Santa Monica’s Week In Business

Michael Rosenthal

   We have just learned that the new Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce President-elect is Linda Tisherman, Staff Support Services. She will take office at the end of current President Ann Greenspun’s term.
   BAE systems has announced it will lay off 200 employees as part of its work consolidation efforts. Santa Monica College acquired the BAE property adjacent to the Santa Monica airport this year. Former Santa Monica Mayor Nat Trives suggested the complex to College President Piedad Robertson who immediately saw the potential and moved quickly to acquire it. The complex is on a major north-south artery and near two freeways, which should alleviate much of the concern of Santa Monica residents about the growth of the college in residential neighborhoods.
   Santa Monica College, founded in 1923 moved to its current facility at 1900 Pico Blvd. in 1952, which is the year many of the existing buildings were constructed. Proposition U (vote yes) on the ballot this March is a $160 million, 15-year plan to reconstruct and reconfigure the school’s aging infrastructure. It includes money for the BAE property renovation as well as significant improvements on the current campus. Though this is a tough economic time for many, investment in our educational facilities will provide huge long-term dividends for our local economy. And interest rates are currently low so borrowing now will save money in the long run. The ballot measure is only threatened by public apathy and/or low voter turnout. Naysayers tend to vote regularly so it is up to the more positive progressive elements of Santa Monica to calendar this measure and show up on Election Day.
   Local Santa Monica developer Howard Jacobs is attempting to develop the Boulangerie site, a key property on Main St. The Planning Commission took the advice of planning staff and rejected the submitted plans. Without specific recommendations and suggestions from the planning staff, Jacobs finds himself in a tough spot. He solicited comments from neighbors and the project underwent extensive redesign. When it was finally submitted to the planning commission, it was significantly below the maximum allowable density and included ground floor retail and significant green-environmental elements and had been reduced from a total of 212 units to 133 units. Still not good enough for the Planning Commission. Now Jacobs is appealing that decision directly to the Santa Monica City Council. Jacobs claims he may be forced into bankruptcy and a forced foreclosure if he does not receive permission from the city to move forward. In his written appeal Jacobs asks the city to approve his project “as a matter of simple fairness.”
   The architect for the Boulangerie property, Howard Laks, is also working with the owners of 1719 Ocean Front Walk where a proposed two-story, five- unit condominium is planned.

Renderings of Boulangerie development

Click on the pictures to see a larger version

   A restaurant pub is requesting permission to place a barrier on the Transit Mall on Santa Monica Blvd. for its proposed outdoor dining area. Britannia Pub, 318 Santa Monica Blvd., would be among the first eateries to take advantage of the enlarged sidewalk area.
   Kilroy Realty will be moving into the Westside Media Center Phase 2 property on Olympic Blvd. The commercial real estate development firm is currently headquartered in El Segundo. Phase 2 was the home of eToys before its demise. The 150,000 square foot Phase 3 is nearing completion with no tenants in sight and a soft commercial office space market.
   Prominent Santa Monica architect, David Forbes Hibbert, is working on getting approvals for a new one-story 16,864 square foot, single tenant general commercial building at 1610 Wilshire Blvd. The facility will include a 59 car subterranean parking garage.
   The Second Street property that houses the 28,392 square foot American Youth Hostels facility is seeking Planning Commission approval for a 1,600 square foot addition.
   Santa Monica will soon have a new “largest” law firm. In July, the Los Angeles law firm, Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan LLP, will make a new home in Santa Monica’s Sleek Precinct at the Water Garden, making it the largest law firm in Santa Monica. The firm signed a ten-year sub-lease for 85,000 square feet with Turner Broadcasting.
   Having nearly doubled in size in the last two years, AGSK is the fourth largest law firm in Los Angeles County of those firms with one office. Partner Marshall B. Grossman said, “Our firm’s growth requires us to expand into larger space. We are fortunate to be relocating to this prime location with a build-out tailor made for us and for our clients.”
   According to partner Larry Stein, “We knew when Stein & Kahan and Alschuler Grossman & Pines joined forces in 1999 to form Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan that it would be a law firm marriage made in heaven. This move facilitates our growth and future needs.”
   For those of you wondering…Fatburger is the largest franchise operator headquartered in Santa Monica. Located at 1218 Third St. Promenade, the fast food hamburger chain has a total of 48 units with new owner Magin Johnson promising at least 100 new restaurants in the next five years. The franchise fee is $30,000, which does not include the initial investment startup ranging from $370,000-$730,000! On top of that there is a 5% royalty fee.
   Santa Monica based Metapa, a developer of enterprise infrastructure software, announced the appointment of David Powell as Chief Executive Officer. Formerly with FileNET, Powell will lead Metapa in the continued development and upcoming launch of the company’s data routing solution. Powell’s career spans more than 23 years in the enterprise and application software industries, having most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of applications for FileNET.  Powell’s prior experience includes many years at Candle Corporation, Business Engine Software and Cybertek.
   “David brings a strong mix of enterprise software and data management experience to Metapa,” said Scott Yara, chairman and co-founder of Metapa. “He has a deep understanding of our customers’ challenges and will help Metapa present a unique solution that allows companies to more effectively exchange data with their customers and partners.”