ROOM FOR MORE CLUB'S CLOSING LEAVES HOLE DOWNTOWN.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer BURBANK - The likely closure of one of Burbank's largest nightspots would bring another vacancy to downtown at a time when the city is in full revitalization mode. But city officials and others said that if the operators of Gitana - a 20,000-square-foot complex near Media City Center mall that includes a restaurant, sports bar, cigar lounge and nightclub - do not pursue a new conditional use permit, the site can be leased easily. ``That's an interesting space, and it takes an interesting tenant to occupy it,'' said Susan Bowers Bowers is a surname, and may refer to
Citing the nightclub's excessive demands on local police, the City Council on Tuesday voted to revoke Gitana's permit after a compromise deal fell through. The openings of the new AMC (Advanced Mezzanine Card) See AdvancedTCA. theaters and Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters, Inc. NASDAQ: URBN owns and operates three retail clothing brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People. The first store opened in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, focusing on "funky" fashion and household products. and the soon to open P.F. Chang's and Macaroni Grill Macaroni Grill (also known as Romano's Macaroni Grill) is a chain of Italian food casual dining restaurants in the US and Canada. The chain and brand name is owned by Brinker International. near San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the and Magnolia Boulevard will likely draw more interest from prospective businesses, officials said. ``Although it's an unhappy situation to occur, we'll continue to see positive things continue in downtown,'' Bowers said. Gitana's landlord, Robert Gangi, said he was close to signing a deal with an undisclosed tenant for 5,000 square feet of the Gitana complex. But he is uncertain about the rest of the space. Another vacancy would hurt Burbank's image, he said. The space occupied by Urban Outfitters - in a storefront on the same block as Gitana - had been vacant for eight years before anyone was interested, he said. ``It just puts us back in a situation we were in before Urban Outfitters. It's not going to be pretty,'' Gangi said. ``It does no public good to be vacant.'' Gitana operator Andres DeLeon said Thursday he was still too stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. to understand how the council could take the step it did. ``We are still in shock totally,'' DeLeon said. ``We don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if we're going to close this week. We are expecting the city to hand us papers soon.'' About 100 full- and part-time employees work at Gitana, one of the few places in town that serves a largely Latino clientele, he said. Salsa music Salsa music or "salsa" is a Latin music generic/umbrella term developed in New York City specifically during the 1970s that was used to describe mainly Afro-Cuban popular Latin dance music generally utilizing rhythms from Cuba, particularly son and guaracha. plays throughout the place. The restaurant also offers Middle Eastern foods. But after police reports indicated that Gitana logged too many police calls for service, the city's planning board Noun 1. planning board - a board appointed to advise the chief administrator advisory board governance, governing body, organisation, administration, brass, establishment, organization - the persons (or committees or departments etc. suggested in July that its permit be revoked. Two weeks ago, the council had offered to allow Gitana to stay open if it closed its nightclub and stopped serving alcohol throughout the complex by 1 a.m. But Gitana attorney Darryl Mounger said the curfew would affect sales and added that none of the other restaurants in the area have curfews. The council then voted to revoke the permit for the entire Gitana complex. Ruth Davidson Guerra, the city's assistant redevelopment director of housing, said the council's decision was based on safety concerns for what will likely become a populated pop·u·late tr.v. pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing, pop·u·lates 1. To supply with inhabitants, as by colonization; people. 2. downtown. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. police records, Gitana logged more than 70 calls for service from October 2002 to July 2003, resulting in a cost of more than $7,000. Calls ranged from reports of assaults with a deadly weapon deadly weapon n. any weapon which can kill. This includes not only weapons which are intended to do harm like a gun or knife, but also blunt instruments like clubs, baseball bats, monkey wrenches, an automobile or any object which actually causes death. to fights to driving under the influence of alcohol. One call in May drew about 16 police officers because of rumors that someone in or near the establishment had a gun. ``What is paramount to the city and to the redevelopment agency is safety and maintaining a healthy environment, where people could come and feel safe and that environment isn't compromised in any way,'' she said. ``We're so excited about what's happening in downtown and we're really starting to pick up our momentum,'' she said. ``It's a great space, and certainly a restaurant is a permitted use that could be operated by the right tenant.'' Councilman Jef Vander Borght agreed, but also said it was a difficult decision for the council to make right when the downtown was enjoying a renaissance. ``I think it's a substantial negative impact on the area,'' Vander Borght said. ``We just closed down a business. We've impacted people's livelihood. I'm hoping they will regroup re·group v. re·grouped, re·group·ing, re·groups v.tr. To arrange in a new grouping. v.intr. 1. To come back together in a tactical formation, as after a dispersal in a retreat. and come back and establish themselves under the right parameters.'' Gitana operator DeLeon said once his business is officially closed, he may pursue other options. Susan Abram, (818) 546-3304 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) The permit for Gitana - a combination restaurant, sports bar, cigar lounge and nightclub - was revoked by City Council on Tuesday because of numerous police visits to the establishment. The complex is near Media City Center mall. (2) If the space stays empty, says landlord Robert Gangi, Burbank will be hurt. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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