Culver City Observer -

Community Development Department

• Lady M Confections – Building plans were approved on October 22 for a 6,830 square foot tenant improvement for a change of use from warehouse to a baking facility at 5887 Blackwelder Street.

• Airport Marina Ford – Building plans were submitted on October 22 for the installation of a carousel at 6002 Centinela Avenue.

• T-Group – Building plans were approved on October 12 for a 5th floor interior tenant improvement for new partitions, walls, and ceiling at 600 Corporate Pointe.

• Morsco/Morrison Supply – Building plans were submitted on October 7 for a 2,716 square foot build out of Kohler Signature store, and Design Center at 3250 Helms Avenue.

• R. S. Culver Properties #1 – A final building inspection was completed by the Building Safety Division on October 6 for a new three level stacked parking structure, at 8500 Higuera Street.

• Apple/Beats – Final building inspections were completed by the Building Safety Division on October 30 for the interior office reconfiguration at 8550 Higuera Street.

• Paige Premium Denim – The Building Safety Division issued a building permit for the reconfiguration of conference rooms, and storage rooms, at 10119 Jefferson Boulevard.

• Bombet Hospitality Group – A final building inspection was completed by the Building Safety Division on November 2 for a new Korean BBQ restaurant at 3829 Main Street.

• Janga Restaurant – The Building Safety Division issued a building permit on October 6 for a new restaurant at 3850 Main Street.

• Prinkipia Tea House – The Building Safety Division issued a building permit on October 8 for a new mall kiosk at Westfield Culver City.

• Mossis Kabob Int’l Grill – The Building Safety Division issued a building permit on October 5 for a new restaurant at Westfield Culver City.

• Culver City Mazda – A final building inspection was completed on October 13 by the Building Safety Division for a new Mazda car dealership at 11215 Washington Boulevard.

• Lodge Bread Co – A final building inspection was completed on October 15 for a new restaurant/bakery at 11918 Washington Boulevard.

• The Shop – Building plans were approved on October 22 for a 7,284 square foot tenant improvement for a new retail café located at 8820 Washington Boulevard, (The PLATFORM).

• Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream – The Building Safety Division issued a building permit on October 14 for a new ice cream and coffee shop, at 8810 Washington Boulevard, (The PLATFORM).

• Business Improvement District (BID) – Renewal of the Downtown BID program, is scheduled for consideration by the City Council on November 9. If approved, the City Council will adopt a resolution of intent to levy assessments, and a Public Hearing will be scheduled for December 14.

• Parking Structure Maintenance Contract – A contract with Shine Walk, LLC, for pressure washing services in the three downtown parking structures and City Hall is scheduled for consideration by the City Council on November 9.

• Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) - The annual CDBG Advisory Committee meeting for CDBG fiscal year 2016/2017 is scheduled for 6 pm Thursday, November 12 in the Dan Patacchia Room at City Hall. The City has posted the Public Notice of the meeting and will distribute a Notice through the City’s email notification system.

Fire Department

• Training – Culver City Fire Department Probationary Firefighters participated in a controlled burn training exercise with new recruits from Santa Monica and Beverly Hills Fire Departments at Santa Monica’s new burn prop. Since mid-July CCFD’s three Probationary Firefighters have completed over 1,700 hours of training.

• Culver City Firefighters Raise Over $1,100 for Breast Cancer Charity – Culver City Firefighters donated 100% of the proceeds from October’s CCFD Pink T-Shirt sales to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Culver City Firefighters cut a check for over $1,100 to help find a cure and support individuals and families battling breast cancer. Special thanks to the Culver City community for the support!

• Culver City Firefighters Grow Mustaches for Men's Health Awareness – "Movember" is a month-long campaign geared toward raising awareness and funds for men’s health. The funds will help save and improve the lives of men and their families affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health problems. To donate, visit the Culver City Fire Department’s Movember page at http://moteam.co/culver-city-firefighters. Join by visiting http://us.movember.com. Or, simply skip out on shaving for the month to support the cause.

Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department

• Veterans Memorial Complex Rental Operation Hours – Veterans Memorial Building will be closed on November 26 and December 25 and January 1, 2016. Please contact the rental staff at 310-253-6625 or vmc.booking@culvercity.org for more information about holiday bookings.

• Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program – Donna Sternberg & Dancers will present What’s Next, featuring poet Suzanne Lummis and musician Colm O’Riain, at the Ivy Substation on November 13 and 14. More information is available by visiting http://www.dsdancers.com.

• The Culver City Senior Center Nutrition Program – The Culver City Senior Center Nutrition Program has free recipe books courtesy of Counseling Nutritional Services, Inc. available in English & Spanish. Please stop by and pick one up today! This cookbook features 36 healthy versions of down-home favorites and new dishes and includes low-cost and common items.

• The Culver City Senior Center Reverse Mortgage Seminar – The Culver City Senior Center presented a Reverse Mortgage seminar on Thursday, November 12. This informational session answered questions about changes, programs, rates and who is eligible. All educational workshops at the Senior Center are available to members of the public ages 50 and older.

