News

North Hollywood Macy’s Closing

For 61 years, it stood as a symbol of the postwar building boom.

The freestanding May Co. department store, which would later serve as the anchor for North Hollywood’s Laurel Plaza shopping center, was in its early years a popular destination for San Fernando Valley residents who wanted to escape the heat and have a little fun.

The department store marketed itself as one of the biggest in the country, advertising air conditioning and parking for 3,000 cars.

Now the store, which was converted to a Macy’s in 2006, is shutting its doors for good.

Read the full article on LA Times.com

Article and image from the LA Times

August 17, 2016 in Planning and Land Use

Remembering Florence Dorick

NHNENC honors the memory of our long time Board Member Florence Dorick who passed on May 29, 2016. She served our Board and community with a generous heart and a cheerful spirit. She created a sense of home in North Hollywood with our NHNENC banners and always took the lead in providing hospitality at our meetings and events, coordinating the food and greeting guests. “She was the living heart of our Council, the sweetest part,” reminisced NHNENC President Ernie Moscoso.

She championed efforts for the homeless, working with the Hope of the Valley Mission and encouraging others to support the Misison. She worked tirelessly on the Whitsett Slope Beautification project and ably represented us by speaking at the Dedication Ceremony and was a member of our delegation at City Hall to accept our achievement certification. She will be missed by us all.

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June 1, 2016 in Outreach and Community Development

Land Use Committee Helps Create Jobs In NHNE

The Neighborhood Council LAND USE COMMITTEE is focused on the conditions on the actual Land within the boundaries of our Neighborhood Council.

We are proud that one of our projects has been the study of plans to partially demolish, refurbish, and to develop the interior of the existing large warehouse structures now located on the SouthWest corner of Sherman Way and Tujunga Avenue in North Hollywood. The actual addresses involved are: 11400-11452 Sherman Way, and 7131-7145 Tujunga Avenue in the La Tuna Canyon Planning Area of the City of Los Angeles. The corner land mass is bounded by Sherman Way on the North, with Tujunga Avenue on the East, railroad tracks with the spur on the South.

Costco Business Center will go into refurbishment of the existing 310,991 square-foot warehouse, with office space, and with interior upgrades to fit the business plan for the Business Center.  The Business Center will not be open to the general public.  Business hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7:00AM to 7:00PM. Saturdays the hours are from 7:00AM to 4:00PM. Despite the posted business hours, there will always be work going on the full 24-hours.

Project work begins this year 2016, with completion expected in 2017.  It will be much larger than the local Costco Shopping Stores. The Business Center will be one of twelve Business Centers in the United States. The product inventory will also have some upgraded items that are not for sale in the local Costco Stores. They will cater to businesses such as restaurants and offices. A great percent of the sales will be generated by phone and online orders for products to be sent to locations both near and far from North Hollywood.

Part of the good news is the employment opportunities that will come to our community with the Costco Business Center.  There will be opportunities for some 200 full-time jobs. There will be some 180 part-time jobs available. The good news increases with job opportunities for advancement in the company.  And there will be full health benefits.  It all sounds very good for the economy in our community.

The Land Use Committee entertains many resources of information before making its recommendation to the full board for consideration and a vote.   On November 19, 2015 the full board voted to accept the recommendation of the Land Use Committee to support the Costco project.
The next step was for the Committee Chair to compose a summary letter of the Costco plans and send it to Oliver Netburn, the City Planner on this project. Our letter included some of the reasons for our support.

The City Planning Dept. scheduled a Hearing of the Area Planning Commission which was held on January 5, 2016.  As the Land Use Committee Chair, it was the chair’s duty to attend the hearing and speak for our community and for our Neighborhood Council with its decision of support for the project of the Costco Business Center.  This writer did attend the hearing, and the Planning Deputy Karo Torossian for CD#2, City Council Member, Paul Kerkorian, did speak to support the Costco Business Center.

The Hearing Officer, was Fernando Tovar, the Associate Zoning Administrator.  He listened very carefully to everything that we and the stakeholders had to say on this case. Then he generated a seventeen page letter which stated his Approval for the project with his reasons and findings based on his studies and research.  The process is most interesting and makes all efforts to be business friendly for the applicant, and to have benefits for both the potential full-time and the part-time employees from the community, in our Neighborhood Council area.

A total of some 65,720 square feet of space will be demolished on the South side of the warehouse and delivery docks near the tracks of the railroad spur, to create additional parking space for large delivery trucks to be the loaded and unloaded.

