Local architect Pete Lassen critiques the latest design for the “Montana Triangle” located on Montana Street and Glendale Boulevard in Echo Park. He argues, “A building in this location should express is that it is an integral part of Echo Park, that it belongs to the community….This [new] proposal simply does not belong here.” Do you agree with his sentiments, or do you like the latest revision? Read the full article after the jump!
The Save Elysian Park campaign is composed of community members and organizations that are focusing energies on educating the public on and protecting against development of land currently owned by Barlow Hospital directly adjacent to Elysian Park.
To sign the petition click here. Visit saveelysianpark.org to learn more.
Be sure to say “hello!” to Sabrina Bohn behind the Shear Rock Farms table at the Echo Park Farmers’ Market, open every Friday from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Parking Lot #663 on Logan Street, south of Sunset Boulevard).
“Our whole idea is that it’s fresh-picked the day of or the night before.” Right now they have some BEAUTIFUL Morrocan Winter Squash, as well as heirloom variety greens like broccoli, spinach and beets. While they are not “certified,” they are indeed organic!
by Andrew Garsten
As we set foot into February now, the 2013 year feels like it is rushing up to us at a breakneck speed. Last year in Echo Park, we saw the continuation of long-term items of concern to the community, and the coming of a less-than-satisfactory conclusion to several long-term items.
With the Offices of City Council Districts 1 and 13 seeing new leaders in place later this year, 2013 will offer the opportunities for the community to assert its will and vision. Please pay attention to the candidates and make sure you vote March 5.
The proposed entitlements and subsequent development of the Barlow Hospital campus was given another breath of life, with Barlow receiving an extension to comply with state earthquake requirements. Barlow has been facing this imminent requirement for almost 20 years now, with continuous community involvement during this whole span.
Also concluding 20 years of community involvement, it has been more or less concluded that the Reservoir in Elysian Park will be covered with vinyl instead of the buried tanks and fields that were promised to the community only two years ago. This process ironically began with a proposal that the reservoir be covered in aluminum.
The 2 Freeway Terminus is another 20+ year project. Originally envisioned as a traffic calming proposal to make Glendale Boulevard more like a city street and less like a freeway, the project also ended up blowing past community-derived solutions that were originally approved in 2011.
Metropolitan Transit Authority, which is running the project, is moving forward with a program that is sure to anger everyone – the commuters and the community, and has pretty much stonewalled attempts to see if the final project can be tweaked and improved.
2012 saw the EPIA weigh in on more than a handful of residential projects utilizing the city’s Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance. What we see is that, more often than not, the city is allowing developers to utilize this development tool aimed at “in-fill development” to build out–of-character townhouse style blocks of residences. This, despite some pretty clear direction in the ordinance about what is and is not allowed in terms of scale and presentation.
The one project that exceeded the city’s requirements saw some organized opposition. The EPIA in general takes an approach that development will happen, and is part of the cycle of a dynamic community, but that we need to get better projects.
Perhaps the biggest thing going on in the Echo Park area is the continued transformation of the commercial corridor towards dining and entertainment. With this come requests for alcohol sales permits, which we saw again from more than a handful of projects.
In general the EPIA recognizes that alcohol sales are an important element to the success of dining and entertainment businesses. We easily support businesses that have established a community presence first, and more critically examine those that have not. We expect that we will continue to see these requests as the downtown Echo Park area adds more and more dining options.
Notable of the one-off projects we saw – the space next to Walgreen’s was leased to Fresh & Easy, only to see parent Tesco say that they were evaluating the continuation of the Fresh & Easy endeavor. Sunset Boulevard will be getting some sort of facelift with a small Streetscape plan which was introduced to the community at the end of last year.
The EPIA has been working to smooth out the path of relocating the Craftsman four-plex at Echo Park and Park to a new home in Angelino Heights. We saw a couple of city protected murals get destroyed last year, and so we are working on a project that will inventory and document the provenance of the community murals.
Finally, we have been working on and now monitoring a potential bad outcome from the city’s financial crises – the elimination of dedicated park policing in Elysian Park and soon reopened Echo Park Lake. First, we lost the Rangers replaced by the Office of Public Safety (OPS), and now OPS is being folded into LAPD. All this we discover, without any transition plan.
Remember, March 5 is our opportunity to try to assert our will and vision on our future city council representation. It is very important that as a concerned member of the community, you look carefully at each of the candidates, and evaluate their ability to understand, and then get results that are good for the community, regarding the issues that we are and will be facing in Echo Park.
Check out the press release below for information from Congressman Adam B. Schiff’s office on nominating the Annual Woman of the Year Award:
Every March, in recognition of Women’s History Month, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) honors outstanding women from his district. The 28th Congressional District includes the cities and communities of Atwater Village, Burbank, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Glendale, Griffith Park, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Los Feliz, Montrose, Pasadena, Shadow Hills, Silver Lake, Sunland, Tujunga and West Hollywood.
