joseph on July 21, 2009, at 04:20PM – #1

this is a good thing.. the area needs some strong retail.. and your right.. change is a good thing

damn. on July 21, 2009, at 08:16PM – #2

Sadness.

I'd rather see galleries than retail on my corner. But then again, retail comes with security and maintenance. It's a bitter, bitter trade-off.

Mindy4 on July 21, 2009, at 09:42PM – #3

"Sometimes," Green said, "change can be a good thing."

I'm only not more bothered by this because of what Bert Green says.

I assume he's rather easygoing about the change because it really can be interpreted as a sign of new vitality in the area and not because a tiny part of him would prefer less competition. However, the Arts District is what it is mainly because of people -- pioneers, if you will -- like him, so I imagine he's too sensible and magnanimous to think that way.

As for Amerland, I hope they don't end up inadvertantly killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

Vivo on July 21, 2009, at 10:40PM – #6

@ML, yea i always wonder how any place downtown manages to pay rent. really.

Nice that Pharmaka is opening an "extension" gallery in the LAPD "extension". -"awarded" a lease - so that means a subsidized rate for the a chosen non-profit?

and "store fronts mid block" means they are moving temporarily a few doors west in the same building?

Vivo on July 21, 2009, at 10:48PM – #7

excellent photo btw. It really shows just how beautiful that building, with its arched storefronts, really is.

Bert Green on July 22, 2009, at 12:27AM – #9

To Mindy4: I am on the board of directors of the Pharmaka non-profit and I also negotiated the deal with the previous owner to get these three spaces for the galleries in 2004. We never expected them to be there this long at below market rent, so my point is simply that they got more out of this than originally planned.

It's simplistic to think that galleries "compete" with each other; in fact, galleries do much better in clusters than isolated from each other. That was the whole point of Gallery Row and the Downtown Art Walk. Since 2003 when there were 3 galleries, the area now has about 10 very serious galleries, and almost 40 art spaces in the area. I'd say that's successful.

It's also not really accurate to assume that the artists and the galleries get "pushed out" when the area improves. In my case, I have an 8 year lease on my space. When it expires in 2012 I don't expect to stay there, because the landlord will be able to get 5 or 6 times more than I pay. But that was the whole idea from the beginning, that I could get 8 years of cheap rent in exchange for pioneering the area. Pharmaka and its neighbors got almost 5 years. That's a pretty good deal.

We will all be fine, we will all find a new place to move to, and the neighborhood benefits overall.

Jamie Schwartzman on July 22, 2009, at 08:24AM – #10

I think Pharmaka and Bert Green galleries anchor the 5th & main corner very well and are very complimentary. My concern would be the landlord's selection in replacement tenants.

The resulting combination could be a lot less synergistic, although it could provide big financial upside for the lessor.

A national convenience store chain would, for instance, could negatively impact the character of the location. Combine that with the development at 4th & main and there's a lot of volatility for the indie feel of the Old Bank District.

Fortunately, Gilmore gets this. And I'd imagine he'll exercise whatever influence he has muster to keep the vibe of the OBD intact.

nirad on July 22, 2009, at 10:01AM – #12

those galleries made the heart of art walk. with them gone, will artwalk die? and it seems odd to evict a tenant in an economic climate that will make it difficult to find a replacement tenant at (quickly falling) market rates.

Brady Westwater on July 22, 2009, at 11:23AM – #13

Gallery Row is not losing any of these three galleries.

It's even possible they might all three remain in the same building; talks are still going on.

There will also be new culturally oriented spaces developed in the mezzanine level of the Rosslyn Lofts and the Company of Angels theater company has a long term deal to stay in the Alexandria Hotel.

The arts will continue to remain an integral part of our community - and it will be by developing long term financially sustainable business plans after the early leases expire.

And Bert is totally right. In order to fix the worst corner in LA - 5th and Main - those galleries were given leases which everyone knew could not be financially maintained in the long term - and we all knew that going in.

But those galleries are now more established and they will develop new business plans for whichever spaces - in the area - they will relocate.

Plus several new galleries are looking right now - and one has an offer out which should be shortly accepted and another local gallery is looking to expand. And this is despite the fact rents are NOT declining on Main Street because they were kept reasonable by the landlords. That's why there is not a single storefront available for lease on Main Street from 1st to the north side of 6th and Main.

Ankur on July 22, 2009, at 05:53PM – #14

I was a little annoyed that they were never open but special times and the art walk, I hope they stay close by however!

matthew on July 22, 2009, at 06:50PM – #15

Perhaps a group of these galleries could buy this building on the Medallion development block on the corner of LA Street and 3rd?

Or an investor could purchase it and rent it as a Gallery Building?

Anon on July 23, 2009, at 10:40AM – #16

First and foremost, these galleries along with Bert Green, are anchors, now as i have noticed on the last couple of art walks, i notice, the vision, which i understood, was to create a gallery row that would involve really good galleries. Now i notice, that the developers are more interested in allowing anybody to occupy a storefront and throw an art show. Now as cool as this is, what i see, is a downturn level of art. I wish the developers would come to the realization that kicking galleries out, that are the lifeblood and anchor of the downtown is not the answer to making a cool area. Thus the reason that, still to this day, most great art shows ,are still on the westside. But saying that, i feel there are still solid solid galleries in downtown. FYI, i know from experience how hard it is to maintain a free space gallery, relying solely on selling of art. It's tough.