2018 was a busy year in Century City and Westwood’s news cycle. From scrumptious happenings at Eataly and virtual reality wonders at Westfield Century City to the rise of e-scooters and construction of the Purple Line Extension, a handful of topics made the rounds on the headlines many times throughout the year. As 2019 approaches, here are eight stories from 2018 that are worth revisiting.
BHUSD Files Another Lawsuit Against FTA and Metro
By Staff Writer
Originally published February 9, 2018
In its ongoing battle over the Purple Line running under Beverly Hills High School, The Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) filed a new lawsuit against the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Metro on Jan. 26.
Over the years BHUSD has filed numerous suits against the FTA and Metro over tunneling under Beverly Hills High School for the purple line extension into Century City and Westwood.
Read full article here.
Century City: Southern California’s Richest Zipcode
By Staff Writer
Originally published April 20, 2018
Los Angeles’ Century City has been named the richest Southern Californian zipcode, according to an analysis of 2015 tax data by Bloomberg.
While you might have thought the richest zipcode would be Beverly Hills or Bel Air, Century City has taken the top prize. According to Bloomberg, Century City’s average income is $905,000.
Bloomberg’s Top 20 list included Palm Beach Florida (No 3) and Palo Alto in Northern California. Both zipcodes have an average income of above $1 million.
Read full article here.
Louis Vuitton Capsule Takes Westfield Century City
By Staff Writer
Originally published June 15, 2018
Century City-based lovers of the iconic fashion house and designer Louis Vuitton may not yet have an LV outlet to shop at at Westfield. However, as of this May, they’ll have a chance to take a deep dive into the history and iconography of the high fashion brand.
“Louis Vuitton Presents Time Capsule” is an exhibition that takes viewers through 160 years of Louis Vuitton, from the brand’s humble beginnings as a French luggage company to the current iteration of LV, the much-copied, much-beloved symbol of global wealth and stature we know today.
Read full article here.
Councilmember Representing Century City and Westwood Seeks Scooter Ban
By Sam Catanzaro
Originally published August 2, 2018
A year ago, electric scooters were a fringe mode of transportation in Century City and Westwood but with the launch of Bird scooters last fall and Lime Scooters soon after, these devices are now zipping down every street and sidewalk throughout West Los Angeles. Local lawmakers, however, are looking to change this.
A motion introduced by Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, who represents Century City and Westwood, would temporarily ban shared mobility scooters throughout Los Angeles if passed by City Council. In his motion, Councilmember Koretz took aim at rental services like Bird and Lime, even though he did not mention the companies by name.
Read full article here.
Purple Line Extension Receives Key Federal Approval
By Sam Catanzaro
Originally published October 5, 2018
The third phase of the Purple Line Extension, which will connect Century City and the West Los Angeles VA Hospital, will be completed quicker and for much less money than previously anticipated.
On September 20 at a Metro Construction Committee meeting, Metro CEO Phil Washington announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved Metro’s request to be reimbursed with federal funds for early work on the project.
“Working closely with the FTA, we can leverage our significant local investment with the precious resources of the federal government to deliver one of the most competitive and beneficial public transit projects in America today,” Washington said.
Read full article here.
246,097 Slices of Pizza: Eataly L.A. Turns One
By Kerry Slater
Originally published November 2, 2018
154,775 cups and cones of gelato, 246,097 slices of Pizza Alla Pala, 89,868 loaves of bread, 53,740 shots of espresso (not including cappuccinos, lattes or Americanos).
These numbers are not from a neighborhood in Rome. They are the first year sales at Eataly, the Italian culinary emporium in Century City, which celebrates its first anniversary on Saturday, November 3.
Read full article here.
Westwood Village and UCLA’s New Neighborhood Council
By Sam Catanzaro
Originally published November 16, 2018
Westwood Village, part “college town” part bustling commercial center, is one of the more unique districts on the Westside, where people from all walks of life interact on a daily basis. On a given night, a group of UCLA students heading to In-N-Out could walk by George Clooney attending a premiere at the Fox Theater while tourists from around the world snap photos.
With this confluence of people and interests comes a unique set of issues for Westwood Village. Whether parking shortages, housing costs or development guidelines, at times local lawmakers may not be able to address these issues adequately. A new neighborhood council, however, seeks to serve all of Westwood Village’s diverse stakeholders.
Read full article here.
Dinosaurs, Magic and Blue Whales in Century City?
By Keldine Hull
Originally published December 17, 2018
Westfield Century City continues to redefine what malls are and establish itself as a destination with the upcoming launch of Dreamscape Immersive, a 360-degree full sensory virtual reality experience unlike any other. Backed by Hollywood heavyweights 21st Century Fox, WarnerMedia, Viacom, Steven Spielberg and Hans Zimmer, the December 14 launch will mark Dreamscape’s first permanent location with three unique VR experiences: Alien Zoo, Lavan’s Magic Projector and theBlu. Dreamscape takes you on a fully interactive, cinematic journey that blurs the lines between the virtual world and reality, offering audiences a chance to completely submerge themselves in alternate universes.
Read full article here.
