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Latest News

Councilmember LaBonge Visits BID

July 05, 2010

Councilmember Tom LaBonge visited the Hollywood Media District on Tuesday, April 13, and met with Executive Director Susan Levi, Operations Manager Devin Strecker, Board President Ron Groeper, and Vice Presidents Carol Cassella and Tim Mahoney.

Riding around together in a van, the group first looked at the poor condition of the asphalt on Santa Monica Blvd. between Highland and Las Palmas.

The lack of left-turn signals on Highland Avenue at Santa Monica Blvd. was pointed out.

Groeper said that he had done a traffic study on Highland Avenue, which he presented to LaBonge, which indicated that there is only light traffic southbound on Highland between 3-4pm. Currently, this area is a no-parking tow-away zone from 3pm-7pm and the business owners are desperate for parking. Groeper suggested tightening up the time to 4pm-7pm, as it is on LaBrea, at least on the southbound side. LaBonge said generally both sides of the street are posted with the same hours for consistency. He also said it might be possible to eliminate the no parking from 3pm-4pm south of Santa Monica but he didn’t think they would be able to do anything about it north of Santa Monica because it feeds traffic from Santa Monica Blvd. up to and from the 101 Freeway.

The group then visited Citrus Avenue north of Santa Monica. Groeper pointed out the poor condition of the street, which was covered with potholes, ruts and bumps. Strecker said that it hadn’t been repaved in 40-50 years, and he stated that the property owners had been told that the city wouldn’t repave it until sidewalks were installed. However, Strecker pointed out that some of the buildings extend right up to the street so there would not be any way to install a sidewalk on the east side. He stated that several of the large tenants on the street, including Calumet, Out of Frame, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education are growing increasingly frustrated with the condition of the street and the lack of attention paid to it. He added that the blighted condition attracts homeless people, often who live in their cars or motor homes; one was currently parked there during the visit. LaBonge agreed that the street is in poor condition. Regarding the homeless sleeping there, he asked if we would like to put up signs that prohibit parking from 10pm to 6am. Levi said the board would have to discuss that first. LaBonge agreed that the street needs to be repaved. Mahoney pointed out that the children who attend the school on Citrus have to walk down the street to get to the bus stop and it is unsafe for them.

Groeper asked LaBonge if there were any updates on the relinquishment of Santa Monica Blvd. LaBonge stated that there has been no recent progress as the city and state are both struggling just to survive with their current budget situations.

The group drove over to the feeding program and Levi pointed out that there were already a few clients loitering and waiting for the food truck, although they are not supposed to arrive until 6pm. At the time it was around 4pm.

At Sycamore and Willoughby, the street is very damaged where the Cemex Trucks turn around. At the time of the visit, there were two safety barricades that the City had placed there; however they had been knocked over. LaBonge and Groeper got out and put the barricades back up. Groeper said this is definitely the worst intersection in the BID and LaBonge agreed that something needs to be done about it.

The Monument Sign at Fountain was mentioned as Levi reminded LaBonge that he had asked his staff to draft a motion to push it through the approval process.

Lastly, the group looked at the intersection of Santa Monica and Seward, where the BID has been advocating for a traffic signal. Groeper said that we want this intersection to spark some redevelopment on Santa Monica Blvd. Mahoney pointed out that the intersection is right next to the audience entrance of two of the main stages at Hollywood Center Studios, and that there is a population of about 1,000 people working at HCS that would use the signal to cross Santa Monica to access the restaurants on the north side of the street.

LaBonge asked for notes to be provided to him so he can follow up on the issues now that he has seen them.

Beautification Begins on Santa Monica Blvd.

July 05, 2010

Last Friday, Hollywood Beautification Team planted 34 trees on and near Santa Monica Blvd. between LaBrea Ave. and Highland Ave. The trees, Hong Kong Orchids, were selected by the BID and planted by HBT along with volunteers from Mars, Inc.

During the installation of the tree wells, HBT conducted a pilot program through the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering designed to capture runoff water to irrigate the trees. A new device called a Groundswhale was installed in one tree well per block, which was designed by the BOE to filter rainwater down into the tree's rootball. HBT hopes to incorporate the new device into future tree plantings in an effort to conserve water.

