8801 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA

Tower Records began the planning process necessary for developing a parking structure for their Sunset Boulevard store in February, 1991. With no approvals and little hope for any as of late September, 1992 Tower turned to CLAVAN* for our assistance. We were able to get neighborhood representatives and the various city agencies and leaders to talk to each other about compromise solutions acceptable to Tower Records. Using agreements reached at these meetings, the Tower proposal was re-packaged and sent to the Planning Commission on November 5, 1992. The parking structure was unanimously approved that evening by the Commission. (CLAVAN*: Benjamin Clavan working as a Principal of the Dunwel Corporation.)

8775 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA

As building plans were being completed for the Tower Records Parking Structure in the Fall of 1993, another property a half block from the Sunset Boulevard Tower Records store came on the market. Tower asked BENJAMIN CLAVAN to determine how the site could be cleared and used as parking lot without compromising the Tower Records parking structure permits. BENJAMIN CLAVAN was able to get the necessary guarantees from the Community Development Department, on which basis Tower executed the purchase agreement for the site. Tower then asked BENJAMIN CLAVAN to submit the applications for a Demolition Permit and Temporary Use Permit for surface parking. These were processed successfully so as to alleviate the need for a full Planning Commission hearing. To complete the project, Tower asked BENJAMIN CLAVAN to process the building and signage permits for the surface parking construction.

STATUS: The surface parking lot was used by Tower Records for several years, for an overall project cost of less than the cost of construction of a new parking structure. The City of West Hollywood eventually bought the parking lot from Tower Records to create a public parking facility.

West Hollywood, CA

In early Summer of 1992, Butterfield’s Restaurant heard of plans to develop a massive new nightclub next door to their establishment. The project threatened to make guest and service access to the restaurant difficult if not impossible, ruin business during the long construction process, and have long-term negative effects on the restaurant’s extensive outdoor dining. Their initial efforts to negotiate suitable protections to insure the continuation of their business were fruitless. CLAVAN* was hired in late September to represent Butterfield’s needs to the developers, the community, and city agencies. The result of these efforts was a a signed agreement between Butterfield’s and the developers. This provided the kind of guarantees that enabled Butterfield’s to fully support the proposed development before the Planning Commission. The Commission approved the neighboring project on December 3, 1992 by a vote of 6 to 1.

STATUS: Butterfield’s Restaurant successfully weathered the construction period of the neighboring business. The Restaurant, working on its own, was unfortunately unable to develop a long-term working relationship with its neighbor and has since closed its doors. In a subsequent lawsuit against the neighbors, the Restaurant owners were able to use the work of consultants and receive a large judgement in their favor.

Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA

The Chabad in West Hollywood represents a large portion of the 12% Russian-Jewish immigrant population in the City. As a result, the Chabad’s outreach program has grown significantly in the last seven years, forcing the Synagogue to operate its religious and educational programs in different locations and to identify other sites for future growth. The Chabad hired BENJAMIN CLAVAN starting in 1993 to help guide this growth within the planning and zoning restrictions of the City of West Hollywood. We worked with the community and city agencies towards providing:

In addition, BENJAMIN CLAVAN worked as a liaison for the Chabad, representing the Program and Synagogue’s interests in a variety of forums in the City of West Hollywood.

Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood

An ad-hoc group of residents approached BENJAMIN CLAVAN to represent them in opposition to plans by the Metropolitan Community Church and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches to locate a sanctuary and their world-wide headquarters in an existing commercial building. These plans required a conditional use permit, off-site parking permits, etc. Rather than direct the opposition, BENJAMIN CLAVAN urged mediation and was successful in identifying four specific areas in which the community and the church could agree on the addition of mitigating conditions to the Church’s various applications. CLAVAN worked to codify these agreements, and then to present the agreements before the Planning Commission, and on appeal, to the City Council

STATUS: The City Council unanimously voted to approve the Church’s applications along with the four major mitigating conditions.

West Hollywood, CA

Makris Development Company, Laguna Hills, CA, had been attempting without success for nearly a year to obtain planning staff approval for their plans for a 19-unit condominium development on a site now occupied by a sub-divided single-family residence. The problems included both planning and design. CLAVAN* was hired to re-design the development and assist in obtaining all necessary planning approvals. In less than three weeks we obtained preliminary staff approval on the new design, and a recommendation for approval soon thereafter. The Planning Commission approved the project at its next regularly scheduled hearing.

STATUS: Project dropped at that time; later undertaken by new developer on the basis of the originally approved plans.

West Hollywood Taxicab Needs and Assessment Consultation

L.A. Checker Cab Co., Inc. hired BENJAMIN CLAVAN as part of a team to represent its interests before the City of West Hollywood Department of Transportation and Public Works staff and the Transportation Commission in an on-going effort to secure additional taxicab stickers in the City. This was an involved situation that included the City’s heretofore unsuccessful attempts to develop a coherent policy on establishing need for taxicabs in the area. BENJAMIN CLAVAN worked to help more clearly identify the issues and to propose resolutions that allowed the City Council to vote for a compromise to the impasse.

STATUS: L.A. Checker Cab was granted 15 additional licenes of 36 additional requested.

Cal-Trade Center Master Plan Project, San Pedro, CA, 1999. Proposal for redevelopment of 2.8-acre downtown site to integrate adaptive reuse of existing 166,000 sq. ft., 11-story office building and underground parking, a new transit hub, a new 400+ multi-level parking garage; and 30,000 sq. ft. of new retail. (A joint effort of Cal America Properties. the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.)

Inland Pacific World Trade Center, Pomona, CA, 1985. Assembly of successful application for membership in World Trade Centers Association as part of the effort to develop a world trade center in Pomona. Preparation of Survey of Interest for the Center, which was distributed to 12,000 Southern California businesses. (Consultant to CPR/Urbanetic Developers, Los Angeles, CA, and the Pomona Economic Development Corporation, with KMG Main Hurdman, Los Angeles.)

Damasara Heights Medical Center Project, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1985. Two schmes for a 112-bed private doctor’s hospital. (For Rampart Group, Inc., Los Angeles, in association with the Bechtel Corporation, San Francisco.)

Ivy Childrens’ Music Park, Los Angeles, 1982. Project concept and proposal for development of the abandoned Ivy Substation into a community music center. (With Lomax-Rock & Associates, Architects, Venice, CA)

141 Steuart St. Renovations and Additions, San Francisco, 1979: Member, design team for 80,000 sq. ft. of offices, restaurants and commercial space in aging high-rise and low-rise waterfront buildings. (For Lloyd Flood, Architect, San Francisco, CA.)

Angel Place Office Block Redevelopment, Worcester, England, 1973: Historic building survey and measured drawings. (For Sir Frederick Gibberd & Partners, Architects and Town Planners, London.)