Cella Satellite Galleries: A Dance of Art, Commerce

Eric Reuveni is president and CEO of the Los Angeles Commercial Real Estate Group and knows NoHo and well. As part of our multi-part profile of this key NoHo business, I met up with Reuveni recently at Starbucks on Tujuna Avenue to hear what he had to say about the "Dynamic Duo of NoHo."

Reuveni is the commercial broker representing the NoHo Commons, where Cella Gallery's home office is located, and numerous other properties in the area, including the warehouse at 10826 Burbank Blvd. in NoHo where Cella Gallery hosted its show back in March.

Reuveni has long connections to the area, as he used to run his family's company in the 1980s that manufactured cookies in North Hollywood. He said he got involved with community organizing after they moved into North Hollywood because the area was suffering from a lot of crime. One night, outside his business, some gang members lit a stripped car on fire. Reuvini said he remembers thinking, "I can sit here and be a victim, or I can get involved. So I got involved." Since that time he said he has worked closely with the local city councilmen's offices, the CRA, the community-police auxiliary board, the East Valley YMCA and numerous other volunteer groups aimed at improving North Hollywood.

PATCH: Tell me how you met McKenzie Alexander and Shannon Currie-Holmes and how you got involved with the business that they do.

REUVENI: With all my different involvement with the community stuff, we kept running into each other. And one of the things I can say about Cella Gallery is, what I appreciate the most is both Shannon and McKenzie, when they say they are going to do something, they follow through and they make things happen. And I love go-getters that go out there and their word is their bond. That’s how I live and you say you are going to do something, by God do it. And I think that’s very, very important. And we got to know each other through them putting together things and getting involved and reaching out to each other. And I just think they’re fantastic because they care. They want to see things improve and they put their energy where their mouth is. And I just love that.

PATCH: I understand you were involved in helping them get the graffiti art show on Burbank up and running.

REUVENI: I did. I am the listing broker on that property. And I knew about their satellite gallery ideas. And they were moving out of one satellite and into another and they were asking me if there was anything I had available. And the building over there is quite unique. It’s beautiful and completely restored. And believing in them, I said I am happy enough to talk to the ownership and see if I can convince them to let you do this. Because what’s the worst thing that could happen? You bring some culture to the building? It’s wonderful. So it was an easy decision for me to call the ownership and work on behalf of Cella convincing them to go with this and they did a beautiful job. And they set up this temporary art gallery and it was fantastic.

PATCH: And what was the owner’s reaction after? I understand they leave these warehouses nicer and cleaner than when—

REUVENI: Than when they came in, yes. Yeah, and the word gets around. I didn’t know what to expect from it. And honestly, I went in there not expecting anything other than, “Let’s do a nice cultural event at a building that happens to be vacant right now.” And I think it worked out really, really well. I mean, a lot of folks in the industry were there. A lot of people got to see a really beautiful building. Will that help lease the building? I hope so. I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out when I see who the tenant might be. But as far as the decision to have them there, I never looked back because it’s just terrific. What they do is fantastic. They go in there and give it 100 percent each time. It’s wonderful.

PATCH: I was really impressed when I met them and learned about how much they have done for NoHo. It was just layer upon layer of community involvement. They are not just a couple of gals that run an art gallery.

REUVENI: Oh, no, they are so much more. They are community activists running an art gallery. They definitely run an art gallery, but they are just so much more than that.

PATCH: What can you tell me about that warehouse on Burbank?

REUVENI: Oh, it’s been empty for some time. This is a section of Burbank Boulevard, a small little block that is only on the south side of the street where the building is located is zoned for light industrial. This has made if difficult to place tenants there that are specific to that type of use. The city wants to keep light industrial uses light industrial. And yet Burbank Boulevard is a commercial corridor and people want to locate commercial businesses there. I’ve got so many different people that wanted to open dance studios there or yoga, etc., and the redevelopment agency has declined to have those uses there without going through the process of going in front of their board.  And we’re exploring that because ideally we’d like to see a good tenant, especially if it makes good economic sense from a business perspective to have it there.

PATCH: So only light industrial?

REUVENI: Light industrial or office use is all that is allowed in that type of a zone. The problem is that the types of users we’re seeing are commercial users. The building has been in the same family for some time. The current ownership, it was left to them when the current owner passed away. And they completely restored it. They spent time to bring it back and fix the exterior to its original art deco look. They put in windows in there that weren’t there before. They put in two 88-compliant bathrooms. They completely cleaned the ceiling, a buttressed ceiling. It’s just beautiful architecture and they respect that architecture. They’re good folks to work with as owners.

PATCH: Back to Cella, it just seems that what they do is so definitive NoHo, taking a building like that and bringing art to it.

REUVENI: It is. I think you nailed it. That’s exactly what it is—definitive NoHo. They actually bring to life what everyone thinks of NoHo. They bring beautiful art shows into a building and kind of transform the energy of the building, which is fantastic. It serves a purpose for the community, it serves a purpose for the artists, it serves a purpose for the art gallery and I think ultimately for the ownership of the property. Together, as a whole community, it serves everyone’s purpose.

PATCH: Have you been involved in any other projects with them?

REUVENI: With Cella? No, this was the first that I was involved in, but I’ve been the recipient of their work. I was involved with Hear NoHo, for example, which they were exclusively responsible for making happen. They’re just really fantastic. They care. They love the area. They love the community. They believe in it and they want to make things happen. Any time I see somebody like that, anything I can do to help, I’m available. They are just both fantastic. They are the dynamic duo of NoHo.