Below is one reason that the Committee considered for the Costco file #ZA-2015-28990 CUB, CU, SPR.  We considered the security lighting around the entire building, and we emphasized the need for lighting on the South side where encampments may be deterred along the railroad spur.

After the demolition of some of the Southern portion of the building, the remaining approximate 144,065 square feet will have interior remodeling to fit the requirements of the Business Centers in the United States.  The on-site existing wholesale wine importer has no connection with Costco and will continue in his specific space.   Costco will not be selling any alcoholic beverages.

Today when you observe the land and buildings that do exist, you also see an unattended amount of wind-blown and settled debris, which might be expected where limited activity occurs.  When Costco completes its work they will reverse the unattended condition with a cleaner parking area, and with the beautification by planting some 61 parkway trees, plus the planted areas in the parking lot.  There may also be changes in the curb cuts for vehicle access.
Below is a photo of the South West corner of the intersection at Sherman Way and Tujunga Avenue where the existing large warehouse structures will become the Costco Business Center. Watch for the results in 2016 and 2017.  Jobs will be available.

All in all, our community looks forward to a great visual and economic improvement in this property, and we look forward to employment opportunities for our residents.

Respectfully Submitted on March 20, 2016
SARAH RAMSAWACK
LAND USE COMMITTEE CHAIR
NORTH HOLLYWOOD NORTH EAST NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL

May 5, 2016 in Planning and Land Use

NHNENC Election

ELECTION UPDATE:

Election Results: View the early unofficial results. When the results are finalized, the newly elected members will be seated at the next regular Board Meeting on April 21.

 

Our election is on.

Please vote online now or in person at April 7, 4-8pm at LA City Fire Station 89 Community Room, 7063 Laurel Canyon (rear), North Hollywood, Ca 91605.

Register to vote by April 4 or just come to the polls on election day.

If you are already registered, you can VOTE NOW.

March 29, 2016 in Elections

NHNENC Cleans Up In 2015

2015 was a very productive year for the North Hollywood North East Neighborhood Council (NHNENC). We were recognized by City Hall for the work we did in collaboration with Councilmember Krekorian’s office and NoHo West Neighborhood Council to create the Vintage North Hollywood Mural on Whitsett and plant the surrounding slopes with drought tolerant plants. In conjunction with the recognition ceremony we were given a special tour of City Hall and met the LAX PUP team. We were also honored for this project by the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils.

Our Council continues to focus on creating community in North Hollywood and meeting our neighbors through events:

  • Conducted outreach at the St. Baldrick’s Day event at Fire Station 89 March.
  • Supported the Spring Egg Hunt at the Valley Plaza Recreation Center April and were on hand to meet members of the community.
  • Supported Summer Movies Series of six movies with Councilmember Krekorian, and other Neighborhood Councils.
  • Supported the Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair October
  • Cosponsored Halloween Carnival at Valley Plaza Recreation Center

During one of our strategic planning sessions, we chose to focus on cleaning up our community with the goal of not only making things look better but helping neighbors take ownership. We helped put on three clean ups in 2015:

  • Earth Day: Worked with Councilmember Krekorian’s Office to put on an Earth Day clean up in April. We cleaned up Sherman Way and Laurel Canyon tackling some of the worst public streets in our Council area. The streets and sidewalks near this intersection have long been a difficult area to keep tidy, and the Council has devoted a few cleanup efforts to improving them.
  • National Night Out Clean Up and BBQ at the City Department of Transportation: Cleaned up the Whitsett Slope. Partnered with Councilmember Krekorian, NoHoWest NC, and Neighborhood Watch. Neighbors met each other, our Board Members and other elected officials while enjoying dinner after the clean up.
  • Hart Street Community Clean Up: Partnered with Councilmember Krekorian in August to clean up Hart street from Laurel Canyon to Lankershim.

We take great pride in keeping the community informed on our goings on and community news. We keep our website updated with events and news items and our meetings focus on topics of interest to the community: Veteran’s Issues, Raise the Wage, and the LA Family Housing Density Plan. We consider land use issues such as a new Costco Business Center on Sherman Way and alcohol licenses. We have also had guest speakers such as the newest Commissioner of the Board of Public Works: Joel Jacinto and we held a Town Hall on Paid Sick Days.

One on the most fun events we supported was funding a field trip to Underwood Family Farms for 135 kindergarteners at Strathern Elementary with a $1,500 Neighborhood Purposes Grant. The students had a great time and we received their creative thank you notes and drawings displaying what they learned at one of our meetings afterward.

