BURBANK TO PONDER MEDIA DISTRICT PLAN; CITY WOULD PURSUE PRIVATE FUNDING.Byline: Mary Lou Aurelio Daily News Staff Writer The City Council is expected to vote today on a nearly $1 million improvement plan for the Media District, including two huge entrance arches identifying it as the new hub of the entertainment center in the state. The vote would be a preliminary approval of the plan and there is no money identified for the project as yet, said Councilman Bob Kramer. If approved, staff will be instructed to look for funding sources, including among the private sector. The plan envisions two primary gateway arches, both on Olive Avenue. One would be at Lakeside Drive near the Los Angeles River The Los Angeles River is an intermittent river flowing through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley, 51 miles (82 km) southeast to its mouth in Long Beach. at the city's south entrance. The arch would span the street where motorists enter from Barham Boulevard, the Cahuenga Pass The Cahuenga Pass (IPA: [kə'wɛŋgə]) (from the indigenous Tongva language) (el. 745 ft. / 227 m) is a mountain pass through the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Hollywood district of the City and Hollywood. ``I think it would be nice as you leave Hollywood, which used to be a media center, to drive under the arch as you're entering the new media center of the state,'' Kramer said. The other primary arch would be over Olive Avenue just west of Buena Vista Street. Both would be made of steel and other metal, and would measure about 100 feet wide and 30 feet high, said Rick Pruetz, chief assistant Community Development director. The Media District is located in the southwest corner of Burbank, and includes Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) ., NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. and Disney studios. It is generally bounded by the Rancho ran·cho n. pl. ran·chos Southwestern U.S. 1. A hut or group of huts for housing ranch workers. 2. A ranch. neighborhood to the east, the Magnolia Magnolia, city, United States Magnolia (măgnō`lyə), city (1990 pop. 11,151), seat of Columbia co., SW Ark.; inc. 1855. Its oil industry has been important since 1938. Park neighborhood to the west and the Los Angeles River on the south. Other improvement features would include: sidewalk A Microsoft service that was launched in 1997 to provide online arts and entertainment guides on the Web for major cities worldwide. In 1999, Microsoft sold Sidewalk to Ticketmaster, which continued to provide guides, ticketing and other information to the MSN network. benches that resemble directors' chairs, sidewalk trash receptacles that look like megaphones, street name signs in the shape of film strips, and illuminated il·lu·mi·nate v. il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing, il·lu·mi·nates v.tr. 1. To provide or brighten with light. 2. To decorate or hang with lights. 3. Media District pillars at several intersections. Dennis Mackay Denis MacKay is a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party and the Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for the Bulkley Valley-Stikine riding in British Columbia, Canada External Links Dennis Mackay MLA Website , deputy city planner, said the Media District can unequivocally be called the major hub of the entertainment industry since it has three major entertainment studios as well as numerous other studios and related businesses. He said the city wants to ``establish the identity of the Media District as the home of some of the world's foremost entertainment companies.'' Kramer agreed. ``It's a great plan,'' Kramer said. ``The problem is that there's no funds for it. There's just a lot of plan.'' The city has been working on the project since 1991, Pruetz said. A citizens advisory committee has approved the plan, including representatives of the studios and neighborhood representatives. The preliminary estimated cost of the Media District Identity Plan is $999,400. City representatives and the Media District Citizens Advisory Committee will meet soon to discuss the establishment of a Business Improvement District for funding, Pruetz said. He said it will probably take several years to implement the project. ``It's not the kind of plan that we're going to come up with a million dollars next year,'' Pruetz said. ``It's going to take a few years.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: A rendering shows one of the two primary arches included in the proposed Media District Identity Plan. |
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