Owner of Rives Mansion Gets OK to Build Coffee Shop
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Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019 Vol. 18 No. 29 NEWS DOWNEY HIGH FEATURES PAGING DR. FRISCHER Christmas Parade Hall of Fame ‘Mr. Mayor’ What dehydration grand marshals inductees turns 90 does to you SEE PAGE 2 SEE PAGE 7 SEE PAGE 10 SEE PAGE 19 Downey Mayor restaurant talks grades Hackers Bar and Grill 10627 Old River School Rd. Date Inspected: 10/22/19 candidly Grade: A FridayWeekend93˚ Rio Hondo Event Center at a 10627 Old River School Rd. Glance of health Date Inspected: 10/22/19 Saturday 6885˚⁰ Grade: A Friday troubles IMAGE COURTESY CITY OF DOWNEY La Barca Grill and Cantina 11010 Paramount Blvd. Sunday 72˚70⁰ A rendering of the coffee shop that will be built in front of the Rives Mansion. The City Council approved the Date Inspected: 10/22/19 Saturday development on Tuesday. A cancer scare followed by a Grade: A herniated disc have sidelined Downey Mayor Rick Rodriguez. Stewart & Grub 7380 Stewart and Gray Rd. THINGS TO DO By Eric Pierce Owner of Rives Mansion Date Inspected: 10/21/19 Editor Grade: A owney Mayor Rick The Glen Rodriguez sat straight 7356 Stewart and Gray Rd. up in his backyard Date Inspected: 10/21/19 patio chair and gets OK to build coffee shop reflected. Grade: A D A split City Council on Tuesday coming as the most recent speed of his law office to the mansion, bump in what has already proved the difficult decision would His face was noticeably gave final approval to a proposed Carmes Bionicos Saturday Night Vibes thinner, the result of a 30-lb. to be a long and tedious process. ultimately fall on the remaining coffee shop and juice bar in the 11006 Downey Ave. Saturday - Bastards Canteen, 9 pm weight loss in barely a month. three council members. What’s Date Inspected: 10/18/19 His arms and shoulders –skinny front yard of the Rives Mansion. Concha said that the process more, if they were to overturn Porque Si and Monica O perform a also – disappeared underneath has been “uphill” for his family, the Commission’s decision, they Grade: A classic mix of soul, reggae and classic a black t-shirt emblazoned with adding that the coffee shop is would need to do it unanimously. rock. Free event but limited seating so needed in order to make the Lock and Key Social Drinkery arrive early. his favorite slogan, “Always By Alex Dominguez Forward.” project feasible. Councilman Sean Ashton 11033 Downey Ave. Staff Writer – who called for the review of Date Inspected: 10/18/19 It was a rough summer “It’s been really a struggle,” the plans initially – came out in Grade: A for the Downey mayor, who DOWNEY - A controversial said Concha. “We purchased the opposition. endured multiple health scares renovation project for the property in December of 2017… that resulted in him being Rives Mansion cleared a major we’ve been working on this “It’s not a personal thing for Subway pricked, prodded and probed hurdle on Tuesday, surviving an project for almost two years now. me to do this; it’s just something 8254 Firestone Blvd. over the course of several appeal to the city council over a We’ve approached the city with that I felt that there was enough Date Inspected: 10/18/19 hospitalizations and one retail café set to be built on the different concepts…financially, of an issue with the Planning Grade: A surgery. property. we’ve put so much money it’s Commission’s decision where put a hardship, even on us. this needed to be brought forth Max Fitness Depot Gothic Tea Party But Rodriguez’s health Downey’s Planning here,” said Ashton. 7320 Firestone Blvd. Sunday - Santa Fe Springs Town Center scares were more than just Commission initially approved “The city has asked for Date Inspected: 10/18/19 Hall, 1-3 pm uncomfortable — they were plans to refurbish and convert everything in the book in this “There is no perfect An English afternoon tea with special legitimately life-threatening. the historic residential home into property. We came out of situation. I guess the perfect Grade: A nine commercial office spaces Planning Commission thinking situation for me would have guests, costumes, and more. Gothic attire encouraged; teens and adults “I planned my own funeral,” and construct a 1,200 square foot we won with 101 conditions. With been if code enforcement would Wingstop only. $5 admission. admitted Rodriguez, who is coffee shop and juice bar early 101 conditions we won? It was have taken care of the issues that 8558 Firestone Blvd. 59. “I called [Risher Mortuary last month. horrific for us.” were happening with the Rives Date Inspected: 10/18/19 owner] Greg Welch and he gave Mansion before [the Concha me a workbook. I told my oldest Almost immediately