Road Closure Causes Confusion and Concern

The closure of Crescent Drive between North and South Santa Monica boulevards in Beverly Hills has left some shoppers confused and business owners worried.

The city closed off the street in April to accommodate construction of a three-story, 450-space parking garage that will serve area shops and restaurants as well as the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, now under construction.

Construction is slated for completion in fall 2011. In the meantime, area businesses are concerned about the street closure's effect on sales.

Bailey's Bakery was uncharacteristically empty at 8:30 a.m. Monday. "We used to get a lot of traffic coming in from people driving down Crescent," a barista said. "Now, with the road being closed, people take other streets to work."

Margaret Rita, owner of Beverly Custom Cleaners, said inconvenient parking  is hurting her business. "I've definitely noticed a drop in customers, and also heard more complaints from regulars about what's going on," she said. "People are confused and they don't know what to do, where to park—so they go somewhere else."

Part of the confusion stems from inconsistent parking options. Some lots in the area offer two hours of free parking, but a garage on North Crescent Drive allows just one hour free of charge. The road closure has prompted privately owned parking lots in the area to raise their rates, Rita said, making it less appealing for shoppers to run routine errands on Crescent Drive.

At a May 6 City Council meeting, owners of establishments such as the Beverly Hills Market, Pioneer & Lucerne Hardware and Anthony Palladino's Barber Shop said they've lost significant business. The council responded by promising to put up signs reminding shoppers (both pedestrians and drivers) that businesses on Crescent Drive are open during construction.  

The city also plans to post signs notifying the public of the one-hour free parking garage on Crescent Drive and the reinstatement of the left-hand turn lane on South Santa Monica Boulevard and North Canon Drive.