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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - #2 Orozco, Norma From:Victor Payan <victor@masamedia.org> Sent:Monday, May 24, 2021 2:59 PM To:eComment Cc:Sarmiento, Vicente; Penaloza, David; Phan, Thai; Lopez, Jessie; Bacerra, Phil; Mendoza, Nelida; Ridge, Kristine; Gomez, Daisy; Hernandez, Johnathan; !City Clerk Subject:Say NO to Sale of Historic Cypress Fire Station Hello, Mayor, City Council and City Manager, I am writing to say that as a Santa Ana arts leader and resident, I am strongly advising that you vote NO on the sale of the historic Santa Ana Fire Station building at 625 S Cypress St. Tim Rush has stated that the cost of securing and maintaining the property has cost the city $1 million. If this is the case, selling the property at a fired sale price of approximately $300,000 would result in a LOSS to the City of $700,000. Not to mention that this is significantly below market value. A real estate professional we consulted says the value of the land alone is at least $800,000. As you see, the numbers do not add up, and a sale of this historic property in the current terms would not only be fiscally irresponsible, but it would almost certainly become an election issue. Additionally, as we learned from the sale of the Santa Ana Fire Department, once the sale is done, you will not be able to get it back. I reiterate my view, and that of numerous community leaders and residents who have already contacted you about this issue, that the property is perfectly suited for the following uses: • Community Technology Center • Digital Library • Artist Residency Space • Use of CARES Recovery Funds to rehab the building for community use within two years. Since the property is already zoned for commercial use, this is already a reason to plan to use the building as a community center in a community that desperately needs one. This is also in alignment with the Santa Ana General Plan and Santa Ana Arts Master Plan. My organization, Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA), would love to partner with the City to provide media arts training, literacy and youth education classes and programming, to help a community center in that building succeed and thrive. I would even help to work on grants to help secure funding for this purpose. As a resident of the Eastside/Pacific Park neighborhood, in which the historic Cypress Fire Station is located, I can also attest to the public benefit that such a facility would provide for Santa Ana youth and adults. If it is necessary to start by using the building as a residency space, that would be great, as it would buy time to come up with a plan and funding path to create the community technology center that Santa Ana needs, deserves and is due. On the other hand, selling the property would result in a loss of over $700,000 in City monetary investment, and a greater loss in community investment in Santa Ana's future. 1 I thank you for your consideration and urge you to vote NO on the sale of the historic Cypress Fire Station. I look forward to working with you on creating a wonderful community culutral asset from this property. Sincerely, - Victor -- Victor Payan Director Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) c: 619-701-0073 e: victor@masamedia.org Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) is a project of Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 2 Orozco, Norma From: Ginelle Hardy <ginelleann@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2021 7:45 AM To: eComment Subject: Please vote to STOP sale historic Cypress Fire Station Honorable Mayor Sarmiento, Mayor pro tem Penaloza, Councilmembers Phan, Lopez, Mendoza and Hernandez, Today the fate of the historic Cypress Fire Station is on your Closed Session agenda. I would like to count on your vote to STOP the sale of the historic Cypress Fire Station to a private entity. Built in 1928, the historic significance of the Cypress Fire Station is that the building's exterior Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style is a good example of a trend in Civic Architecture of government buildings of the period, it was built to serve the Eastside Community, and it is the 1st (FIRST) fire station in Santa Ana and it is the OLDEST fire station in the City! My history, with the historic Cypress Fire Station goes back to my early days with the Historic Resources Review Committee where we worked with City staff to identify, survey and list the city of Santa Ana's historic resources, a list that later became the City Council adopted "Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties". City of Santa Ana's Planning & Building Agency staff's ongoing categorizing and listing Santa Ana's historic buildings and today's Historic Resources Commission are components of the City's Certified Local Government status, a commitment made to the City, neighborhood residents, State of California and the Federal Government to actively preserve ALL the City's historic resources. A game plan for a City owned historic Cypress Fire Station building can include an exterior restoration, an interior rehabilitation for adaptive reuse to create a Community Center, Art, History & Technology Learning Hub a STEAM -like education program located in the less -than -privileged, Environmental Justice affected, high density South Main Street 92701 zip code community. Such a game plan can be adapted to meet the City's Strategic Plan and new General Plan's Historic Element objectives, (including education programs, accessible services, bridging the Digital divide and investment in community) possibly making a City owned historic Cypress Fire Station a good candidate to receive an allotment of stimulus funds and an excellent opportunity to Revive Santa Ana! Once again, I would like to count on your vote today to STOP the sale of the historic Cypress Fire Station to a private entity. These are my personal opinions. Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to give in this matter. Sincerely, Ginelle Hardy Historic Heninger Park, (a South Main Street Neighborhood), President Orozco, Norma From: Jeff Dickman <dickmanaj@att.net> Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2021 10:46 PM To: eComment, Sarmiento, Vicente; Phan, Thai; Bacerra, Phil; Penaloza, David; Mendoza, Nelida; Lopez, Jessie; Hernandez, Johnathan; Ridge, Kristine; Alberta AOL Christy Cc: Ginelle Gmail Hardy; Pocha Pena; Irma Jauregui; Phil Chinn; Tina Davidson; Alan Hess; Brandon Pho; Nick Gerda; Connie Major, Michael Tardif; Ann Moerer Dickman; Alison Young; Jeanette Martin; Nathan Hittle; Ed Murashie; Chris Jepsen (SAHPS Associate); sandy welch Subject: City Council Special Meeting - May 24, 2021 - Closed Session Item No. 2 re: 625 S Cypress Avenue, Santa Ana, CA The City of Santa Ana seems ready to dispose of its historic Santa Ana Fire Station No. 4, located at 625 S. Cypress Avenue in the Eastside / Pacific Park neighborhood, to a private party. Fire Station No. 4 is one of the last remaining public buildings in this area, and the last antique fire station owned by the city. Residents have expressed concern about the irrevocable sale of the building to a private party, and the loss of an opportunity to restore, reuse, and repurpose the structure for a higher and better use for this under -served community. In addition to these concerns, it is useful to understand how City reached this potential decision without community involvement. Regarding the potential sale of Fire Station #4, City did what it often does when it wants a desired result - it conducts only the absolute minimum public outreach. This is a decades -old, and well -honed approach which is intended to reduce public involvement. Instead of advocating for the reuse of its own building with the Eastside / Pacific neighborhood, City staff quietly brought this item to Council's agenda with almost no outreach to your long-time preservation and community partners. As a result of this absolutely minimal tactic to downplay public outreach, Council is now poised to sell the property. This leaves the community, and other City partners, unable to participate, effectively eliminating alternative solutions. None of City's long-established and active preservation and community organizations were invited to participate in any discussion to re -make Fire Station No. 4. Besides failing to work with the Eastside / Pacific Park community, City failed to contact the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society, Heritage Orange County, and Preserve Orange County. All three participated in the on -going effort to save the Orange County Title Building from demolition. Why were they, and other community organizations, not contacted early in the surplus process to offer insights to save Fire Station No. #4? Whatever led City to exclude the public from early participation in this process, I request Council now consider the following suggestions to retain and reuse public's antique Fire Station No. 4- 1 - Remove Fire Station No. 4 from City's Surplus Property List 2. Begin coordination with the Eastside / Pacific Park Neighborhood, your several preservation partners, and business community, to protect the structure from further damage 3. Discuss interim and long uses for the building with these partners 4. Pursue grants, and develop partnerships which involve, and is not limited to, health, community services, learning and education uses for the fire station 5. Consider temporarily "moth -balling" Fire Station No. 4, to protect it from further damage until a reuse plan for the structure is developed with the surrounding community and preservation partners Your vibrant and active community of residents and partners is ready to work with you to save and reuse Fire Station No. 4, and return it to usefulness for the benefit of all. Jeff Dickman Historic French Park 714 240 0883 May 24, 2021 Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers, I am writing to you as a Santa Ana native and leader of Pacific Park/Eastside neighborhood where the Cypress Fire Station is located. I grew up in this neighborhood and know there is a huge need for a community center that ties our residents to Santa Ana’s history and provides them access to technology. The Cypress Fire Station has the potential to make a huge positive impact on South Main. Right now there’s a great deal of blight and human suffering taking place on Cypress that’s spilling over onto Main. A community center would transform the area into a place where young and old can go to access History, Technology, Arts and Culture in a safe and healthy environment. Today you should have received a compilation of my previous letters and proposals, so I won’t rehash info that has already been presented. New Updates:  Tim Rush has been contacted and agreed to support postponement. As a significant historic restoration advocate in Santa Ana, Mr Rush sees the wisdom in not rushing into a sale at this time, given that the money to be gained is so small in comparison to the value this property could still hold for the City.  