The proposal to build new commercial/retail buildings and underground parking on the wedge of land between Sunset and La Cruz will affect seven businesses. Coldwell Banker, Philips French Cleaners and Naturella Beauty Center on Sunset, and Sabrina Nails, the Palisades Garden Caf’, the Palisades Auto Spa and UDO Real Estate on La Cruz, would have to relocate during the project’s excavation and construction. Elliot Zorensky, co-president of UDO Real Estate and the business developer behind the plan, told the Palisadian-Post October 31 that the business owners “are aware that this is contemplated.” He said, “It is my strong desire to work with those tenants to bring them back.” He subsequently announced his plans at last Thursday’s Community Council meeting. This week, the Palisadian-Post talked to some of the owners and managers whose businesses will be affected by the plan. Most of them had learned about the proposal last week and did not yet know where they would relocate in the interim period, starting perhaps a year from now. Josie Benjamin, branch manager at Coldwell Banker, said she did not feel confident commenting on the proposal “until we see the full impact on the Village.” “I have 60-plus quality agents who would have to be relocated, and we have just finished remodeling,” she said. “These agents are not only full-time agents but they also live here, so, should the plans be of benefit [to the community], we would definitely be supportive even though we would have to go through the relocation.” Benjamin could not comment on when Coldwell Banker had learned about the proposal. “It’s been a rumor for years,” said Meera Cho, who owns Philips French Cleaners with her husband, Jeff. “[Zorensky] didn’t tell us yet in a letter.” Last year, the Chos invested in expensive new equipment to provide more “environmentally-correct dry cleaning services,” so they are not in any rush to move. “We have to hear from [Zorensky] first,” Cho said. Naturella Beauty Center manager Nicky Javidnia said Zorensky told them about the plan last week. “I don’t know what’s going to happen or where we’re going to go,” she said. “If [the project] does happen, we will definitely try to find a spot in the Palisades to stay.” Sabrina Nails manager Denise Nguyen also wants to stay in town. “I don’t know where we’re going to go,” said Nguyen, who has owned her nail salon on La Cruz for five years and considers her employees to be her family. “I can’t tell them we have to move,” she said. James Kwon, whose family owns Palisades Garden Caf’, said that they heard about the parking proposal from a customer over the weekend, and met with Zorensky on Monday. “It’s going to hurt us a lot because this is all we have,” said Kwon, whose family purchased the caf’ in June. “We’re not going to have a business.” Pointing to the photograph collages of loyal customers that are hanging on the walls of the small, sweet-smelling shop, he said, “These pictures say it all. This place has been here for 20 years.” He added that a lot of their customers are regulars and “I’m starting to remember names.” The owners of Palisades Auto Spa’Gregg Reneau and Dana Vatanpour’could not be reached for comment before we went to press.
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