City to Hire Consulting Team to Study Reviving 2 Areas

The city of Los Angeles intends to hire a team of consultants to examine how to clean up dirty Fairfax Avenue streets, revitalize Melrose Avenue’s trendy cachet and survey property owners about their willingness to pay for the improvements.

An estimated $65,000 contract is expected to be signed within the next two weeks between the city and consultants David Taussig and Associates and Stoorza, Zeigaus, Metzger & Boyer to explore whether to establish a business improvement district in the two commercial areas.

In such an district, property owners or merchants are taxed to pay for improvements such as street cleaning, landscaping, marketing campaigns and holiday decorations. The study would include possible boundaries for the district, its cost and desirability.

The formation of a district requires the support of 51% of the merchants or property owners within its boundaries.

“It won’t get off the ground if they are not interested,” said Rochelle Ventura, chief field deputy for City Councilman Mike Feuer.

While Melrose Avenue’s commercial strip is in need of sprucing up, Fairfax Avenue suffers from more serious problems, including empty storefronts, Ventura said.

Similar tax districts are in place in Westwood Village and the garment district downtown, but at least 20 other commercial neighborhoods are exploring the concept. A nine-block district along downtown’s Broadway was dissolved by a vote of business owners after a year.