San Fernando Valley Blog: North Hollywood

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14 Small Lot Home Planned for NoHo's Art District

Friday, March 25, 2016 / No Comments

Above image courtesy Bing Maps

11027 Morrison St

11035, 11037, or 11037.5 Morrison St

11035, 11037, or 11037.5 Morrison St. Above images courtesy Google Maps

This latest development proposal is located at 11027 - 11037.5 Morrison Ave in North Hollywood in between Lankershim Blvd and Vineland Ave within prime walking distance to the Red Line and NoHo Arts District. The proposal is the construction of 14 small lot homes with an attached 2 car garage and a laughable three guest parking spaces. I apologize for posting this late as the hearing was held on March 15, 2016. My guess is that everything was approved.

11027 Morrison St is a 7,509 vacant lot. 11035 Morrison St (including addresses 11037 and 11037.5) is a 2 Bed/1 Bath on 894 sqft on a total lot size of 8,912 sqft built in 1939. There are multiple buildings on this property not included in the above details. All buildings and trees will be demolished. Both properties were acquired by Noho Morrison LLC on September 11, 2015 for $1.4 million.

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here.

14 Small Lot Home Development

Empty NoHo Lot Used in Pulp Fiction to Become 26 Unit Apartment

Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / No Comments

Bruce Willis who plays "Butch" in Pulp Fiction walking through empty lot.

Image courtesy Bing Maps

This latest hearing proposal calls for the construction of a 26 unit apartment building measuring 3 stories at a maximum height of 40 feet. The project takes place at 11818 (single family home) and 11828 (vacant lot) Runnymede St in North Hollywood.

Image courtesy Google Maps

The single family home will be demolished which measures 4 Beds/3 Baths on 2,257 sqft on a total lot size of 10,383 sqft built in 1947. This home was purchased on March 31, 2015 for $440K by 11282 Runnymede LLC.

Image courtesy Google Maps

The vacant lot measures 19,320 sqft which was purchased by the same LLC on December 19, 2014 for $650k. This lot was actually featured in 1994's cult classic, Pulp Fiction (other SFV locations can be viewed here), directed by Quentin Tarantino. At this location, Bruce Willis, who plays "Butch," walks to his apartment using the empty lot as a shortcut after parking his car one block south to avoid being seen from anyone. Suprsingly, this lot has remained vacant since 1994 but it wasnt always that way. Using historicalaerials.com, this land appeared to be the main location for possibly a ranch home going back to the last available year 1952. Sometime in between 1980 and 1989, the home was destroyed. [Update Feb 15, 2016]: An online search revealed that the home on this property was abandoned and became the location for a murder of a 16 year old who had killed a rookie police officer. The home was later demolished sometime in 1988 or 1989 where the lot has been empty ever since. You can read more detail at the LA Times: Rookie Office Dies in Struggle for Gun; Suspect, 16, Killed published on June 8, 1988. [End Update].

Above images courtesy Historicaerials.com

You can view more SFV Architecture and R.E. here.

Runnymede Apartment Building

Costco Distribution Center Coming to North Hollywood?

Tuesday, December 29, 2015 / 2 Comments

[Update 5/6/2017]: This will be a Costco Business center which is like the regular wholesale stores but cater more to businesses with restaurant supplies and expanded food and drink selections. This will be the first in the SFV so this is exciting considering I am a huge Costco fan. The other nearest Business Center is in Commerce.

[Original Post]:

Image courtesy CBRE

This latest hearing notice application (at bottom of the post) from Costco Wholesale appears to be for a new distribution center in North Hollywood just west of the Bob Hope Burbank airport. The hearing notice calls for demolition of 65,720 sqft and the remodel of the remaining 242,120 sqft of an existing 310,991 sqft warehouse built in 1969 located at 11428 Sherman Way.

There are also some other changes with the request for new retail and warehouse space. The final design is not known but I doubt there is a new Costco Wholesale store coming to North Hollywood with the Burbank and Van Nuys stores being so close so we will have to wait and see for the final outcome.

You can view more SFV Architecture and R.E. here.

