The process of restoring the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is definitely moving forward. As you can imagine, there are a complex series of steps to complete a multi-million dollar project of this scale. RPG (Revitalization Partners Group), a consortium of four major music venue operators, has completed the first step by preparing an exciting design for reactivating this historic building. They have been presenting this dramatic concept to stakeholders to solicit responses and buy-in. For the next step, they need to price out and validate the financial feasibility of the concept once it is explained and has gained general support. It would be useless to do the detailed work to keep refining and pricing the concept. if it is unacceptable from the beginning.
The main elements of the concept include keeping the building’s exterior mostly unchanged, seismic upgrades throughout, and full accessibility for people with disabilities. Inside, there will be tiered seating and a flat area near the stage, plus advanced audio and visual technology and acoustic improvements. A lawn in front acts as a park, bordered by retail and dining spaces; it can host outdoor performances. Above the flat fly (the highest point of the existing building), a terraced restaurant with slot ocean views is planned. The design is intended to evolve further as more details are refined, as is natural for any complex project. You can see the concept in the video and text provided by Save the Civic:
https://www.savethecivic.org/?cid=a6970a3d-24ac-4879-bc51-f851650b9929
S.M.a.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow), along several other groups (e.g., Save the Civic, the Santa Monica Conservancy, and SMLC), endorses the concept for the following reasons, among others ;
- It maintains the building as a state-of-the-art music and performance venue that it was originally meant to be.
2. It preserves the historic defining features of this Landmark: the clean, simple lines, the mass of the tall fly vs the curved roof, the dramatic facade with spires, etc, .etc. While only one of six Santa Monica criteria are necessary to be landmarked, this is the only Santa Monica building that meets all six of the landmarking criteria.
3. RPG is the right size and has the experience and resources to tackle such a large, demanding project.
4. This 2500 to 3000-seat theater restoration will inject some optimism and refurbish Santa Monica’s image as music/performance destination. Such signature investments in high-visibility projects can alter the gloomy cloud that is hanging over the regional economy.
5. The reopening of this dormant building will have a substantial activation benefit to this dead corner of the block.
6. RPG has already cleared one financial hurdle, having gotten their project’s preliminary approval by the California State Historic Preservation Office. This approval, along with its National Registry, is essential to making available the federal tax credits, which are key to the feasibility of what will be a multi-million dollar rehabilitation.
7. Large cultural destinations have a multiplier effect on the local economy. For every dollar sold in ticket purchases, it’s not unusual for the local economy to get an additional $6 boost. This is very valuable to a financially struggling City. Just the announcement that this is in the works will start ginning up the local economy.
8. This building is perfectly sited for its role as a music destination within two blocks of seven major hotels and at the end of the 10 freeway and the EXPO light rail line and within 20-25 minutes to LAX. People who attend and perform at the kinds of events being proposed are willing to travel and often need a place to stay.
9. Adding a new music venue here may make it possible to have a “performing arts complex” with simultaneous musical festival performances at the Civic, at Barnum Hall, and at the Greek Theater on the high school campus.
10. Finally, it both honors the memories of all the stars who played there, the memories of all their fans (many of whom still live in Santa Monica), and it also creates a new source of wonderful memories for the fans and performers who will play there this century. This includes young public school children who will perform there under the banner of programs such as Stairways to the Stars.
The next step is to do a detailed cost estimate and feasibility study to see that the design and programming (with the various alternatives) is feasible and “pencils out” allowing for all the uncertainties, revisions, delays inherent in construction, and considering the vagaries of audience response.T hese financial studies take time and are essential to the structuring the final lease deal with the City. RPG is asking for a 6-month extension to the original Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) to do this financial workup. It is worth the time to do it right to preclude as much as possible downstream surprises. The extension to the ENA request is coming for City Council approval this Tuesday, October 14.
And this is where you come in. If you like these benefits for your City, you should write to your City Council at;
councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov.
This item will be heard in closed session, but the public can testify in person on this topic before they go into closed session. After they come out of closed session, they will announce the results of their deliberation. So in addition to the letters you send, you can have greater impact by testifying in person. You can have a direct impact to benefit your City by ensuring this project is not derailed.
If there is one project worth standing up for, this is it.
By Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA
S.M.a.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA, former Planning Commissioner, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, former Building and Life Safety Commissioner, Samuel Tolkin Architect, former Planning Commissioner, Michael Jolly, AIR-CRE Jack Hillbrand AIA Landmarks Commission Architect, Phil Brock, former SM Mayor (Ret), Matt Hoefler, architect
For previous articles, see www.santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing
