Behar On The Block

Cory is the Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Athletic Club. It is the first private club in Los Angeles, founded in 1880. The Hathaway family has been running the LAAC for 5 generations. Cory shares the family history of how it all started, going back to his great, great, great grandfather. The LAAC was one of the city’s first mixed-use buildings and created the city’s first indoor pool. The Los Angles Athletic Club was the training ground for former Olympic Athletes, and a social gathering spot for the city’s politicians, poets, businessmen and Hollywood elite. Learn how a club that is 138 years old stays relevant to the city while maintaining and preserving the history. Cory plays an integral part in this today. The original mission statement still holds true today and Cory explains why: “LAAC is dedicated to the lifelong pursuit of healthy giving amusements.”

Episode 6 is an interview with Jan Perry, General Manager of the Los Angeles Economic & Workforce development Department (EWDD), leading an agency of 180 employees. Mayor Garrcetti selected Jan to run the EWDD shortly after his election in July 2013.

Jan is the former 9th District City Councilmember representing Downtown, Little Tokyo and South Los Angeles.  Jan led catalytic projects such as LA Live, Our Lady of Angeles Cathedral and the new Police Administration building.

Jan's leadership over a decade brought in $15 million in investment, $40 million in new tax revenue for the City of Los Angeles, and 90,000 new full-time jobs.  DTLA is becoming one of the most desiriable and sought-after residential and commercial destinations in the nation. 

Jan shares critical issues facing the city of LA today; how an Ohio native became an influencer in LA politics; and what it takes to work in local politics.

As always, thank you for listening.

From music to real estate to restaurants, Terry Heller has succeed in multiple industries.  Terry shares his rise from working in the early days with Eazy- E and other rap artist to his transition to real estate and finally to restaurants.

With no formal training in the restaurant business Terry goes on to create a restaurant called Plan Check Kitchen & Bar.  Today Plan Check has four locations across Los Angeles. 

The success of his brand of Plan Check restaurants supports the philosophy he carries through all of his ventures: surrounding himself with the finest possible talent in order to thrive. Says Terry "You can have all the experience in the world, unlimited capital, and the smartest business plan-but none of that makes a bit of difference if you don't have the right people around you, I'll take attitude over aptitude any day of the week."

Enjoy these stories and a lot more in this episode.

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In this episode I interview Tom Gilmore, a pioneer-developer of residential, commercial and retail properties in Los Angeles. Originally from New York, Tom moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and founded Gilmore Associates, a real estate development firm committed to urban revitalization and renewing the city's long neglected historic core.

Tom first purchased an entire city block of vacant office buildings in an area which had some of the highest unemployment and crime rates. Within a few years he converted the abandoned buildings to loft-style residence with retail stores and restaurants on the ground floor.  Know as "The Old Bank District," the area is now home to thousands of residents and numerous commercial tenants.

On the brink of demolition from the Northridge earthquake Tom purchased the city's first cathedral, St. Vibiana. The former cathedral is now home to a thriving performance venue, event space and the award winning restaurant Redbird.

Tom shares his vision, passion and drive for taking an urban waste-land and making it a place to live, work and play.

Please enjoy this episode.

Carol gives incredible perspective and insight about downtown Los Angeles from the early 1990's to present time.  She shares the stories about the hard work that went into changing downtown Los Angeles.  Learn what it takes to truly take a city from 9-5 to a world class 24/7 destination.  Carol was at the forefront of it all. 

She served as the first female President and CEO of the Central City Association (CCA) of Los Angeles for more than 20 years and currently is president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District, a coalition of 1700 property owners in the center of Downtown Los Angeles that she formed in 1998 to foster the renaissance. Enjoy the show!

Michael Koss has done it all; he owns one of the most iconic pieces of real estate in Los Angeles; he owns a successful restaurant; distributes a food product and is one of the most charitable people I ever met. In the episode Michael discusses all this and more.

In this episode I interview Brad Luster, president of Major Properties real estate.  Brad has been president of the firm since 1992 and has been practicing real estate for over 30 years.  Brad shares his insight on the Los Angeles brokerage business and how his company has survived and still thrives in the LA area after 54 years.  Brad also gives great life and real estate advice.