We invite you to get involved in improving North Hollywood, increasing civic engagement and making government more responsive to our needs. Please join us at one of our meetings which are held on the third Thursday of the month, 6:30pm at Fire Station 89 in the Community Room. The meeting usually starts with refreshments and an opportunity the meet the Board Members and your neighbors.

This year you also have the opportunity to run for a seat on the Board during our elections on April 7. Now is the time to register your candidacy. The filing deadline is February 7. Find out more: https://nhnenc.org/elections

January 26, 2016 in Outreach and Community Development

Honors and Dogs at City Hall

On Friday, November 20th, three of our Board Members stood with pride in the City Hall Council chambers and were recognized for our Council, and several others, for efforts in our communities over the past year. They also met the LAX PUP team, and got a special tour of City Hall. Sarah Ramsawack, one of our Board Members in attendance, provided these two writeups for the day. And Florence, one of the other Board Members along with Inez Morin, posed for a lovely photo with Finn, one of the PUPS.

ncs-honoredbythelacitycouncil

November 24, 2015 in Executive

Pictures and Memories from National Night Out

On August 4th, cities, and communities, and neighborhoods across the country celebrated National Night Out. Our own Neighborhood Council joined with our neighbors at North Hollywood West, our local Neighborhood WATCH groups and others to take part in this annual event.

Our local celebration was held at the City Department of Transportation lot at the corner of Whitsett Avenue and Saticoy Street, above the now-iconic Vintage North Hollywood mural. Both of our Neighborhood Councils had worked with the office of Councilmember Paul Krekorian to clean up this area and turn a hazard into a work of art.

National Night Out recognizes the efforts of Neighborhood WATCHes and others to do much the same. Since 1984, the National Organization of Town Watches have organized Neighborhood WATCH groups, community organizations, non-profits, and others to take back the night. It was envisioned as a gathering that would bring people out of their homes in the evening, without fear, and showing the strength of a community that stands up together. Many National Night Out events have featured marches of neighbors walking proudly down dangerous streets or cleanups of abandoned and blighted areas. Others are more festive with music, food, and entertainment encouraging people to meet each other and build trust in a community.

The National Night Out earlier this month was a gathering in the same spirit. Of course, our co-sponsor Councilmember Krekorian was there, but we were also happy to host and speak with US Representative Tony Cardenas and City Controller Ron Galperin. There was food, music, and games. Chuck Loring from our own Council MC’d the event with music and his ever-present presence, while NoHo West demonstrated mastery of the grill and cooking.

By the end of the night, everyone had eaten their fill, caught up with their neighbors and maybe caught the ear of some of our elected’s, and praised the progress we’ve made in making our area a little bit better. A few pictures from the night on Flickr can be found from our photo page under the Archives tab.

And for everyone who couldn’t make it, we’ll see you next year.

Flickr photos from the album 2015 National Night Out by NHNE NC

Tue, 08/04/2015 - 7:25pm - Lively conversation with Ben Moore, Jeff Garner and Florence DorickTue, 08/04/2015 - 7:01pm - Ben Moore, Jeff Garner, and Lorraine DiazTue, 08/04/2015 - 7:46pm - Representative Cardenas poses with Board Members Chuck, Ernie, and Inez, with the next generation from Upward BoundTue, 08/04/2015 - 8:01pm - Representative Cardenas, Chuck Loring, and Carol RoseTue, 08/04/2015 - 8:02pm - Ernie Moscoso with Representative CardenasTue, 08/04/2015 - 8:02pm - Inez Morin with Representative CardenasTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:40pm - Chuck Loring stands with Councilmember Krekorian and Controller GalperinTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:52pm - Chuck Loring with Imelda Padilla from LAANETue, 08/04/2015 - 6:37pm - Chuck Loring masters the audio entertainment at the NNOTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:23pm - Chuck Loring shows his neighborhood pride at the NNO eventTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:34pm - Florence Dorick talks to Ernie Merlan, artist for the Whitsett Slope mural at the NNO EventTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:39pm - Controller Galperin and Councilmember Krekorian put their heads togetherTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:25pm - Inez Morin poses with Controller Ron GalperinTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:34pm - Sarah Ramsawack greets Paul Krekorian with some stakeholdersTue, 08/04/2015 - 6:30pm - The NC table is set up for the 2015 NNOTue, 08/04/2015 - 8:50pm - Chuck Loring is first to arrive and last to leave for the teardown at the NNO
16 out of 16 on Flickr
August 25, 2015 in Outreach and Community Development

Kids Say Thanks For Field Trip

At our last meeting on May 21st, the Board was delighted by the outpouring of appreciation from the kindergarten classes of Strathern Elementary. Months earlier, the teachers from those classes came to the Neighborhood Council and asked for support for a field trip. With school budgets tight, they wanted to take their young charges on a field trip to Underwood Farms. At our March meeting, the Council approved a grant of $1,500 to help pay for the field trip costs. Along with funding support from others, 135 kindergartners from six classes joined 18 parent volunteers on May 8 for a trip to the farm.

