5 - PUBLIC COMMENT_BROWN - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

From: Gomez Daisy To: Bernal Sarah; Freaoso VinceArl Piotrkowskl Cc: Uty Clerk; Thai Min Subject: Planning Commisslon comment- Review of One Broadway Project Date: Saturday, March 28, 2020 9:47:03 AM Attachments: 1585411181783blob.ioo 1585411380642blob.ioa 1585411181783biob.ioa 1585411380642biob ioa Good Morning, The fallowing communication pertaining to the Planning Commission meeting, has been received for your review and consideration. Best, Daisy Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse any typos. Begin forwarded message: From: Archie Brown <archiedbrown@yahoo.com> Date: March 28, 2020 at 9:14:14 AM PDT To: "Penaloza, David" <DPenaloza@santa-ana.org>, eComment <eColnment@santa-ana.org>, "Fregoso, Vince" <VFregoso@Santa-ana.org> Subject: Review of One Broadway Project Dear Councilman Penaloza, Planning Commission, and other Civic Leaders, I have reviewed the planning staff report for the updated One Broadway plan which now includes a residential component. I did not support the original project and I still would like to see it reduced in height by half. As a single building, it would create a visual blight and would be extremely incompatible with low and mid -rise buildings in the Mid -Town corridor. It also came as no surprise that Mr Harrah was never able to find office tenants to support its construction. He needed to lease this building at rates typical negotiated at fashionable coastal office localities and far and above markets the rates at Santa Ana's best business locations (i.e. Main/MacArthur and 1st/Grand). Nevertheless, I do not see any grounds for the city to outright deny the proposed changes, since Mr. Harrah has entitlements for a more intensive development. I am still very concerned that this project gets built in a sub -optimum manner that ultimately falls short of becoming the prestigious address the city desires. Santa Ana would take another hit in its reputation if One Broadway would remain dormant if any considerable length of time. To this end, any conditions or safeguards that the city could impose to ensure that we have highest quality building and as well as office tenants is paramount. I also believe that if we are to allow this 500-foot tower, the best way to mitigate its negative visual impact will be to eventually allow additional multiple high-rises to cluster around it. A single building towering above its neighbors overpowers its surroundings and will create an uncomfortable spatial and contextual relationship. In contrast, the grouping of multiple tall