Retail giants shed Downtown Santa Monica assets
Locally-based shopping mall behemoth Macerich Co. has defaulted on the $300 million mortgage loan it has for the Santa Monica Place, ultimately returning it to the lender and bidding farewell to the iconic shopping mall it has owned since 1999. Macerich Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Scott Kingsmore told Women’s Wear Daily that "it was pretty clear that Santa Monica has continuing issues and is under water" and that "trying to figure out the end game was just too obscure." Santa Monica Place opened in 1980 initially aiming to revitalize Third Street Promenade, becoming its own destination before being bought by Macerich in 1999. Plans to replace it faced opposition, leading to a scaled-back renovation in 2007. The $265 million project in 2010 transformed the mall into an open-air center with retail shops and a food court.
Peace be with Will Rogers with new initiative
The vigilant students of Will Rogers Learning Community took part in the inaugural Peacemakers initiative this past school year, launched by Will Rogers Principal Lila Daruty and Counselor Khatija Dadabhoy to give students the chance to learn conflict resolution skills. In October 2023, the initial class of 25 Peacemakers donned bright orange vests with peace signs on the back, taking turns in the Will Rogers yard every recess and lunch time to support classmates in potential disputes. Both Daruty and Dadabhoy wanted to instill the peer mediation model in order to give students autonomy the resolve their own issues.
Manager of Jameson’s pub murdered in midnight brawl, suspect in custody
In a shocking update to what was first thought to be an assault, the Santa Monica Police Department released new information regarding a brawl at Jameson’s pub on Main Street that became deadly. According to the police department, on June 10 at approximately 12:05 a.m., officers responded to the 2700 block of Main Street near Jameson’s following a radio call regarding reports of a battery that just occurred. A fight ensued on the street when the Jameson’s manager asked several patrons to leave. Out on the street, one of the patrons punched the manager, causing him to lose consciousness. When officers arrived on scene, the manager was not breathing. Officers administered CPR until the Santa Monica Fire Department arrived and took over lifesaving measures. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. All three patrons involved in the incident were initially arrested and booked at the Santa Monica Jail. Following a thorough investigation of the incident, the individual responsible for punching the victim was positively identified as Leonard Hector Korpie, age 26, a resident of Venice. On June 13, the District Attorney filed the homicide charge and Korpie is being held on $2 million bail.
Council votes not to proceed with an investigation into closed session leaks
During a recent meeting of Santa Monica City Council, the Council ultimately made a unanimous decision to not investigate recent leaks of confidential information disclosed during Closed Sessions and subsequent penalty for anyone caught doing it. The Brown Act allows municipalities to hold discussion outside the view of the public, known as Closed Session items, and the Act also allows council to disclose information beyond stipulated legal requirements. However, doing so requires specific direction and vote of council, and open discussion of the items talked about in Closed Sessions without prior authorization is a violation. This is not the first time Council has faced this controversy and a leak investigation was discussed several years ago following the release of Rene Bobadilla’s as the top choice for the then vacant City Manager position.
School board has ‘opportunity’ to lead in cell phone debate
At the June 6 regular meeting of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, several officials responded to the slew of emails sent in by Santa Monica Parents for Slow Tech, a group that seeks some form of cell phone prohibition policy from the board. The group’s "must-haves," according to parents, are a school board policy banning the usage of cell phones during the school day, and to have said policy enacted before the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. Though not on the timetable Parents for Slow Tech wished for, Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton announced that a "working group" will begin to formulate ideas for a policy in the fall, with the aim to have a recommendation for the school board by January 2025.
Undisclosed payments to Rent Control chair force revote on Justice for Renters act endorsement
A previously unreported conflict of interest with Rent Control Chair Ericka Lesley has forced the Rent Control Board to revote on its endorsement of the Justice for Renters Act. The redo occurred at the board’s June 13 meeting and was described as correcting a procedural error by rescinding its February 8 approval and then re-approving its endorsement with a statement of disclosure and recusal from Chair Lesley. California law prohibits individuals from voting on matters that involve their public finances, and Lesley was forced to recuse herself due to paid consultancy work with the Justice for Renters Act. Lesley not only voted for the endorsement in February but also co-presented the arguments for endorsement.
Credit: Scott Snowden
Santa Monica’s Sci-Fi Museum goes from catastrophe to closure
The latest chapter in the ongoing saga of Santa Monica’s Sci-Fi Museum seems like it might be the last for a while, as the fate of the museum was confirmed in a recent Santa Monica City Council meeting. Aubrey West, representing Sci-Fi World at 302 Colorado, told Council that building owners Seritage have decided not to renew the lease on the building. In 2014, a Star Trek superfan named Floyd Huston Huddleston announced fundraising for a museum that would host Star Trek memorabilia and other science fiction related materials, but was eventually arrested in Southern California on child pornography and other related felony charges after a five-year FBI investigation. He was found guilty, convicted and placed on three-year probation, also having to register as a sex offender. Confusion followed as to what Huddleston’s active role in the museum was, leading to several resignations based on Huddleston’s conviction and a "haphazardly handled" museum. The museum never opened after a disastrous "red carpet" gala on May 27, where locals and those who came from out of town were unable to walk into the building, as the project was incomplete. A spokesperson from the museum told the Daily Press that they are trying to fight Seritage on the lease.
