DLANC Board Recap: September 2009
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
A representative from the Score Gentlemen's Club addresses the DLANC Board of Directors in the lobby of the Los Angeles Theater.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) is one of two councils to cover Downtown. blogdowntown will be providing recaps of monthly board meetings as a service to our readers.
September's meeting of the DLANC Board of Directors weighed in at a svelte two hours, but had its share of drama as the body weighed whether to continue funding the Downtown Art Walk shuttle. The Board also voted to support a Conditional Use Permit for Score Gentlemen's Club, located near the 10 freeway.
The meeting got off to an inauspicious start when the first item, the City-mandated screening of a sexual harassment education video, was postponed because no one had set up a projector.
During public announcements, there was confusion over who was going to present information about the upcoming Red Bull Soapbox Race. The scheduled speaker wasn't on-hand when the item came up, leaving a pair of attractive but not technically versed Red Bull girls to answer questions about the event and hand out free product. Julio from All Access Entertainment arrived just as things got awkward.
Debate over Funding the Downtown Art Walk Shuttle
The night's longest debate was over whether the neighborhood council should continue funding for the Downtown Art Walk's Hippodrome shuttle. The council currently provides $500 per month for the service.
Bill Eiseman, alternate for Brady Westwater and owner of Todd Browning Gallery and Polyester Books, made the motion to remove the funds from the shuttle and instead program them toward the needs of the newly formed Gallery Owners Association. He gave a brochure and web site fees as possible uses, but no budget was presented.
Given its success, Eiseman said that he believed the Art Walk "should be self-sustaining" and should no longer need DLANC's financial support. The galleries, on the other hand, need support to survive.
"We have to come up with ways to bring serious art collectors in," he told the Board.
Board President Russell Brown said that Art Walk's success has only translated into traffic for a handful of galleries. "We're hearing stories of galleries who are lucky if they get 100 [people]," he said. "What we're trying to do is create a solid foundation [for the galleries to be successful]."
Board member Scott Bytof questioned whether such a move would come at the expense of other businesses that benefit from Art Walk. "This is going toward a selection of businesses we've chosen to help," he said.
Richard Schave, Executive Director of the Art Walk, told the board that he was "confused" by the process involved in the funds' allocation. He asked how they could have been approved in May, but pulled now.
In the end, the motion fell to the floor for lack of a second.
Logo Contest Update
Board member Ashley Zarella told the Board that she was disappointed with delays and uninspired work by the winner of the DLANC logo competition, chosen in June. Board President Brown asked whether DLANC needed the winner's participation in further tweaks, given that part of the contest entry was to grant all rights on the design to the Council. Zarella said that she wanted to give the winner one more chance, but would make alterations herself if the results weren't satisfactory.
Gentlemen's Club Scores DLANC Endorsement for Plans
Score Gentlemen's Club got the rare DLANC endorsement for an adult use, with the Board voting to write a letter in support of the strip club's application for a Conditional Use Permit. The club, located at 2065 S. Santa Fe, is hoping to add alcohol sales and a full restaurant, going from full-nude to topless in the process and agreeing to a long list of conditions.
Committee Updates
Parks, Recreation and Open Space: Board member and Committee Chair Patti Berman told the board that a vendor has been approved for the cafe space at Pershing Space. She also shared information about October's movie lineup at the park.
Board president Brown gave a brief update on the effort by residents of the Eastern Columbia building to acquire the parking lot at 9th and Hill as a park. Councilmembers Huizar and Perry have each committed $500,000 in Quimby funds, he said, but the land purchase price is $6 million.
Sustainability: Board member and Committee Chair Zarella told the board that the AIA SDAT team will be in town September 10 and 11 for an introductory visit. She said that the committee had chosen not to pursue a recovery grant application that Australian firm Urban Glue had asked it to partner on.
Transportation: The volunteer who had offered to chair the committee is unable to do so given work commitments, and the council is seeking a volunteer to head the committee.
Affordable Housing: Board member and Committee Chair Shannon Parker showed the board a draft of the committee's "Where It's At" map, which highlights the location of services in the Skid Row community. Someone asked whether the same map could be done for the galleries.
The Board's next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 13.
Ravi on September 09, 2009, at 02:06PM – #1
These minutes are great!! I always thought board meetings were either hooded cloaks and candles or all 12 Angry Men-like.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on September 09, 2009, at 02:17PM – #2
Just a slight word of caution: these aren't officially minutes (nor are they intended to be). They're just my recap from being there and taking notes.
Ravi on September 09, 2009, at 03:22PM – #3
That's cool, Eric. I just didn't know what else to call the recap - summary may have been more appropriate.
out my window on September 09, 2009, at 04:34PM – #4
Are you telling the public that pershing square is going to put a cafe in the park or is this another atempt to sell chow mein to christmas ice skaters out of a tent? Please lets pass at another tent food court with low end vendors who do nothing more than enhance the rat problem. Once again R&P cant seem to comprehend that wether they like it or not the downtown community is going to use Pershing Square. We are going to do more than ice skate and park cars there and we are going to need a real resturant. While I'm at it I would like to know why the city wasted concert money on lunchtime shows that were not scheduled on farmers markets days. Wake up park lady.
Russell Brown on September 10, 2009, at 08:05AM – #5
The full service restaurant vendor for Pershing Square will be a much needed improvement. The city of LA's convoluted bid process made it impossible to move forward, so we have worked with the city attorney's office, the Rec and Park commissioners and local leasing agents to find a solution.