We have a proposal on the table for an Artists Residency by the artist George Yepes. An Artists Residency would help secure the property while providing a community benefit. Thus the City wouldn’t have to spend $17,000 a month on security.  A coalition of residents and leaders from a variety of neighborhoods support the Cypress Fire Station being taken off the surplus property list and transformed into a History, Arts, & Technology Center. These include folks from Pacific Park/Eastside, Henninger Park, Wilshire Square, Madison Park, French Park, Barrio Logan, Lacy, Casa Bonita, Artisia Pilar, Delhi, and many more.  An on-site PAALS program might help to fund operations. I’d also like to add that if security spent on the building totals over a million dollars, as I have heard, then the selling price for the building should be at least 1 million. Please vote to retain an important historical asset, the oldest and first firehouse in the City of Santa Ana. Take it off the surplus property list and adapt this fabulous structure into a public beacon for learning. With great respect, --- Sandra “Pocha” Pena Sarmiento Santa Ana Native, Neighborhood Leader Pacific Park/Eastside, Santa Ana May 4, 2021 Re: Private Session - Cypress Fire Station Sale Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers, I am writing to urge reconsideration on the sale of our historic Cypress Street Fire Station. As a lifelong resident and current leader in Eastside, now Pacific Park, it's been heartbreaking seeing our neighborhood continue to be so underserved. The Roosevelt Center was open very limited hours, mainly for classes pre-COVID. There is no place here for our youth and elders to go for safe access to our collective history and the wealth of knowledge available online. Tapping into our City's historical narrative, library offerings & wifi access is important for working class neighborhoods like Eastside/Pacific Park. Keeping historic structures open and available to the public give neighborhoods like ours a sense of identity and hope. Please don't sell our history. Please invest in our long-suffering neighborhood and help us transform one of the most blighted corners on the Eastside into a beautiful resource for local history and access to technology for our residents. Paired with the South Main Corridor revitalization, a restoration of the Cypress Firehouse to public service would be a game -changing venture! Attached is a proposal for transforming the Cypress Fire Station into a public resource that would transform the whole area. Decades of neglect and blight would be solved with an investment in our underserved community. We are one of the densest residential districts in the entire district and greatly need the Cypress Fire Station restored to public service, to inspire and inform our residents. The Cypress Fire Station is a one -of -a -kind Key Historic Property in our City and has the potential to uplift an entire neighborhood. Please help us retain and transform it. Sincerely, -- Sandra "Pocha" Pena Sarmiento Pacific Park/Eastside Neighborhood Leader 5/18/2021 Re: Closed Session Item - 625 Cypress Ave Pacific Park/Eastside, Santa Ana, 92701 Dear City Council, City Manager and Staff, I am writing to ask for your support in halting the sale of the historic Cypress Fire Station. As a Pacific Park/Eastside native and neighborhood leader, I want to emphasize that Pacific Park/Eastside is one of the densest and most underserved communities in Santa Ana. The 92701 zip code has been the site for great hardship with little to support or uplift residents. I am also writing you as a member of the Santa Ana Healthy Neighborhood Alliance (SAHNA) whose efforts to Save the historic Cypress Fire Station have included multiple neighborhoods and spanned over a decade of advocacy in our city. Rehabilitating the Cypress Fire Station and restoring it to public use could help the entire neighborhood blossom and surrounding neighborhoods to thrive. Please retain this important connection to our City History by removing the Cypress Fire Station from the Surplus Land list and rehabbing it as a public site for public services. Our SAHNA member Irma Jauregui has spoken with the Real Estate broker for the Dollar Tree lot and asked for their cooperation in developing the Cypress Fire Station as a community space. They have enthusiastically agreed to help with parking. Rehabilitating the Cypress Fire Station is key to bringing safety, security and quality of life back to this part of South Main. By working together with the City, SAPID and our Community Partners, and Elected Leaders, we can turn the blighted firehouse into a major asset for our residents. In the transition from it's current decayed state to a functional commercial site that provides a community benefit, SAHNA proposes the following: 1) Residential Use —Art Residency for distinguished Artist to reside in and teach at the site for a period of 2-4 years in partnership with a regional art or educational institution. If the property is occupied, then it won't be necessary to have the city spend $18,000 a month in security. 2) Transitional Use — As a Historical and Arts resource space in partnership with a regional art, historical and/or educational institution. As Commercial Permits are formalized, public uses can be diversified. 