A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee vacationing in New York City was stabbed inside a Macy’s bathroom while she was changing her 9-month-old daughter’s diaper on Thursday, police said.
The woman and her husband were shopping with their baby in Herald Square before stopping in the West 34th Street Macy’s restroom at 3:15 p.m. A homeless woman identified by police as Kerri Aherne, 43, lunged at the mother inside the bathroom, stabbing her in the back several times and slashing her arm, NYPD Sgt. Kevin Sheehan said.
The woman’s baby was not hurt. The two women did not know each other and there was no prior interaction or dispute, Sheehan said.
The victim’s husband, who was nearby and heard the disturbance, rushed into the restroom and restrained the assailant until officers arrived, Sheehan said. The victim’s husband is also a LASD employee, according to a statement from the department. Their specific roles were not disclosed.
Paramedics took the woman to Bellevue Hospital, where she was treated and is expected to survive, according to Sheehan.
The knife used in the attack was recovered at the scene, police said.
“My thoughts and prayers are with my employees and their family during this very traumatic event,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “I am grateful that they are safe and receiving the care and support they need. I want to thank the NYPD first responders who acted swiftly to bring the suspect into custody.”
Macy’s confirmed the incident in a statement Friday.
“We are deeply saddened about the incident that took place today, as the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority,” a company spokesperson said.
Dozens of balloons and floats filled the streets of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Many of the familiar balloon favorites like Marshall, the Dalmatian from Paw Patrol, and Dora the Explorer are joined by new friends this year like Buzz Lightyear, Pac-Man, and Mario. Creative new floats were on display along Central Park, giant Lebubus, and *** demogorgon from the. Down delighted the crowds. The parade is just such *** great part of New York and it’s such *** great part of history. It’s the greatest show on Earth, and we’re just so lucky to be part of it. April Rubens Stone raced to the front of the viewing line, eager to keep the decades-long tradition going. It doesn’t matter what age you are, it’s for everybody. For others, seeing the parade is *** once in *** lifetime opportunity. They couldn’t wait to. Growing up seeing this on television, I had always wished to come and see one live, so this is definitely on my bucket list and pressing it out. I’ve wanted to do it for 25 years to come and watch them blow up the floats, and we finally said let’s do it. While everyone has something unique they’re eager to see in the parade, one common thread connects them all. I’m thankful for. Uh, my family and my 90 year old mother. Thankful for our family and for everyone’s health. This is our first Thanksgiving as *** family of four, so he’s got *** little brother. Are you thankful for your little brother? In New York, I’m Lee Waldman.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to kick off in Manhattan
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off Thursday in New York City, with new balloons depicting Buzz Lightyear and Pac-Man set to take to the skies and floats featuring Labubu and Lego gracing the streets.The parade is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. EST, rain or shine, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and will end at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street.It’s expected to be a chilly day in the city, with temperatures in the 40s, but wind gusts between 25 mph and 30 mph will make it feel colder, according to David Stark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York.Officials are watching the forecast closely, since city law prohibits Macy’s from flying full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or wind gusts are over 35 mph. Weather has grounded the balloons only once, in 1971, but they also sometimes have soared lower than usual because of wind.Authorities will decide Thursday morning whether any balloon adjustments are needed, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The parade has been a magnet for protests in the last two years, when pro-Palestinian protesters entered the parade route. Police “are prepared to address that and any other situations that come our way,” Tisch said.A star-studded lineup of performances will be sprinkled throughout the show, along with a slew of marching bands, dancers and cheerleaders. Performers include “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, Conan Gray, Lainey Wilson, Foreigner, Lil Jon, and Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami of HUNTR/X, the fictional girl group at the heart of this year’s Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” The Radio City Rockettes also will be there, as will cast members from Broadway’s “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Just in Time” and “Ragtime.”All told, the parade is expected to feature dozens of balloons, floats, clown groups and marching bands — all leading the way for Santa Claus. Among the new balloons being featured is a large onion carriage featuring eight characters from the world of “Shrek.” “KPop Demon Hunters” will also be represented in the sky with the characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie.The event will air on NBC, hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker from “Today” and their former colleague Hoda Kotb. On Telemundo, the hosts will be Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.The parade is also being simulcast on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
NEW YORK —
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off Thursday in New York City, with new balloons depicting Buzz Lightyear and Pac-Man set to take to the skies and floats featuring Labubu and Lego gracing the streets.
The parade is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. EST, rain or shine, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and will end at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street.
It’s expected to be a chilly day in the city, with temperatures in the 40s, but wind gusts between 25 mph and 30 mph will make it feel colder, according to David Stark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York.
Officials are watching the forecast closely, since city law prohibits Macy’s from flying full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or wind gusts are over 35 mph. Weather has grounded the balloons only once, in 1971, but they also sometimes have soared lower than usual because of wind.
Authorities will decide Thursday morning whether any balloon adjustments are needed, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
The parade has been a magnet for protests in the last two years, when pro-Palestinian protesters entered the parade route. Police “are prepared to address that and any other situations that come our way,” Tisch said.
