After a week off, you'll have to forgive us for forgetting R&B until after 5pm. But we do have questions for you. Real tough questions that need answers. Email your answers to us at la@curbed.com or leave a comment. Please email us your questions for next week too. And if you have pics, send those along with your question.
1) Sunset Strip: The Petersen Building (pictured), located adjacent to the proposed Sunset Millenium project generates a query. "Was driving on Sunset today and passed the Petersen Building on the southeast corner of La Cienega and Sunset... As far as I could tell, it's totally empty and not being kept up anymore. Are there plans for the building? How long has it been closed? Ya know, any general info about it would be interesting."
2) Los Feliz: One reader emailed in asking about the project at Franklin and Hillhurst. We said it's a Bank of America. Another reader asks a slightly different question on the same project. "...was touring around the hood this morning and gathered that the new construction going on at Franklin and Hillhurst is a Bank of America branch. Interesting, as the closest one now is the one on Vermont and Prospect/Hwd. Blvd. that is hard to get in and out of. If this is a relocation to a more convenient location, serving a MUCH better demographic without the homeless, etc. crowd at its front door, then what will happen with the former quarters - demolished, remodeled into a mini-mall, condos over retail, etc.?"
3) Venice: A parcel long vacant in Venice? We're guessing mixed-use. " What's the deal with the vacant lot on the southwest corner of Venice Blvd and Lincoln? Apparently it was once a gas station, but has been abandoned for quite some time. "
4) Hollywood: A reader asks about the former Sunset Tower being converted to condos. Here's our previous post. Anyone have any status updates. "Can't recall this in recent Rumblings, but what's up with the unoccupied and now sheathed in a giant-condom-with-advertising-on-it building on the southeast corner of Sunset & Vine?"
5) Hollywood: Back to Batali. "i live near highland & melrose, after 12 years in ny's alphabet city. so i might be more interested in most in the silverton/batali project going into the old alessi space.... is it a big deal that in the last week, there's a sign up for "Cal Air Inc" in the window? do you have any idea what the timetable might be on the restaurant opening?"
6) Santa Monica: Can they cram any more people into Santa Monica? We shall see. "Someone who works in the Water Garden/MTV neighborhood told me that an apartment building is being planned for the parking lot space directly behind (south) the MTV building (on one-way Pennsylvannia). Just how the heck are they planning on shoe-horning apartments in there...and seriously, why would you want to? Hearings are supposedly scheduled soon...anyone have any idea what's up?
7) Los Angeles: Curiously, these guys were in front of our building today protesting the contracting company next door. "Hey. Do you guys know what the deal is with those "Shame On XXXX" protesters? The "Shame On Casden Properties" people have been in front of the Casden offices for months, but now I see "Shame On" banners everywhere. It's as if it's a "protester for hire" service.