It’s now the third time in a row that the City’s presence has been lacking from an important discussion series on two of Long Beach’s most dilapidated examples of civic architecture and the absence is becoming painfully hard to ignore.
Over the past month, Long Beach Heritage (LBH) and the Long Beach/South Bay chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have hosted a series of events focusing on the development of downtown, specifically in regards to the Civic Center’s history, architectural proposals for the future of the Civic Center, and most recently, a discussion about the history of Pine & Ocean and how we can attempt to bring the intersection back to its glory days.
Entirely composed of local community members, designers and architects, the series had peripheral effects beyond the discussion of the much-needed revamps at hand. They, more impressively, displayed the breadth and depth of Long Beach’s in-house talent and how these talents care for the future of our home on a level that gives me the warm and fuzzies.
So where, oh where, is the City in all these discussions? They, after all, are the largest stakeholder in both of the areas being talked about.
In what I admit to be a saddening fact, not one single City representative attended the latter two forums, while only Vice Mayor Robert Garcia and 2nd District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal attended—albeit only briefly (after all, who cares about anything but Lowenthal’s introductory speech?)—the first forum.
This all seems odd since the Civic Center IS the City in tangible, architectural form while Pine & Ocean is the heart of what connects (or at least can connect) historic Pine Avenue, the Pike development, the Aquarium, the Promenade, the Convention Center and the waterfront. In other words, these two projects ARE downtown. They are what gives Downtown a pulse…
Considering the massive fiasco that is the $130 million Pike redevelopment and the fact that our Civic Center lacks any civic activity (besides the sadly large droves of homeless who feel comfortable there because, well, no one else does), I find it horrendously disturbing that the City is not hearing what is being proposed and discussed—and on quite a beautifully collaborative, creative level.
Ideas that have come up in proposals include turning the Terrace Theatre into a hangout spot complete with glowing bean bags and floating LEDs in the pool; reactivating the Civic Center’s library rooftop with iPad hotspots and architectural landscaping; bringing water elements through kinetic sculptures that reconnect the Civic Center with the waterfront; revisioning the tunnel under Ocean Blvd. that used to connect to the former Jergen’s Trust Building; using lights to transform space; and reevaluating how we can use Seaside Way and bring foot traffic to it once again.
Practical solutions, grandiose cloud-nine ideas, reasonable alternatives, outright excessive displays of urban potential—no aspect, be it idealistic or realistic, was left off the table. The point was discussion and what can and should be done. And despite one organizer informing me she incessantly emailed and invited everyone she could from the City—even getting responses that a representative would come but never did—not a single soul from Oz came out to see how us Munchkins want to revision the Yellow Brick Road.
This is not me pointing fingers or attempting to drill public servants whose platters are already full. I know: this isn’t necessarily their district. I know: their schedules are all over the place. I am not downsizing what they are doing, but instead questioning what they are not.
In a time when we must reorient our approach to business—the recent proposal for an economic development officer was one that was met with a widespread cheer from business owners across the city who have experienced the deeply frustrating process that is opening business here in Long Beach—I find it somewhat disheartening that a City which speaks so much of the importance of these two areas, of the essential social and economic function of these areas, either leave the room before its fully discussed or don’t show up to the room at all.
For when Lownethal—and indirectly all the members of the City Council—discusses the “public living room” that is the Civic Center, when talks of a “desire to be a part of the fabric of this community” arise and how magical it is to “come together to [revise] and envision our Civic Center”…
Well, that all should prompt one to ask: How about we actually do that? And not just us plebeians but the powers-that-be as well? To follow the collaborative model put forth by LBH and AIA, who so deeply believe that urban development cannot be a one-man show?
We can’t do this on our own. In fact, no one can unless the all omnipotent City decides to participate as well. Here’s to hoping they come out from behind the screen. Because we know, in the end, they’re no perfect wizard, either.
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