A star-studded lineup of performances will be sprinkled throughout the show, along with a slew of marching bands, dancers and cheerleaders. Performers include “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, Conan Gray, Lainey Wilson, Foreigner, Lil Jon, and Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami of HUNTR/X, the fictional girl group at the heart of this year’s Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” The Radio City Rockettes also will be there, as will cast members from Broadway’s “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Just in Time” and “Ragtime.”
All told, the parade is expected to feature dozens of balloons, floats, clown groups and marching bands — all leading the way for Santa Claus. Among the new balloons being featured is a large onion carriage featuring eight characters from the world of “Shrek.” “KPop Demon Hunters” will also be represented in the sky with the characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie.
The event will air on NBC, hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker from “Today” and their former colleague Hoda Kotb. On Telemundo, the hosts will be Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.
The parade is also being simulcast on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
An unlikely corner of one of L.A.’s once-famous/now-dead malls is open for business again this week as residents move into luxury apartments on the spot that used to be a Macy’s parking lot.
The Westside Pavilion was one of the city’s premier shopping venues and a cultural touchstone for generations of Angelenos, appearing in movies, television shows and music videos.
1992 photo of interior of Westside Pavilion that was designed like a Paris arcade.
(Randy Leffingwell)
Built on the site of California’s first drive-in movie theater, the center played prominent roles in the 1995 film “Clueless” and the video for musician Tom Petty’s 1989 hit “Free Fallin’.”
But like many other indoor malls, the Westside Pavilion fell out of favor in the 21st century before closing in 2019 to be converted to offices for rent.
Now the former mall also has housing, which is even more in demand than offices these days. New residents will be allowed to start moving in this week.
On a spot once occupied by what the developer called an “absolutely horrible, obsolete” parking structure, there are now 201 luxury apartments — a six-story complex that includes townhouses with front doors that open onto a residential street.
“You have your own stoop,” developer Lee Wagman said of the townhouses. “It’s kind of like a brownstone.”
Developer Lee Wagman of GPI Companies in the rooftop lounge area at the Overland & Ayres apartments.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Wagman is managing partner of GPI Cos., the Los Angeles real estate company that built the Overland & Ayres apartments and converted the mall’s former Macy’s building into the West End office complex. The combined cost of both builds was $350 million.
Wagman said the company got the temporary certificate of occupancy for the apartment complex just last week and move-ins can start as early as this week.
The rest of the former mall was in the process of being converted to offices for rent to Google when it was purchased last year by UCLA. The university is turning the old shopping center into a nearly 700,000-square-foot research center that will focus on immunology, quantum science and engineering.
The biomedical research center, which is set to open as early as next year, will be trying to tackle towering challenges such as curing cancer and preventing global pandemics.
The pool area at Overland & Ayres.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
The new apartments will be convenient for people working at the research center or other nearby job centers, such as UCLA in Westwood, Century City or Culver City.
As has grown more common for buildings competing at at the top of the apartment market, Overland & Ayres has amenities such as a gym with a resort-style pool deck and spa, an outdoor lawn for working out, a sauna and a cold plunge tub.
It has a large rooftop space with both indoor and outdoor lounging, dining areas and gas grills. There is a game room and two event kitchens. The building also includes an outdoor dog park and a spa for pets.
The dog park at the Overland & Ayres Aapartments.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Services available to tenants for a fee include personal training and private yoga instruction, dry cleaning pickup and delivery, car washing, dog walking, grocery delivery and housekeeping. Plans also call for commercial tenants along Overland Avenue that would serve the building, such as a restaurant or Pilates studio.
Rents range from $3,800 per month for a studio apartment to $8,500 per month for a townhouse.
The mall makeover is part of a decades-long trend of repurposing dead shopping centers, devastated by the pivot to online shopping.
Once the kings of retail, indoor shopping centers fell out of favor and lost customers to e-commerce, as well as outdoor “lifestyle” centers — places such as the Grove and Westfield Century City, which feature fancy restaurants, entertainment and pleasant spaces to hang out, even if you’re not buying anything.
The kitchen and living room area of a two-bedroom den unit at the Overland & Ayres apartments.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
The Sherman Oaks Galleria, a legendary indoor mall used in the filming of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Valley Girl,” is now mostly offices.
Lakewood Center, one of the largest enclosed malls in Los Angeles County, spanning 2 million square feet, has been sold to developers who plan to transform it by adding housing, green spaces and entertainment venues.
“A lot of malls now are going towards mixed use,” said Wagaman, who helped turn an indoor mall in Pasadena into an outdoor mall with apartments more than two decades ago.
It is not just old mall space. Struggling office buildings are also looking at transitioning to residences.
With downtown L.A.’s office rental market struggling with high vacancies and falling values, stakeholders are lobbying for city support to convert high-rises to housing. The hope is that this could help address the city’s persistent housing shortage.
Among the suggested targets for conversion are elite Financial District towers that commanded top rents before the COVID-19 pandemic’s stay-at-home orders shut down offices, leaving many buildings more than one-third vacant.