The planting is the first landscape beautification project for Santa Monica Blvd., which is still under the jurisdiction of CalTrans as it is a State Highway. The BID has been advocating for the relinquishment of the thoroughfare to the City of Los Angeles but the process has slowed down as the city and state struggle to come to an agreement regarding the funding of the relinquishment.
Recently, members of the Media District's Board of Directors met with Councilmember Tom LaBonge to show him first hand our requests for improvements to the Boulevard and discuss the ongoing relinquishment proceedings.

Due to the changes in the weather recently, many of the trees appear to be under duress; however the arborist from HBT has assured us that the trees' health should improve after being planted. If any of the trees fail to survive after planting, replacement trees will be planted.

No Increase For BID Assessments

July 05, 2010

On June 24, the Board of Directors of the Hollywood Media District voted for "no increases" for BID Member Assessments for this fiscal year. As per Board President Ron Groeper, McCaddenSpace, "Despite property owners having difficulties in these economic times, the Hollywood Media District has been very successful in managing our operations to maintain the high standards of the BID's excellent security force, the quick responsiveness of Hollywood Beautification Team, in addition to all of the other improvements that we are planning and implementing."

Each year, the Board must decide whether or not to increase the assessment budget up to 3% as allowed by the Management District Plan, or to leave it at the current level. This year is the second year without increases.

Business Watch Plus Surprises!

July 05, 2010

The June meeting of the Business Watch was a little different than usual.
After the guests arrived and began to eat their lunch, which was catered by The Corner Café (1156 N. Highland Ave, www.callthecorner.com), LAPD Senior Lead Officer welcomed everyone and went over crime stats. Then, he and Senior Lead Officer Julie Nony called Devin Strecker up to the front of the room. Strecker began coordinating the Business Watch Meetings back in 2002 when he was first hired at the Media District, and additionally is a graduate of the LAPD's Citizen's Police Academy. This was his last Business Watch meeting before leaving for a new position with the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance.
Washington and Nony presented Strecker with a plaque from LAPD thanking him for his years of service for the BID and the community.
Next, guest speaker Hillary Norton with FAST (Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic) addressed the group to let them know what her organization is doing to relieve traffic congestion in the city.
FAST is a non-profit organization dedicated to designing and supporting the implementation of short-term strategies to eliminate peak traffic congestion in Los Angeles by optimizing current transit infrastructure and facilitating use of public transit in order to improve our quality of life.
Norton highlighted projects that the organization is supporting, which include improving signal timing; peak-hour curb parking restrictions; creating a network of paired 'one way' streets, or streets that favor traffic flow in one direction; high occupancy toll lanes; and promoting alternative forms of transportation.
Norton encouraged the stakeholders in attendance to get involved with FAST, which is made up of a network of active citizens working together to come up with short and long term solutions to fix our traffic problems.
After Norton's presentation, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, District 4, dropped in to answer questions from stakeholders. He and his Hollywood Field Deputy, Stacy Marble, then presented Strecker with a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles for his work on behalf of the BID.
"I was extremely shocked and honored to receive these two awards," Strecker said. "I was not expecting it at all, and when I saw Tom (LaBonge) come in the room, I thought something was up but I never would have guessed. I am truly honored."
The next Business Watch is scheduled for Thursday, July 8 at Noon at the Hollywood City Hall, 6501 Fountain. RSVP to new Operations Manager, Jim Omahen, jim@mediadistrict.org.

Harris & Ruble Now in the Media District

July 05, 2010

The 1937 Art Deco building on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Cole is now home to a new firm that recently relocated to the Hollywood Media District.

Harris & Ruble is a boutique law firm specializing in commercial litigation for plaintiffs, including antitrust, bankruptcy, class action, intellectual property, entertainment law and employment law matters. The firm delivers quality legal services to clients with matters in labor, and also furnishes general transactional representation and counseling in the entertainment industry.

Clients include actors, directors, cinematographers, producers, gaffers, stage hands, grips, PA's, drivers and other crew-members in the production of motion pictures, television programs, music videos, and television commercials.

