Next Option
Its like starting at the top or the bottom. The question is, where do you go from there?
Last night, the cautious Redevelopment Agency grimly voted 5 to 0 to appoint an unpopular neighborhood group, the 4 Woo brothers, to develop the mercifully-vacant northwest corner of the intersection.
Why them?
Behind The Objections
The neighbors who spoke up said they didnt want them because of the way they said the brothers have conducted business in the past.
And the brothers, it appears, were underwhelmed by their selection.
They were a no-show.
What should have been a joyous occasion for the brothers and for their neighbors more closely resembled a hanging.
Why Choose Her?
Returning to the love metaphor, for the admittedly skeptical Agency to hire the Woos sounds like marrying an unappealing girl because, well, because she was single.
Scott Malsin, the vice-chair of the Redevelopment Agency, said this afternoon that it is wrong to belittle the deal the city made because, in many ways, it is a highly desirable arrangement.
Its Really a Good Deal
By forging an agreement with the party that actually owns the acre of property on the northwest corner, argues Mr. Malsin, the city has found an ideal developer.
The Woo groups inherently lower costs will allow the brothers to build the much smaller, single-story (all commercial) project the neighborhood always has sought. Any other developer would be compelled build a far larger project, said Mr. Malsin, to cover its costs and to establish reasonable profitability.
A Giant by Comparison
The previous contracted developer, the Olson Co., had planned to build a 4-story giant that would have dwarfed all else in the working-class neighborhood.
City Hall and the often overlooked west side of Culver City have spent a lot of time dancing with each other since 2000. Sweet nothings were whispered in the ears of residents.
Promises Dangled and Died
But, somehow, the couple never left the dance floor, never progressed beyond unmet promises.
If the intersection looks any better than it did at the turn of the century, many residents can be found who will disagree with the assessment.
We want to look like the rest of Culver City, was a theme than ran through the pleadings of residents.
Saving Dollars
Mr. Malsin spoke glowingly of how much money the city was saving by striking the tentative deal with the Woo brothers instead of any other prospective developer.
He pegged the savings at $10 million. Now we will have more money to do what the people want, he said.
Maybe.
With this deal, we have a great opportunity, Mr. Malsin said.
But residents have heard that song before. One significant difference this time is that One of Them is on the Redevelopment Agency, meaning Mr. Malsin. For years, he has lived with his family within reaching distance of the intersection, and therefore has a stake.
Its His Home Neighborhood
He was the most visible face of the Culver West neighborhood before being elected to the City Council 11 months ago.
Mr. Malsin steadfastly maintained today that the clearly identified legal controls the Agency maintains over the Woo group for the next 6 months should assuage any doubts of skeptical neighbors.
