Blogs Downtown Los Angeles

On Feb. 8, at about 4 p.m., a 45-year-old man scaled a radio tower on the 700 block of East Temple Street, near the City Personnel Building. Janice Wood, who works in the City Personnel Department, recounts her experience.

I was there. Reluctantly, but there. The first warning was the sound of a voice from outside our building. Some people say they heard, "Help, help me." Then we saw the man on the tower. The very tall tower. He was dressed at first; a woman took a picture of him and showed it to me, so I'm sure. He stripped and began shouting and trying to get attention. We had to go to the parking lot behind the City Personnel building and move our cars out so the Fire Department could set up huge air inflated devices to catch him if he fell or jumped. He was probably too high up to be saved by big air mattresses, but they were determined to try to save him if he jumped.

There were dozens of police officers and firefighters and it seemed like more kept arriving during the afternoon and evening. They established a command post and my friend was directed to stay with them in case issues about our building arose. She was still there several hours later with a very kind man from our department who had volunteered to stay with her. I didn't want to be there if the man jumped or fell from the tower, but I knew my friend didn't want to either. So, I went to Beard Papa's on 3rd Street and bought some cream puffs to cheer her and our coworker while they waited.

It took some doing to convince the officers that I should be allowed to go to the command post, but they did agree to walk me in to give her food. (I didn't mention it was cream puffs. That wouldn't have sounded serious enough.) Supplies had been brought in for the fire and police personnel, but no one had offered the civilians anything. They passed around bottles of water, but passed right by my friend. Not in a mean way, more like you're not part of us so we don't notice you kind of way.

The tower was brightly lit and hard to look away from, but it was torturous to watch the man's antics. He bent backwards leaning over the edge and stood on protrusions from the tower without holding on. He was so vulnerable to falling. Anyway, while we ate cream puffs and tried not to look at the tower, he began to whistle. We recognized the tune, Amazing Grace. And then he began to sing it. When he got to the part about saved a wretch like me, my heart broke. The police let us go and we left quickly. We were so relieved to hear later that he came down safely and we were grateful to the LAPD and LAFD who showed such patience and tried so hard to save him. Just like in his song.

--Janice Wood

Photographer Gary Leonard snapped this shot of workers racing to finish construction of the new 7,000-square-foot Umamicatessen restaurant on the 800 block of South Broadway.

The eatery, a spinoff of the popular Umami Burger chain, has pledged to open in the first quarter this year. Workers told Leonard that they're shooting to finish construction by Feb. 15.

"They seem to be working around the clock," Leonard said.

Leading up to the NBA season this year, shops in and around Santee Alley were, expectedly, full of purple and gold Lakers gear. Also as per usual, the district was devoid of Clippers apparel. The week before the NBA season tipped off on Christmas day, a Clipper fan couldn't even find a t-shirt near the famed discount garment hub.

Fast-forward one month, and stores all over the district are stocking jerseys, hats, t-shirts and other apparel in Clippers red, white and blue.

"I've lived in L.A. a long time, and I've never seen this much demand for Clippers stuff," said Junior Moreno, owner and operator of Tha G Code, which specializes in sports team apparel. "For years, Lakers apparel has dominated the market. Now requests for Clippers gear as opposed to Lakers stuff is about 30 to 1."

Moreno's shop at Pico Boulevard and Maple Street is emblazoned with a mural of Kobe Bryant wearing a crown, a testament to his preference for the Lakers. But that won't stop him from appealing to a new rush of Clipper fans.

"I may be a Laker fan, but I'm also running a business," Moreno said. "I'm now splitting my budget for Clippers and Lakers apparel 50/50. I might even add a ‘Lob City' element to the mural."

While Lakers apparel still dominates the majority of clothing shops in the Fashion District, the Clippers are catching up, threatening the Lakers' airtight hold over Los Angeles.

- Xander Davies

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The new San Pedro Street store Made by DWC is both a quirky gift shop heavy on handmade crafts and a gourmet cafe with healthy eats. But when customers buy something, they’re not just satisfying their own urges. They are also supporting the work of the veteran Skid Row service provider the Downtown Women’s Center.

The shop, often referred to as Made, is stocked with journals, jewelry, candles and other crafts created by the women who live in or access services at Project Home, the DWC headquarters that opened in late 2010. As part of a series highlighting local retail, Los Angeles Downtown News takes a look at what’s in store.

Green Centerpiece: At first glance, the succulent arrangements spread throughout Made might seem like charming décor. That they are, but the collections of ice plant, mini cacti and other flora are for sale, for about $18. The assemblages were created mostly from clippings that grow in the garden at the Downtown Women’s Center. 

Hat’s On: Not all the inventory is created by DWC clients. About one-third of the items on sale come from donations. They include vintage ladies’ hats ($12-$16), all of them perfect for a Sunday church visit or for someone with a taste for a bygone era. There’s also a leather Coach shoulder bag offered at $35. 

Good Enough for Bloomy’s: The DWC women learned the craft of soap making, and cranked out 8-ounce bars scented in lavender and sweet orange. The all-natural, soy-based soaps, which sell for $8, are a top seller. They also flew off the shelf at Bloomingdale’s in Century City, whose manager sits on the DWC board and arranged to stock them. 

China Syndrome: One donation to the DWC was a set of delicate china — while generous, it was not necessarily practical for a facility oriented toward providing a slate of basic needs to the neediest. Thus, the women of the DWC turned the old tea and espresso cups into candles, with soy-based wax filling the cavity. The candles go for $12-$16.

Cock-a-doodle-Christmas: Before the holidays, a group of entry-level DWC sewers crafted cotton and felt tree ornaments fashioned after animals, including a dachshund and a rooster ($12). Other handmade crafts include an array of découpage — the art of decorating items with paper cutouts — including a mirror covered with pages from old books, for $12. Those pages were torn out of donated tomes. The hard covers were reused for newly bound journals that go for $12-$18. 

Sustaining the Community: Environmental sustainability is an obvious theme in the shop, from the all-natural soaps and candles to an array of new books on topics like organic gardening. While the DWC strives to minimize its environmental footprint, the sustainability theme relates also to its goals of sustaining women and the community. In selling hardcover books like The Liberty of Home Sewing ($14), the shop might attract visitors from outside Skid Row and help bridge the gap between the poverty-laced neighborhood and greater Downtown, said Tracy Roden, who manages Made for the DWC.

The revenue from the store “helps us become more sustainable over the long run supporting our programs,” she said. “We wanted people to get more involved with the center and to show you can have a sustainable and thriving business in Skid Row.”

Meet Joe: While Made is anchored by the goods for sale, it’s also a place to snag a cup of coffee. The cafe is run by Groundwork, which has a location at Second and Main streets. There are also salads and sandwiches, in case you need energy to peruse the shelves at Made.

At 438 S. San Pedro St., madebydwc.org. Open Tues.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat., 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. 

© Los Angeles Downtown News 2011