Harris & Ruble attorneys are experienced litigators at both the trial and appellate level and are equally skilled in arbitration and mediation. They have a long track record of successful cases before the California Labor Commissioner ("DLSE") for nonpayment or late payment of wages. With their entertainment industry expertise, they're able to compete favorably with firms at all levels of size and sophistication and in cases that have the potential for rulings that have industry-wide impact, including high profile and class action cases presenting complex issues.

Whether clients have a dispute or are negotiating an employment contract with an entertainment company, Harris & Ruble provides them with quality service and industry expertise.

For more information, telephone (323) 962-3777 or email law@harrisandruble.com.

New Operations Manager of Media District

June 25, 2010

This month we welcome Jim Omahen, the new Operations Manager of the Hollywood Media District BID. Jim has worked for City of Los Angeles Council President Eric Garcetti, and most recently for Councilmember José Huizar. His experience in City services and public projects will be a valuable asset as the Media District continues with improvements. Also, he has been involved with a number of nonprofit organizations and their operations.
Devin Strecker, the previous Operations Manager, has accepted a position as Communications Manager for the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance, the company which manages neighboring Hollywood Entertainment District and the Sunset/Vine District.
"I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed nearly 8 years working for the property owners of the Hollywood Media District," said Strecker, who started as an Executive Assistant in 2002 and was promoted to Operations Manager in 2005 after the BID successfully expanded and renewed for 10 years. "As much as I hated to leave the Media District, this is a great opportunity for me and for me, it's great that I get to stay in the BID world while remaining in the Hollywood Community, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you all in the future."
if you have any questions or concerns regarding the transition, please contact Jim Omahen at 323-460-6322 or email jim@mediadistrict.org.

LaBonge Advocates for Traffic Signal at Seward and Santa Monica

July 05, 2010

On Friday, May 7, Councilmember Tom LaBonge introduced a motion for the city's Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of a traffic signal at Seward Street and Santa Monica Blvd. in the heart of the Hollywood Media District. This motion was referred to the Transportation Committee, of which Councilmember LaBonge is the Vice Chair.

Transportation Committee meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 2:00pm in room 1010. The next scheduled (regular) meeting will be on May 26th and it is at that meeting that the motion may be heard. To voice support for the motion, or for more information, contact Lisa Schechter, Legislative Deputy for Councilmember Tom LaBonge, at 213-473-7004 or via e-mail, lisa.schechter@lacity.org.

The motion reads as follows:

Theater Row Hollywood, a popular name for an area of Hollywood bounded by approximately 15 theaters, has been experiencing increased pedestrian and vehicle safety issues. In particular, the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Seward Street poses a pedestrian and vehicle traffic safety concern, and would greatly benefit from the installation of a traffic signal.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) should evaluate pedestrian and vehicle traffic safety relative to the Santa Monica Boulevard/Seward Street intersection. If after conducting this evaluation, LADOT determines that a traffic signal would increase pedestrian and vehicle traffic safety, LADOT should provide a cost estimate relative to installing a traffic signal at the Santa Monica Boulevard/Seward Street intersection.

I THEREFORE MOVE that LADOT be instructed to evaluate pedestrian and vehicle traffic safety at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Seward Street, and report back on the feasibility and provide a cost estimate relative to installing a traffic signal at this intersection.

I FURTHER MOVE that the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) be instructed to work with other local agencies, including the Hollywood Media District Business Improvement District and the Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council and report back on the feasibility of funding a traffic safety signal at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Seward Street.

The motion was presented by Tom LaBonge, Councilmember, 4th District, and seconded by Council President Eric Garcetti (District 13).

Hollywood Homeless Registry a Success

July 05, 2010

Members of the Hollywood Community, including Media District Operations Manager, Devin Strecker, worked with Common Ground and Hollywood 4WRD on the Hollywood Homeless Registry the week of April 25 – 30. Their goal was to create a by-name database of homeless individuals living on the streets of Hollywood who are most at-risk of premature death. This prioritization will help the Hollywood community better allocate housing and supportive services resources to those who need it most. Hollywood 4WRD's goal is to end homelessness in Hollywood by 2018.