• The Culver City Senior Citizens Association Annual Holiday Food Certificate Program – Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the Culver City Senior Citizens Association Annual Holiday Food Certificate Program. Each donated dollar goes directly toward buying supermarket food certificates for our less fortunate Culver City friends and neighbors to help them experience the joy, sharing and caring of the Holiday Season. Please make your donation check payable to the Culver City Senior Citizens Association, Attn: Holiday Certificate Program, 4095 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232. The program is administered by Darren Uhl, Disability & Social Services Specialist. He can be reached at 310-253-6729 or by email at darren.uhl@culvercity.org. City of Culver City employees and their families can send donations to Darren via interoffice mail.

• CPRS Aging Section Senior Symposium – Jill S. Thomsen, Culver City Volunteer Specialist, was a presenter at the California Parks and Recreation Society Aging Section Senior Symposium. The annual event was attended by more than 200 Parks & Recreation professionals from Southern California and Jill spoke on the topic of upcoming trends in volunteering.

• Culver City After School Recreation Program (CCARP) – Senior Center volunteers will once again offer tutoring services to the CCARP kindergarten students. They will help students in reading and with basic math skills providing tutoring 1 – 2 times a week.

• Culver City Teen Center – The Teen Center is once again supporting the Food Drive for CCUSD Backpacks for Kids program by encouraging Teen Center member participation. The CCUSD Backpacks for Kids Program runs the entire month of November and provides food to CCUSD students who may not have access to healthy food during the weekends. Parents and staff work together to identify students in need. Parents and student volunteers meet at one CCUSD location on Thursdays and fill the backpacks. (Photo: Culver City Crossroads)

• The Culver City Senior Center Art Exhibit – The Senior Center Fall Art Exhibit will be held November 16 to 19. Stop by the Senior Center’s atrium lobby and see the terrific artists that are in our local community.

• Culver City Volunteer Opportunities – As the holiday season begins there are several local organizations in need of volunteers. Check out the Big Sunday Holiday List at http://theholidaylist.bigsunday.org/ and search “Culver City” to fund local giving opportunities. Toy drives, sing-alongs and Thanksgiving meals are all on the list currently. For questions please contact Jill Thomsen or 310-253-6722 or by email at jill.thomsen@culvercity.org.

• Service Learning Requirement Information Program - Culver City Volunteer Specialist Jill S. Thomsen will speak with parents about resources to help students fulfill their service learning requirements as well as give back to the local community at the Culver City High School Parent Engagement Night. The event will be on Tuesday, November 17, 5:30 pm to 8 and all parents of 8th – 12th grade students are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served from 5:30 to 6 pm in Main Purpose Room.

• Parks – The Parks Division was approved for the Baldwin Hills Conservancy/state grant to construct the Park-to-Playa Trail component that runs through Culver City Park. This project will complete the last leg of the loop trail that connects the Ballona Creek bike path/trail with Kenneth Hahn Regional Park, Baldwin Hills Conservancy and our Culver City Park. Through the combined efforts of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, Culver City Public Works, and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, this will complete the multi-modal trail with pedestrian/ADA compliance and bike path components.)

Public Works Department

• Culver City Receives Notice of Stormwater Grant Award - On November 3 the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved the award of the 2015 Countywide Competitive Grant Program Grant (Grant) in the amount of $767,136 for the Culver City-Costco Infiltration System Project. This regional project will capture, treat/filter, and infiltrate urban runoff and stormwater from a drainage area of approximately 42 acres. Also, this project will achieve complete compliance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit for the portion of the Marina del Rey watershed within Culver City cooperate limits.

• Free Rain Barrel from West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) – If you reside within WBMWD’s service area, you may register for the upcoming distribution event to obtain a free rain barrel.

Saturday, December 12 from 9 am to 1 pm.

Visit the link to register:

http://www.sbesc.com/calendar/events/rain-barrel-distribution-culver-city

Construction Updates:

 Golden State Water Company will replace the water main on Sawtelle Boulevard between McDonald Street and Hayter Avenue.

 Golden State Water Company will replace the water main on Wesley Street between National Boulevard and Higuera Street.

 AT&T will install new fiber optic on Delmas Terrace between Venice Boulevard and Washington Boulevard and on Washington Boulevard up to Culver Boulevard.

 Dynalectric, City Contractor, will install new conduit on Washington Boulevard, between Zanja Street and Centinela Avenue, for the replacement of the streetlights.

 Duquesne Bridge Project: Weekend work is planned on November 14 & 21 on the Duquesne Avenue Bridge at Ballona Creek. The project will replace the existing expansion joints with stiffer steel plates on the bridge deck.

Allowable working hours are Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 9 pm. However, if everything goes well, the contractor plans to work on the two Saturdays only. During working hours, there will be only one lane open to traffic, and the contractor will have flagmen directing the traffic at both ends of the bridge. Emergency vehicles will have access at all times. All lanes will be open to traffic during non-working hours.

Transportation Department

• Rideshare events in Southern California - Continuing to encourage citizens to “share the ride,” Transportation Department staff participated in the Santa Monica College Rideshare Fair on Wednesday, November 4tand the Los Angeles DWP Employee Fair on Thursday, November 5. Staff was on hand to answer questions and pass out information to attendees who were curious about Culver CityBus routes and services. Both events were well attended with staff promoting the value, benefits and joy of ridesharing using Culver CityBus.