To the editor: I’ve lived in North Hollywood for 47 years and was glad to see the latest article on the long-overdue demolition of Valley Plaza (“‘Our stomping floor’: Demolition of historic Valley Plaza mall begins,” Oct. 31).
The article mentions that the L.A. metropolis commissioners voted to declare a lot of the Valley Plaza website a public nuisance. What is just not talked about is that our newly elected councilmember, Adrin Nazarian (Council District 2), led the trouble to carry the property house owners accountable and to start clearing the location, one thing the neighbors have waited practically a decade for.
Since Charles Co. bought the Valley Plaza property in 2015, it has allowed its buildings to sit down vacant and deteriorate. These uncared for buildings grew to become magnets for crime, trespassing, vandalism and a number of massive fires, together with the 2022 hearth on the former Lamplighter Household Restaurant.
It’s encouraging to see what Councilmember Nazarian’s management has helped obtain in lower than a yr in workplace. Nonetheless, it’s troubling that on the latest listening to, Charles Co.’s lawyer acknowledged it has no particular plans to redevelop the property. Whereas the corporate earnings from leasing the blighted website for movie productions that use the decay as a backdrop, close by residents proceed to bear the burden of neglect.
The time has come for the proprietor to develop or promote the property earlier than one other decade of stagnation passes. With continued strain from Councilmember Nazarian and help from the group, we stay hopeful that Valley Plaza can as soon as once more change into an asset to North Hollywood slightly than an eyesore.
Diann Corral, North Hollywood
