Neighborhood: Mid-Town North Hollywood
Councilmember Champions Valley Business Leadership
Councilmember LaBonge attended a sold out luncheon held by the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) on Thursday. The annual meeting is held between elected officials and members of the San Fernando Valley business community in order to discuss business sustainability and growth.
"VICA is an important organization for Los Angeles," Councilmember LaBonge said. "They work to promote the businesses that serve the over 40 percent Angeleno population residing in the San Fernando Valley. Today, we're going to open the discussion about what other avenues the City can take to champion business growth in the Valley."
About VICA
VICA is widely considered one of the most influential business advocacy organizations in Southern California. With its knowledge of the legislative process and economic issues, VICA's access to public officials ensures that the San Fernando Valley's business perspective will be heard in the interest of improving our business climate and quality of life. With input and guidance from its members, VICA maintains a regular presence at all levels of government to effectively represent Valley businesses.
Tour LaBonge Visits NoHo/Toluca Lake
Night number three of Tour LaBonge, the Councilmember's series of summer evening bike rides, toured Toluca Lake and North Hollywood on Wednesday. Approximately 50 cyclists joined the event to promote cycling as an inexpensive, environmentally-friendly form of transportation.
“ "I love this ride because the neighborhoods are beautiful and the area is changing and becoming more lively,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “From classic diners like Patys to the El Portal Theatre in the NoHo Arts District, there is so much to see and do in Toluca Lake and North Hollywood.”
Councilmember LaBonge stopped by Patys Restaurant, a celebrity haunt and a long-time local favorite, to congratulate them on their 50th anniversary. Other stops and sights include Fire Stations 60 and 86, Lankershim Blvd. in the heart of the NoHo Arts District and the Chandler Bike Path which connects Burbank to North Hollywood. Marie Callender’s in Toluca Lake offered Tour LaBonge cyclists a free slice of pie after the ride.
The following three Wednesday evenings will take cyclists through other portions of Councilmember LaBonge’s district. On July 7, riders will explore the Miracle Mile area. The fifth ride of the series on July 14 will include a ride by the LA River and Griffith Park. The series will conclude with a tour of Hollywood on July 21st.
New NoHo Skate Park
Councilmember Tom LaBonge joined skateboarder Rob Dyrdek - star of MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory – along with 7-Eleven® stores representative Koorosh Sharhokh and hundreds of skateboarders to celebrate the grand opening of a new state-of-the-art Skate Plaza at North Hollywood Park.
“Parks are extremely important, but I’m following my 12-year-old son Charles who was a community activist for this park,” said Councilmember LaBonge. “We are very grateful to Rob Dyrdek and 7-Eleven for their passion, energy and commitment to this great addition to North Hollywood Park.”
The Rob Dyrdek Safe Spot Skate Spot in North Hollywood officially opened at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 18. Dyrdek and friends demonstrated street skateboarding moves for students from nearby East Valley High School to inaugurate the Skate Plaza. Visitors also scored free exclusive 7-Eleven Wild Grinders giveaways like cups, T-shirts, key chains and more.
A $250,000 donation from 7-Eleven to the Rob Dyrdek Foundation helped Dyrdek realize his vision for this skate park. Councilmember LaBonge and the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks worked together to secure an additional $250,000 in funds to complete construction and landscaping improvements for the new public facility. The Recreation and Parks funds came from Quimby funding from developers of nearby condominium projects.
Kevin Regan, Assistant General Manager for the Department of Recreation and Parks and Cynthia Ruiz, Chair of the Board of Public Works, were also on hand for the ribbon-cutting.
Metro Universal Site Visit
To promote clarity and understanding of the issues surrounding the proposed Metro Universal project on Lankershim Boulevard, Councilmember LaBonge met with Metro officials at the site on Monday.
The Councilmember wanted to be clear about why he is opposing the project, as it is now proposed.
"I can't support it because it's too tall, too dense and would create too many negative impacts on the community," Councilmember LaBonge said.
The Councilmember drove the local streets with Metro CEO Art Leahy; the agency's Chief of Real Property Management & Development Roger Moliere and Executive Director for Highway Programs Doug Failing.
