CITY TO EXPLAIN PLANS FOR ARMENIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Los Angeles Daily News, CA
July 23 2013
Posted on July 23, 2013 by Rick Orlov
Under pressure from community groups, Councilman Paul Koretz on Tuesday
asked for a 90-day outreach effort to explain the plans to convert
an abandoned fire station in to an Armenian museum and cultural center.
"In retrospect, we should have done a better job explaining what we
wanted to do," Koretz said. "A number of people have raised objections
and we will try to address those."
Koretz had received full City Council support to the concept of
leasing Fire Station 83 at 5001 Balboa Blvd., Encino, for $1 a year
for 50 years to the Armenian Cultural Foundation.
In return, the group would make about $1 million in improvements as
well as provide the security on the property to prevent vandalism
and graffiti.
Critics have said the city should sell the property to private
developers to bring in money to the city and representatives of the
Encino Charter Elementary School have said they would like to be able
to use the parking lot at the station.
City officials said they did offer the property to other city agencies
and governmental jurisdictions, but none stepped forward to claim
the property
http://blogs.dailynews.com/politics/2013/07/23/city-explain-plans-armenian-cultural-center/
Los Angeles Daily News, CA
July 23 2013
Posted on July 23, 2013 by Rick Orlov
Under pressure from community groups, Councilman Paul Koretz on Tuesday
asked for a 90-day outreach effort to explain the plans to convert
an abandoned fire station in to an Armenian museum and cultural center.
"In retrospect, we should have done a better job explaining what we
wanted to do," Koretz said. "A number of people have raised objections
and we will try to address those."
Koretz had received full City Council support to the concept of
leasing Fire Station 83 at 5001 Balboa Blvd., Encino, for $1 a year
for 50 years to the Armenian Cultural Foundation.
In return, the group would make about $1 million in improvements as
well as provide the security on the property to prevent vandalism
and graffiti.
Critics have said the city should sell the property to private
developers to bring in money to the city and representatives of the
Encino Charter Elementary School have said they would like to be able
to use the parking lot at the station.
City officials said they did offer the property to other city agencies
and governmental jurisdictions, but none stepped forward to claim
the property
http://blogs.dailynews.com/politics/2013/07/23/city-explain-plans-armenian-cultural-center/