Museum Of Neon Art

This week was a big one for Glendale in terms of art and groceries. The city initiated formal negotiations with Trader Joe’s for a possible store in Montrose and with the Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art for a move to Brand Boulevard. Both ventures have the political and public inertia to carry them through to fruition, which means a major boost for Glendale on multiple fronts. Beyond the benefits to shoppers in Montrose and to the city’s anemic art scene, the negotiations prove that Glendale is still, despite the languid economy.

A new well-known museum, a complete revamp of a drab city block, a pedestrian walkway that opens onto changing retail landscape — the Brand Boulevard corridor, or at least two blocks of it, could soon be a whole lot different from what it is now. And no, Rick Caruso is not paying for it. Plans to redevelop the 200 block of Brand into a series of more modern and inviting storefronts alongside a new space for the Museum of Neon Art will...

I fail to understand the City Council's support for the proposed Museum of Neon Art (“Council set to ink museum deal,” March 26), while at the same time letting A Noise Within, an established cultural entity with a large and committed following, leave the city. Councilman Dave Weaver's instincts are correct. No way will this be financially viable. Some years ago, the city missed the opportunity to relocate the Colony Theater, another entity with a loyal following, to Glendale.

GLENDALE — During its month-long run, an exhibition of art inspired from the remnants of last summer's Station fire attracted more than 2,000 patrons and raised more than $40,000, organizers said. Most of the money raised at the exhibition — held at the future home of the Museum of Neon Art at 216 S. Brand Blvd. — will support rehabilitation efforts at Glendale's Deukmejian Wilderness Park, which saw nearly all of its 709 acres scorched during the Station fire.

An important roadblock to moving the Museum of Neon Art to Glendale was removed this week after the city agreed to acquire a Brand Boulevard building for roughly $1 million. Andranik Shahinian, who owned the Brand Arcade at 212 S. Brand Blvd., sold the city the property, as well as the games and recreational equipment it contained, said his commercial real estate agent, Greg Astorian. The purchase will allow the 30-year-old nonprofit museum, now based in downtown Los Angeles, to move into a larger facility in Glendale, which has heavily subsidized its move.

DOWNTOWN GLENDALE — A vacant building across from the Americana at Brand has once again been transformed into a gallery, the second event curated by a local arts nonprofitusing remnants from past fires. Several hundred community leaders and arts patrons last weekend gathered at 216. S. Brand Blvd. to celebrate the opening of "Inspire" — an exhibition featuring more than 150 pieces by 45 different artists. It is the second exhibition Glendale-based nonprofit Art from the Ashes has produced at the city-owned building, the future home of the Museum of Neon Art. "This is a good use for the space and keeps interest alive in the meantime," said City Councilman John Drayman, who helped orchestrate MONA's move to Glendale.

CITY HALL — The City Council last week pushed forward with plans for a pedestrian walkway that will link a number of the city's downtown civic buildings to Brand Boulevard across from the Americana at Brand. Council members approved design work done to date and instructed staffers to continue the work. The paseo — which has been a concept for nearly a decade — will create a pedestrian connector between the new Adult Recreation Center, Central Park, a revamped Central Library and Brand Boulevard.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday approved an expanded Museum of Neon Art proposal that will require the city to buy a building on Brand Boulevard. The deal would add to the highly subsidized move that the Los Angeles-based nonprofit museum secured in September. That agreement gave MONA rights to an adjacent vacant city-owned building at 216 S. Brand Blvd. across from the Americana at Brand. Under the proposed 15-year lease, the city would pledge up to $1 million in redevelopment funds to help renovate the vacant building.

DOWNTOWN ? The nonprofit that runs the Alex Theatre has its eye on additional performance venues and gallery space, officials said Friday. Glendale Arts, established in July 2008 to manage the theater and coordinate local art resources, held its first New Venue Task Force meeting Friday to begin the process of expanding the amount of art and performance venues in Glendale. The meeting came just weeks after Glendale entered into lease negotiations with Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art for a city-owned building on Brand Boulevard across from Americana at Brand.

