Fancy Parking Garage Still Parking Garage

I was there and the meeting was a simple courtesy and nothing more.

There has to be a better solution. This is not a case of NIMBYism. Nobody is saying the city can't build a motor pool anywhere it wants. I'm questioning their tactics for railroading this through and their motivation to lay this problem to rest as conveniently as possible. Why put it exactly right there? It makes no sense to construct a motor pool so close to the 2 best things that are about to happen in Downtown: the Linda Lea Theater and Vibiana's Place. Honestly, they should take a step back, think about it for a minute, and ask themselves: "Is this really the best thing for Downtown?"

Since the formation of Gallery Row, 14 new art galleries have relocated to Downtown, all within walking distance. That is an average of 1 new art gallery opening every month since the Unveiling. This is huge. It is my fear that the Motor Pool will greatly diminish this momentum and prevent us from achieving a critical mass of arts and culture. I believe that having Parker Center and the motor pool so close in proximity to all the art galleries will prevent future interested business owners from moving to Downtown when locations such as Culver City and Santa Monica are so attractive. Why would anyone want to open their business next to a 5 story tall parking lot, gas station, and car wash for the LAPD? Pun absolutely intended, but the Motor Pool will arrest the current popular trend of starting a business in Downtown.

It's like having a blood clot. Gallery Row will live, sure... but it will have to stand very still just to survive.

I have to question the heart of the architect. He seemed to me extremely defensive regarding his designs for the parking structure, which looks like any other parking structure in the world to me. I honestly am not going to argue the merits of what is a good looking parking lot versus an ugly parking lot. All parking lots are ugly. I wonder if he ever read The Fountainhead. Why design it with the entrance for the 18-wheeler filled with gas on the north side, right next Vibiana's place? Wouldn't you want to design it so that the noise does not affect the Performing Arts Center right next door? Wouldn't that be the courteous thing to do at the VERY least? The entrance should be on the Los Angeles street side towards the southern end. And the art galleries that they are proposing should be where the entrance currently stands, close to the cultural attractions. BTW - they included in their updated plans the possibility of having a few art galleries on the south side of the building. These "art galleries" would only be the size of a parking spot and the ceilings are extremely low. It would make an adequate Hot Dog stand or Juice Bar perhaps, but an art gallery...? I don't think so. These are simply throw-away suggestions for the purposes of appeasing a sophisticated community. The designs do not honor the surroundings whatsoever. The parking lot is designed to only serve itself and nothing more. If they are going to do railroad this, they can at least lessen the impact it will have on the community as much as possible.

I love that Kjell Hagen brought up the fact that they are willing to do all this - flatten MJ Higgins and stop the current cultural momentum -- just to save themselves from walking an extra 100 paces from the current Motor Pool. If there is enough money to spread around like that, they can keep the Motor Pool where it is and hire a full-time shuttle service. Of they can get some exercise and walk the extra 100 steps and save us the money.

I look forward to reading the Environmental Impact Report and contributing my statement. This building is supposed to last 75-100 years, so the EIR better contain information regarding how this will impact the City of Los Angeles that far ahead in the future.

I want Councilwoman Jan Perry to answer this one two-part question:

1. Do you believe in your heart that erecting the motor pool directly across the street from the Linda Lea and right next door to St. Vibiana's will have NO effect on Gallery Row as a cultural destination? How will this compare us to other arts destinations like London, Paris, Sydney, and San Francisco?

The government(s) is(are) way behind the curve on Downtown. Everything they are doing seems predicated on the idea Downtown is a wasteland and needs leveling. This is strange considering the city started the boom by changing codes to improve conditions for developers downtown. On the one hand they encourage massive redevelopment, on the other stomp all over that progress by gobbling up real estate and filling it with behemoths of post-human architecture.

I think a lot of this is going on under cover of the patriot act. Using fear of terror (how ridiculous is that?) to steam roller over opposition. Look underneath and you will find the same old culture wars. The destruction or traumatization of the art scene is a happy accident at the most charitable analysis and might be in the plans.

The real tragedy is that the police are overlooking a real opportunity to improve the department's well deserved reputation for being aloof and dangerously removed from the community they are charged with protecting. I wonder if the architect ever talked to them about the psychological impact of buildings on their inhabitants and neighbors?

-Tim