing, Community & Economic Development Committee, item 7 (CF 07-0203 is a revision of the Community Benefits agreement for the delayed Figueroa Central project. The developer is on the hook for $6.8 million in funding for affordable housing, and the CRA is asking for the funding to be split to match the two phases of the proposed project.
Item 11, CF 08-1031-S1, is a motion by Councilwoman Perry asking why the paperwork hasn't been signed on Park Fifth's TFAR package. The plan was approved by Council in May. The motion asks for the CLA's office to be given signing power.
At Council, item 26 is CF 08-0224 is the Little Tokyo identity motion that was at Planning & Land Use two weeks ago (and was covered back in January when first moved). Council is simply noting and filing the report from Planning.
Item 29 is CF 07-3144, vacation proceedings for Werdin Place north of 3rd street. This is to provide space for the Police Motorpool facility. The motion instructs the City Clerk to hold a public hearing on October 21.
Item 42 is CF 08-1984, a Perry / Greuel motion from July asking Caltrans to report back on freeway issues, including "Downtown Los Angeles areas where the freeway system is deteriorating." Caltrans made an initial report in Transportation committee, and the Council motion asks them to report back with more answers.
Item 46 is CF 08-0002-S141, a motion that asks the feds to rename a project in the transportation funding bill SAFETEA-LU and make $900,000 available for the 1st Street Viaduct widening project. The feds approved funding for work east of Mission, but now the City wants the money for the bridge work instead.
Highlight of the day is at the 3pm Public Works Committee meeting, where item 7 is CF 07-1586, the new RFP for film permitting and notification services. The first draft RFP came out last November and offered huge steps forward. The revised RFP dulls some requirements, but still presents a large step in the right direction. Expect a full story on the new terms before the meeting.
Brigham on September 29, 2008, at 01:17AM – #1
I'm interested in what develops from Park Fifth and Fig Central. Are those projects any closer to reality??? I'm crossing my fingers on both of them.
Urk on September 30, 2008, at 11:18AM – #2
Park Fifth is doomed to fail. It was from the very beginning.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on September 30, 2008, at 11:35AM – #3
One could argue that a lot of things are doomed to fail in today's market, but every time we've heard something from Park Fifth it's that the project has hit another milestone. Were the project not looking to move forward, I doubt Wednesday's motion would exist.
I passed the project's VP of Marketing, Erika Nelson, on the sidewalk a week or so ago. We laughed that sighting her was newsworthy, since it meant that she was still employed and the project was going forward.
cabrini on October 04, 2008, at 01:53PM – #4
Houk just said in the LA Times that Park Fifth will break ground NEXT year now. It seems he lost his most recent financiers again. You're right, Eric, that is quite a milestone.