On Monday morning, April 26, the volunteer teams went out from 3:30am-6am for the first of three sessions and interviewed many of our homeless neighbors who were out sleeping on the streets. The teams asked the homeless individuals questions regarding their health and housing situation. Participants were given a $5 Subway Sandwiches gift card for taking part in the survey.

The interviews took place in the early morning hours in order to ensure that the teams connected with those individuals who live and sleep on the streets of Hollywood, rather than the many transients who pass through the area during the day. Strecker said that he was surprised to find that most of the individuals his team approached were already waking up, or willing to wake up to participate in the survey.

As team leader, Strecker guided his team in surveying an area that included a large portion of the BID, extending north to Sunset Blvd. All teams were challenged to engage at least one Hollywood individual, business, church, agency, or service club, etc. to commit to pledging $1000 for move-in expenses for one of the 20 most vulnerable homeless persons by the Friday brief back. Both Gene LaPietra at Circus Disco and David Wexler at Hollywood Vaults generously stepped up, each sponsoring one homeless individual's transition into housing.

On Friday, April 30, the group held a community brief back meeting where the results of the registry were released. The volunteers counted a total of 323 homeless individuals, and were able to register and interview 257 of those. According to the surveys, more than 40% reported health conditions associated with a high mortality risk, such as HIV or cirrhosis of the liver. Out of the those interviewed, the oldest individual was 80 years old and the youngest was 15.

LA City Council President Eric Garcetti kicked off the brief, followed by team members from Common Ground who showed photographs of the most vulnerable homeless individuals up on a big screen. While going through the list and photos, representatives of government and private agencies volunteered to provide subsidized housing for 100 to 120 of them. Business owners, volunteers, and community members also pledged money to cover move in costs for the individuals. In the end, $62,000 was raised.

Next steps will include an effort headed by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky's office to organize a team to outreach to and house the most vulnerable mentally ill homeless. The Veteran's Administration is planning a comprehensive outreach strategy to the 50 homeless Veterans who were identified during the registry, and the organization Step Up on Second recently acquired a motel on Sunset Boulevard that could be ready to accept over 30 individuals surveyed during the registry within a year or less.

The LA Times covered the registry, with a photographer and reporter going out with Strecker and his team. To read the article, go to http://tinyurl.com/32l4dlg.

To get involved and follow the progress, visit the Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/2b37aud.

Townhall Meeting Connects Citizens with Police

July 05, 2010

On Thursday, April 22, 2010, the Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division hosted a Townhall Event at Blessed Sacrament Church, 6657 Sunset Blvd. The community was invited to hear key issues and strategies being employed by LAPD to help keep citizens safe.
Senior Lead Officers John Washington (basic car 6A65) and Paula Davidson (basic car 6A67) organized the event, and the Hollywood Media District provided refreshments.
Captain Girmala spoke about crime issues and trends. Tina Daniels spoke to the group about dispute resolutions. Detective Alex Rodriguez spoke about gang issues. Members of LAPD Cadets were also present. Cadets are youth who perform certain community services and limited uniformed police functions.
For more information about how community members can connect with LAPD, visit www.hollywoodcpab.com.

BID Meets with Councilmember LaBonge

March 12, 2010

Staff and Board Members from the Hollywood Media District BID went to City Hall on Tuesday, March 9 to the office of Council District 4, where they met with Councilmember Tom LaBonge, his chief of staff Jeanne Min, and Hollywood-area Field Deputies Stacy Marble and Nikki Ezhari. From the Media District were President Ron Groeper (McCaddenspace), Executive Director Susan Levi, Operations Manager Devin Strecker, and Board Members Mike Malick (Marcus & Millichap) and Mike Parker (Mole Richardson).
The group met to discuss immediate concerns in the District relating mostly to street conditions on Citrus Avenue north of Santa Monica Blvd., the intersection of Willoughby and Sycamore, and Santa Monica Blvd. throughout the District. They addressed the potential relinquishment of Santa Monica Blvd. (State Highway 2) to the City and improvements that could be made to the thoroughfare, including: adding left turn arrows from the signals at Highland; a new signal at Seward; and the possible burying of utility wires. Other topics touched on included the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition's nightly feeding program at Sycamore and Romaine, and the Gateway Sign to be installed in the median island on Highland Avenue south of Fountain.
With regards to the street repairs requested by the BID, the Councilmember vowed to look into funding the repairs as soon as possible and agreed to meet with BID members and Bureau of Street Services to inspect the locations.
LaBonge directed staff to start drafting a motion to allow the Gateway sign to be installed.
The additional topics will be further analyzed by the council office and addressed again at a meeting in the future, yet to be scheduled.
After the meeting, Ezhari took the group on a tour to the top of the City Hall tower.

