The Melrose Business Improvement District (BID) has been approved by Melrose Avenue property owners and the Los Angeles City Council, and will go into effect in January.

A mannequin overlooks Melrose Avenue, where the city approved a business improvement district last week. Organizers hope it is a boon for the area. (photo by Aaron Blevins)

Organizers are currently in the midst of a series of meetings to further refine how the board will function and establish other “formalities,” Melrose Property Owners Association president Denis Weintraub said. He said the BID and its nonprofit corporation will likely make a public presentation in the next month or so.

“I think this is going to be a game-changer,” he said. “We’re all looking so forward to working with all the stakeholders. …We’re all trying to come forward to take responsibility for revitalizing an area. I think everybody’s going to move forward now.”

On July 30, the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office counted the ballots from the petition that had been sent to the 180 property owners on Melrose Avenue, from Fairfax to Highland avenues. Weintraub said the group needed approval from 50.1 percent of the property owners who returned the ballot. He said they received approximately 65 percent.

The BID will likely have assessments between $2,000 and $6,000 for property owners. The funding, approximately $486,000 per year, will be used to improve security, landscaping, lighting, parking, graffiti removal and more along Melrose Avenue. The city will also offer money to the BID.

Weintraub said many details will be ironed out in the coming months. He said some tenants and property owners have contacted him about various possibilities and projects.

“It’s a little bit premature to say, ‘This is one project that we’re going to jump on very quickly,’” Weintraub said, adding that the organization is cognizant of issues in the area and will try to accommodate requests.

He said he has also received questions regarding the assessments and when they will be due.

“We’ll try to clarify that for everybody too,” Weintraub added. “We want the community, property owners to be informed.”

He said the BID’s consultant, Don Duckworth, may be hired as its executive director. Weintraub said Duckworth is the executive director for a BID in Westchester as well, and would work part-time in both capacities.

The current board is comprised of Denis and Sylvia Weintraub, Don Winett, Fred Rosenthal and Julian Chicha. Denis Weintraub stressed that the approval of the BID was a team effort that involved several community groups.

“Otherwise, it wouldn’t have happened,” he added.

City Councilman Paul Koretz’s Office was involved. Koretz praised the effort to revitalize Melrose Avenue, a retail destination that Weintraub said was once held in higher esteem. The city council approved the BID last week.

“It’s really quite incredible they were able to pull this together,” Koretz said. “We think it will be a huge positive for Melrose.”