Where have the steam rollers gone?
Dear ER:
Have they finished paving Hermosa Ave. yet? I had to stop and check for a flat on my bike because the paving job is so rough. Can’t Hermosa afford a steam roller? If you want to see good paving, check out Aviation Boulevard between Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Marine.
Ron Wike
Redondo Beach
Elephant in the harbor
Dear ER:
As a Beachie (Beach Cities denizen) and language arts tutor, CenterCal has provided my students and me with a rich trove of real-time, local, Bernaysian propaganda to interpret and for this we can’t thank it enough (“Waterfront redevelopment: Community challenges ‘Rescue’ effort,” ER December 10, 2015). I of course side with Martin Holmes, Candace Nafissi and the ‘anti-‘ klatsch and cannot help but note with a smirk that developers and Realtors are becoming the new lawyers, for which relief I’m sure attorneys are sacrificing entire acres of chickens and praying hosannas to their various capitalist greed-gods.
What’s really at stake here is never mentioned, though everyone’s perfectly cognizant of it. I’m referring to the ethnic and class xenophobias of the Beach Cities in a double bind of epic proportions: erecting a mercantile nightmare will uplevel the waterfront completely away from the access of the inner cities, whose taxes also pay to support the beaches, but simultaneously inculcate a spate of ridiculously hypertrophied specialty shops (think: high-end ripped-jeans versions of SNL’s old ‘The Scotch Tape Store’). That sort of nonsense is what classically hamstrung all such past area business gentrifications. Best, I think to leave things as they are, even with all the lamentable aspects, than enter into a Faustian pact with yet another piratical development corporation (think: Mad Men).
Mark S. Tucker
Manhattan Beach
Gelson’s checkout
Dear ER:
While I love the idea of having a Gelson’s in our town (at 8th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard), I am very concerned about the site selection, the dangers created by the traffic that will be generated, the variances requested and impacts on quality of life to the surrounding residents.
I am sure everyone is aware of the multiple fatalities and accidents that have occurred disproportionately in that stretch of Sepulveda. This is an already heavily trafficked and difficult section of highway due in part to the topography (blind hills and valleys). Adding a Gelson’s to that location will exacerbate an already strained traffic corridor.
For the development to move forward I think it is essential for several things to occur:
Environmental Impact Report: we should clearly understand the impact this major development will have on the surrounding area
Traffic Study: To understand the impacts of traffic flow and safety and how safety could be improved through mitigation such as deceleration lanes, parking, delivery facilities, traffic signaling, etc.
No parking variances: the development should meet or exceed requirements for onsite parking, both for employees and patrons.
The development presented thus far is woefully deficient, relative to the site they have selected.
Jerry Pancake
Manhattan Beach
If Hermosa, why not Manhattan?
Dear ER:
Skechers in Hermosa Beach plans for much more than required underground parking, and is designing deceleration lanes for traffic safety to mitigate “significant impacts” (“Proposed Skechers expansion draws fire,” ER December 10, 2015). If that project is at least trying to be community friendly, why isn’t Paragon trying to do the same for their proposed Gelson’s a few blocks north, in Manhattan Beach. I am not trying to deflect concerns over the Skechers project, I just don’t like the idea of Paragon not having to do an EIR, or asking for parking variances and not be concerned about traffic safety impacts. Our South Bay community will be affected by both projects and both should be required to provide the same level of documentation and compliance before being considered for approval.
Mark Shoemaker
Website comment
DEIR in the headlights
Dear ER:
I want to congratulate the Redondo Beach City staff on the comprehensive Harbor Revitalization DEIR. They have made it interesting, easy to read and the numbers all match. This is not the case in many documents this size. The size of this document may scare many people off but anyone who intends to engage in debate on this project needs to read chapter 2 and chapter 4. Chapter 2 is the project description, which includes the history of the harbor area. Chapter 4 is a comparison of the alternatives.
Did you know that the harbor used to be a resort destination with a Pavilion with shops, theater, restaurants and dance hall? It also had a saltwater plunge pool. Prior to 1960 Pacific Avenue connected along the harbor to Torrance circle. Development after 1960 removed this connection, forcing traffic to Catalina Avenue. Talk about a view killer. There is no view on Catalina Avenue because of all the condos that are blocking it. The new project will correct past development errors by bringing back the Pacific Avenue connection.
