West Hollywood Hires 2 Firms to Help Merchants Upgrade Santa Monica Blvd.

The West Hollywood City Council has hired architectural and design consultants to help merchants on the city’s east side upgrade Santa Monica Boulevard stores and surrounding streets.

The council voted last week to hire two South Pasadena firms to work on a community revitalization project funded by federal community block grants.

K3 Architecture was hired to help boulevard merchants upgrade their storefronts. Takata Associates, a design firm, was awarded a $13,500 contract to work on street beautification and improvements.

Deborah Potter, the city’s economic development director, said West Hollywood has been awarded more than $130,000 in block grant funds to upgrade its east side. Because of future cutbacks, Potter said, the city eventually may be forced to use general funds to replace lost block grant money.