Hollywood Media Arts Academy Offers Industry Training to At-Risk Youth

March 10, 2010

The Hollywood Media Arts Academy (HMAA) is a new school located in the Media District, in the building formerly occupied by Fuji Film at 1140 N. Citrus Ave. Launched in July 2009 as a partnership between the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department, HMAA is an alternative high school that acts as a safe haven for at-risk youth. Many students that come to HMAA have been at risk of dropping out of school; are youth on probation; foster children, or students otherwise not succeeding in large, over-populated high schools. At HMAA, students learn core academics along with a variety of media arts courses, and they have access to learning opportunities and field trips within the creative industries.
The school is looking for members of the community to help out, whether it is by coming to speak with the students and sharing information and advice on finding jobs in the industry, through the "adopt a student" program, or by donating funds to the school.
Hollywood Entertainment Museum first became involved with education when, in 1997, the Museum opened its Education Center for the Entertainment Arts in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Office of Education's Division of Juvenile Court and Community Schools and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. It offered a full curriculum to youth offenders on probation and other at-risk teenagers, enabling them to earn a high school diploma or equivalency. Over the years, the program expanded and worked with local industry partners to establish internships and employment opportunities for the students.
In 2006, the Museum left its home of 10 years on Hollywood Blvd. in order to expand its educational programs, ultimately ending up in the heart of the Media District at its current location with HMAA.
Last year, Hollywood Entertainment Museum served 2,600 youth throughout Los Angeles County with its services and programs, bringing media arts programs to elementary school students in addition to those enrolled at HMAA.
Elective courses taught at HMAA include video production, editing, lighting, music production, graphic design, set design and construction, costume design, makeup, dance, scriptwriting; just about every aspect of the film, television, web, radio and other media are offered.
To get involved or for more information, contact Kenton Haleem, Director of Education, at 323-960-4802 or khaleem@hollywoodmuseum.com.

Business Watch Tackles Emergency Preparedness; Counter-Terrorism

March 24, 2010

The Media District continues it's popular Business Watch Luncheons in 2010 in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, Hollywood Division. The first two meetings this year have brought together members of the business community with BID Security Officers and LAPD Senior Lead Officers.

