Council to Cover El Portal Costs
Despite opposition from members of a citizens panel, the Los Angeles City Council agreed Wednesday to provide $750,000 to cover additional costs for renovating the historic El Portal theater in North Hollywood.
The council approved an action plan that would borrow $500,000 of the money from a much-delayed street improvement program called Targeted Neighborhood Initiative, with that program being reimbursed from other federal block grant funds.
Mildred Weller of the city’s elected project area committee for North Hollywood, joined other panel members in objecting to the latest subsidy of a project that so far has cost taxpayers $4.2 million.
“It’s excessive,” Weller said. “We’re going to ask for an investigation.”
Steve Porter of the city Community Development Department said about $250,000 is needed to complete construction and $500,000 is needed to pay off construction loans on the project.
Council President John Ferraro pushed through the action plan, but his office refused comment.
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