Carwash Allies Lose Bid for Garage : L.A. City Report Favors Mini-Mall; Coffee Shop Closes

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, delivering another blow to friends of a Studio City carwash threatened with demolition, has recommended against building a parking garage that the carwash supporters proposed as an alternative to a planned mini-mall on the property.

The carwash backers suggested the parking garage after the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in July voted against declaring the carwash and a neighboring gas station and coffee shop cultural monuments.

The monument declaration would have delayed demolition for up to a year.

Four-Month Battle

Monday’s report by the transportation department was the latest installment in a four-month-long battle to save what supporters said was one of the last un-redeveloped corners in Studio City, at Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards.

Opponents of the mini-mall sold “Save Our Corner” T-shirts, sang songs about the evils of development and arranged to illuminate the 55-foot-tall boomerang-shaped tower atop the carwash with spotlights at night. They set up a facsimile machine at the carwash counter so supporters could urge Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs to lend his influence to the preservation effort.

The recommendations were sent to Wachs, who requested the report after carwash supporters came up with the garage proposal in July. On such construction decisions, the City Council traditionally defers to the council member representing the area affected.

Wachs has not had a chance to study the report, Arline DeSanctis, his chief field deputy, said Wednesday.

A decision to build the parking structure would have saved the carwash, gas station and coffee shop by blocking construction of the mini-mall.

Enough Parking

But the transportation department report released Monday concluded that there are enough parking spaces in the area without a parking structure.

It also stated that the department does not have enough money to buy the property, valued at about $8.3 million, and construct the building. In addition, the parking structure would generate more traffic in the area than would result from the proposed $15-million, 53,000-square-foot mall, the report said.

Jack McGrath, organizer of the preservation campaign, suggested that the city use funds from parking meters to help pay for the parking garage. But the city report said that only about $340,000 in parking meter funds are available for parking projects in the Studio City area.

The report was issued on the same day that Tiny Naylor’s--the 28-year-old coffee shop adjoining the carwash, which McGrath’s group also hoped to preserve--closed its doors amid faltering morale on the part of employees as its previously announced Oct. 18 closing date neared, restaurant executives said.

“We were having a horrible time keeping employees, especially on the graveyard shift, and sales were declining,” said Randy Peters, chief operating officer for the Torrance-based chain that owned the restaurant.

‘Unprofitable Situation’

“It became a very unprofitable situation.”

A farewell party was held at the restaurant Monday night for employees, whom the company promised to transfer to one of the 13 other restaurants in the chain, Peters said. Some waitresses had worked at the restaurant since it opened in 1961, said the chain’s owner, Harry Prod. He said the chain also is looking for another restaurant location in Studio City.

“I’ve never had such support from the community as we had in Studio City,” Prod said. “The entire staff deserves applause. They are very dedicated.”

Whether the developer will eventually be allowed to build the mini-mall depends on how city building officials react to an environmental impact report on the proposal, ordered by the City Council in August.