The 1.47 million square-foot Metro Universal project, planned for 3875 N. Lankershim Boulevard, would include over 600,000 square feet of office space, a hotel, media production facilities, retail space, residential units and parking for more than 3,000 vehicles.
Councilmember LaBonge is concerned about the traffic it would generate on already overtaxed freeways and streets, among other things.
For more information on this project, click here.
Halloween Safety
In an effort to make trick-or-treating as safe as possible on streets with thousands of costumed children walking at night, Councilmember LaBonge provided traffic control on heavily traveled streets in the council district last Saturday night.
Traffic control officers provided temporary closure on streets with at least one thousand trick-or-treaters in the Wilshire, Silver Lake, North Hollywood and Los Feliz sections of the council district.
"I'm fine with a little mischief and fun on Halloween, but I want streets and sidewalks to be safe for children," the Councilmember said.
City's First Solar-Powered Park Lights
Councilmember Tom LaBonge, actor Ed Begley, Jr. and city parks and police officials switched on the first solar-powered lights in a Los Angeles public park last night, illuminating the way to a more energy-efficient, cost-effective future in park management here.
Twenty-eight new lights shined over an exercise station and jogging path in the interior of North Hollywood Park, 11455 Magnolia Blvd in North Hollywood. Scores of fitness buffs worked out and jogged by during the ceremony.
“It’s very gratifying to see so many people out exercising and enjoying the park tonight,” said Councilmember LaBonge. “These new lights will allow people to exercise here safely late into the evening without adding energy costs that, frankly, the city can’t afford right now.”
Added Mr. Begley, an ardent environmental activist whose nickname is the King of Green, “The city demonstrated real fiscal prudence by waiting until the solar power industry came up with lights that were both energy-efficient and affordable. Congratulations to Councilmember LaBonge and the management at the parks department for their environmental leadership.”
Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager of the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks said the North Hollywood lights are a pilot project that his department will expand upon quickly. Solar lights are planned for two more parks, with three other parks planned for the near future.
“I’m particularly proud of this project because when we put it out to bid, the estimate came back at $500,000. Our own city crews installed it instead and the cost was $263,000, about half as much,” Mr. Mukri said. The cost of the project was covered by Quimby funds, which are amassed through fees from condominium developers in the area, Mr. Mukri added.
First Graduates of East Valley High School
Councilmember LaBonge congratulated each graduate of East Valley High School last night at the new school's first commencement ceremony.
Councilmember LaBonge congratulated the 190 graduates of East Valley High School last night as the first class to complete matriculation at the new school.
"You have had the privilege to attend a brand new school, which is rare," the Councilmember said. "Congratulations to all you, and remember you are the first Falcons of East Valley High School."
The two-hour ceremony included speeches from Senior Class President April Molina; Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board Member Tamar Galatzan and LAUSD Local District 2 Superintendent Alma Pena-Sanchez.
East Valley High School opened in 2006 as part of the largest school building program in the district's history. More than 132 new schools are being built to accommodate explosive growth in the city's school-age population. The primary goal of new construction is to provide every student the opportunity to attend a two-semester neighborhood school.
The school's new athletic field was installed this year and a new swimming pool will open soon.
Toluca Lake Project Preserves Area History
Rendering of the 68-unit mixed-use development approved for the current site of the Toluca Lake Florist.
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a new mixed-use development in Toluca Lake, which includes restoration of a historic home that the community wanted to be preserved.
The developer, long-time owner of the Toluca Lake Florist on this site, is restoring the historic Bakman House for commercial use and building a 68-unit residential/commercial project around it.
"This project brings new housing to Toluca Lake while preserving a piece of its history," Councilmember LaBonge said. "My office worked hard with the developer and the community to come up with a plan that works."
The project, which will be built on Riverside Drive at Cahuenga Boulevard, will have 68 apartments with ground-floor commercial and retail space. The Bakman House, a 1929 Spanish colonial home, will be moved off-site during construction and re-installed for commercial use afterwards.
