Work continues the building at the corner of Wilcox and Selma.

Just wanted to follow up on the piece I wrote about the Mama Shelter hotel at the corner of Wilcox and Selma.

I went to a hearing last year to express my concerns over some variances that were being considered for the project. The three issues that worried me were the request to allow live entertainment on the roof, liquor permits for the two restaurants, and the amount of parking required. I got the zoning administrator’s determination a while ago, and these are the results.

They’re not going to allow live entertainment or amplified music on the premises. Very happy about this. While the hotel isn’t close enough to my apartment for the noise to bother me, this is becoming a big concern for residents in the Hollywood area. A few people who attended the meeting complained that they’re already having trouble sleeping because of existing venues that play music far into the night. So I was very glad that the City nixed this.

They did decide to grant a full liquor license for the two restaurants. I was not happy about this. It’s not so much that I’m worried about the hotel itself, as the fact that these days the City is giving out liquor licenses like candy. With so many places in Hollywood for people to get hammered, there’s been a significant increase in crime. In fact, the problems are so serious that LAPD Chief Charlie Beck wrote a letter to the Department of City Planning last year in which he expressed his concern about the number of liquor licenses that are being issued. The City really needs to slow down on this. There are already plenty of places to get a drink in Hollywood.

The last issue was the parking, and this was tricky. The administrator’s decision said that Mama Shelter would be allowed to lease five spaces off-site. Apparently these were for patrons of the restaurant, but it didn’t sound like nearly enough. I also wondered where the hotel guests would be parking. I knew the lot adjacent to the building wasn’t available. I ended up writing to Gary Benjamin at the Council District 13 office and Jared Sopko of Archeon Group, a company that’s working with Mama Shelter on the project. Both of them responded to me quickly, explaining that the hotel has contracted with a valet parking service that has access to 300 off-street spaces in the area. That was good to hear, because parking on the street around Selma and Wilcox can be really challenging. I was afraid local residents would be fighting with valets for spaces, a scenario that’s not uncommon in Hollywood.

All in all, I’m cool with the outcome. I wish they hadn’t granted the liquor permit, but I’m happy with the resolution on the other issues. I’m glad that Mama Shelter is refurbishing a building that’s been vacant for years. That’s definitely a plus. And of all the new hotels that are flooding into Hollywood, Mama Shelter seems like the best fit with the neighborhood.

So I can live with this.