Culver City Residents Can Contribute To Public Art Project At Former Gun Store

CULVER CITY, CA — As city officials continue to accept public input on how a former Washington Boulevard gun store should be reused, they're inviting the public to come help beautify it this weekend.

The city, along with Artist Laureate Katy Krantz, are hosting a tile-making workshop on Saturday outside the former Martin B. Retting gun store, where residents' completed tiled will be installed on the building as a temporary art installation.

Officials will also be on hand to collect input from residents about the building's future.

The city paid $6.5 million for the building. Built in 1953, the long-running store was grandfathered in after a 2005 city ban on new gun shops from opening within 1,000 feet of a school. The building is located about 800 feet from La Ballona Elementary, according to officials.

The council voted unanimously last September to purchase the property after hearing from dozens of residents, many of whom wanted to see Culver City buy the property to prevent it from continuing being a place to buy guns in favor of one that provided some kind of community benefit.

Now the city is asking residents to submit their ideas for the property's future. Among the top ideas: a residential development, commercial center, park and community-focused development.

The 4,660-square-foot, single-story building sits on 0.28 acres of land at 11029 Washington Blvd., just north of Washington Place.

Following the sale's closure, the city painted the building with a mural and fenced off its parking lot.

Saturday's workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To learn more about the building and submit feedback, visit the city's website. Officials will collect residents' input until Nov. 30.