Security concerns have landlords across the city reassessing preparedness, but at the Avco Center on Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood, the tone has become more urgent.
The 12-story building, three blocks from the Federal Building, happens to be home to the Pakistani Consulate, and that’s got some tenants nervous.
Katz Golden & Sullivan LLP, a boutique entertainment law firm, is unexpectedly moving out in advance of its lease termination. Though no official explanation was cited, one employee said security concerns were the main consideration.
Guards were posted outside the consulate right after the attack, the employee said, and when the consulate was closed for two days with no explanation “that would make you freak out. Why weren’t they there? Instead of dealing with all the stress, we decided to just move.”
Diane Golden, managing partner at the departing law firm, declined to comment on the move and stressed in a letter to the Business Journal that she was the only person authorized to speak on behalf of the firm. In a statement, she said: “Our decision to move is a personal matter between this law firm and its former landlord regarding which I am not prepared to comment.”
In a letter the firm sent to clients Oct. 10, the move was described as “immediate” and “unexpected.” The firm has been housed in offices on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica since Oct. 15.
The firm in its letter to clients, “The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 continue to impact all of us. Our law firm has determined that for what we believe to be compelling reasons, the best interests of our attorneys and our staff will be served by an immediate move from our current building to new space, which may be temporary.”
Cmdr. Louis Gray, governmental liaison at the Los Angeles Police Department, said that tenants “have concerns based on world events, and their perception is that there is increased risk because the Pakistani Consulate is in the building.”
Gray attended two security meetings at the building on Oct. 17, and noted that the building’s property manager, Claudia Sommer, purposely did not invite the Pakistanis to the meeting.
“I did hear a comment that (the tenants) wanted the Pakistani General Consulate involved in the discussion, and if they did not cooperate they might take a look at their leases,” Gray said. “That was from one tenant, but I didn’t hear anybody say they wanted them to leave. Claudia Sommer indicated she didn’t want them there, so that people would speak freely.”
Sommer said the meetings one for each half of the building were held to address general safety concerns, like fire, earthquake and general security and had not been scheduled before the events of Sept. 11.
“We’re keeping security the exact same as it was before the Sept. 11 incident in New York and Washington,” she said. “We’ve been told our security is more than adequate.”
Raana Rahim, the Pakistani consul general, said she was not concerned about security and unaware of the meetings.
Sharin Klisser, West Coast director of the American Parkinson Disease Association, a tenant in the building, said she attended what she called the “emergency” meeting on Oct. 17, at which the building owners gave tenants emergency phone numbers and information about emergency exits and mail-handling procedures.