In March, the guest speakers were Officer Larry Koreen and Officer Pedro Ugarte with the Counter-Terrorism Criminal Intelligence Bureau, known as Operation Archangel.
According to LAPD, Operation Archangel was developed to identify and protect critical infrastructure and key resources in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Its purpose is to defend likely targets against catastrophic terrorist attacks. Archangel is based upon the guiding principle that local member agencies are most knowledgeable about their own critical assets.
LAPD realized the need for such an agency in 2002 and by April, 2003, Operation Archangel was formalized. By September 2004, the prototype was completed and ACAMS - the Automated Critical Asset Management System - was adopted. The program was extended to a statewide rollout in early 2006, and before the end of the year went national.
Teams, called CAATs (Critical Asset Assessment Teams) identify any locations that could be targeted by terrorists, such as critical infrastructure (1st responder locations such as firehouses and police stations), mass casualty locations, and places with psychological or symbolic impact. They then determine the criticality, vulnerability and threat to each location and offer options to help protect the location.
Another aspect of Archangel is to research and develop new counter-terrorism technologies, such as LA Shield, which is a collection of information in a database with information about many locations that may be vulnerable and can be accessed by various agencies such as LAPD and the FBI; and LARCOPP, the Los Angeles Regional Common Operational Picture Program, which provides photographs of locations "before" so that they can be compared to current views to look for any differentiations at specific times.
For additional information, visit the Operation Archangel page on LAPD's website at http://www.lapdonline.org/emergency_services_division/content_basic_view/33044.
At the February Business Watch meeting, the guest speaker was Mitch McKnight with the LAFD Disaster Preparedness Unit. He spoke about the basics of emergency preparedness, including water, food, shelter, and first aid. He went into detail about the possibility of a major earthquake, as Southern California is located on a different tectonic plate (the Pacific Plate) as the rest of the country (which is on the North American Plate, and moving north 2 inches per year).
McKnight advised everyone to shut their water off immediately following an earthquake, and to make sure in advance to have an adequate supply of water stored for an emergency: 1 gallon per person, per day, for a minimum of five days. He left additional information in the form of a booklet, which is on file at the Media District office and can be copied upon request. Contact Devin at 323-460-6322 for additional questions.
Business Watch is held the second Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise notice is given. The meetings, held at Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain, begin at noon and last until 1pm. Lunch is provided.
No Business Watch will be held in April; instead LAPD is hosting a Town Hall Meeting on April 22 (see accompanying article).

Highland Avenue: The Sweet Street

March 24, 2010

Highland Avenue is certainly the most visibly improved street in the District due to the various improvements implemented through grants received by the BID. But Highland can perhaps be called the 'sweetest' street now too, because in addition to Deluscious Cookies, Yum Yum Donuts, Donut Time, Del Taco, Ammo, and the Corner, there is now another new place to treat your sweet tooth!
Frosted, a new cupcakery, has moved in to 1200 N. Highland, with another location in Long Beach. Frosted bakes and prepares its cupcakes fresh each day, throughout the day, and features many tempting flavors such as Chocolate, Red Velvet, Carrot, Lemon, Orange, and Strawberry with different combinations of buttercream and cream cheese frostings, as well as a special "flavor of the month." In addition to regular cupcakes in stock, they also offer custom baked mini-cakes, jumbo cupcakes, ice cream cupcakes, and special "pup-cakes" which are meat cupcakes made for dogs.
Special orders can be placed for events, and can be arranged in tiers or other creative ways, and of course can be gift wrapped for a special present.
For more information, visit www.frostedcupcakery.com or call 323-467-1080.

Officers Elected for 2010

March 24, 2010

At the February meeting of the Media District's Board of Directors, the newly elected board members drew their term lengths and the board elected its officers for the new year.
Ron Groeper, McCaddenSpace, was elected as President of the Board of Directors. Carol Cassella, Red Studios, having served two years as President, was automatically elected Vice President I in accordance with tradition. Tim Mahoney, Hollywood Center Studios, was elected as Vice President II; Willie Maldonado, Milk Studios, was elected as Treasurer; and Wil Anabel, Mader Incorporated, retained his position as Secretary.
Congratulations to Ron Groeper and the rest of the Executive Board, and all the newly elected board members. The newly elected or re-elected board members include: Wil Anabel, Mader Inc..; Carol Cassella, Red Studios; Isador Chait, 1025 N. McCadden; Bruce Geller, JH Snyder Co.; Ron Groeper, McCadden Space Studio; Rick Howard, Occidental Entertainment; Thor Lee, Ramsey Shilling; Steve Loverro, West Coast Photo; Tim Mahoney, Hollywood Center Studios; Amie Moore, Musicians Union; Mike Parker, Mole Richardson; Eliza Thorne, Seward Film Vaults.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 25th, 3pm at the Musician's Union, 817 Vine Street. All Media District meetings are open to the public and stakeholders are encouraged to attend. For public comment, up to 5 minutes is allotted per speaker; up to 15 minutes are given for pre-arranged presentations. Contact Devin Strecker, 323-460-6322, about any upcoming meetings.

