Comments on: Best Places to Live and Launch 2008: No. 4, Marina del Rey, Calif.

By: Alex Bell Storrs, CT

Alex Bell Storrs, CT — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:09:15 +0000

California!!! Give me a break. My brother has a small graphic arts business in a suburb of LA (employs 12 people). He is moving to Nevada. Six of his employees are going with him. Two are going to try to telecommute. The rest they are on their own. Between property and income taxes AND the fees (hidden taxes) he sees NV as having a 35% advantage!!! Only a fool would start a business in California. As for me I live in CT. Not quite as bad as CA, but getting there. I too own a small business (technical consulting – 2 employees). If it were not for family close by I would move. Southern NH looks real tempting!

By: James, Davenport, IA

James, Davenport, IA — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:01:20 +0000

I cannot believe any city in California would be on some positive business list! High taxes and a government on the brink of defaulting! Please explain.

By: Igor, Marina Del Rey, 90292, CA

Igor, Marina Del Rey, 90292, CA — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:57:32 +0000

Large apartments, low construction activities, vivid & spctacular nightlife,healthy dining, a lot of fresh air on the beach

By: Mike Pagani, Austin, TX

Mike Pagani, Austin, TX — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:11:52 +0000

Are you nuts? I lived in MDR for 10 years. It's in Los Angeles AND CA. Very oppressive tax structure. Alternates include Culver City (next door)and El Segundo, which has no business personal property tax.
That said, CA is NOT very business friendly at all. I relocated to Austin, TX and it's an amazingly pro-business city and state.

By: William Segal West Los Angeles

William Segal West Los Angeles — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:54:26 +0000

I had a boat there for 10 years so I know the area
its rental residential and the recession has not hit MDR
traffic is real bad . There is only one north south
thru way and 2 east west. There is LAX within 6 miles
and the business prospects are tremendous. The popular is upward mobile business wise its the hottest place in LA County there is a major hospital,
Santa Monica is close and Santa Monica airport within 3 or 4 miles has Twin jet business jets available for
charter and purchase .They operate out of there 24 hours a day.MDR holds 5000 Yachts and support for that is a growing business on 1 to 10 scale 10
being best I would rate conservatively 9.0

By: V, Playa del Rey, CA

V, Playa del Rey, CA — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:15:06 +0000

How is it a small town if you're shoulder to shoulder to every other town/city? Space in LA has always been at a premium, hence soul-less developers mowing down the Ballona Wetlands to spawn Playa Vista. There was already enough congestion, lack of parking, and urban mess. LA has been unfriendly to businesses for years. If you're a yuppy who will fork over half your paycheck for rent, you're the ones making this congestion ridiculous and profitable.

By: Dani, PDR, CA

Dani, PDR, CA — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:50:02 +0000

Marina del Rey used to be your typical half-decent quiet marina: a little touristy, with a few good restaurants, and nice locals. Its situation was convenient and the old PDR community was close-knit. This ALL changed when developers attempted to upgrade the marina to compete with Newport and mowed over Ballona to build the Playa Vista monstrosities full of out-of-state people with no sense of community or what this area USED to be about. I grew up on the front hill and now every time I go back I am astonished to see how lame everyone has become. Those pseudo-yuppies should stay in AZ or get a house in Santa Monica where their attitudes will be better tolerated.

By: Flyover Land Fred, Dallas Texas

Flyover Land Fred, Dallas Texas — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:07:05 +0000

It's California – it's not a good place for business – high taxes, crazy rules, high prices.

By: Sheldon Kookla

Sheldon Kookla — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:21:28 +0000

I lived most of the '70's on the Marina Peninsula, which is the part of the MDR/Venice area that is between the Ocean and the Marina. I also have numerous friends that still live there. And based on what I know to be fact. For MDR to be included 4th on this list of 100 best places to live and launch a business, either Kelsey Abbott and Mina Kimes, who are the writers given credit for the little synopsis on MDR, are idiots or they never have actually been there.

By: Marina del Rey CA

Marina del Rey CA — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:25:33 +0000

Marina del Rey is a wonderful relief from the intense urban environment of LA.It's casual, quiet, breezy and relaxed. The previous writer is talking about Venice, not Marina del Rey, which is one of the safest communities in LA.(policed by LA COunty Sheriffs, not LAPD). People I know here have been here for 25+ years and would never think of leaving!