3) Long Term Use —As a Digital Library, History and Arts resource space in partnership with regional art, historical, technology and/or educational institution, foundation or corporation. As funding enables capital investments in computers, construction, furnishings and fixtures, a fully fleshed out Digital Library and Community Resource Hub emerges with practical service hours (10-8pm), parking partnership with Dollar Tree, and local Multi -Generational clientele. We additionally ask for: A Steering Committee to guide fundraising and firehouse center completion The authority to fundraise and develop resources for firehouse development, such as a website Support in installing a $400 ring camera system and on -site wifi service Closing the "security fence" on all sides as it currently is not secured or installed right Allowing access to the property so that we may obtain work estimates as staff has indicated no residential or commercial work estimates have been obtained so far I also want to emphasize that members of the Eastside/Pacific Park Neighborhood and surrounding community have been advocating for the Cypress Fire Station since the last non-profit, Re -Building Together Orange County left in 2013. This community has mobilized over 60 pages of email correspondence with City Staff that has gone unaddressed. Please remedy 9+ years of neglect. Please don't sell our History. Please invest in Pacific Park/Eastside and help us all rise together. Sincerely, --- Sandra "Pocha" Pena Sarmiento Pacific Park/Eastside Leader, Member of SAHNA 910 E. Grant St, Santa Ana, CA 92701 April 26, 2021 To: Frank J. Gutierrez, Chair, Art and Culture Commission, Tram Le, City of Santa Ana Art Specialist Members of the Arts Commission and the City Council of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) Anaheim; Garden Grove; Fountain Valley; Irvine; Costa Mesa; Tustin; Orange; Huntington Beach, From: Eva@georgeyepes.com - Academia de Arte Yepes Re: FREE ART CLASSES FOR SANTA ANA AREA SPECIAL PROJECT PARTICIPANTS: Responding to recent requests from numerous (Santa Ana/Orange County) government and community members for George Yepes and the Academia de Arte Yepes (Yepes/Academia Yepes) to provide Free Professional Development Interdisciplinary Cultural Arts classes (Free Classes) for local (Santa Ana/Orange County) area inner-city youth and young adults that have been disproportionally affected by the 2020/2021 pandemic. This Special Arts Project (The Project) is not only timely but essential for the healing, social rebuilding, and community beautification, of the (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) Special Project area. The large artworks created through (The Project) will depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) positive themes. GEOGRAPHICAL TARGET AREA: (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) LOCATION OF FREE CLASSES: (City and location to be determined) (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) SANTA ANA SPECIAL PROJECT TIMELINE - SUMMER 2021: (June 1, 2021 through September 1, 2021) PROJECT HISTORY: In 1993, the Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) declared imperative a national mandate to generate renewed interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The national mandate directed NASA employees to reach out to communities nationwide to cultivate projects that would inspire the next generations of space explorers. Responding to this national mandate, (Yepes/Academia Yepes), through innovation, combined their high - standards based interdisciplinary curriculum with the engineering of large scale Space murals, to excite, challenge, and inspire students to excel in their school studies: The result was the first Free Professional Development Interdisciplinary Cultural Arts Program for youth titled: "'Phe Marriage of Art, Science, and Technology". Beginning with the Cassini Mission to Saturn, and the Pathfinder/Global Surveyor Missions to Mars, and in partnership with NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Agenzia Spaziale Italians, (Yepes/Academia Yepes) completed 10 large science and space murals for NASA, including several murals for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA; and another mural for the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, FL. Later, (Yepes/Academia Yepes) embarked on a 14-year journey to provide free high -standard based interdisciplinary Mural Painting classes that challenged inner-city youth. Since 1993, (Yepes/Academia Yepes) have successfully completed interdisciplinary cultural arts projects for numerous cities including: Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, and San Antonio. These constructive civic projects have merged diversity, education, healing, social rebuilding, innovation, and community beautification. (Images attached below). More images at: http5://www.georgeyepes.com/academia-de-ante-yepes/photo-gallery/ SANTA ANA SPECIAL PROJECT SUMMER 2021: Since 2015, numerous (Santa Ana/Orange County) government and community members have requested for (Yepes/Academia Yepes) to provide (Free Classes) for the Orange County community. Responding to more recent 2021 requests, (Yepes/Academia Yepes) have developed a new updated version of the 1993 "The Marriage of Art, Science, and Technology" program for the Santa Ana 2021 Summer Special Project. As part of (The Project), (Yepes/Academia Yepes), working with local artists, will provide (Free Classes) for local inner-city youth and young adults. (The Project) will focus on diversity, education, healing, social rebuilding, Innovation, and community beautification, among other benefits. The large artworks created through (The Project) will depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) positive themes. SANTA ANA SPECIAL PROJECT INSTRUCTOR: George Yepes and the Academia de Arte