photos • CECI Soiree Under the Stars Page 10 briefs • PTA Council allocates briefs • Board of Education hires historical rudy cole • MTA funds to fight subway tunnel Page 2 architect for Hawthorne assessment Page 2 “corrects” us Page 6 ALSO ON THE WEB Beverly Hills www.bhweekly.com WeeklySERVING BEVERLY HILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES Issue 652 • March 29 - April 4, 2012 Metro EIR targets Beverly Hills buildings for demolition Restaurants, offices and apartments could be bulldozed for subway extension cover story • pages 8-9 also suggested contacting elected represen- PTA Council executive board was approved, briefs • Metro’s Final EIR recommends briefs • Brien announces goals in rudy cole • New mayor tunneling under Beverly High Page 2 first speech as mayor Page 3 for Beverly Hills Page 6 tatives, including Rep. Henry Waxman’s with Susie Roberts elected president and ALSO ON THE WEB Beverly Hills www.bhweekly.com office and County supervisors. Jennifer Terrell-Schwartz elected executive “We want everyone to speak in an edu- vice president. briefs cated fashion,” Fahn said. “Rhetoric I don’t WeeklySERVING BEVERLY HILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES Issue 651 • March 22 - March 28, 2012 PTA Council allocates funds to fight think is very helpful at this point.” Board of Education hires historical subway tunnel For talking points, Fahn directed par- architect for Hawthorne assessment “Schools and subways do not mix. Metro ents to centurycitysubway.org, the website In the wake of several stories published needs a better fix.” BHUSD created to support the case for in the Weekly highlighting radical demoli- Willie’s The PTA Council voted Tuesday morn- locating the Century City station at Santa tion plans for Hawthorne as part of Measure ing to allocate up to $3,500 to create ban- Monica Boulevard. Fahn also directed par- E construction, the BHUSD Board of Year ents to the Exponent report, the City’s Education voted 4-0 Tuesday evening to The Weekly’s exclusive ners, signs, T-shirts and other PR materials interview with peer review report that points out flaws in hire a consultant to prepare a historic assess- Mayor Willie Brien with slogans including the one above to send a message to Metro that Beverly Hills Metro’s geotechnical analysis. ment report on the campus. does not want the subway tunneling under Board of Education member Lisa Korbatov The contract was awarded to historical Beverly High. said she expects BHUSD’s report related to architect G. Taylor Louden, AIA, who is trenching that was done at Beverly High to working with Hawthorne architects DLR/ cover story • pages 8-9 Terry Fahn of Sitrick and Company, the public affairs firm retained by BHUSD to be released within two weeks. WWCOT as a historic preservation con- help with the subway fight, encouraged Mayor Willie Brien gave an update from sultant. WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? parents to voice their opposition to the pro- the City with respect to the subway. “What I’ve proposed to do is evaluate the posed subway tunnel under the high school. “The City Council will be taking this up structures that are there. Instead of viewing You can write us at: “Community involvement and commu- at its next meeting in closed session [on [the campus] from a programmatic, struc- 140 South Beverly Drive #201 nity support is essential to show that there April 3],” Brien said. “We’ll be looking at tural, mechanical or plumbing [standpoint], Beverly Hills, CA 90212 is desire to move the subway tunnel from all of our options and strategies. The council I’m evaluating it for historical, architectural is united and uniform in their unanimous and cultural significance,” Louden said. You can fax us at: Constellation to Santa Monica [Boulevard],” support of not tunneling under the high “Effectively, it’s surveying what’s there, 310.887.0789 Fahn said. Fahn encouraged the community to come school.” and it can be buildings and all the way down email us at: out to tonight’s open house meeting about Brien announced the City and school dis- to the details [looking at things like] light [email protected] the subway extension hosted by Metro at trict are working on scheduling an ad hoc fixtures.” Temple Emanuel from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Fahn joint meeting to discuss the subway issue. Louden said he would prepare a report At Tuesday’s meeting, the 2012-2013 ranking aspects of the campus in terms of historical significance, and providing Inside Beverly Hills—BHTV10 recommendations on what can be repaired, Inside Beverly Hills, moderated by columnist Rudy Cole, will next air on March 29 rehabilitated, or removed. at 6 p.m. and March 30 at 10 p.m. with City Clerk Byron Pope; March 29 at 8 p.m. At Tuesday’s meeting, the board also about Community Development; March 29 at 10 p.m. about Roxbury Park; March approved the draft notice of preparation SNAPSHOT 30 at 8 p.m. about Historic Preservation. and