Playing for home team.

ARCHITECT Dan Meis grew up in Denver as a huge Broncos fan. And he's lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade now, but without a local National Football League team to mot for, he's taken to cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles because he designed their stadium-Lincoln Financial Field.

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But soon Meis could have a local squad to root for as well as one for which he designed the stadium. That's because Meis has been tapped to design developer Ed Roski's proposed NFL stadium in the City of Industry.

"I've had a huge passion for trying to solve this NFL problem," said Meis, who designed Staples Center when he worked for architecture firm NBBJ in the 1990s.

Earlier this month, Meis merged his private practice with global finn Aedas. Of course, if the stadium gets built, Meis could still see his beloved Broncos or Eagles--when they're in town for a game.

"Let's hope so."

Eco Evening

Upscale retailer Fred Segal Santa Monica last month raised more than $30,000 for the environmental group Heal the Bay during an eco-friendly evening gussied up with ,some Hollywood glitz.

The evening featured donated gourmet food, music and an only-in-L.A. silent auction including a Hello Kitty watch from designer and reality TV star Kimora Lee Simmons.

Heading the team effort was Madison owner David Assil, who has one of his five L.A. boutiques in Fred Segal.

"None of us had put on a fundraiser like this before and everyone said we couldn't do it in only four weeks, but I guess we didn't know enough to know what we couldn't do," said Assil.

One thing they did know to do: stop using throwaway plastic bags, which are a danger to the bay's aquatic life.

New Rivalry

Real estate economist Richard Green this summer will leave his post as director of the real estate center at George Washington University in D.C. for his new job as director of USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate.

Green, an old friend of former Lusk Center Director Stuart Gabriel, who left last year to take over rival UCLA's real estate center, was coy when asked about any advice he got from Gabriel after accepting the position.

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"All I'll say is we are both excited about working in the same town together," Green said.

But the new Lusk director isn't coy about his goals. "I'm not going to kid you; I want USC to be the best real estate program in the country."

And he touched on another cross-town rivalry: Green said he's a football fan and plans to attend USC games this fall.

Staff reporter Deborah Crowe contributed to this column. Daniel Miller can be reached at [e-mail].