Save L.A. Parks

February 24, 2010

The City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation operates 160 neighborhood parks and organizes numerous sports, arts and exercise programs. Most of these services are for youth at risk of joining gangs.
On July 1, the city is threatening to begin laying off hundreds of recreation staff to close a $500-million budget gap.
An alliance of parents, teachers, non-profit organizations, AYSO, the YMCA, environmentalists, and athletes has banded together to as for support to save public recreation at our city's parks. They believe that Los Angeles cannot afford the increased calls to the police, vandalism and gang activities that will come if the safe parks and programs are lost.
These programs help young men and women who are at key development stages in their lives. Without programs like these in our parks, our young people are at risk of becoming involved in inappropriate behavior. Our parks could soon become crime scenes.
If you agree and thing that the City Council should avoid cutting recreation programs for young people, call your Councilperson and ask for their budget plan, and tell them to preserve recreation programs in L.A. Parks.
The Media District is proud of the Hollywood Park and Cole Avenue Recreation Center located within our district and would like to see the facility continue to successfully provide youth with safe and enriching activities.
For more information, contact Devin at 323-460-6322, or call your Councilperson. The Media District includes parts of Council District 4 (Tom LaBonge, 213-473-7004); District 5 (Paul Koretz, 213-473-7005) and District 13 (Eric Garcetti, 213-473-7013).

Step Up on Vine

November 25, 2009

In Santa Monica, near Third Street Promenade, there is a housing facility for individuals who were chronically homeless and suffering from mental illness. Those individuals call Step On On Second home now, and receive support, training, and education to become part of society again. They run a convenience store, Fresh Start, and a catering business on the premises. Customers often don't even realize the store is part of a homeless housing project.

Now, the organization behind Step Up On Second is coming to Hollywood. In August, the group purchased the Galaxy Hotel, just south of Santa Monica Blvd. at 1057 Vine Street. The property will be completely rehabilitated and converted into 44 modern efficiency apartments. Built in the 1920’s, the building has been severely neglected and needs a complete facelift. Step Up on Second plans to invest $5 million to create a fresh, attractive building. Construction is projected to begin in late Fall, 2010, and be completed in early 2012.
Step Up on Vine will provide homes for individuals now homeless on the streets of Hollywood due to a mental illness. In addition to providing supportive housing, Step Up on Vine will also provide comprehensive wrap around support services for relapse prevention, and to build self sufficiency. Step Up on Vine will offer life skills classes, supported employment training and placement, psychiatrists for medication, case management, transportation, and other services. Two full time on-site case managers, as well as two resident managers, will live in the building, as well as an evening security presence.
On November 5, Step Up On Vine invited many in the surrounding community to visit the location and learn more about the project. HMD Board President Carol Cassella and Operations Manager Devin Strecker attending the luncheon, along with Jacques Massachi, stakeholder. Tod Lipka, CFO of Step Up On Second, discussed the timeline of the project, as well as showing renderings and answering questions from the audience.
Since 1984, Step Up on Second has been providing comprehensive services, including award-winning supportive housing accomplishments. Currently, Step Up on Second operates three apartment buildings in Santa Monica; Step Up on Second (on 2nd Street next to the NRDC), Step Up on Fifth (next to Fred Segal), and Daniel’s Village (on Santa Monica Blvd. at 26th St.).
For the
past year, Step Up on Second has been working with the Hollywood Media District, Hollywood Property Owners Alliance, government officials and others to create its first housing program serving the needs of the Hollywood community - Step Up on Vine.
If you’d like to learn more about Step Up on Second or the Step Up on Vine, contact Lipka at 310-394-6889 x 26, or email tod@stepuponsecond.org. Visit the website at www.stepuponsecond.org.

Eat at Street... And Get a Discount!

August 21, 2009

The Media District's newest restaurant, Susan Feniger's Street, has already become a vital component of the Media District. Now, Street is giving something back to the community: any employee within the Media District will receive a "good neighbor" card by mentioning this article and presenting his or her business card showing that they work within the District. The card is then good for 15% off any future meal at Street. Talk about a sweet deal!
Street is located at 742 N. Highland. For more information about Street, visit the website www.eatatstreet.com.

