New York, New York
Some wag recently said Culver City could become the new Manhattan.
He said removing all of the shrubbery and replacing it with cement will give residents Manhattan-style weather, especially in the summertime.
All Coming Out in the Wash
Next, a giant car wash was proposed two blocks east of Overland so that nearby residents wouldn’t have to drive to the car wash on Overland.
No sooner was that idea turned down by the City Council than a giant mixed- use development was proposed for Madison and Culver that would have gone halfway up Madison Avenue.
A Break for Madison?
Residents on Madison wouldn’t have to drive or walk too far to get to a 7-11 or Starbucks. The Planning Commission turned that idea down. But it might make a comeback if the City Council decides it is in the best interests of neighboring residents to have commercial development closer to the neighborhood.
Next, to help defray the cost of the movie palace they invested in and to help pay salaries at City Hall, the city fathers sold off the parking lot next to the U.S. Post Office at Culver and Duquesne to developers Joseph Miller and Judit Meda Feketa.
They proposed yet another mixed use project, a five-story, 4700-square foot parcel, featuring ground floor retail, condos above, with underground parking.
Desirable Home Base
“People want to live here in Culver City,” exclaimed Mr. Miller, “and they don’t want to pay a million dollars for a 1200-foot house built in 1942.”
I understand this sentiment.
I want to live in Santa Barbara or Brentwood.
Hopefully, someone like Mr. Miller and Ms. Fekete will build affordable housing there for me.
A Vision Revived
The Planning Commission did not agree with Mr. Miller’s vision. They believed the development was too big for the neighborhood and that it would make traffic in the area even more intolerable than it is.
Mr. Miller’s and Ms. Fekete’s dream sprang back to life with the help of the staff at the Redevelopment Agency. Since Caltrans is ripping out all of those useless trees and Culver Boulevard will be widened, traffic won’t be impacted at all.
Two weeks ago, the City Council held off from giving approval to the 23 condo units and retail stores that were being proposed.
Vice Mayor Carol Gross is very upset over the other Council members’ lack of vision for the area.
Presto, and Dream Is Realized
It was Councilmember Gross who led the charge to get the 405 on-ramp removed from Braddock Drive to Culver Boulevard. Traffic would be eased on that residential street.
Councilmember Gross also said she would like to turn Sepulveda Boulevard into a “Stop and Shop” street.
If you have been on Sepulveda Boulevard between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m., you can see that Ms. Gross’ dream has come true.
What We Really Need
This Monday evening, the City Council will again consider the development at 9900 Culver Boulevard.
It is hoped that the Council will take into consideration the wishes of neighboring residents and will direct the Redevelopment Agency to come up with a master plan for the entire city and not continue piecemeal development that gives us competing shopping malls with the same anchor.
