Musso & Frank Preps for Grand Return Commercial Rent to Resume In
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • Mixed use in BH moves forward Partly cloudy, pg. 2 with highs in • L.A. councilman the 70s arrested pg. 4 Volume 30 No. 26 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities June 25, 2020 Commercial rent to Musso & Frank preps for grand return n Hollywood legend to resume in Beverly Hills reopen for dine-in n Council splits up large, small commercial tenants service this week BY CAMERON KISZLA because the meeting lasted until the BY EDWIN FOLVEN early hours of June 17 – but the On June 18, the Beverly Hills council members were able to Hollywood loves a great come- City Council unanimously move past their sticking points by back story, and the reopening of approved changes to its protections separating commercial tenants into the Musso & Frank Grill on for commercial tenants related to different categories. Friday, June 26, promises to be a the coronavirus pandemic, includ- While publicly traded compa- hit. ing the resumption of rent payment nies, businesses listed on the After a three month closure fol- beginning in August. Fortune 1,000, companies with lowing a countywide public health The topic had been discussed more than 500 employees and their order, the landmark Hollywood several times before – including a Boulevard restaurant is set to long debate on June 16 that ended See Council page 22 reopen. The Musso & Frank Grill celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Mark Echeverria, COO, photo by Jon Paul Douglass CFO, proprietor and fourth-gener- Musso & Frank Grill has been closed since March, though the famed ation member of the family who restaurant has continued to pay employees. owns the restaurant, said one of the most important considerations Another tradition that will maitre d’s, bartenders and wait was maintaining the dining expe- return is the focus on handcrafted staff ready to serve. Diners can rience offered to customers at the cocktails, including Musso & expect to be taken care of in the Musso & Frank Grill. Frank’s signature martinis – same manner that has always been “We have been very careful to stirred, not shaken. The bar will a hallmark of the Musso & Frank make sure the traditions that can remain closed for walk-up service, Grill, Echeverria added. stay in place don’t change,” but guests can order their favorite Diners will appreciate changes Echeverria said. “For instance, beverages and cocktails to enjoy intended to keep them safe and that means that the menu is going at tables. adhere to the restaurant’s guide- to stay the same. We wanted to The tradition of fine dining and lines established in response to photo by Cameron Kiszla keep it original. A very important personal attention will also contin- Commercial tenants in Beverly Hills will resume paying rent on Aug. 1. tradition for us is the food.” ue, with the impeccably dressed See Reservations page 21 Trans flag painting stirs controversy in WeHo Council OKs $100 million n Artwork removed by city due to state traffic for Renters Relief Fund control laws n Each recipient may Martinez, 6th District, and Coun - BY JOSE HERRERA cilmen Mitch O’Farrell, 13th be eligible for $2,000 District, and Herb Wesson, 10th The removal of a transgender District. The $100 million will flag, which was painted on the BY EDWIN FOLVEN come from federal funds allocat- intersection of Santa Monica and ed to Los Angeles under the San Vicente boulevards by activists The Los Angeles City Council Coronavirus Aid, Relief and for the June 14 All Black Lives approved an allocation of $100 Economic Security Act. The City Matter demonstration, has caused million on June 23 for the city’s Council first approved the relief controversy in the city of West Renters Relief Program, the fund on May 27, and gave final Hollywood. largest such program established approval on June 23 after receiv- Due to California state laws reg- by a city in the United States. ing a report from the Los Angeles ulating traffic control, the city was The Renters Relief Fund was Housing + Community Invest - unable to leave the painting of the photo courtesy of John Erickson created through a motion ment Department on the logistics trans flag in place, wrote Sheri Protesters painted the transgender flag mural on the street at the inter- authored by Los Angeles City Lunn, a spokesperson for the city, section of San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards for the All Black Council President Nury See Tenants page 21 in an email explaining why the Lives Matter march. mural was removed. She added the city must follow the painting was done without a Duran added the city of West state laws establishing uniform permit, concerning West Hollywood has paid tribute to the standards and specifications deter- Hollywood Councilman John transgender community at Crescent mined by the California Duran. Heights and Santa Monica Department of Transportation, “We