initial study for the Horace Mann and WeBeverlye Hillskly Issue 652 • March 29 - April 4, 2012 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. Founded: October 7, 1999 Published Thursdays Delivered in Beverly HilIs, Beverlywood, Los Angeles ISSN#1528-851X www.bhweekly.com 1 year Publisher & CEO subscriptions Josh E. Gross are available. Reporter Sent via US Mail Melanie Anderson $75 payable in Sports Editor advance Steven Herbert Contributing Editor Rudy Cole Adjudicated as a newspaper of gen- Advertising Representatives eral circulation for the Tiffany Majdipour County of Los Angeles. Saba Ayinehsazian Case # BS065841 of the Negin Elazari Los Angeles Superior Court, on November 30, Legal Advertising Mike Saghian 2000. Eiman Matian 140 South Beverly Drive #201 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310.887.0788 phone 310.887.0789 fax CNPA Member [email protected] All staff can be reached at: first name @bhweekly.com Unsolicited materials will not be returned. ©2012 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. OUT FOR A SPIN NORTH CRESCENT DRIVE Councilmember Lili Bosse and puppy Teddy catch some fresh air cruising in Beverly Hills. Page • Beverly Hills Weekly Gateway Project hearing Architectural continued to May Commission reviews Property owners eager Rodeo Drive retailer to develop their proper- designs ties at 9900 Santa Monica Following last week’s Boulevard and 9848 and Architectural Commission 9817 Wilshire Boulevard meeting, four Rodeo Drive will have to wait at least until storefronts are getting new May to learn what standards looks. Two businesses— development projects will Hermes and Van Cleef & have to meet in the overlay Arpels—are remodeling, zone proposed for the area. Bulgari is relocating, and The Commission held off Gateway Project site Moncler is opening up shop on finalizing the objectives for the first time in Beverly for the overlay zone until May 10, when the Commission will also consider certifica- Hills. Proposed designs for Bulgari tion of the project’s environmental impact report. The Commission has decided to set Hermes, an existing bou- broader based objectives rather than more specific standards with little flexibility. tique at 434 North Rodeo The Commission has requested study on allowing a fourth story and a height of 60 Drive that sells jewelry, feet for projects in the area, without increasing square footage. In order to qualify for watches, handbags and a project taller than 45 feet, the project would have to meet all other objectives in the other accessories, received overlay zone, and still be subject to Planning Commission review. Study is underway to conditional approval. address concerns about allowing additional height at Parcel 3 due to its location across “We like the details of the from a residential area. building. The architecture, “These parcels are so skinny, it would be difficult to build anything within three sto- the lighting and all the other ries other than something that will look like a wall as you drive by,” Commission Chair aspects have been approved Dan Yukelson said. “By allowing a fourth story, the building could be more modulated, by the Commission,” have a smaller footprint and have more green space. That’s only going to be in extreme Commission Chair Fran circumstances [that 60 feet will be allowed].” Cohen said. “They proposed Objectives the Commission is considering include setting the floor area ratio at 1.5 to a security gate and bollards Proposed designs for Moncler (center) 1.7, or 1,500 to 1,700 square feet of building for every 1,000 square feet of developable in front and in the back of land, and requiring more parking than typically required by code. the building. I personally feel very strongly we should not approve any sort of security Yukelson said the objectives are being developed to also encourage owners of exist- gates especially in the business triangle and specifically on Rodeo Drive because it’s ing buildings on Little Santa Monica Boulevard to redevelop their properties. a very safe area.” Paul Ruffing, the applicant, said internationally, the company has had some security Hawthorne projects. Chief Facilities Official Dan Yukelson led the commission during problems and its insurance company was requiring security upgrades. The main archi- Nelson Cayabyab explained the vote was a busy year that included the approval of tect for the project is based in France. basically to start the EIR and CEQA process the Jim Falk Lexus dealership renovation Bollards that would be raised in front of the store at night were removed from designs at the two sites. project, the oil well drilling prohibition after the meeting in January. A security gate set back two feet behind the glass door On at least two recent occasions, Louden ordinance, and streamlining the restaurant prompted mixed reactions. Commissioner James Blakeley said he was okay with the has been involved with projects in Beverly permit review process.