How we get our foods, both fruit and vegetables, and meats, and milk had been the project of the Kindergarten school year and at the conclusion of the year the field trip to a working farm was a real highlight for excitement. Squeals of delight, and oohs and a-ays, followed every turn. Pointing fingers, and touching the soil, pulling the plants for their individual food bags, and seeing the wide variety of animals on the farm all brought happy bounces from one delight to the next.

A week before the trip the sow had given birth to seven little pink piglets. They were the love of every child. Each little pig had a name after the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The most unusual vegetable was not the orange carrots, but the purple carrots! (Yes, Google Purple Carrots. You will find it is true. There are purple carrots, and you can learn more about the history of purple carrots on your computer.) When the children arrived at the farm they were welcomed by Farmer Alex who gave the children wagon rides pulled by the great big tractor. They covered acres of the farm where the children could see row after row of vegetables. At wagon stops, Farmer Alex, explained how the seeds were planted, weeded, watered, and then harvested. Every child was given a standard grocery bag. Each child got to get off the wagon and harvest as many of the lettuces, carrots, beets, and other veggies, as their bags could hold. Those grocery bags of produce were taken to their mothers to cook for dinner. The children saw the chickens, the roosters, and the baby chickens. They saw turkeys rabbits, pigs, horses, cows. They also saw some exotic animals, such as an emu, ostrich, and llama. But those cute little pink piglets seemed to take the cake with the children’s delight.

The next school day the good teachers knew the value of review and recollection. They had the children talking about their trip, then writing a narration of what they saw. There were pictures drawn about their sights and ventures. And, yes, the purple carrots, and pink piglets were in the pictures. Also, there were pictures of the wagons that were pulled by tractors. And there was the fun of climbing on the big stacks of hay, and the fun of going down on the big slide. Through it all, and in their pictures, the day was filled with bright sunshine.

The bottom line with the children’s recollections in word and picture, was all a great pleasure. These children can grow up to be the leaders of tomorrow. Every encouragement that we can give to them can help to develop the good citizens of our future. It pays to nurture and treat all children very well. They are not just children: they are our future.

Some of the pictures that the kids drew of this field trip were given to the Board at our May meeting. Much thanks is due to our Board Members Sarah Ramsawack and Inez Morin for selecting the pictures that accompany this article. And extra credit goes to Sarah for submitting the majority of the description of the trip above.

And not least, much appreciation and respect is due to the hard-working teachers at Strathern Elementary who went the extra mile so their kids could have this experience.

letter-of-appreciation510 thank-you-2-510

June 2, 2015 in Youth Empowerment

Another NoHo Community Cleanup

On April 11, our Neighborhood Council joined with Councilmember Paul Krekorian’s office for another neighborhood cleanup.

More than 50 high school volunteers volunteered their Saturday morning to make a difference in their neighborhood. And after a quick breakfast snack and some inspiring words, they set out for Sherman Way and Laurel Canyon to tackle some of the worst and most public streets in our Council area.

The streets and sidewalks near this intersection have long been a difficult area to keep tidy, and the Council has devoted a few cleanup efforts to improving them. It is an ironic twist that each cleanup finds less trash and debris in this area, but it’s more noticeable since it also stands out that much more. And by repeatedly cleaning the same area, we’re showing people in the community that a former eyesore can be a clean place, encouraging everyone to help keep it that way.

A special thanks for support goes to Yasser Durghalli and Handy Mart Liquor on Laurel Canyon north of Strathern. The very good Mr Durghalli, as a strong and respected community business leader, donated all of the water at the cleanup event. The support of our neighbors like this helps bring us together to make our corner of the city a better place.

This also represents our last major scheduled cleanup for the fiscal year. We haven’t decided on the time and location for the next one, but it will probably be after our new fiscal year starts in July. If you have any suggestions about an area in our Council that needs a small army of volunteers, be sure to let us know. You can contact us through this website, or attend one of our Board meetings or a meeting of the Outreach Committee.

April 21, 2015 in Outreach and Community Development, Youth Empowerment
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