Yepes Website: www.georgeyopes.com Contact and Title: George Yepes, Director, Academia de Arte Yepes Contact Email: <georuoQ,,2eorgeveoes.com> Proposal prepared by Eva(cdgeorgeyepes.com ACADEMIA DE ARTS YEPES PROJECT ASSISTANTS: Gene Ortega, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes New Mexico State University Bachelors of Engineering Los Alamos National Laboratory System Engineer Licensed Professional Engineer -State of California Cristal Haro, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes California State University Los Angeles B.A. Studio Arts Magna Cum Laude East Los Angeles Community College Associate Degree Art East Los Angeles Community College Associate Degree Art History East Los Angeles Community College Associate Degree Behavioral Science Benjamin Morales, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes Bachelors of Fine Arts, Design/Illustration, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, White House, Washington D.C. Social Emotional Arts Certificate, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA Art21 Educators, New York University, New York City, New York Maria Kane, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes Yongsan Garrison US Army Insulation Base, Seoul, South Korea Altus US Air Force Base - Altus, Oklahoma USA Edwards US Air Force Base - Mojave Desert, California USA Keesler US Air Force Base - Biloxi, Mississippi USA Wright Patterson US Air Force Base - Dayton, Ohio USA Lackland US Air Force Base San Antonio, Texas USA The University of Texas at San Antonio - Fine Arts Diego Joaquin Lopez, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes College of Santa Fe, New Mexico Filmmakers Intensive, Masters Screenwriting University of New Mexico, Bachelors of Media Arts Executive Director - Hands Across Cultures Kevin Sepulveda, Master Painter, Academia de Ante Yepes Randolph Air Force Base - San Antonio, Texas USA Lackland US Air Force Base - San Antonio, Texas USA Nellis Air Force Base - Las Vegas, Nevada USA Naval Air Station Keflavik - Keflavik, Iceland Ramstein Air Base - Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany Buffalo, New York D'youville College Bachelors of Arts - Mathematics Nye County School District - Math teacher Saul Aguilera, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes California State University, Los Angeles: Bachelors in Art Education El Monte Unified School District - Art Teacher Ricardo Estrada, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes Professional Painter/Muralist, East Los Angeles, CA Rio Diaz, Master Painter, Academia de Arte Yepes, Project Assistant The Social and Public Art Resource Center - SPARC Gallery Curator UCLA, Art History - Curator, Mural Conservation; The Hammer Museum - Research Assistant INTRODUCTION: LA WEEKLY - "BEST INDESCRIBABLE WALL ART" - BEST OF LOS ANGELES George Yepes. "Muralist and Painter Yepes is Los Angeles' greatest living Baroque artist". Marc B. Haefele, Writer LA WEEKLY ArtScene - "When it comes to sheer touch that combines beautiful control over line and brushwork, yet seemingly spontaneous expression, George Yepes is among the best. His darkly romantic excess can't help but make you think he would have been Dante Gabriel Rossetti's equal among the Pre-Raphaelites. But these saints and sinners are hardly a throwback. Yepes' painting has a visual density and suggestiveness that is as tantalizing to the intellect as it is arresting for the eye". ArtScene The Guide to over 450 Los Angeles Art Galleries and Museums Tikkun Olam: To Repair the World "Like Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto, GeorgeYepes has the ability to pull down from heaven the designs which God has for humans and paint them so people can discover through the paintings what they are deaf to in words". Dr. David Carrasco, Professor - Historian of Religions Editor -in -Chief, Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures Director, Moses Mesoamerican Archive and Research Project Neil L. Rudenstine Professor of the Study of Latin America Divinity School - Harvard University In 1992, Geroge Yepes was named "El Fuego de Los Angeles" (The Fire of Los Angeles) by the Los Angeles City Council. In 1997, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction named George Yepes to the State Task Force on the Visual and Performing Arts for the California Department of Education. In 1997, the Mayor and Los Angeles City Council inducted George Yepes as a "Treasure of Los Angeles." In 1999, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously adopted a resolution commending George Yepes for establishing a training program that assisted teachers to effectively implement State Learning Standards for the Visual Arts. On June 20, 2018, George Yepes was awarded the "City of Los Angeles Icon de Artes Medal". Since 1993, George Yepes and the Academia de Arte Yepes have successfully completed interdisciplinary cultural arts projects for numerous cities including: Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, and San Antonio, among others. For images and further information: www.ueorgeyepesxom LETTER OF INTENT: To whom it may concern: The Arts Commission/City Council of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). Since 2015, numerous Santa Ana area government and community members have requested for (Yepes/Academia Yepes) to provide professional development interdisciplinary arts classes (Free Classes) for local inner-city youth and young adults. In response to the most recent 2021 requests, (Yepes/Academia Yepes) propose to provide (Free