By: Estella Marina del rey CA

Estella Marina del rey CA — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:41:21 +0000

Marina del rey is not a place to live this add is not correct expensive, beggers in every conner, neighbords are not friendly. I do not recommend this city at all.

By: Scott, Sausalito

Scott, Sausalito — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:17:39 +0000

I certainly would pick Marina del Rey before I'd even consider the other recommendations. Lifestyle is everything…work hard, play hard, in the sun!

By: Larry Rose Wendell North Carolina

Larry Rose Wendell North Carolina — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:03:18 +0000

This may be a very nice place to live but I am not so sure about some of the business practices used by one of your locals. The business is called DC Propulsions and the gentelman who runs it Mr. C. Johnson seems to make a habit of getting his parts by scamming people. He is working on a new type of DC motor and car and is using antique technology coupled with new technology to do this. I know because he bought a Model T Ford transmission from me to use in one of these carts but he failed to pay for it. After several attempt and several excuses he still has not paid for it. I sure hope this is not the normal way of doing business in the Marina Del Rey area.

By: Gail, Marina Del Rey, CA

Gail, Marina Del Rey, CA — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:33:54 +0000

MDR is a great place to rent short term and get your fill of living near the beautiful beaches of the Santa Monica area. Rent something within walking distance or it's not worth it. I wouldn't buy here — it's over a million for a total dump fixer upper tiny 2 bedroom in a bad area. There are a lot of good restaurants and good access to beach bike trails and great access to many great museums and things to do in LA. CNN — you really should do your research though! This would be a TERRIBLE place to try to start a business — California has gone crazy with taxes and fees on businesses and property owners! Half of Los Angeles doesn't pay any taxes at all, so you can only guess how much the other half has to come up with!!!!

By: Craig Marina Del Rey CA.

Craig Marina Del Rey CA. — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:17:10 +0000

MDR was very nice about 30 years ago. There were great places to eat, fun clubs to go too. There was no traffic, It was a great place to live. ( Now ) If you want to spend 800.000.00 for a 2 bedroom 40 year old condo and 400 a month HOA Go a head and move there!! There is nothing like going to a store in MDR and having 3 bums asking you for money. Right down the street in Venice is gang banger heven. Maybe you can get a place in the Marina City Club cheap, There is only 10 years left on the city lease.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:57:59 +0000

MDR is very nice but the traffic sucks.

By: D. Gray

D. Gray — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:28:07 +0000

Well, bjth, you moved from the middle of LA to MDR? Sounds like a very small improvement to go along with your "see no evil, smell no evil" joyously emotional attitude. Good for you. Keep closing your eyes, ears and smell-cells"…. –D.Gray, Whidbey Island, WA

By: bjth

bjth — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:41:29 +0000

Wow,do we live in the same Marina? I'm right on the edge of the MDR/Mar Vista border. I open up the patio door in the morning and look out and see beautiful trees. In the afternoon, a cool ocean breeze wafts through the apartment…my utility bills are very low. I stroll to several markets, with a stop for good coffee and a browse through well-stocked B&N. Two cineplexes. Access to 3 different bus systems within a few minutes, just in case the car doesn't start and gas gets over $5.00 per gallon. Jet noise? Now and then, but not bothersome. I lived in the middle of Los Angeles and heard worse (liked it there too). Guess if you're essentially a happy person, you can find happiness anywhere. I love MDR! So goodbye to those who are moving…we'll miss ya. Hope you find your best place.

By: Denis, Madison, WI

Denis, Madison, WI — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:18:33 +0000

As a former LA resident, I can concur that parts of LA are a 3D scratch-N-sniff dump.

But, I dare say, that oft' nights I lay awake (here in green Wisconsin) with the memory of the sour smell of the slow bucolic wind blowing from the Hyperion plant. It takes me right back to 1973, cheap plastic palm trees, bad hair, and clothing, visiting the drunken divorced swerve driving dad in the apartment that shuddered with 747s 100 ft overhead and stunk daintily with the crude goo of the plant next door. The smell was sort of a cover for any other savage Human mal-odor or misshap. I miss the Hyperion plant only as much as I miss the genetically damaged seagulls, and crabgrass that somehow survive there.

By: Ben There

Ben There — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:55:52 +0000

You must be kidding? Marina Del Rey is an overcrowded dump like the rest of LA. (smell-A)