Shorewood’s legacy
Dear ER:
Like many South Bay real estate professionals, I spent many a great years working and carrying with honor the Shorewood name (“Vista Sotheby’s to acquire Shorewood Realtors,” ER August 11, 2016). As a Hermosa native, while growing up in this great community, the Shorewood name was an ever present pillar that reflected the past, present and future of our community. When I decided to pursue a real estate career, there was only one broker whom I would work for and that was Shorewood. I have sp much gratitude and respect for Shorewood founders Arnold Goldstein and Larry Wolf, who with the help of many others, created a real estate brokerage that really expressed the essence of our community. Long live the Shorewood name. It is forever imprinted in our community.
Lenny LaRocca
Website comment
Then there were three
Dear ER:
The Hermosa Beach Surfer Walk of Fame 2016 inductees have been chosen by a panel of notable, lifelong South Bay surfers, most of whom are great friends of mine. Parks and Recs Commissioner Jani Lange does an incredible job of spearheading the process. Applicants are voted on to fill four categories. For 2016 these are Champion (Ted Robinson), South Bay Legend (Kelly Gibson), Pioneer (Chip Post), and Cultural Legend (John Leininger). But I take issue with this process. Surfers don’t fit into categories. Some have a lifetime of competitive success and then work in the industry and some never touch a contest and hold down construction jobs. Some made their marks as youngsters only to disappear from the surf scene.
With the 2016 inductees we have a glaring omission. Chris Frohoff should have been inducted with Gibson and Robinson. They were a trio, but they do not fit into the predetermined categories. Kelly, Ted and Chris came up together and were part of the first wave of California professional surfers, who not only conducted themselves in a serious manner, but were on the NSSA national team with Tom Curren. This was the beginning of the modern competitive approach, invented by Tom himself, and strengthened by these three, together.
The omission of Frohoff from this year’s walk of fame is the elephant in the room. Why was he omitted? He obviously should be inducted with the other two. This demonstrates why categories don’t work. Sometimes, you need to be flexible and judge from the heart. A surfer’s influence on his community cannot be categorized and that’s what makes the sport/lifestyle of surfing so beautiful. Just like the ocean ebbs and flows, so do the styles and influence of a legendary surfer. I hope the Walk of Fame committee considers this point when choosing future inductees.
Steve Martin
By email
Market research
Dear ER:
Gelson’s Manhattan Beach developer Paragon’s estimates list an average of 3,896 daily visits to Gelson’s and the proposed bank (“Gelson’s plan revised, but neighbors aren’t satisfied,” ER August 11, 2016.) A big component of Gelson’s is hot food takeout, which will peak at lunch hour and during the evening commutes — when traffic is its worst. Manhattan Beach Residents for Responsible Development (MBRRD) petitioned for a deceleration/turn lane on Sepulveda Boulevard. Unfortunately, the lane proposed by Paragon is too short to help much on this fast flowing stretch of Sepulveda. Paragon is also proposing to widen Eighth Street to help traffic turning south on Sepulveda. The deceleration lane and widening Eighth reduce public parking on those streets. Those public parking reductions, along with Gelson’s plans to lease 20 parking spaces on 10th Street, south of the City’s only Post Office, reduces parking in the area by 30 to 40 spaces. City Code calls for parking at the Gelson’s site to be 171 spaces. Paragon’s plan only provides 136.
Paragon should do it right: 1. A longer deceleration/turn lane on Sepulveda, 2. Per code parking 3. Scale back the project to meet code.
MBRRD is requesting an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to realistically assess the “Significant Impacts” this project will create. It’s bad precedent to allow a developer to cram 50 lbs. of organic peaches and Princess cakes into a 10 lb. bag.
Mark Shoemaker
Manhattan Beach
The silent millennials
Dear ER:
Has anyone noticed that the voices of residents at Manhattan Beach City Council meetings are primarily from the older generation? Where are the young voters? The Council decision to continue elections in March does not bode well for Manhattan Beach. Voter turnout at these odd number year, spring elections is not even 20 percent. Special interests can back candidates and put them in office without much opposition. Those who want to build towers and cover our open space with concrete are not sitting idle. Apathy will cost us the beauty we have enjoyed in Manhattan Beach. Look at what happened in the United Kingdom. Only about 19 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 supported a British exit from the E.U.,but 59 percent of the UK pensioners wanted their country to leave. The pensioners won out by a margin of 1.3 million votes. I am in the U.S. “pensioners” age group and am more conservative than my children. However, I am at a loss for a solution for getting more of the younger generation to take a real honest interest in what happens here. I hope they wake up and realize it is their action (or inaction) that will determine their future.
Janet Murphy
Manhattan Beach
Dater’s remorse
Dear ER:
Have you ever settled for a relationship of convenience? How did that relationship go? On August 9 the Redondo Beach Harbor Commission proposed to CenterCal. Instead of saying “I love you” or talking about dreams, happiness, and fulfillment, the commission told CenterCal “you have a lot of flaws but I guess you’ll do.” Romantic huh? Does that sound like the foundation of a fruitful 99-year relationship? Not one of the commissioners said they loved the plan. While it is easy and tempting to compare today’s outdated harbor with CenterCal’s shiny upgrades and conclude we must accept this behemoth plan, that trade is a mirage. That trade is an expeditious, convenient, and false comparison that CenterCal and the city want you to believe is reality. The world is not so simple. There are endless options in between – infinite shades of gray.
With a scaled down, half-sized 262,000 square foot project, we can revitalize business while avoiding the negative impacts of a mall by the sea. According to city consultant KKN and the AECOM financial report, the city can finance its own infrastructure improvements without CenterCal by using harbor revenue from a half-sized project. There are options to revitalize not supersize. I commend commissioners Kari Keidser and Vicki Callahan for refusing to settle.
Martin Holmes
Redondo Beach
Running commentary
Dear ER:
As I ran this morning along the beach and through the Redondo pier I couldn’t help but reflect on some of the comments at the recent Harbor Commission meeting. Commissioner Michael Jackson stated that many of the people who will be enjoying the new Waterfront development will live within 1.7 miles of the project. I am one of them. Another reflection from the meeting was the overwhelmingly boating-centric nature of the comments. While clearly the Harbor Commission should be boat/marine-centric, there also should be a balance for non-boaters. Their interests, such as clean swimming areas, parks and biking/running paths should be of major concern, as well. The CenterCal plan provides just that – a balance for boaters and non-boaters. My final thought as I ran this morning was that many of us in Redondo are grandparents. How fantastic will it be to bring our grandchildren to a safe and clean recreation area, within walking distance of our homes. My husband and I can’t be the only grandparents aching for the day that we can walk to the Waterfront with our family and watch the sunset over sailboats entering through the drawbridge — our grandchildren, ice cream cones in hand. It brings us back to simpler times when we walked hand in hand with our grandparents. Redondo Beach voted for this vision. Let’s continue forward to make it a reality.
Beth Mineau
Redondo Beach