Maru Sushi opens on Wilshire following months of permitting delays
The long-awaited Maru Sushi has officially opened its doors at 331 Wilshire Blvd., owned by head chef Nick Choi who also owns Otto Sushi in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Choi chose the Wilshire site due to good public parking behind the building and wanting to open an affordably-priced sushi restaurant in the downtown area. Choi added that he experienced more problems with permitting and city officials in Santa Monica than any other location he’s opened, having to pay rent since acquiring the site back in August 2023. The menu features carefully selected fish from all over the world, depending on what is in season and where, with much of it coming from Canada, Spain, Scotland and New Zealand.
Local director takes deep dive into ocean sustainability with new PBS series
Santa Monica-based director Brian Peter Falk’s new documentary project "Hope in the Water" premiered June 19 on PBS, a three-part series that explores the work of fishers, aqua farmers and scientists who harvest aquatic species to grow the nation’s food base and help save the species’ open homes at the same time. Falk said he wanted to show examples of "promise" in ocean and environmental topics, such as sea urchin divers taking harmful kelp-eating purple sea urchins off the Pacific coastline, and a sustainable community-sponsored fish agriculture program in Philadelphia. PBS plans to cut down the hour-long broadcasts into smaller pieces for student digestion, placing the documentary into school lesson plans.
Pride on the Promenade features piano painting with celebrated artist Andre Miripolsky
During the Santa Monica Pride on the Promenade celebrations on June 22, celebrated artist Andre Miripolsky painted full-size pianos with children from the Santa Monica YMCA in front of the Santa Monica Art Museum. Miripolsky is the co-founder of Viva LA, an organization that celebrates and promotes the power of creative collaboration in the city of Los Angeles. His career began with the design of Elton John’s piano jacket for the 1980 Live in Central Park free concert that drew a crowd of over 400,000. Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Placemaking Director Jeremy Ferguson said he enjoys Miripolsky’s art for its color and vibrance, and said the art is a love letter for both Los Angeles and the people who inhabit the city.
Promenade food court to undergo transformation into mini golf arcade
The Kitchen United Mix food court on the Third Street Promenade is set to undergo a radical transformation into an arcade-style mini golf experience, offering alcoholic beverages and bar food. The 14,000 square-foot space at 1315 Third Street was leased by Holey Moley, a mini golf and restaurant concept from the Australian-based entertainment brand Funlab. A little over a year ago, the spaced had just been leased to the Kitchen United Mix, but none of the restaurants survived beyond summer of 2023 and since winter, the site has been empty. Funlab opened its first US locations of Holey Moley last year in Austin and Denver, and also opened a Houston outpost last month. The Santa Monica project is set to open by the end of 2024.
Formerly homeless renter protection advocate selected to Rent Control Board position
At the June 13 meeting of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, Kay Ambriz was unanimously selected to serve on the board, taking the position previously filled by Lonnie Quinn before his resignation in April. Ambriz was appointed to the vacant seat, and will serve through the November 2024 municipal election where she intends to earn a full four-year term. Ambriz has been incredible active in the Santa Monica renters community, having been a member of the Santa Monica for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) Steering Committee and also working on the SMRR hotline assisting callers with various issues. Along with her SMRR contributions, Ambriz’s first hand experience with rental issues has gone deep, as she experienced homelessness in her youth due to familial issues.
Group goes from Horror Story to powerful storytelling
Season 10 Productions, born from a crew of production assistants on the 10th season of American Horror Story, continued its stage ventures this past weekend in Venice, performing Hedwig & the Angry Itch at The Electric Lodge. The group’s storytelling bonds were built on Story during the COVID-19 pandemic, with their shared love of creating artwork keeping them going through the production. Producing Hedwig was inspired by a trip director Jack Boyle and star Tyler Marshall took to see the original Hedwig, John Cameron Mitchell, on tour.
The Santa Monica Daily Press won an ongoing lawsuit against rental scam suspect
Santa Monica resident Patricia Anglano has lost her third lawsuit against the Daily Press for its coverage of the City’s complaints against her. Anglano has now lost three identical lawsuits against the paper. In the most recent ruling, Anglano’s case for defamation was dismissed and the judge advised her to move on from her vendetta against the paper. Anglano also failed to appear during the initial hearing for her third attempt at a suit, but in an effort to end the legal harassment, the Daily Press pursued an in-person ruling.
thomas@smdp.com
