Anchors: A way for North Hollywood

Developer Cliff Goldstein of the J.H. Snyder Company is a man on a mission: a mission to implement a mixed-use urban development plan that will knock the socks off the NoHo Arts District. Have no fear; Mr. Goldstein’s philosophy is more blend than bend.

The NoHo Commons project, located at the southeast corner of Lankershim and Chandler is smack in the heart of the arts district, immediately proximate to the Metro Red Line subway station. It will be a mixed-use urban development, blending needed transit-based multifamily housing, retail and office space. Streetscapes will foster pedestrian activity and lend a strong sense of place to the development. The retail component will energize the project with stores fronting on Lankershim and Weddington Boulevards. Proposed retail uses include a full service grocery store, books, music, fashion, and a variety of restaurants and services. They will break ground in September ’02 and hopefully be finished by fall ‘03. Retail space will run around $20-$30 per square foot per year.

The Snyder Company came into this project as a white knight of sorts, moving the stalemated project towards reality. One of the fears of NoHo Arts District aficionados is that one of the anchor tenants of the site is to be a supermarket. But Mr. Goldstein counters that the supermarket will occupy a comparatively small space. In addition, it won’t sit on the street, leaving the streetscape consistent with the arty feel of the community. Even more revolutionary is that, he doesn’t want any chain stores to set up camp there! Can you imagine a mall without chain stores? What a culture jam!

The other Valley site that the company is currently involved in is the Valley Plaza site, that wasteland of retail space at Laurel Canyon and Victory. For years since the ’94 earthquake, and even before, that site has been a Bermuda triangle of sorts for aspiring retailers. Mr. Goldstein asserts that this is mostly due to the lack of unification between the 30 some odd different owners. Consolidation of the properties is the key to its future success. The one snake in the garden comes from the local school district wanting a middle school right in the center of the Snyder project. The company is very supportive of the notion of a middle school on the property but not in the location the school is demanding. Even the Mayor’s office is in opposition to the school’s proposal. And so, the site area north of Victory is currently in limbo. Like the NoHo site, this project will be a mixed-use site. Some of the retailers might possibly include a drugstore, clothing retailer, electronics store, office supplier, and restaurants. The company is at the beginning of the entitlement process, and Mr. Goldstein was unable to pinpoint exactly when they would break ground but it might be as soon a year. Retail lease prices will be similar to those at the NoHo site.

The J.H. Snyder Company, in business for over 50 years, has built over 40,000 homes across the country. They have competed various stellar projects in So. Cal. In addition, they built the first subterranean supermarket parking garage at Hauser and Wilshire, on the Miracle Mile in L.A. The company works closely with LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for New Economy), a coalition of interested parties such as the Living Wage Union and health care and transportation advocates. They firmly believe that the community should benefit greatly from their projects and thus have implemented an on-site job program, a jobs fair, childcare and a commitment to 75% living wage jobs, not to mention 20% of the housing units within the residential section of the NoHo site will be designated “affordable.”

The Community Redevelopment
Agency of the City of Los Angeles has worked for 8 years on these two redevelopment projects with much input from neighborhood residents’ and business owners’ groups. It appears that everyone has finally gotten what they’ve wanted at the NoHo site- a mixed-use development that reflects the individualistic temperament of the arts district. And a new supermarket will bring foot traffic to the businesses already in NoHo, who need more customers to justify the high rent they are paying. See what long time NoHo tenant The Pit Fire Pizza Co. has to say about anchors in NoHo, “Secrets” pg. 19.
- Vanessa Roveto

Laker Games
I recently attended my first Lakers game of the season. I waited till it looked like the Lakers had a good chance to “three-peat”. As a typical L.A. sports fan I have a fair weather “jump-on-the-bandwagon” mentality. The team’s playing well, I talk about how good “we” are this season. The team’s bad, I’m the first to boo.

My companion wasn’t crazy about accompanying me. She doesn’t care about sporting events. Of course a Lakers game has virtually nothing to do with sports, as evidenced by the fact that on any given night half the people in the arena are facing the wrong direction.