Media District Dining Guide

August 21, 2009

Ammo, 1155 N. Highland Ave. - $$ With an upscale atmosphere and an air of sophistication, AMMO has been located on Highland Avenue since 1996. With a full bar, AMMO is a great place for lunch or dinner. www.ammocafe.com

Cafe Baccio, 6541 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ Intimate Cafe mainly catering to theatre goers, right next to the Hudson Theatre. Sandwiches, snacks and beer, plus a cool vibe.

Cafe Muse, 6547 Santa Monica Blvd. - $$ This cafe/coffeehouse has already garnered a devoted following, thanks to their delicious mainly-vegetarian menu, nightly live entertainment, and selection of organic coffees, teas, and treats. www.cafemusela.com

Chinese Express, 6775 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ Inexpensive chinese food, good combo deals available.

Crown of India, 6755 Santa Monica Blvd. - $$ Come see why people are flocking to this authentic Indian eatery! Amazing food with great lunch specials keep this place bustling.

Del Taco, 6768 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ When you want a quick lunch and can't decide between tacos or burgers and fries, Del Taco is the place! Taco Tuesday is a very popular night. Drive through available, open late. www.deltaco.com

Grub, 911 Seward Street - $$ Serving up California Comfort Food with a side of sass and a quirky and inviting atmosphere! Now open for lunch or dinner everyday, plus weekend brunch on Sat-Sun (and also now serving wine and beer). www.grub-la.com

Hollywood Canteen, 1006 Seward St. - $$ This place has a lot of history to it, but the food and atmosphere are what keeps customers coming in today. www.hollywoodcanteenla.com

The Hollywood Corner, 1156 Highland Ave. - $$ This place has a little of everything, including wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, an amazing breakfast menu, beer and wine, and red velvet mini-cakes to die for! Sign up for their loyalty program and get 15% off your meal. callthecorner.com

Jack in the Box, 1243 N. Highland Ave. - $ Fast food with an eclectic menu - everything from salads to burgers, to egg rolls and tacos. Drive-thru open late. www.jackinthebox.com

Raffallo's Pizza, 716 N. Highland Ave. - $ Great pizza and sandwiches in this little italian place tucked into a strip mall. Beer and wine available, too.

Shakey's Pizza, 7001 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ Known for their large buffet, Shakeys is a favorite lunch time spot for many employees in the district. Mojo Potatoes are just one of the highlights here. www.shakeys.com

Subway, 6775 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ A healthy alternative to fast food, who doesn't love a Subway sandwich? www.subway.com

Susan Feniger's Street, 742 Highland Ave. - $ Inspired by exotic "street" food from around the world, this relatively new joint is in the space formerly occupied by The Dive (and earlier, Highland Grounds). See article above to find out how you can get a 15% discount. www.eatatstreet.com

Taqueria La Pinata, 6751 Santa Monica Blvd - $ This taco stand, formerly Benitos and more recently Hoagie's and Wings, is now operated by the same folks that run the Crown of India Restaurant directly behind it. So expect the same quality food and service but with a latin flavor!

Tasty Thai Restaurant, 718 N. Vine Street - $ Great lunch specials at this hole-in-the-wall asian eatery.

Xiomara Restaurant, 6101 Melrose Ave. - $$ A favorite of the Media District Board of Directors, this exotic restaurant features Cuban-inspired food and a full bar where you would think the mojito was born. Great lunch specials, too! www.xiomararestaurant.com

Yoshinoya, 6300 Santa Monica Blvd. - $ Home of the Beef Bowl, Yoshinoya is fast food with a Japanese Twist. Drive through available, open late. www.yoshinoyausa.com

Did we miss you? We aimed to include every restaurant within the boundaries of our District, so please let us know if we failed to include something. E-mail Devin, dstrecker@mediadistrict.org with your information.

Stamp of Approval

June 18, 2009

The crosswalks on Highland Avenue were recently given a facelift.
In Mid-June, the Bureau of Street Services installed new stamped crosswalks on the intersections of Highland Avenue at Waring, Willoughby, and Lexington. This project was part of the Pedestrian Improvement Grant, which also funded the other improvements on Highland Avenue such as the Medians and Pedestrian Lighting.
The stamped crosswalks were the final element of the project to be completed.