It appears that the city's budget crunch and the sour economy have combined to shelve plans to spend nearly $60 million in public money to build a multi-story parking garage on the 600 block of S. Broadway.
The Garment & Citizen believes this could be a case of addition by subtraction for the Bringing Back Broadway initiative spearheaded by 14th District Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar. The deal for the parking garage made little sense to many wise observers, holding the potential to fracture support among property owners for the overall initiative.
We see now as an apt moment to credit Huizar for injecting the first genuine momentum into efforts to spruce up Broadway in some years — and to encourage him to shed the baggage of the parking garage and re-focus his efforts on basics.
We offer Huizar the following suggestions along those lines:
* Concentrate on the ground-floor. Don't waste energy or money on plans to renovate upper floors for commercial use. There is already plenty of office space available on Broadway, and hundreds of thousands more square feet sitting empty within blocks of the thoroughfare's course through Downtown. There are no signs that the economy is poised to absorb that space anytime soon. Don't be swayed by federal money to help with incentives for upper-floor renovations. Seek permission to use the money in some other way or simply don't spend the funds — a novel approach that would be laudable in today's trying times.
* First thing first: Fix the sidewalks. Broadway draws some of the heaviest pedestrian traffic in the city, and while some blocks have seen new sidewalks in recent years, others remain in need of repair. The sidewalks will have to be fixed in any case — so make that the first job.
* Stop talking up the renovation of more historic theaters as a key to Bringing Back Broadway. The Orpheum and Million Dollar theaters have been restored and have become wonderful additions to the street. Keep in mind, however, that both of them now operate in a very competitive field that includes venues all over the city. There's no sense in committing public resources to encourage more theater space in a market that is under-supplied with the sort of performances and film shoots that amount to bookings.
* Improve your communications with the community. It too often appears that the Bringing Back Broadway initiative is a private affair for your staff members and property owners. It's possible to give all due respect to property rights — no small matter — and still recognize that Broadway is a public street and community keystone. Do a better job of explaining plans to remake the streetscape and your hopes of bringing trolley service. You likely get some disagreements — but that doesn't justify half-hearted communications that seldom reach beyond a tight circle of special interests.
* Make the case for change. Picture the high-end atmosphere that Bringing Back Broadway seeks to create, with fancy shops and upscale restaurants and clubs. How would the discount retailers and modest lunch counters of today's Broadway fit in that picture? Chances are that most of them they wouldn't. Neighborhoods change, and there's no crime in that concept. Yet it's up to you to be upfront with everyone about the plans of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative. Give the workers and entrepreneurs and customers who currently define the street a chance to assess whether they see an opportunity to become part of the change or should seek opportunities elsewhere.
The Garment & Citizen offers these ideas, in part, because we were recently approached by a street-level entrepreneur who expressed concerns that the city plans to eliminate all newsstands on Broadway. She said word on the street says the move is coming because city officials now want "only gringos" on Broadway.
It's true that Huizar has asked for a review of the process for granting permits to newsstand operators on Broadway. It's also true that there might be good reasons to change current practices. Any such reasons remain unclear, however, and the void of information is being filled with perceptions that the plans for Broadway's makeover are tainted by ethnic bias.
That will likely continue to be the perception in some quarters until someone starts to clearly communicate the reasons for — and goals of — the Bringing Back Broadway initiative to all involved.
Jerry Sullivan is editor of the L.A. Garment & Citizen.
Artwork from www.bringingbackbroadway.com.
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