Costco Distribution Warehouse

BTTF# 30: Michael Hutchence's North Hollywood Home Before Becoming INXS' Lead Singer

Thursday, October 22, 2015 / 2 Comments

Map image courtesy Google Maps

Marty McFly here to take you on a special journey to explore the former home of INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence, located at 4950 Laurel Canyon Blvd North Hollywood (also referred to as Studio City). The Delorean has the required plutonium plus some random garbage in the Mr. Fusion reactor ready for this trip. The time circuits are set to sometime in 1976 and the flux capacitor is......fluxxing. The engine is running (not stalled this time) so we need to hurry. Hang on, as the ride can be a little bumpy as we travel back in time.

I am always amazed at the richness of SFV history when I learned through the fine folks at the Valley Film Festival that Michael Hutchence actually lived in North Hollywood for a very brief period during his teenage years where he attended North Hollywood High School. For those that dont know, Hutchence is an Australian native who lived most of his life in the land of down under. So to discover that there was a connection to the SFV, that completely blew me away and I was hungry for more details.

Hutchence was a founding member of the rock band, INXS, who grew to fame in the 80's becoming one of the better underrated bands of that era. Part of the success of INXS was Hutchence, who was a natural on the screen with his looks, voice, and persona.

But before he became rich and famous, he lived in NoHo for one year in 1976 as described by Michaelhutchenceinfo.com:

At the age of 15 Michael and his mother left for California. He has said that with the breakup of his parents' marriage he felt that she needed someone and it pained him to think of her alone. He and his mother joined his sister Tina, and her son Brent in a house in Studio City. While his mother continued her work in motion pictures, Michael enrolled into North Hollywood High where he found the student population and instructor/student relationship liberating. He was quite introspective and began to write poetry with a passion. He continued to visit his mother on sets and soaked in the down to earth basics of movie making which possibly helped him later on when it came time to make videos with INXS.

Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Through careful research, I tracked the address of Hutchence's NoHo home to be a small apartment (shown above) located at 4950 Laurel Canyon that was demolished in 1984 and replaced with a condo complex (shown at the very top of this post). I was able to confirm this address through the owners of that apartment complex who easily remembered the Hutchence family thanks to the magic of Facebook (shown below).

After one year of living in NoHo, Hutchence returned to the motherland and founded INXS in 1977 with the rest being history selling over 45 million records worldwide. Unfortunately, like all great legendary musicians, Hutchence committed suicide by hanging on November 22, 1997 in a Sydney hotel. The news shocked the world as fans mourned his death by laying flowers in front of the hotel's entrance. Another fact that surprised me is that a portion of Hutchence's remains are buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills next to the Warner Bros. Studio lot which is obviously in the SFV.

Image courtesy Valley Film Festival

Image courtesy Wikipedia/Andwhatsnext

I leave with one of INXS' best songs (but then again there are so many).

You can view more SFV Back to the Future series here.

Celeb R.E.: Alfonso Ribeiro Celebrating the Carlton Dance in his new Granada Hills Home

Wednesday, October 21, 2015 / No Comments

Images courtesy Sunset Group Realty

Gossip juggernaut, TMZ, revealed on October 6, 2015, that former The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star, Alfonso Ribeiro, just purchased a Granada Hills mansion for $2 million which has not officially been sold according to property records. Ribeiro is also widely known for his famous Carlton Dance that was performed when Tom Jones' "Its Not Unusual" would play on The Fresh Prince show. Ribeiro also appeared as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial featuring Michael Jackson in 1984 as well as playing Rick Schroder's best friend on the TV series, Silver Spoons.

The home measures 8 Beds/7 Baths on 7,530 sqft on a total lot size of 0.48 acres built in 2005 which was originally listed at $1,995,000 on July 23, 2015. The sellers purchased the home on June 8, 2012 for $875,000. The listing description states:

Exceptional executive entertainer's home in the gated area of Stallion Meadows. Two story fully upgraded contemporary inspired Mediterranean property. Great high ceilings, French doors leading to outdoor patio with sitting/dining area and pool table. House features maid's quarters with separate entrance. Master suite has a private balcony with views of the mountains and Universal city lights. Expansive ground with outdoor BBQ, Chicago brick pizza oven, sink, ice maker, keg, warming drawer, refrigerator and beautiful brick face fireplace with sitting area. Rec/pool house is approximately 1,500 sq. ft with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, washer/dryer. Large recreational room, with game areas, night club lighting and DJ wall hook ups. There is a basketball half court, swimming pool with grotto, waterfall and slide and a spa with swim up water bar with 4 built in seats. Large gourmet chef's kitchen with sub zero fridge and freezer and Wolf microwave, ovens and warming drawer. This home also offers Smart Home features such as A/C and heating, pool fiber optic lights and more! Energy saving house offers solar panels for home and solar panels for the pool heater!

Ribeiro is no stranger to the SFV as he currently owns and has lived in other homes explained below.

Image courtesy Google Maps

Starting with a North Hollywood home (shown above) that measures 4 Bed/3 Baths on 3,941 sqft on a total lot size of 8,369 sqft built in 1941. This home was purchased on Feb 6, 2004 for $729,000 which he currently owns and might possibly sell as a result of the Granada Hills purchase.

Images courtesy Gibraltar Realty

Prior to the NoHo home, Ribeiro was living in the Hollywood Hills (shown above) within walking distance of Universal Studios so its almost like living in the SFV. The home measures 3 Beds/3 Baths on 2,089 sqft on a total lot size of 5,336 sqft built in 1980. This home was purchased on December 31, 1991 for $365K and sold on February 5, 2004 for $740K.

Image courtesy Google Maps

In addition to the NoHo home mentioned above, Ribeiro may have owned or purchased another NoHo home (shown above; possibly as part of a divorce settlement) with ex-wife Robin Stapler who were married from 2002 - 2006. The second NoHo home measures 3 Beds/2 Baths on 1,382 sqft on a total lot size of 5,400 sqft built in 1928. This home was purchased on Oct 13, 2006 for $640K and sold at a $110K loss for $530K on Jun 26, 2008.

Image courtesy Pinnacle Estate Properties

And as a bonus, Ribeiro's parents lived in Granada Hills and Northridge before moving to Florida. Starting with the Granada Hills home (shown above) that measured 3 Beds/1.75 Baths on 1,406 sqft on a total lot size of 7,620 sqft built in 1956. This home was purchased on September 15, 1995 for $155,909 and sold on June 2, 2000 for $214,500.

Image courtesy Google Maps

The Northridge home (shown above) measures 4 Beds/3 Baths on 2,998 sqft on a total lot size of 0.37 acres built in 1958. The purchase price and date is unknown but probably in 2000 after the GH sale with this home being sold on January 10, 2005 for $759,500.

You can view more SFV Celeb R.E. here.

The Don Meade Company Realtors in North Hollywood Postcard

Tuesday, September 29, 2015 / No Comments

You can view more North Hollywood postcards here.

You can view more SFV postcards here.

Union of International Clubs Studio Bar in North Hollywood Postcard

Monday, August 10, 2015 / No Comments

You can view more North Hollywood postcards here.

You can view more SFV postcards here.

Filming Locations: Pulp Fiction (1994)

Friday, June 12, 2015 / 1 Comment

Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary.The film is known for its eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and a host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay. It was also awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. A major critical and commercial success, it revitalized the career of its leading man,John Travolta, who received an Academy Award nomination, as did costars Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman (Wikipedia)

The filming locations have already been found at the following sites so pay them a visit which also includes the other LA locations as this blog only focuses on the SFV:

You can view more SFV Filming Locations here.

Jack Rabbit Slim's is a fictional restaurant that was formerly the Grand Central Bowl bowling alley. Today it is part of the Walt Disney Studios campus located at 1435 Flower Street Glendale. The interiors were filmed on a soundstage.

Butch parks his car at 11827 Valerio Street North Hollywood. Then he walks in the back across an empty field and enters his apartment at 11813 Runnymeade St North Hollywood. The empty lot is being developed as of February 2, 2016 with details can be found here.