After a lapse of more than two years, the
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is pleased to
announce that a service to assist small and
start-up businesses will begin offering free
business counseling at the Chamber, starting
Friday, May 11. Offered by the Service Corps of
Retired Executives (SCORE), a program of the
U.S. Small Business Administration, the service
takes advantage of the expertise of retired
business executives. Richard Krelstein, a
retired business turn-around specialist with
both domestic and international experience, has
volunteered to assist Hollywood-area businesses.
He also has experience with not-for-profit
groups, as an executor and with alternative
dispute resolution. His consulting services
will be available most Fridays between 9:30 a.m.
and 11:30 a.m. To schedule an appointment, call
Vivian at the Chamber (323)469-8311.
Plans to construct a building to house the
international tourist attraction Madame Tussauds,
cleared a significant hurdle this week when the
CRA Board approved the signage plan for the
building. Those plans had initially been
rejected in April and were sent back for
modifications. Madame Tussauds is proposing to
erect a three-level, 44,274-sq.ft. building in
the parking lot to the west of the Chinese
Theatre. Developers are waiting to determine if
this is the final sign-off by the City or if the
plans must still go to the area planning
commission. They are currently looking at a
groundbreaking ceremony in the June-July
timeframe.
SplashBash 2 is the second
annual outreach event for the Hollywood Hills
West Neighborhood Council. If you live, work,
worship or volunteer in the Hollywood area you
can register to become a stakeholder and attend
this great event. This free stakeholder event is
hosted by Hollywood & Highland Center's Central
Courtyard on June 21 from 7pm to 9pm. Dance
under the stars to the music of Louie Cruz
Beltran and his Latin Jazz Orchestra, enjoy food
from The Grill, Vert, Trastevere, Koji's and
Twist while mingling with your neighbors. When
you register with the HHWNC, you will
participate in the decisions affecting your
community.
To register, log on to
www.hhwnc.org.
CRA Approves East
Hollywood 5-Year Implementation Plan
Chamber
President Leron Gubler was on hand this week to
testify in front of the CRA Commission in
support of the renewal of their 5-year
implementation plan for East Hollywood/Beverly-Normandie
areas. The redevelopment plan area was set up
following the Northridge Earthquake, that
damaged 509 buildings in the area. The agency
plans to invest in economic development
programs, affordable housing, public
improvements, and mixed-use developments in the
area. Gubler noted the approval of the East
Hollywood Business Improvement District will
provide a stakeholders group to work with the
Agency. The CRA approved the renewal.
Council
President Eric Garcetti’s office has announced
that rides on the Holly Trolley will be free in
the month of May for anyone showing a day-of
movie theatre stub or receipts from bars,
restaurants, and nightclubs, as well as
parking-garage tickets from the Hollywood &
Highland and Arclight garages. Businesses are
encouraged to remind their customers when they
give them a receipt that they can use the
receipt to get a free ride on the Holly
Trolley. The orange trolley buses offer an
all-night long (6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.)
stress-free shuttle service with stops at
12-minute intervals at numerous parking lots and
clubs throughout downtown Hollywood.
As an added benefit, customers will be able to
use a receipt from the Holly Trolley at the
Arclight and at Hollywood & Highland parking
garages to receive a discounted $6-nightly
rate. To see a map of the Holly Trolley route,
please visit
www.ladottransit.com/other/trolley.
The
14th annual Hollywood’s Women of
Distinction Luncheon will be held on Tuesday,
May 15th, at noon, at the Globe
Theatre at Universal Studios. This year
will honor four outstanding women, which will
bring the total to 100 women honored since the
luncheon was first instituted. Honorees
include: Gay Blackstone, Academy of
Magical Arts; Gail Koretz, Kaiser Permanente;
Christi Van Cleve, Roschen Van Cleve Architects;
and Renee Weitzer, Council District 4. In
addition, Michael-Jon Smith of AT&T will receive
the Golden Award for Community Service and Cindy
Williams will receive the Mary Pickford Award.
Co-chairs are Maureen Schultz of Capitol Records
and Laurie Goldman of GO! Goldman Organization. This
year, a record-setting number of sponsors have
signed up, with presenting sponsors
AT&T, Argent Ventures and Millennium Partners.
Platinum Sponsor is Kaiser
Permanente. Gold Sponsors are Capitol Records,
DS Ventures, Honda of Hollywood, Iron Mountain,
Jeff Hiatt Inc. Termite Professionals, Paramount
Pictures, Second Street Ventures, The Magic
Castle and Wells Fargo Bank. Silver Sponsors
include 5+ Design, Alliance Residential, Andrews
International, Briggs Law Office, Bond
Companies, Clarett Group, Greer Daily
Minter/Latham & Watkins, Grumpy Old Men,
Paramount Contractors, Ramsey-Shilling and The
Original Farmers Market.
If you are interested in
an investment of funds, product or time, please
contact Elizabeth McDonald at the Chamber
(323)785-1760. Tickets for this event will
be $100 per person or $900 for a table of ten.
Producer Jon
Peters, whose life was portrayed by Warren
Beatty in the feature film Shampoo,
detailing his rise from being a hairdresser to
Barbra Streisand’s beau to eventual chairman of
Sony Pictures, received a star this week on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. Peters managed Barbra’s
early career before winning multiple Oscars,
Grammy’s and Golden Globes for such blockbuster
hits as A Star is Born, Caddyshack,
Flashdance, The Color Purple, Rain Man, Batman,
and Superman Returns. Also speaking on
his behalf at the ceremony was Brandon Routh,
the star of Superman Returns.