I have heard comments that the development on the north side of the project will block views when driving down Harbor Drive. I don’t know about anyone else but all I see when I drive down Harbor Drive is asphalt parking lots. I don’t see anyone sitting out in the parking lots having a cup of coffee with friends in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening. I don’t see families with their children playing in parkettes. Wouldn’t it be nicer to drive down Harbor Drive this time of year and see Christmas lighting or walk down the boardwalk with a cup of hot cocoa and look out over the ocean and PV? Maybe even hear some Christmas music. There are 7.8 acres of surface parking. This is a terrible way to use some of the most valuable land in the South Bay. The proposed new 45-foot parking structure has a footprint of only 1.48 acres, freeing up 6.32 acres for new development, open space, pedestrian walks, bike trails, 40 double boat parking spots and 109 surface parking spots. The 45-foot height is the same height allowed for single-family dwellings.
Some people are worried about reducing the boat parking from the current 67 to 40. From 2012 to 2014, the maximum number of boat launches per year was 1,225 during the five busiest months of May through September. If you assume worst case that all launches occur on weekends, this gives you 40 days, which averages out to 31 spots per day. The 40 spots planned sufficiently covers the parking need.
There is a rumor that we will loose the fishing pier. This pier was built in 1969 and is experiencing significant deterioration. It needs to be torn down and rebuilt. There is concern that the drawbridge will slow traffic flow in the marina. The bridge will be opened for sailboats and large powerboats. Having been a sailboat owner I could never be in a hurry and I would not mind the delay if I knew I could walk across that bridge instead of walking around the marina, as we do today.
If you’re confused by all the numbers being thrown around, review the charts in the DEIR on pages 2.42 through 2.47.
This is a wonderful project for all of Redondo Beach. Please don’t let the entitled folks who live in the condos along the harbor blocking the views from Catalina Avenue or the ones who have a political agenda destroy this wonderful vision for our children.
Allen Vick
Redondo Beach
It’s the ocean, stupid
Dear ER:
To paraphrase an old saying, “It’s the ocean, stupid.” Redondo needs a revitalized waterfront. On this, everyone agrees. As former Councilman Bob Pinzler has written, CenterCal’s project focuses too little attention on why we live here — the ocean. And too much on shopping. “Beach” in a city’s name conjures up surf and sand images, not retail. People travel here for the ocean, not for shopping opportunities. It’s interesting that there’s a movie theater on site. Most people believe the movie is outside — the ocean and the Palos Verdes’ views. The project should emphasize recreation, with enough economic activity to make it financially viable.
The proposed 525,000 square feet is too much development for an area constrained by water and two-lane roads. You can’t name a large development that doesn’t have major entrance and exit arteries, without major traffic.
Another issue is the competition, not just from Del Amo Mall, Manhattan Village, The Point, Plaza El Segundo, Galleria, and other “lifestyle centers,” but most concerning, online. Black Friday 2015 retail sales plummeted 11 percent, yet online were up 15 percent. The number of Internet connected devices will nearly double in five years. The largest group of consumers, young people, won’t shop in stores, but rather online. When this happens, the project will become a financial albatross for the city’s taxpayers, yet CenterCal will have made their money and moved on.
Rightsize this project, focus on recreation, and we’ll have a winner.
Todd Loewenstein
Redondo Beach
Too much Shade
Dear ER:
It is encouraging that people are getting involved in the Redondo waterfront project. If we don’t it is likely we will end up with something like the Delphi on Avenue B, the ridiculously tall condos from Knob Hill to The Pier, or the parking structure and Cape Cod buildings that sit on top of the pier. Those mistakes happened because a small group of people thought they knew what was best. They had big plans for our city.Dear ER:
It is encouraging that people are getting involved in the Redondo waterfront project. If we don’t it is likely we will end up with something like the Delphi on Avenue B, the ridiculously tall condos from Knob Hill to The Pier, or the parking structure and Cape Cod buildings that sit on top of the pier. Those mistakes happened because a small group of people thought they knew what was best. They had big plans for our city.
I don’t trust our city to make the right decisions regarding the waterfront. Why do I think that? Because the Planning Department, the Planning Commission and the City Council all okayed the South wall of the new Shade Hotel. That windowless wall reminds me of a penitentiary. Why is it that the City of Manhattan Beach can get a Shade Hotel that fits into the neighborhood and we get a monstrosity that blocks our ocean and harbor views?
The bottom line is get involved. If you live in this city you have a stake in what happens down there. It will affect your quality of life one way or another.
Gale Steubs Hazeltine
Redondo Beach