It may take a year for plan approval, build out and inspections and opening, but all should be pleased at the end result. Intent is to have lunch and dinner offered full time at the park- not just at special events. It will not be tacky taco in a tent. The company has other facilities in Pasadena that are upscale and will complement the changing character of the park.
The restaurant will be housed in the abandoned cafe space. The space will be significantly changed and expanded. This is about a $300,000 project, funded primarily by the restaurant vendor.
As for the programming, the Pershing Square park advisory board and Louise Capone agree to the need to change the schedule of the programming. However, that decision was not approved by the higher management who are off site.
We have started a series of Friday night movies during the summer-starts again for 5 Fridays in Oct.- along with the Wed Farmer's Market. The Downtown Stage music events were very well attended and produced for not a huge amount of money thanks to the music connections of Louise and the generosity of the artists and sponsors.
Good suggestions and we look forward to continuing the changes.
Russ Brown
Co-Chair Pershing Square Park Advisory Board
President DLANC
out my window on September 10, 2009, at 05:15PM – #6
Thanks for the explination. Unfortunately the time line on the resturant up and runing seems like forever. If we have another good concert season like this past summer Pershing Square is going to have to get some sort of better food situation even on a temp basis. Once again I agree that the summer season was a plus for not only Pershing but the downtown community. Glad to hear the Farmers Market "no concerts" was not a decision made by the Park Lady or the Park Advisory. It would have been a perfect summer compliment to the food and lawn table & chairs at Pershing.
Russ Brown on September 11, 2009, at 01:57PM – #7
Agreed.
Often we must deal with the cards we are dealt and the decisions from the powers above. However, we are also working diligently to change the collection of cards that are available and also to educate the decision makers that their past perspectives are no longer working.
Park Lady- Louise Capone- has been that amazing game changer who must swim against a city bureaucracy that often is clueless. Barry Sanders, head of the Recreation and Parks Commissioners and Jon Mukri, head of the Dept of Rec and Parks have both been very helpful in helping shepherd through the cafe proposal the Palm Court improvements.
We also have Louise's boss Ann Volmer who makes things happen and 7 park advisory board volunteers who are pushing along so thanks for helping us change things in the park.
Been There on September 11, 2009, at 05:53PM – #8
.......er, the Board is supporting Score Gentlemen's Club? This is the same Board that is enthusiastic about Haven opening on Main Street? Let's see---strippers, lap dancing, excessive drinking, blighted neighborhoods.
O.K. I get it. It's as clear as polluted water.
Russ Brown on September 12, 2009, at 01:21PM – #9
The Pershing Square Park advisory board deals with park issues and is not the neighborhood council.
But since you brought it up:
The Score Gentleman's Club is an existing business that is totally nude. It is not a new use and has been a well run business. They have branches in NY and Las Vegas. The existing business is in an industrial neighborhood with no residential nearby. They are requesting to go topless only with liquor and many many voluntary conditions and restrictions, increased security and surveillance. The conditions also require any conditions that are mandated by LAPD and the council office.
DLANC has not supported any new adult uses downtown, especially near residential, and all the reviews and renewals have been with strict conditions and approval by LAPD and the council office. In a perfect world, maybe these uses would not exist, but they are legal businesses and are allowed to operate if they are good neighbors.
Crabby Joe's was closed by action of LAPD with much community support for a bad operator. The proposal is for reopening with a very good operator, with many conditions, LAPD support, council support.The operator also wants to take 2 adjacent storefronts next to Crabby Joe's and make a late night restaurant.
There is also a proposed new complement of 6 to 8 new businesses in the neighborhood that are food service, retail, galleries and other businesses. These will not come in if the corner remains the way it is. This new mix will create a linkage with the 2 residential buildings at 8th Main/ Spring to 6th Main & Spring to 4th and Main/ Spring. This is about changing a whole neighborhood that will complement a diverse mix of housing and be clean and safe by all.
None of this improvement moves a single affordable housing unit away. Indeed, it makes the affordable housing units more attractive by creating a better neighborhood for them also. None of this forces a single drink on any resident against their will.
But I guess some can disagree.
Some say that a nuisance abated hotel such as the Huntington that provides an affordable housing option, although half of the rooms are abandoned, boarded up with active drug sales by the tenants is “preserving the neighborhood”. The owner/ landlord of the property is a convicted slumlord who was put in jail and ordered to dispose of the property. Fashion district BID and LAPD have stated the Huntington Hotel is the #1 crime magnet in the neighborhood.
Not sure where all the community activists,who are so concerned about a $12 martini, are when the crack dealers, gang members, shake down thugs in the affordable housing projects are running rampant.
I guess the "nightlife" of drug sales and prostitution on the corner of 7th and Main is more conducive to support affordable housing (by keeping the neighbors drugged out, broke and crack addicted) than having a safe, clean neighborhood that does have a bar, but also has 10 other businesses that are open an vibrant.
There over 1000 affordable housing units within a 3 block area that are not moving. How about allowing the folks in the affordable housing units have a safe clean neighborhood also?
If you do not want to buy a $12 martini, then do not walk inside.
Been There on September 12, 2009, at 10:17PM – #10
"If you do not want to buy a $12 martini, then do not walk inside."
What a silly thing to write. Do you really think this all comes down to wanting or not wanting to buy a drink? Do you think it revolves around $12? Is this the sum total of your insight about this issue?
Russell Brown, you make me laugh and cry at the same time.