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Editorial: Westwood Village crown jewel building not meeting full potential

(Daily Bruin file photo)

By Editorial Board

June 26, 2016 8:45 p.m.

The oldest building in Westwood Village is showing its age.

When the Janss Investment Company Building on the corner of Westwood Boulevard and Kinross Avenue was completed in 1929, it was the first building in Westwood Village. Westwood founders Edward and Harold Janss originally used it as their headquarters, but over the years it has housed banks, retail stores and restaurants. Most recently, it was the home of sushi restaurant Yamato, which closed earlier this month.

With its blue-and-gold patterned dome and Mediterranean architecture, it is undoubtedly the neighborhood’s crown jewel. But for many years now, the building’s landlord, Ira Smedra, has neglected it, letting it gather dust and fade under the sun. The entrance to the building on Westwood Boulevard and its patio on Broxton Avenue have also shown signs of wear and tear, needing proper maintenance.

Now that Yamato has closed, Smedra has a chance to restore a neighborhood treasure – a basic responsibility of his job.

Sadly, however, that doesn’t appear to be the case. The space’s broker told The Bruin she did not know whether Smedra had any plans to renovate the building while Smedra found a new tenant.

This is troubling to hear, especially since the Janss Investment Company Building is one of Westwood Village’s most distinguishable buildings – the city declared it a Historic-Cultural Monument in 1988. As the geographic and symbolic center of Westwood Village, it shouldn’t be an eyesore, but rather a place that draws visitors.

For several decades now, Westwood has not been living up to its potential as a commercial center, instead falling behind other shopping districts throughout the region. As a result, properties haven’t been able to sustain businesses and properly serve the surrounding community.

If maintained, this building can help Westwood Village stand out and become the popular shopping district that it once was, putting it on par with places such as The Grove and Third Street Promenade.

While community organizations such as the Westwood Village Improvement Association and the Westwood Neighborhood Council work to improve the area, landlords like Smedra hold back development by neglecting their properties, and it’s not clear why.

After all, restoring the building would not just benefit the Village, but likely the landlord as well. Topa Management Company, for instance, completed a $1 million restoration of its building on the corner of Gayley and Kinross avenues last summer. Since then, popular sushi bar KazuNori moved in, and Topa Management estimated the market value of their various storefronts have increased by about 40 to 50 percent.

In the 1990s, Smedra had a plan to convert part of Glendon Avenue into a shopping center that could compete with other centers in the area. While the plan was ultimately shut down by community members who opposed it because they felt Glendon Avenue shouldn’t be closed, he should not be discouraged from investing in Westwood, especially as his stake in its future is clear.

The Janss Investment Company Building has always been a staple of Westwood history, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t lead it into the future.

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