STUDIO CITY : Merchants Say Street Widening Hurts Business

For years, residents near the intersection of Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards pressured the city and local developers to widen the road there. But now that the project is finally under way, nearby businesses say it’s ruining them by disrupting traffic and trade.

In particular, they blame City Councilman Joel Wachs, who pushed for the project.

The owners of at least three businesses on Laurel Canyon Boulevard between Ventura Boulevard and Ventura Place displayed signs Monday that accuse Wachs of putting them out of business.

“We’re supposed to be booming right now,” said David Strand, owner of the Coffee Canteen, where an anti-Wachs sign is displayed. “But people driving by think we’re closed. I seriously think I may go out of business.”

Tom Henry, planning deputy for Wachs, said he understands that work on the improvements has inconvenienced some businesses, but said the work has to be done.

“We’ve done everything we can to accommodate these people,” Henry said, noting that others inconvenienced by construction have not complained. “I just don’t think it’s fair to blame the councilman.”

Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn., defended Wachs and lauded his role in getting the improvements done.

“If they put up a sign saying Joel Wachs is bad for business, I’d put one right next to it saying ‘Joel Wachs is good for the community,’ ” Lucente said. “In scale and scope you’re talking about impacts on an entire community versus impacts on a particular business.”

Strand said he and the owners of a neighboring copy center, carpet store and photo shop plan to file claims with the city for revenue lost because of the construction.

Roger Ketterer, a civil engineer with Bureau of Engineering, said he would work with the developer to speed the pace of construction, but said stopping the project midstream would be a safety hazard because of a lack of proper drainage to allow rainwater to leave the roadway.

“You’d have cars hydroplaning out there,” he said.