Green Hollow Square Gets Public Hearing

Over 100 people showed up at the small hearing room at the West Los Angeles Municipal Building Monday to listen and comment on the controversial Green Hollow Square project at 11973 San Vicente Boulevard.

The meeting, held by City Planning Department Hearing Officer Greg Shoop, was to gather public testimony for the project, which will demolish the Barry Building and rebuild a small multi-level shopping center on the property, with both the property owner Charlie Munger weighing in and comments from Councilman Bill Rosendahl presented by his aide.

The project faces significant support and opposition. While many would like an updated center with restaurants and retail stores, others decried the destruction of the Barry Building, which was designated a Historic-Cultural monument in 2007. Still others expressed concerns about increased traffic on San Vicente Boulevard, with one woman shedding tears over her fears of traffic blocking needed ambulance service for her disabled husband. 

"I have a daughter that has epilespsy," said Jill Goldman, another resident concerned about traffic blocking emergency services. "I don't want to risk my daughter not being able to get to UCLA [Medical Center]."

Supporters of the project were well-organized, with many wearing buttons in favor of it and others carrying signs.

"I'm looking forward to this project being built," said Joel Feldman, who lives and works within walking distance of the site. "It's just sort of a win-win for the community to have more businesses with walking distance."

Jackie Williams pointed out the building is not accessible by people with disabilities, and told of the difficulty she had accessing the upper floors of the building when she recently had to use a wheelchair after some health problems.

"I had to be carried up the stairs because there is no other way to get up to those offices," she said referring to the building's signature sweeping outdoor stairway.

Others cited the jobs that would be created by having a new center, and the generally dilapidated state of the building, claiming that it had outlived its usefulness.

Shoop said later that while he hadn't had a chance to count the number of people who testified at the meeting (based on the number of request to speak cards filled out at the meeting), there were more people opposed to the project than supporting it. Even then, among those opponents, most were not opposed to the project, but instead wanted property owner and developer Charlie Munger to preserve the building as part of the development.

Chief among those supporters is Councilman Rosendahl, whose comments were presented by his field deputy Joaquin Macias.

"Councilmember Rosendahl will not support a project that does not have a preservation element," Macias said to loud cheers, adding that Rosendahl is otherwise very supportive of the project.

"I support the development, but with preserving the Barry Building," said Jamie Lynton. "We need the city to protect our landmarks."

The meeting lasted approximately five hours. Shoop said that he and his staff will compile all the testimony into a report that will be presented to the City Planning Commission on August 9. The commission will then make a recommendation to the Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as to whether the project should be approved as presented.