I fail to understand the City Council's support for the proposed Museum of Neon Art (“Council set to ink museum deal,” March 26), while at the same time letting A Noise Within, an established cultural entity with a large and committed following, leave the city. Councilman Dave Weaver's instincts are correct. No way will this be financially viable. Some years ago, the city missed the opportunity to relocate the Colony Theater, another entity with a loyal following, to Glendale.

A new well-known museum, a complete revamp of a drab city block, a pedestrian walkway that opens onto changing retail landscape — the Brand Boulevard corridor, or at least two blocks of it, could soon be a whole lot different from what it is now. And no, Rick Caruso is not paying for it. Plans to redevelop the 200 block of Brand into a series of more modern and inviting storefronts alongside a new space for the Museum of Neon Art will...

CITY HALL — Glendale is poised to ink a 15-year lease with the Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art — a $5.2-million deal that city officials say will reenergize the area across from the Americana at Brand. The city-owned buildings near the corner of Brand Boulevard and Harvard Street will serve as a new permanent home for the nonprofit museum that offers educational classes alongside changing exhibitions of photography and contemporary and vintage neon art. The City Council is scheduled to vote on deal Tuesday.

CITY HALL — The City Council last week pushed forward with plans for a pedestrian walkway that will link a number of the city's downtown civic buildings to Brand Boulevard across from the Americana at Brand. Council members approved design work done to date and instructed staffers to continue the work. The paseo — which has been a concept for nearly a decade — will create a pedestrian connector between the new Adult Recreation Center, Central Park, a revamped Central Library and Brand Boulevard.

An important roadblock to moving the Museum of Neon Art to Glendale was removed this week after the city agreed to acquire a Brand Boulevard building for roughly $1 million. Andranik Shahinian, who owned the Brand Arcade at 212 S. Brand Blvd., sold the city the property, as well as the games and recreational equipment it contained, said his commercial real estate agent, Greg Astorian. The purchase will allow the 30-year-old nonprofit museum, now based in downtown Los Angeles, to move into a larger facility in Glendale, which has heavily subsidized its move.

DOWNTOWN GLENDALE — A vacant building across from the Americana at Brand has once again been transformed into a gallery, the second event curated by a local arts nonprofitusing remnants from past fires. Several hundred community leaders and arts patrons last weekend gathered at 216. S. Brand Blvd. to celebrate the opening of "Inspire" — an exhibition featuring more than 150 pieces by 45 different artists. It is the second exhibition Glendale-based nonprofit Art from the Ashes has produced at the city-owned building, the future home of the Museum of Neon Art. "This is a good use for the space and keeps interest alive in the meantime," said City Councilman John Drayman, who helped orchestrate MONA's move to Glendale.

GLENDALE — During its month-long run, an exhibition of art inspired from the remnants of last summer's Station fire attracted more than 2,000 patrons and raised more than $40,000, organizers said. Most of the money raised at the exhibition — held at the future home of the Museum of Neon Art at 216 S. Brand Blvd. — will support rehabilitation efforts at Glendale's Deukmejian Wilderness Park, which saw nearly all of its 709 acres scorched during the Station fire.

CITY HALL — Upscale alcohol retailer Beverages and More on Tuesday secured key approvals for a location on Brand Boulevard, despite complaints from some City Council members who said they were blindsided by the proposal. The City Council, also acting as the Redevelopment Agency, voted 3 to 1 with one abstention to grant a series of entitlements needed for the retailer to move forward with a proposed location at Brand Boulevard and Harvard Street across from the Americana at Brand.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday approved an expanded Museum of Neon Art proposal that will require the city to buy a building on Brand Boulevard. The deal would add to the highly subsidized move that the Los Angeles-based nonprofit museum secured in September. That agreement gave MONA rights to an adjacent vacant city-owned building at 216 S. Brand Blvd. across from the Americana at Brand. Under the proposed 15-year lease, the city would pledge up to $1 million in redevelopment funds to help renovate the vacant building.

DOWNTOWN ? The nonprofit that runs the Alex Theatre has its eye on additional performance venues and gallery space, officials said Friday. Glendale Arts, established in July 2008 to manage the theater and coordinate local art resources, held its first New Venue Task Force meeting Friday to begin the process of expanding the amount of art and performance venues in Glendale. The meeting came just weeks after Glendale entered into lease negotiations with Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art for a city-owned building on Brand Boulevard across from Americana at Brand.