Classes) for inner-city youth and young adults from the (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) cormnunity. (The Project) target community of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) area inner-city youth and young adults -that — -- have been disproportionally affected by the 2020/2021pandemic. Participants for (The Project) will be recruited from (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). (The Project), years in the malting, is not only timely, but essential for the healing and social rebuilding of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) community. As a result of collaborating through an interdisciplinary pathway and curriculum with (Yepes/Academia Yepes) local Santa Ana area artists and participants will be challenged to integrate critical thinking skills, problem -solving methods, and incorporate 21 st century fine art practices throughout the 3-month Special Project. The large artworks created through (The Project) will depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) positive themes. Revenues from the artworks produced by (The Project) will offset all project costs. At the culmination of (The Project), (Santa Ana/Orange County cities), could decide to extend (The Project) an extra 3-month season, at their city. (Further information on products and revenues is included below). INVITED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: We propose that through (The Project), (Yepes/Academia Yepes), and the City of Santa Ana will reach out to establish partnerships with the adjoining Orange County cities of Anaheim; Garden Grove; Fountain Valley; Irvine; Costa Mesa; Tustin; Orange; and Huntington Beach. Together they will invite to participate in (The Project), one or more local Orange County partners, including, but not limited to: the Santa Ana College Mural Program, the Artist Village and Civic Center, the Bowers Museum, CSUF Grand Central Art Center, Santa Ana College, Xerox, or Lockheed Martin. Together, these cities and partnerships will help establish this constructive civic project that will focus on diversity, education, healing, social rebuilding, Innovation, and the community beautification of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). These cities and partnerships, working with (Yepes/Academia Yepes), propose to reach out to local Santa Ana area youth, young adults, and artists, to participate in a series of (Free Classes). Through (The Project), (Yepes/Academia Yepes), working with local Santa Ana area artists, will help local youth and young adults, to re -accent their lives, further develop as contributing members of society, and help heal the greater Santa Ana area community from the 2020/2021 pandemic. The large artworks created through (The Project) will depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) positive themes. PRODUCTS AND REVENUE: The value of George Yepes paintings, as recorded in the State of California, ranges from $581,00 per square foot, to $2,000.00 per square foot. Therefore, the Yepes Style paintings and Yepes Style murals produced by (The Project) for Santa Ana would be valued at an estimated gallery price of about $40,000.00 or more, each. It is proposed that these valuable Yepes artworks could be displayed within (Santa Ana/Orange County cities), to enhance community art appreciation and community beautification of (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). Also, through corporate sponsorships, the Yepes artworks could be permanently displayed at local partnership locations, local community organizations, and public buildings throughout (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). As part of (The Project), George Yepes will commit to making several artworks (original paintings) of at least 30" x 40" which depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). Also, as part of (The Project), George Yepes will commit to allow the City of Santa Ana to make a giclee edition(s) of 100 from the artwork(s) (painting(s) that depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). The artworks could be sold nationally to art galleries, corporate sponsors, or private art collectors. The sale of the George Yepes paintings and giclee prints are intended to generate funds to offset (The Project) expenses for the City of Santa Ana and (Yepes/Academia Yepes). The revenue from the sale of the George Yepes artworks will be divided at an equal 50150 split between the City of Santa Ana and (Yepes/Academia Yepes). If the artworks created by (Yepes/Academia Yepes) prove to be of monetary value to offset all of the project expenses, then (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) could decide to extend (The Project) an extra 2021 season, at (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). PROJECT DESCRIPTION: (Yepes/Academia Yepes) will provide (Free Classes) for local Santa Ana area participants. The Special Projects' structured programming, positive career initiatives, healthy habits, and interdisciplinary education, will serve to empower and enrich the lives of each participant. This constructive civic project will focus on diversity, education, healing, social rebuilding, and community beautification. (Yepes/Academia Yepes) will present this comprehensive interdisciplinary course through 4 hour daily classes. Scheduled 2-3 days per week, as a series of weekly scheduled professional development classes. (The Project), consisting of, hands-on training classes, with a focus on a school -to -work pathway, will engage participants, teach research