L-ABELL

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The Best is Yet to Come

I am writing as a member of the family that has owned and operated Crescent Jewelers in Westwood Village for over 50 years. We are the oldest merchant in the Village, and have seen it through all its ups and downs. The many thousands of our clients out there who have seen our family and our business grow over the years, know that even at the worst of times, we have never doubted that Westwood would ultimately prosper. How could it possibly be otherwise?

Westwood lies in the middle of some of Southern California’s most affluent neighborhoods; we have UCLA for a neighbor; a highrise business corridor at our doorstep; and an open-air, compact design that makes shopping very pleasant and convenient.

Cycles are simply a part of life. I think it’s fair to say that the past several years have been some of the worst in Westwood’s history, and here we are on the threshold of a revival that promises to take Westwood beyond its previous best.

In all the discussion and controversy, one thing seems clear: Everyone wants Westwood to return to the pedestrian-friendly shopping and entertainment center it used to be. Well, it seems to me that the projects proposed and under way will accomplish just that. Village Center Westwood, Ira Smedra’s project, will provide upscale dining and shopping, state-of-the-art theaters, a sorely needed supermarket and a public library surrounding a beautiful pedestrian court to replace the blight that has been the east edge of the Village for far too long.

Mann Theaters proposes to revamp and update the west edge. And in the center of the Village, the nearby completed Broxton parking structure and streetscape will go a long way to solving our persistent parking problem and restoring the pedestrian-friendly atmosphere of the old Village.

In addition, it appears that Westwood has, or soon will have, some new property owners (Lawrence Taylor and The Arden Group), intent on restoring their buildings to attract tenants appropriate to Westwood’s heritage. Add to all this, the incomparable array of performing and fine arts opportunities afforded by UCLA (whose Royce Hall restoration will be completed next spring), the Geffen Playhouse and the Hammer and Getty museums. Clearly, these are the promise of success and prosperity for Westwood’s future.

They all contribute to the common goals of returning Westwood to a pedestrian-oriented shopping and entertainment center. The only question that remains is not “if,” but “how soon” the promise will be fulfilled.

How quickly Westwood embraces its destiny is in our hands; the hands of the merchants, the landowners and the residents, all of whom really want the same thing, and have so much to gain.

All it really takes is cooperation, rather than contention. All of the projects and prospects pending for Westwood are positive. Sure, none of them are perfect in every way, but on balance, they all have a great deal to offer.

Without compromise, some will suffer too much; better we all suffer just a little bit and benefit a lot. So, let’s not attack one another, let’s not fuss too much over the minor inconveniences of this project or that proposal. Instead, let’s recognize that each project is good for Westwood, and that together they will return Westwood to its rightful place; a place of prominence and pride.

JEFFREY M. ABELL

Vice President

Crescent Jewelers

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