Neighborhood Leader's Appeal Forces Changes to Civic Center Cornerstone

By Jorge Casuso

It will likely be one of the city's most prominent landmarks, occupying a prime spot on the Civic Center just south of the famous entrance to the Santa Monica pier.

Which explains why Ellen Brennan doesn't think the proposed changes forced by her appeal of the four-story office building - which will likely be approved by the Planning Commission Wednesday night -- go far enough.

"They'll get a permit for a building that's unsuitable for this spot," said Brennan, who chairs the South Beach Neighborhood Association. "Whatever gets permitted there will get built there. Here we are all tangled up in red tape. If we could extract ourselves, we could get a better building."

Ideally, Brennan would like to see more thought and time and public input go into the plans for the 68,000-square-foot structure, which was designed to fit into a Civic Center Specific Plan the City Council erased when it voted to purchase 13 acres of RAND property five weeks ago. Instead of being one of a number of buildings on the sprawling site, the proposed building likely will be flanked by parkland.

But realistically, Brennan knows that the commission is facing a pressing deadline. The developers, Maguire Partners -- who have had ten years to obtain the permits - have threatened to sue the city if the commission fails to approve the project before the Dec. 31 deadline.

"I would think there is another way to go about it, to sit down and talk," Brennan said. "I would like to see that process happen, but with everybody butting heads and trying to win, that's not going to happen."

Brennan's appeal prompted the commission to direct the architect to make several changes that would make the building more pedestrian friendly. Staff also suggested additional changes. The major changes - which according to the staff report "reinforce the continuity of the project and reduce the 'back side' appearance" -- include:

· Adding two windows, a stairway and planters to the east facade, and widening an elevated walkway or arcade. The handicap ramp will be moved from the north side to the east.
· Reversing a window and the pedestrian parking entrance along the north facade.
· Adding a third entrance to the retail space on the south facade, as well as stairs to allow direct access from the adjacent sidewalk. Trellises will be added, as well as a glass and metal decorative door on the loading dock.
· Staff also suggested reducing the width of the garage entrance by five and a half feet and the loading dock entrance by one foot.
· Adding a four-foot landing to the top and bottom of the proposed stairways.

Brennan would also like to see the loading dock incorporated into the underground garage and another entrance on the east facade.

Brennan, whose appeal has won the support of several neighborhood group leaders, feels the project has not received enough input from the public. Efforts to move a July public hearing before the California Coastal Commission from northern California to Los Angeles failed, Brennan said, and neighbors were not notified of the hearing before the Architectural Review Board.

"They cut out public comment, and they're cutting out public comment again," Brennan said, "and that disturbs me a lot."

Efforts by Commissioner Kelly Olsen to require a more extensive redesign failed to win the necessary support at the commission meeting on Nov. 3. Instead, the commission voted 4 to 2 to direct the architect to make the changes being proposed tonight.