and design concepts, production and painting methods, and the completion of goals. (The Project) will provide curriculum development, supplies and trained program staff. Participants working directly with (Yepes/Academia Yepes) personnel is critically essential to the success of the project. (The Project) will provide positive role models and memorships that will yield life-long benefits to the project participants and the Santa Ana community. The large artworks created through (The Project) will depict (Santa Ana/Orange County cities) positive themes. Project Timeline: (June 1, 2021 through September 1, 2021). GEOGRAPHICAL AREA SERVED: (Santa Ana/Orange County cities). SPECIAL PROJECT TIME SCHEDULE: (June 1, 2021 through September 1, 2021) GRANT AMOUNT REQUESTED: 3-month Special Project $35,000.00 ACADEMIA DE ARTE YEPES: In 1992, Painter/Muralist George Yepes, founded the Academia de Arte Yepes, as the first free mural art academy for young students from Los Angeles. The Academia de Arte Yepes started as an 8-year after -school mural art: program for 10 year old students from local schools in East Los Angeles. Soon in 1993, trailblazing twenty years ahead of time, the Academia de Arte Yepes evolved into a series of interdisciplinary after -school programs. Now, in 2021, merging science, technology, and mathematics to gain a quality education and real - world applicable skills does not seam like a new concept. But way back in 1993, twenty years before the STEAM Program (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) took form nationally across US schools, the Academia de Arte Yepes in East Los Angeles in 1993 had already began to produce a series of ten interdisciplinary Art, Science, and Space murals with NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration). In 1993 the Academia de Arte Yepes answered the national mandate set by NASA to cultivate and inspire the next generation of explorers. To generate renewed interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the Academia de Arte Yepes in partnership with NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana: established and implemented a fourteen -year National Educational Pilot Program:"The Marriage of Art, Science, and Technology". For further Information: littps://www.georgeyjepes.com/acadoinia-de-atte-yopes/ The Trailblazing Acadctnia do Arte Yepes 1992-2017 / 1 . x� XNA a,lYM'�r �,Y it F r ,* iy k "Twenly years ahead of time, and still Leading STEAM" ol'T'splorulian.Goll) Nhdlt 113010 C:ruin Il 1:)i{mii flnulc9117' 0. e,md,v ,Y1 RL)N.2(912ht - AuJVYlloduAticl�pC% .)v2�ll03 - tl i)l c)S:iIN(. 21101�014 ' y! Y i41 'ChU 11 a A )f i -C r I Iq 11 )n OOSi.a Sn)d 11 riohYn ry5 v)1r1 - `+f: ") �� - :OtlG.I AI y MW^.; Gv<q 4, I l.nrvlrsiry }J y rt10F l,inrt, Ip; S)) ok N,a:lnl ( m%uvnn LrOxraq Ulol )$"lnmttCmlticd, v'5r;"' : Plnr fl4nneJy SeL 1 41' '1ot2 � ems, 1 Jv I II v i S i 0 nl ���ttt �) t II) nld( 11 )r!)bl-Is, 0.)llpt I �d0i9 If���yyy�---' ,,gg(( -ll IF 1011 -b.c )f P0� )� �.5 s5v� %�r) � ) I u mdssnl Itl ❑n ni Kcruly511 ul oC6nwminnt t 1) t t 5% Y ()k.v4rnwbeF a((n..ln l(„) II hTl 11 pn� ) f L _hll� Proposaf for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 1 CYPRESS FIRE STATION Digital Library, History Room, Technology Center 1=1_[01:(CUT61IIL 1 -111a f 1ti7:rt'F The Cypress Fire Station is located near the corner of Cypress & Bishop, in Pacific Park Neighborhood, one of the Santa Ana's most polluted and underserved working-class communities. Built in 1928 under the tenure of John Luxembourger, Santa Ana's first full-time fire chief, the Cypress Fire Station is our city's oldest fire station. For over a decade, South Main Neighbors had been working with former Parks & Rec director and City Manager Gerardo Mouet at turning the site into a history center, a combination Learning Center, SA Library History Room Annex, & Gallery. When Mouet left the city, staff said it would keep the community informed about what happened with the property. Instead, the property was allowed to decline physically and then put on the Surplus Property List at a bargain rate. Pacific Park/Eastside leaders and neighboring residents have repeatedly asked staff for the Cypress Fire Station property to be properly secured, removed from Proposal for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 2 the Surplus Property List and developed for public use. All these requests have been ignored. Pacific Park residents have had no involvement in drafting "conditions" for the Cypress Fire Station RFP and were not supported in forming a Steering Committee to restore the Station to public use as a library annex and digital learning center. It is a travesty that the Cypress Fire Station, a property of great public significance, would be disposed of to a private buyer. Eastside Santa Ana would blossom with access to a Digital Library, History & Technology Center at this historic location. The benefits would extend beyond our youth, to reach our elders and neighborhood residents. Both Young and Old will greatly benefit from access to digital reading materials and films in a variety of languages, access to tablets, free wifi, wifi hotspots for checkout, public desktops, on -sight technical assistance, meeting rooms, research rooms and a gallery. We are even open to having the SAPID have a desk at the center for a police substation type of presence to assure safety at the facility. A HISTORIC TREASURE: The Cypress Fire Station is a one -of -a -kind key historic property built in the Spanish Colonial Revival design. Per a 2002 CA Intensive Survey