Wilshire Center District Team’s Activities and Other News

Last quarter, the security team assisted the City in getting over 397 bulky items picked up, made 16 calls/reports to the City for street repairs, assisted in getting 352 graffiti tags cleaned up, reported 68 potholes and 58 street lights that are not working on Wilshire Blvd. The potholes and lights were repaired.  The team responded to 93 calls for assists to the LAPD and others.  They issued 18 illegal vendor warnings and assisted 18 homeless individuals. 368 illegal signs were removed.  The team addressed the subject of 15 individuals drinking in public and 27 belligerent transients.  The team captain attended 9 LAPD crime control meetings.  People Assisting the Homeless (P.A.T.H.) will be conducting training for members of the Bicycle Patrol on how to work with homeless people (including encouraging them to use community resources for food, shelter, and medical care).

Last quarter, the sidewalk maintenance team collected 2,133 bags of trash (49,059 lbs), and removed 68 graffiti tags on sidewalk pots, poles, and news racks.  The crew is out every Monday and Thursday sweeping the sidewalks, picking up trash, clearing gutters and painting out graffiti from street poles and flower planters. The team empties 59 trash cans throughout the District due to the City’s reduced efforts which had led to an overflowing of the cans.  Next month the Team will pressure wash some of the worst sidewalk areas along 3rd and 8th street.

The landscape crew for the District’s Wilshire streetscape continues to maintain all 15 medians and about 160 flower pots along Wilshire Blvd.  The work consists of removal of trash, trimming of plants, watering of plants, and repairing broken sprinklers. Three medians were repaired with new plants. This month the team will be adding wood chips to all the medians to help conserve water.  66 trees were trimmed that were blocking the streetlights and street signs. 

We have secured ten 6 x12 billboards for the next two months within the District.  The billboards are part of our public relations work, and will highlight features such as Wilshire Center’s many historical buildings, great transportation, schools, shopping, and apartments and office space.

Community Events

On April 19th there was another successful Night Out for Safer Neighborhoods at 3rd and Western where neighbors joined with community leaders and the LAPD officers of the Olympic Division to discuss ways in which we can improve our community for everyone.

On Wednesday, June 6th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., there will be a Night Out for Safer Neighborhoods event in celebration of the life of Robert F. Kennedy, on the anniversary of his death. It will be held at the R.F.K. Inspiration Park at 3400 Wilshire Blvd. The purpose of this Night Out will be for people to get to know their neighbors and to join with our elected officials, community leaders, students, and the officers of the LAPD Olympic Division to empower the citizens to regain control of their communities and say NO to crime, gangs and violence.

The next meeting of the Wilshire Center Business Watch will take place on Thursday,  June 12st, 12:00 noon at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center, 3424 Wilshire Blvd., El Camino Real Conference Room (5th floor).  Complimentary light lunch will be provided by the WCBID.

The 29th Annual National Night Out on August 7th  is a police and community partnership event where our community comes together to help stop crime. We are to be a part of this national event that will involve over 15,000 other communities.

Other News in Our Community

The Planning Department has requested us to assist them in conducting a survey at Wilshire & Western as part of their parking management study.  The focus of the study is to better understand parking characteristics in Transit Oriented Development (TOD) locations through information on parking standards, demand for parking, parking costs, how well parking is utilized and other information related to the parking resources that are located in proximity to the chosen transit hubs. A user survey will give the Planning Department more insight into the dynamics of parking within the Wilshire/Western area.  The data gathered from this study is intended to begin to the paint the picture about whether the City should consider more tailored parking solutions and requirements at our rail stations.

Construction on the Student Housing and Campus Improvement Project (SHCIP) at the Southwestern Law School is underway. This first phase of the project includes the creation of a new 133-unit student housing complex at 7th Street and Shatto Place.  Subsequent phases of the project will include the rehabilitation of the existing building at 3100 Wilshire Boulevard; the construction of a new 450-seat lecture hall directly south of the 3100 Wilshire building; and the addition of a campus green.  These elements will enhance the campus and transform Southwestern from a commuter school to a more integrated and vibrant academic community.

The best place to keep informed of Wilshire Center District’s activities is on Facebook; become a friend of Wilshire Center at Facebook.com/wilshirecenter.

To all residential tenants: please make arrangements to have your bulky items removed for free from the curbside, by calling 1-800-773-2489, from Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., at least one day before the regular collection day.  Bulky items are collected on the day of the regular trash collection day.  For more information and on-line service go to http://lacitysan.org/solid_resources/refuse/services/bulky_items.htm. 

PLEASE CALL 311 IF YOU SEE BULKY ITEMS AND GRAFFITI – TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE

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To all residential tenants: please make arrangements to have your bulky items removed for free from the curbside, by calling 1-800-773-2489, from Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., at least one day before the regular collection day. Bulky items are collected on the day of the regular trash collection day. For more information and on-line service go to www.lacitysan.org.

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