MONA Moving Into Hiding While It Continues to Look for Space

By Eric Richardson
Published: Thursday, December 07, 2006, at 06:01PM

Bye Bye MONA Eric Richardson

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Times Calendar site is running a short story talking about the plight the Museum of Neon Art faces as it searches for a new home. They have to be out of their existing space at Hope and Olympic at the end of January and they don't have a permanent home lined up yet.

[Kim] Koga, who has directed the museum since 1998, said she has been searching for months for a new venue, but the museum is caught in a bind common among bohemians in booming urban settings: With rents rising, lofts proliferating and redevelopment efforts underway downtown, the 400-member museum, which lives on a $200,000 yearly budget, can't afford most buildings.

For a while, MONA was looking at the old Subway Terminal Building downtown at Hill and 4th streets, which has been converted into an apartment building and renamed 417 Metro. Then Koga was interested in the basement of the Eastern Columbia building at 849 S. Broadway, a 1929 Moderne landmark with a turquoise terra cotta exterior, designed as a department store, that's being turned into 147 lofts. But neither option panned out.

The collections will be going into temporary space while they continue to look. On a positive note, Brady's on the case and if anyone can find a space to lease it's Brady.

Update (Friday): Brady blogs about the issue.



Comments

1
Scott Mercer writes:

What an obvious, appropriate choice...the retail space at the Packard Lofts, which happens to be where the first neon sign in the USA was installed in the 1920's. You're welcome.

# on Dec.08.2006 AT 04:39 AM
2
Nic Cha Kim writes:

Downtown wouldn't be what it is today if it wasn't for Brady Westwater. All the property owners should really get together and BUY him something. Like a LOFT!

# on Dec.08.2006 AT 03:31 PM
3
Pegasus writes:

I can't beat the location of the first American neon light installation, but how about the beautiful retail space in the ground level of the Historic Gas Company Lofts. It is has good exhibit feel and has been vacant for years. They have to be willing to accept a discount rent to get the place occupied. (Although Ralph's may change the neighborhood dynamic).

# on Dec.09.2006 AT 01:58 PM
4
Don Garza writes:

HEy there , better find a space for MONA . CHeck out all of the hotel signs here on the sro's in the heart of SKid Row. We can't have mona homeless.

# on Dec.10.2006 AT 03:03 AM
5
David Kennedy writes:

My two cents for alternate homes for MONA are Olvera Street and Union Station.

The other night I was walking Olvera Street and found it interesting how many very large buildings dating to the 19th century are just sitting unoccupied. There are a couple of intact blocks looking for some practical use.

I've also noticed over the years that Union Station has a couple of enormous wings which would seen ideally suited for MONA and its collection. Both locations certainly are well positioned in terms of public transit and already seen high pedestrian traffic.

# on Dec.10.2006 AT 05:21 PM

Your Comment:

YOUR INFORMATION:
Name:
Email:
URL:
  • Comments should be on the topic of the post or they will be removed.
  • Use the live preview below to see how your comment will look before posting.
  • Keep it civil, everyone. If you're attacking people instead of arguments, or being overly profane, expect your comment to get deleted.

FORMATTING BASICS:

blogdowntown uses Markdown formatting.

_Italics_
__Bold__
<http://url.to.link>
[link text](http://url)

COMMENT:

Preview

Start typing...