Nu Wilshire No More
Santa Monica’s Nu Wilshire movie theater, formerly at 1314 Wilshire Boulevard, closed suddenly and unceremoniously in the last year or so. It had been one of two independent art house movie theaters in Santa Monica, located in a busy locus of commerce on Wilshire. (The other theater, the Aero, is on Montana Avenue, and has been saved – for now – by the American Cinematheque.) Other local business owners and employees in the area said that the Nu Wilshire building’s owner gave the theater little notice, closing the business down and installing chicken wire around the premises in short order. The owner planned a mall at the site, according to neighboring business people. Then the nearby Shoe Pavilion closed, and that stretch of Wilshire is beginning to look pockmarked with empty businesses. But the recession came and hit hard, and now plans are on hold because the building is in fact a historic landmark.
Maybe the movie theater, with its modest but steady stream of income, would have been preferable to the bird-dropping laden eyesore that the building has become? I hear that movies are selling well, now that many of us are turning to the big screen for inexpensive entertainment and a couple hours of escape.
2 Comments
Heidi Wulkow
March 4, 2009I live next door to the NuWilshire and was also greatly saddened to see it close. Have heard nothing but negative comments about the new owner, who was reportedly shocked that he couldn’t just tear down the facade. He displaced businesses that had been there for over 20 years and gave them only 30 days notice, and they lost 4-6 months finding new spaces and going without income, while the building sat empty.
Last Friday, February 27th, I notice porti-potties in the alley and workmen coming out the back door. I spoke to the construction foreman and also the owner (both fairly rude), and they said they were starting work on Monday March 2. Much to the surprise of all of us living nearby, they starting knocking down the alley walls, and we learned they plan to put a loading dock and parking entrance there, after they excavate for subterranean parking. We who live in the neighborhood got no notice about any pending permits or construction, and we’re all concerned about what will happen to this building. Can we garner some support to at least hold a hearing about the proposed plans? Really a shame what is going on.
susansheu
March 6, 2009Thanks for posting this. I hadn’t walked by in a while and hadn’t seen the activity. I’m going to call Santa Monica City Hall and see if I can talk to a live person to ask what is under construction and why no construction permit is posted. I think you should do the same. The general City Hall phone number is (310) 458-8341, and I believe we should be contacting the City Planning Department, Planning Permits and Zoning Administration.