“Recipients of the ‘Woman of the Year Award’ come from all walks of life and represent the thousands of women who make a positive impact in our region,” Rep. Schiff said. “I urge constituents to contact my office and let us know about some of the admirable women in our communities by nominating them for this year’s award.”
Constituents are encouraged to nominate women in their community — while there are no specific criteria for nomination, Rep. Schiff looks for women who — through their work or volunteerism — have improved the quality of life in our community. Nominations can be sent to Mary Hovagimian (mary.hovagimian@mail.house.gov). Nominations should include a written description of your nominee’s accomplishments, the home address, phone number and e-mail of the nominee, and the nominator’s name and contact information.
The deadline for nominations is February 22, 2013.
The October – Novembter 2012 EPIAn Ways is ready for download!
To download a hi-res PDF, click here.
To view a version in your browser without downloading a PDF, click here.
by Andrew Garsten
Despite a late August date, the clean up on the morning of Saturday, August 25, 2012 was blessed with relatively cool weather. We base camped at Elysian Heights Elementary at Baxter and Echo Park – big thanks to Elysian Height Elementary and Principal Veronica Herrera Lynch for being such a great host!
About a dozen volunteers showed up including our in-coming US Congressman Adam Schiff, and a couple of CD13 candidates.
Everyone – including our politician volunteers worked a four block stretch along Echo Park Avenue, clearing the sidewalks and gutters of trash and debris, and rooting out weeds in the tree wells. We also had two trucks that drove up and down Echo Park Avenue and the immediate side streets to pick up bulky items and drop off to the dumpster that CD13 arranged for us.
All-in-all, it was a very productive morning, thanks to all that attended! Stand by for news on the next community clean up.
by Gloria Sohaki
My gosh, summer is over. It seems this past year has gone by quickly and the kids are getting older and I am too. We made it through the summer. All the money we use for program activities is made through our rummage sales. We have a core group of about six kids who are all in high school. There are a few more who have moved on to community college but still come in when we need them for an event. There are for girls who try to come in and help me with chores in the office, and we manage to pay them money for their efforts. Don’t know what I would do without their help – thank you Itzel, Patty, Kimberlin and Jennifer.
Starting in July, thanks to a grant from Councilman Eric Garcetti, Maryanne managed to schedule the kids to remove graffiti for the UN-TAG program. For their efforts a stipend was given to them each month. The kids use the money to buy clothes, phones, shoes and other incidentals they might need.
Along with working and volunteering, CCAC has managed to take the kids to the movies a few times. I took them to Hansen Dam (my favorite place) where we spent a wonderful time in the water.
The annual commemoration of Día de los Muertos takes place at El Centro Del Pueblo on Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm.
The free event will feature altars, music, culture, entertainment, an art exhibition, face painting, arts & crafts workshops, food and refreshments. A primary purpose of the event is to register voters as part of El Centro’s civic engagement project.
For an Altar/Vendor application contact Lidia Martinez at lmecdp@yahoo.com, or Margaret Garcia for an art exhibition application magpie-g@att.net.
For sponsorship, promotional opportunities or other info contact conradoterrazas@roadrunner.com, or Sandra Figueroa-Villa at jvillafigs@aol.com.
by Kelly Erickson
Wells Antique Tile and Pottery has occupied its small Sunset Boulevard location on the west end of Echo Park for 20 years, but recently closed those doors. Thankfully, the store has just moved down the block, taking over the former La Popular Furniture store near the Sunset and Alvarado intersection. They have also teamed up with Eric Ramos’s Architectural Salvage to fill up the 8,000 square foot building.
In response to the May 24 stabbing of two men that police believe was an anti-gay hate crime, the Coalition to Celebrate, Educate and Stop Hate hosted Hate Crime Workshops in the month of August.
Local activists, citizens, politicians, and youth attended these workshops. For the full story and recap, read the full article here.
Vegetarian restaurant Elf Cafe just recently broke ground on the expansion of its Sunset Boulevard restaurant into the adjoining space. It is also in the process of applying for a beer and wine license (see the August-September 2012 issue for more).
Through October 31, 2012, Elf Cafe is offering “Elf Futures” – where you purchase a gift certificate that is worth twice as much when you spend it after January 1, 2013 (e.g. $50 will actually get you $100 worth of food and drinks).
Be sure to check out the restaurant’s free cooking classes, which will focus on introducing vegetarian cooking to Spanish-language speakers on Tuesday nights when the restaurant is closed.
You wouldn’t think anyone could build on such a narrow street and steep hill, but the Rosebud developers have applied to build six 1,500 square foot single family homes on a mere 9,000 square feet of land. Concerns include the reduction in size of side yards between structures, the extreme and complicated grading, lack of attention to protected native trees, and more.
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