The star is located in front of the Chinese
Theatre box office.
Hilton Los
Angeles / Universal City to Host Chamber's May
Business After Hours Mixer
Located
high on the hillside of Universal City, the
luxurious Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City
Hotel (Hilton Universal) will host the Chamber’s
May 31st Business After Hours Mixer.
The 24-story landmark property, which is
adjacent to Universal City Walk and Universal
Studios, spans six-and-a-half acres and affords
guests sweeping views from all of the
particularly spacious 483 rooms, including nine
suites. The Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City
is located at 555 Universal Hollywood Drive in
Universal City. The Mixer will be held in the
Sierra Ballroom B on Thursday, May 31st
from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for
members, $20 for non-members, and self parking
will be discounted to $7 ($12 for valet). Two
beverages and hors d'eourves are included with
admission. Please RSVP to
vivian@hollywoodchamber.net.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has been
working with the Community Redevelopment Agency
to begin work on an initial feasibility study
that will investigate the possibility of
building atop the 101 Freeway in Hollywood to
construct a "cap" park. After a solid year of
working on this project, the Hollywood Chamber
of Commerce is proud to announce that CRA/LA
initiated the RFP process earlier this week. An
initial Pre-Bidders Conference will be held in
the Chamber conference room on Tuesday, May 8,
2007 at 10:00am. For more information on
Hollywood Freeway Central Park, visit the
project website at
www.hollywoodfreewaycentralpark.org or call
Rochelle Silsbee, Vice-President of Public
Policy at (323) 468-1379.
To view the entire proposal, please go to
http://cra.crala.org click on CRA Web Site,
click on Jobs and Contracting Opportunities,
click on the RFPs, RFQs and Bids, RFP NP 3536 -
Feasibility Study - Hollywood Central Park "Cap
Park".
Proposal Due Date: June 18, 2007
Pre-Bid Meeting
On May 8, 2007, 10:00 a.m.
Hollywood
Chamber of Commerce
7018 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood,
CA 90028
RSVP to Flora O'Brien
Contact Flora O'Brien - Contracts Officer
(213) 977-1833 -
fobrien@cra.lacity.org
Franklin Village is a new
sign which has gone up on the north side of the
street on Bronson and Franklin. Longtime
resident Ann Debello, neighboring restaurants,
shops and Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre
worked with the City of Los Angeles and
Councilmember Tom LaBonge of the 4th District to
mark this sign.
"Franklin Village" is an
exciting area where diversified people get
together, eat and enjoy the beautiful area. You
can find great food at a good price, meet nice
people, enjoy outdoor dining, and browse a good
bookstore and more. Everything is within walking
distance and that helps the area with less
traffic. Stop by to see the see the new sign and
enjoy Franklin Village.
Chamber
President Leron Gubler was on hand this week to
testify in front of the CRA Commission in
support of the renewal of their 5-year
implementation plan for East Hollywood/Beverly-Normandie
areas. The redevelopment plan area was set up
following the Northridge Earthquake, that
damaged 509 buildings in the area. The agency
plans to invest in economic development
programs, affordable housing, public
improvements, and mixed-use developments in the
area. Gubler noted the approval of the East
Hollywood Business Improvement District will
provide a stakeholders group to work with the
Agency. The CRA approved the renewal.
Council
President Eric Garcetti’s office has announced
that rides on the Holly Trolley will be free in
the month of May for anyone showing a day-of
movie theatre stub or receipts from bars,
restaurants, and nightclubs, as well as
parking-garage tickets from the Hollywood &
Highland and Arclight garages. Businesses are
encouraged to remind their customers when they
give them a receipt that they can use the
receipt to get a free ride on the Holly
Trolley. The orange trolley buses offer an
all-night long (6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.)
stress-free shuttle service with stops at
12-minute intervals at numerous parking lots and
clubs throughout downtown Hollywood. 
The
14th annual Hollywood’s Women of
Distinction Luncheon will be held on Tuesday,
May 15th, at noon, at the Globe
Theatre at Universal Studios. This year
will honor four outstanding women, which will
bring the total to 100 women honored since the
luncheon was first instituted. Honorees
include: Gay Blackstone, Academy of
Magical Arts; Gail Koretz, Kaiser Permanente;
Christi Van Cleve, Roschen Van Cleve Architects;
and Renee Weitzer, Council District 4. In
addition, Michael-Jon Smith of AT&T will receive
the Golden Award for Community Service and Cindy
Williams will receive the Mary Pickford Award.
Co-chairs are Maureen Schultz of Capitol Records
and Laurie Goldman of GO! Goldman Organization. This
year, a record-setting number of sponsors have
signed up, with presenting sponsors 
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has been
working with the Community Redevelopment Agency
to begin work on an initial feasibility study
that will investigate the possibility of
building atop the 101 Freeway in Hollywood to
construct a "cap" park. After a solid year of
working on this project, the Hollywood Chamber
of Commerce is proud to announce that CRA/LA
initiated the RFP process earlier this week. An
initial Pre-Bidders Conference will be held in
the Chamber conference room on Tuesday, May 8,
2007 at 10:00am. For more information on
Hollywood Freeway Central Park, visit the
project website at
