On Wednesday, June 29th, 2005 Home Depot representatives engaged the local community at the Land use & Planning Committee
meeting of the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council (GPNC). Present at the meeting were the Home Depot team in charge of developing
the old K-mart site which included Richard Greene, Home Depot real estate manager.
Home Depot decision to engage the community was a direct result of recently passed Fletcher Drive Square Interim Control Ordinance
(ICO). This ICO severely limits what Home Depot can do with the existing site, like modifying the old Kmart building to better accommodate
a new Home Depot store.
As explained by a Home Depot representative; they are seeking to completely demolish the old Kmart building and build a new store in its
place. Once built they would “temporary move” the Glendale Home Depot store (merchandise and employees) into this new building while
the Glendale store undergoes similar upgrades. They plan to keep all Home Depot stores open, none will be closed permanently or
undergo a conversation to their more “upscale” EXPO store.
When asked by a local resident if Home Depot would install a store at the old Kmart site without the building improvements they are
seeking Richard Greene replied that they are prepared to accept an “inferior” store on the site.
They also clarified that they don’t own the old Kmart property but have a long term lease and are currently paying a monthly rent.
As of yet, Home Depot has no plans to help abate the problems they would bring to the community. Such problems like increased vehicular
traffic on San Fernando / Fletcher Drive and day laborer population. If it wasn’t for the ICO Home Depot would have already moved forward
with its plans and not have given a second thought to the concerns of community, Glassell Park and Atwater Village alike.
Local community stakeholders expressed their concerns about having Home Depot move into the old Kmart site to the GPNC Land Use
Committee and Home Depot representatives.
• Increased vehicular traffic along an already traffic-ridden San Fernando Road and Fletcher Drive intersection.
• Attract more “day labors” to the area that already can’t accommodate them, like Fletcher Drive.
• Lack of “business diversification” for local consumers.
• Having a “Wal-Mart” affect on local small businesses.
• A business model not compatible with what the community is seeking for the area.
• Create an unsafe environment for local students to commute from and to school (Irvin Middle School, Ribet Academy, future LACC
Satellite Campus)
Environmental & Land Use Sub-Committee Meeting. They presented their plan to install a Home Depot store at the “old Kmart” site located
on San Fernando Road and Fletcher Drive. This store would be in addition to their Burbank, Glendale and Cypress Park stores…. All
would be approximately 2 ½ miles of each other along San Fernando Road.
The Home Depot Representatives heard loud and clear from those in attendance that this community does not want their project no matter
how they dress it up. Local residents and small business owners clearly stated that Northeast Los Angeles doesn’t need another Home
Depot and that they’ll do whatever they can to derail their invasion of this community.
Communities in Northeast Los Angeles (like Atwater Village and Glassell Park) deserve something better, such as a development that is
compatible with the future satellite campus of the Los Angeles City College. We don't need another BIG BOX that will only exacerbate the
already overburdened intersection with more traffic, add to the already existing day labor problem on Fletcher Drive, and force closures of
small family businesses.
For those who were not able to attend this community meeting let your voice be heard. Please email your thoughts and concerns to….
Richard Greene - Home Depot Real Estate Manager
richard_greene@homedepot.com
and please cc:
Councilmember Garcetti: garcetti@council.lacity.org
Atwater Village Neighborhood Council: drodriguez@atwatervillage.org
Friends of Atwater Village: favboard@friendsofatwatervillage.org
Atwater Chamber of Commerce: info@atwaterchamber.org
Glassell Park Neighborhood Council: LUPC@gparknc.com
Glassell Park Chamber of Commerce: cynharrington@mindspring.com
Glassell Park Improvement Association: gpia.alert@sbcglobal.net
the "powers that be" know how you feel about Home Depot invading our community by....
Neighborhood Councils / Chambers of Commerce / Community Groups.
"We the undersigned, oppose another Home Depot for San Fernando Road. Furthermore, we support the Interim Control Ordinance (ICO)
currently in place for the Fletcher Square area and an incoming Community Design Overlay Zone which limit BIG BOX development and
encourage other uses along this corridor. We support the spirit and intent of the Northeast Community Plan, which guides all development
toward the creation of pedestrian friendly shopping areas, and community based design standards that reinforce unique identities of said
neighborhoods. A third Home Depot within a few miles of two others, flies in the face of that objective."
(GPNC) boundaries. The GPNC needs to hear loud and clear that the Fletcher Drive / San Fernando Road area deserves a better and
more community friendly commercial development. Please fill and mail the GPNC Survey....
Friends of Atwater Village
3371 Glendale Blvd, Unit 110
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Home Depot’s plan to install a third store in the area will not bring more jobs to the Glassell Park and Atwater Village area. On the contrary,
if Home Depot is successful in executing their plan to install a store at the Old Kmart site they would “temporarily” close their Glendale
store for “improvements” and transfer their existing staff to the new location.
At two community meetings Home Depot representatives consistently stated that they would not be hiring new employees but will be
transferring their entire Glendale store staff to their new location on San Fernando and Fletcher Drive. In addition, they also clarified that
Home Depot will not make any attempts to hire individuals based on a geographical area. This means that any “new employees” (if any
new employees are actually hired) could live outside of our communities and commute to work.
In addition, Home Depot would force the closure of dozens of small home improvement businesses along San Fernando and Fletcher
Drive. With the monopolistic hold on the home improvement business Home Depot would crush competition and put many of employees
of out of work.
The community and local job seekers should not settle for Home Depot. Say “NO” TO HOME DEPOT and “YES” TO A MORE VIABLE
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE OLD KMART SITE.
Before our community can dream of a better economic future at the Old Kmart site we must first derail the Home Depot Invasion… please
download and sign our petition against Home Depot.
webmaster@friendsofatwatervillage.org