didn’t do that. Somebody in Boulevard by flying the trans flag which prohibit signs or messages the middle of the night came out every day of the year, and he also placed on the right-of-way by a pri- and decided to paint the center of noted the city’s transgender memo- vate organization or individual. our intersection without the city’s rial service held annually in Thousands of people marched to involvement, without any process November. West Hollywood on June 14 to or inclusion of any of the residents “I don’t think we need to tolerate protest police violence and show of the city of West Hollywood or any group coming in and deciding solidarity with the Black LGBTQ+ our city government,” Duran said what sort of painting or mural they community, and were welcomed by during a City Council virtual meet- wish to put on our public property,” photo courtesy of the city of Los Angeles the blue-and-pink striped trans flag ing on June 15. “I don’t think it’s L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez announced the rent relief fund mural at the intersection. However, right.” See Duran page 22 with Councilmen Herb Wesson, left, and Mitch O’Farrell on May 27. 2 June 25, 2020 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press Beverly Hills council to review mixed-use projects By Cameron Kiszla used for,” Vice Chair Peter Ostroff “Unfortunately, change is coming, said. and change is coming in a massive On June 19, the Beverly Hills However, the commission chose way to Beverly Hills … What’s Planning Commission approved a to require developers to provide going on is the result of 40 years of plan to create an overlay zone for more parking, another item that was NIMBYism. There is a shortage of mixed-use development in the city, frequently mentioned by members of housing everywhere in the state … sending a draft ordinance for the City the public. For studio units, one park- It’s coming to roost and we’re having Council to consider later this summer ing space will be required. For one- to deal with it,” Shooshani said. or early this fall. bedroom units, two spaces will be While much of the discussion was The commission voted 5-0 to required. Two-and-a-half spaces will done during Gordon’s recusal, she approve the ordinance for most of the be required for each two-bedroom returned for the final portion of the photo by Cameron Kiszla included areas, though unit, and three- and four-bedroom meeting and urged more public out- The “Slow Streets” program was implemented in the local area on Commissioner Lori Greene Gordon units will each require three parking reach on the topic, something for Formosa, Oakwood, Rosewood, Hayworth and Sweetzer avenues. recused herself for the discussion spaces. In addition, one guest parking which multiple public speakers criti- regarding Robertson Boulevard and space will be required for every four cized the commission. Gordon portions of Olympic Boulevard, as units. pushed for additional public meet- she has an ownership interest in Last month, the commission ings that would allow for more back- property that may be affected by the sought to put in place less strenuous and-forth conversations between city Ryu calls for ‘Slow Streets’ overlay zone. In a separate vote, the parking standards that included no staff, officials and members of the overlay zone for portions of Olympic guest parking at all, as the included public. Boulevard and Robertson Boulevard streets are “generally near high-qual- “To say that public comment is the program to be permanent were approved 4-0. ity transits and because reducing same as a public meeting is not true,” Assistant Director of Community parking can reduce the cost of devel- Gordon said. Los Angeles City Councilman program on a route that includes Development Ryan Gohlich said the opment,” Senior Planner Timothea The other commissioners, howev- David Ryu, 4th District, intro- Sweetzer Avenue between Colgate council is likely to consider the ordi- Tway said. er, defended the process, pointing out duced a motion on June 24 to and Oakwood avenues, Oakwood nance in August or September. The commission thought a less- that mixed use has been a topic of make the temporary “Slow Avenue between Sweetzer and Currently, mixed-use development is strict parking requirement might discussion since 2018 and their meet- Streets” program permanent. Hayworth avenues, Hayworth not allowed in the city without City encourage more developers to pro- ings on the topic, including this one, The program was launched by between Oakwood and Rosewood Council approval, but if the overlay pose projects – which Beverly Hills have welcomed public participation. the city after stay-at-home orders avenues, Rosewood from zone is approved by the council, is expected to desperately need, as “I think this is being vetted, and were implemented to open more Hayworth to Formosa Avenue, mixed-use projects will only require the state is expected to require the this is the way the process works.