After paying $9,000 for two tickets in row 113 (I know people) we take our seats. Actually rows in the back of Staples away from the floor are the most coveted by Lakers fans. You can’t see the game, but the cell phone reception’s much better.

Down on the court I could barely make out a group of African Americans running around, but I couldn’t tell what they were doing. My date kept the cell phone next to her ear for most of the first half. “Who you talking to?” I asked. “Shh – nobody. I’m just trying to fit in, everybody else is on the phone!”

At half time I went to the restroom and think I caught a glimpse of Dyan Cannon picking up refreshments. Dyan’s a staple at Staples, rarely missing a game. I then turned the corner and found myself face-to-face with a character actor who I believe played the next door neighbor on the old Webster TV show. As celebrities go these weren’t exactly A-list, not even B-list, more like O-list, or Q-list celebrities. Instead of a Lakers games they’re more the type of celebrities I’d expect to see at Wrestle-mania or a tractor pull event.

Taking my seat I noticed my companion looking through binoculars. “How’s the game?” I ask, squinting toward the court trying to determine if the second half had begun. “I dunno,” she said. “But that’s Jack Nicholson. He’s with Jennifer Love Hewitt, or Laura Flynn Boyle, or Maria Conchita Alonso. One of those actresses with three names.”

I’ve seen Nicholson at these games before. It’s easy to spot him, he’s the only one in Staples who’s not on a cell phone. By the beginning of the fourth quarter many of the fans, and several players I believe, have left to beat traffic. Actually they usually leave early in the third quarter, but now we have “playoff fever..

My companion and I leave a few minutes later. Our seats are so bad I want to get home and find out if the Lakers won, and also, who they were playing. Upon arriving home I got some good news – we won.
By Brad Dickson

Botox
The FDA has just given formal approval to Botox, the miracle drug that removes wrinkles. This will have huge repercussions in L.A. Now the Beverly Hills woman with fake breasts, collagen lips, lifted face, and lipo’d gut will also be wrinkle free. Ninety year olds will be getting carded in bars. Charo can make a comeback. Joan Collins will be getting college dudes!

On the other hand one of the possible side effects of Botox is a “permanent quizzical expression” on the user’s face. Which is just what Los Angeles needs, more attractive people who look confused. Another way of looking at it is that Botox makes you look younger and dumber, the two most sought after qualities in women in Los Angeles by men in Los Angeles.

But is it good to walk around with a permanent quizzical expression? Do you want to apply for a job with a “Well duh, who-the-hell-am-I” expression? Is it worth sacrificing intelligence for youth?

By the same token imagine the impact of a wrinkle-free Los Angeles on the show business community. The cast of Star Trek can continue making movies into their eighties. 50 year old dudes can play teenagers on Dawson’s Creek. Hollywood actresses can continue working into their late 20s!
by Brad Dickson

The NoHo Fest

The NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary and promises to be bigger, better and more accessible than ever! Recognized as one of the premier theatre and arts events in So Cal, this year’s festival features an eclectic mix of interactive theatre (over 120 live performances), music (the All American Stage celebrating our musical rots - rock ‘n roll, jazz, blues, swing, R & B, country and gospel), dance, visual arts, crafts and children’s events, all designed to encourage visitors to use their imagination and to expect the unexpected as an exciting array of events unfold before their eyes. There will also be international cuisine and arts and crafts for purchase.

For the past nine years, the NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival has become a celebrated, annual tradition, but what makes this year extra special is that festival organizers have taken the best of the best from the past and combined it with a progressive line-up of headliner and emerging talent from the area and around the globe.

Holy Cow!
Pop art lovers and aficionados will have a chance to view Andy Warhol’s “Cow, 1966” during this year’s NoHo Theater & Arts Festival. The display coincides with the landmark “Andy Warhol Retrospective” that will premier a week later at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the only North American exhibit, following stops in Berlin and London.