the “I understand the historical family] even got involved with all Grade: A son, ‘The workbook’s in my project garnered pushback, value of the property; we are okay this mess. top desk drawer. If something specifically over the location with meeting all the historical Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant happens, don’t burden Mom or of the proposed coffee shop. components of the property… “I personally don’t know if I 9020 Telegraph Rd. your brothers and sisters. You Many of Downey’s historical but to add another 50 conditions could ever be happy with having Date Inspected: 10/17/19 to our business use was very a coffee shop there, I’m going take charge of this. Everything’s conservation groups and Grade: A done, everything’s paid for. Just supporters have voiced concerns harmful to us.” to be honest with you. I do feel that the café’s placement may be there is an issue with having go forthright.’” Resident feedback proved to The Flame Broiler Historical Cemetery Tour obstructive, therefore damaging that in that site…I just know that be a mixed bag at the meeting, 9206 Lakewood Blvd. Rodriguez has chosen to go the site’s historic value. having it up front is not anything Saturday - Sunnyside Cemetery in Long public with his health battles with several community I can support.” Date Inspected: 10/17/19 Beach, 9 am to 3 pm members coming out in support for two reasons: to encourage Mansion owners Arturo Grade: A A unique, daytime family event that other people, particularly men, Concha and Erika De La Teja and opposition. However, with features quirky graveside storytelling Mayor Rick Rodriguez still on Continued on page 8 not to ignore warning signs that looked visibly frustrated and Green Olive by costumed actors portraying the medical absence and Alex Saab something is wrong with their exasperated, with the appeal 9234 Lakewood Blvd. people buried in the cemetery. $8-$25 abstaining due to the proximity health; and to publicly thank Date Inspected: 10/17/19 the doctors and staff of Kaiser Grade: Permanente Downey Medical A Center, who he credits with saving his life. Waba Grill Downey’s Flora Cheng hosting 8258 Firestone For Rodriguez, the first Date Inspected: 10/16/19 sign that something was wrong Grade: A emerged earlier this year. “I was going to the restroom album release concert Food Culture LA Matilda the Musical 7665 Firestone Blvd. four to five times an hour, Sunday - La Mirada Theater for the Date Inspected: 10/16/19 sometimes 10 times an hour,” Flora Cheng, a film composer, Cheng says her interest in Performing Arts, 2 pm Rodriguez said. “I brushed it off. Grade: A is releasing her first album, music composition grew from From Roald Dahl comes the story of I felt like, ‘I’m getting older. I the PTA Reflections contest held guess this is reality.’ “Icarus.” an extraordinary young girl who dares every year for all K-12 students. La Chiva Loca to take a stand to stand against the “Six months go by and With the support of the school’s 8157 Firestone Blvd. tyranny of adults who seek to crush her then one morning, I got up and By Carol Kearns band director, David Niemeyer, Date Inspected: 10/11/19 imagination. $14-$98 I noticed I urinated blood. I Contributor she wrote a piece for percussion Grade: A took a shower and it happened ensemble and won several DOWNEY - As a performance rounds. again. That was an eye-opening Anarchy Library experience.” venue, the fabled Epic Lounge in Downey is known for hosting After graduating in 2007, 13250 Woodruff Ave. Date Inspected: 10/11/19 Rodriguez visited a urologist rock concerts of all genres, movie Cheng attended Cerritos and then an oncologist. Each festivals, and special events. Community College until her Grade: A visit came with biopsies, MRIs, English skills had developed scopes and cameras. Flora Cheng’s concert for the enough for a transfer to UC Santa Hully Gully release of her album “Icarus,” Barbara, where she earned a BA 9559 Imperial Hwy. Sunday, Nov. 3, will be a first for in Music Composition in 2011. Continued on page 4 Date Inspected: 10/11/19 Armenian Culture Festival this venue—Cheng on keyboard, Saturday - Armenian Mesrobian School backed by violinists. Cheng’s score for “Blue Grade: A Skies on Mars” earned her in Pico Rivera, 2-10 pm Cheng, who writes scores for Best Original Score from the Flora Cheng Bastards A celebration of Armenian culture indie films, will be showcasing International Independent Film 11045 Downey Ave. with food, music, dancing, arts and her compositions written in a Awards 2018, New York Film Date Inspected: 10/10/19 crafts, specialty vendors, and student “modern classical style.” Awards, and American Tracks composing, she is giving private performances.