Don’t Be So Quick to Say NoNo to NoHo

As publisher of NoHo Magazine (formerly NoHo News), I would like to address the opinion expressed by R. C. Czapiewski in his commentary (May 2) disparaging the name NoHo.

I think perhaps his anxiety comes from a misconception of what NoHo is.

While NoHo is in North Hollywood, and it is derived from North Hollywood , NoHo is not North Hollywood. The NoHo phenomenon is not an attempt to redefine or rename North Hollywood. North Hollywood is a richly diverse community with a history and an identity, of which NoHo is a small part.

NoHo is much more a concept of place than it is actually a physical place. While the NoHo Arts district has rough physical boundaries, NoHo the concept has no boundaries. And the name NoHo is just that, a name given to the concept--the phenomenon--of a burgeoning art community.

The source of the NoHo name is Davis Cox, artistic director of the American Renegade Theatre, who is a prominent member of the Cultural Affairs Commitee of the North Hollywood/Universal City Chamber of Commerce. David has a vision of a thriving arts district like what he experienced in New York City and is perhaps the biggest promoter of the NoHo Arts District.

When I approached him with the idea of a publication to support and promote art and culture, he was immediately supportive and suggested calling it the NoHo News.

Had Mr. Czapiewski been as active in the community as David Cox, perhaps the name would be different. I understand his criticism and it is not without merit. It was something that I took into consideration when I was deciding what to call the magazine.

There is something very real developing in North Hollywood. Its epicenter is at Magnolia and Lankershim, and it has been given the name NoHo. For better or worse, it’s sticking, and there are more important things to do than quibble over the name.

JAMES A. BERG

Granada Hills