Update, Cypress Fire Station "retains it's overall integrity and conveys former use." As a site serving the public, the Cypress Fire Station can both inspire and empower. It's architecture and historic legacy can connect our youngsters to our city's narrative, while access to a digital library and technology center would open doors to an abundant future. To have a historic asset like the Cypress Fire Station put to use in serving the public, would benefit the entire South Main area. It would especially help our residents easily access an increasingly technological world. Digital Design and App Development is growing in Orange County at a huge rate. Helping our youth and families access the technology needed to enter these lucrative job markets would ensure our neighborhoods thrive. Proposal for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 3 Tech Bootcamps for adults and children, like Sabio and Steamcoders, need digital facilities like Digital Libraries and Technology Centers to hub programs around locally. Entry-level Junior Developer coders earn an average of $95,000 in our area! LOCATION & STATS: 625 Cypress Ave, Santa Ana, CA Building is 4,350 square feet Parce! is 7,188 square feet There are over 45 parking spots in the Dollar Tree lot directly across from the Cypress Fire Station. Over 30 parking spots are empty at all times of day or night. Because of the low need for parking the lot owner has sublet it to a recycling service which attracts lots of homeless folks, crime, illegal dumping of trash and open drug use. It would uplift the whole area to have this underused parking lot across Cypress from the Fire Station, repurposed for community center use. STAFF NEGLECT & MUNICIPAL CHALLENGES: It's important to mention that staff neglect and/or incompetence has a huge role to play in the Cypress Fire Station's decline. For almost a decade, frequent calls for security and protective equipment went ignored or underserved. Given the ongoing SAPID presence at the Dollar Tree lot, it's hard to see how homeless occupation of the firehouse got so out of control. Similarly, substandard fencing has been an ongoing problem. The most recent break in happened this past week. Proposal for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 4 It's not right that after neglecting a historic community property, that community would be prevented from saving the building or fundraising for its upkeep, then told the property is being sold to a private buyer who has no conditions on providing a community benefit. NEXT STEPS: - Take the Cypress Fire Station off Surplus Property List - Form a Steering or Ad Hock Committee to guide the restoration - Research similar successful projects like the BIBLIOTECHs in Texas - Get estimates for restoration work and operational funds - Outreach for public grants and private partners (tech industry) - Negotiate Parking with - Restore Fire Station in accordance with best practices in preservation - Tap Cypress Station tech specs into South Main Tech upgrades - Open the new Cypress Station to community and watch it transform! FUNDING: State Library Grant — The City of Fullerton just secured a grant of over 2 million dollars to repurpose their old Hunt Library into an Arts Center. This grant was secured with the help of Representative Sharon Quark Silva, Federal Library Funds — Financed the Texas BIBLIOTECHs, multiple digital libraries and technology centers. Federal Historic Preservation Funds - There are many resources available for transitional communities (former rural, under 500,000 in population) like Santa Ana to restore and preserve our heritage. Public / Private Partnerships - Orange County's technology industry is booming, so this is a great time to bring the tech sector into investing in Santa Ana. Google, Blizzard, The Vine, and others may be interested in a project like our Cypress Fire Station. POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Proposaf for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 5 Santa Ana Public Library Santa Ana College SAUSD Local Preservation Groups Technology & Industrial Design Businesses SAPD Association Funds Federal & State Funds for closing the Digital Divide Charitable Foundation Support (Annenberg, Ford Our Town, Guggenheim) CASE STUDY: San Antonio's BIBLIOTECH series of Digital Libraries and Technology Centers, were the first in the nation. They built three centers in their three most underserved communities, with excellent results. Youngsters are thriving academically, Families are prospering and Elders are connecting in new and innovative ways! https://bexarbibliotech.org/about-us https:Hbexarbibliotech.org/ https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/San-Antonio-s- Bi blioTech-bra nches-reopen-i n-15245549. ph p GRASSROOTS INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED: Steering or Ad Hock Committee —A group is needed to bring community representatives together with city staff and electeds to guide this project through to its completion. Fundraising events and dinners can be handled through this group as well as regular media updates and press events. 1. Proposal for Cypress Fire Station — Digital Library, History Room & Technology Center 6 SUMMARY: The South Main Alliance for Healthy Neighborhoods stands in solidarity with our neighbors in Pacific Park / Eastside in retaining the Cypress Fire Station as an important historical property open for the public benefit of our residents. We support the Station's transformation into a Library, History and Technology hub that serves all of Santa Ana.