Joel Wachs, President of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and former Los Angeles City councilman (whose district included North Hollywood) was instrumental in making the preview possible. According to Wachs, “The Festival gets better and better each year and truly reflects the importance of art and culture to the community. If Andy were alive today, he would have loved it.” Originally published for an exhibition (April 2-27, 1966) at Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City, “Cow, 1966” was the first of Warhol’s cow series and will be displayed during the two-day festival in the lobby of the Academy of Television Arts an Sciences office building at 5200 Lankershim Blvd.

Arianna Opens
Born in New York, Arianna always wanted to be a singer and an actress on the stage, and told everyone that since she was 4. Her parent’s said, “That’s great honey. Get a real job.”

Arianna taught herself to sing when she was only 12 by listening to Sarah Brightman on the cast recording of “The Phantom of the Opera.” One day, she asked her mom to listen to her sing “Think of Me” from the musical to a background recording. When Arianna hit every note including the high B flat at the end, her mother ran down to her father and screamed, “Did you hear that?” His answer was, “Yeah. So?” He thought he was hearing the Sarah Brightman recording over and over again from her room. When she sang it right in front of him, he understood. Finally her parents became totally supportive of her career.

Last December, the So. Cal. Motion Picture Council recognized Arianna with an award for acting and singing excellence and an award for her contribution to the performing arts. She is nominated for an ITL Acting Excellence Award for her role in Scrooge. She has been interviewed many times on radio and television and her photos have appeared in numerous national newspapers. She has several recordings in the top 40 of several categories on the internet music charts and is al-ready listed on celebrity- watcher websites.

Arianna is currently in rehearsal for Perfect Wedding in Canoga Park. She is the only singer performing at the 10th Anniversary opening ceremonies of the NoHo Arts Festival. She will perform her own show and host other performances throughout the day, Saturday May 18. www.AriannaUSA.com.

More Highlights
Comedian/songwriter Robin Roberts performs Musical Comedy Schmomedy at the Festival. Fans know Robin's satirical songs and witty wisecracks from the past four Festivals and from her critically acclaimed stand-up show, Comedy Schmomedy, which she puts on every Tuesday night at Jennifer's Coffee Connec-tion in Studio City. "More Male Nudity," "Lately There's a Lot of Lesbians in My Life,” and "Get Therapy Before You Have Kids" are some of the songs Robin plays on guitar while the audience is coaxed to sing back-up! Catch Robin Roberts at the Bitter Truth Back Theater at 11050 Magnolia Blvd., Sat May 18, 2pm & Sun May 19, 2pm. www.comedyschmomedy.com.

More than 30 theatres and organizations will invite festival visitors to stop by their booths or step through their doors to experience some of the best theatre in the area. There is a dynamic line-up of free theatre events featuring comedy, drama, storytelling, magic, improvisation and music.

Fashion diva and artist Tuesday Conner will host a drum circle, art exhibit and fashion show at her new shop 2 blocks south of the main action, from noon till 8pm, both days, 5055 Lankershim Blvd. Tuesday has participated in numerous city festivals and maintains “Inner City NewsReal,” an emailed bulletin on art and culture in our fair city.

MTA Metro Rail is a convenient, fun way to get to this year’s festival.

MTA’s Red Line train operates every ten minutes at all of its stops from downtown L.A. to its last stop at Lankershim and Chandler Blvd.’s. Take the elevator or escalator up to the street level and you’ll find yourself right in the middle of the action!

NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival 2002 Sat. Sun. May 18 & 19 from 11am-8pm, the corner of Magnolia and Lankershim. All daytime events are free. The free theatre ticket booth opens at 11am for same day tickets, which are offered on a first-come basis. All events require tickets. Evening performances do have a ticket price. Discounted tickets for all 8pm evening performances for theatres participating in the NoHo Theatre Festival After Dark may be purchased at participating theatre booths in the theatre area. For more info call 818-623-2131, www.nohoartsdistrict.com.

The festival is produced by the NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival Corporation and presented by Adelphia Communications, Inc. – VR