Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Community Meeting
June 4, 2013 Virginia Park
Jessica Cusick, Cultural Affairs Manager, gave a report with the help of a slide show
presentation. There were 115 people present.
The team within the city includes members of Cultural Affairs, Housing and Economic
Development, Public Works, Planning and Finance.
The structure is not seismically sound and is not considered safe for public assembly
currently. The operations as they have been are too expensive too subsidize with the
current budget conditions. The city was poised to renovate, had plans underway that
were moving through the process when they lost redevelopment funds. The team is to
finding a solution to save the Civic since we lost the $54M in redevelopment funds.
Timeline:
2002 Civic Auditorium becomes a designated landmark
2005 Civic Center Specific Plan is finalized
2007 Creative Capital, the city’s cultural plan, is adopted
2008 A joint use plan between the city and SMMUSD is adopted
2009 Nederlander deal comes on line
2009 Redevelopment funds are allocated to Civic
2010 Broad Museum is almost built adjacent to Civic Auditorium
2010 Nederlander deal is struck
2012 Loss of redevelopment funds, all plans put aside
2013 Civic Auditorium closed to the public
Council meeting in October 2012
When the closing of the Civic was scheduled, staff was directed to:
Research financing options
There is no magic bullet. Options include a voter approved obligation bond, or private
resources such as leasing, private investment in adjacent development, naming rights,
foreign investment, historic tax credits, private fundraising. Final result will most likely
be a combination of the above.
Explore other operating models for cultural uses
The civic could be leased to an outside entity. We could enter into an agreement with an
operator. We could enter into a booking agreement. While most rehabilitation
estimates are in the $50M range, some feel that if we invest the $23M to make it
seismically safe and ADA accessible, that we can get it back on line and work on the
other stuff over time. The venue could be managed more cost effectively privately than
by the city. Will need to be subsidized somehow, all cultural venues need subsidy.
Ancillary activities such as restaurants, parking et al, could provide this subsidy. There is
definitely demand for the facility because of its amazing location and because of all the
new amenities the city is investing in such as the esplanade, park and light rail, as well as
the promenade, mall and Main Street adjacencies.
Come up with an interim use so it won’t be completely dark during planning
The process of turning the Civic around could take 5 years. During that time it is
important to maintain systems. The best way to do that is to keep it active and serving
the community in ways that are safe relative to the condition of the building. Perhaps
one interim use could be renting the space to production companies for filming. It could
be used as a sound stage and as a visually interesting location underneath where the
pistons that move the floor are.
Continuum:
city control of venue
city invested funds
VS
operator control of venue
operator invested funds
Urban Land Institute Report
ULI is a non-profit that provides credentialed professionals who volunteer to serve on
panels.
They determined that the city should definitely save the Civic even though it is not the
most economical path. The pride, history and architectural heritage of the venue are
valuable and should be retained.
But there will be no silver bullet solution.
The panel recommended reviewing and perhaps revising the Civic Auditorium Special
Use District within the Civic Center Specific Plan to ensure that it still reflects the needs
and goals as they have evolved since it was written.
The panel felt the $50M was a very low estimate of what it would take to make the
venue competitive in today’s entertainment market.
They offered a vision that included a list of ways that the 10-acre site could generate
funds to support both the renovations and the operating subsidies. The vision described
a mixed-use cultural campus that provided ancillary businesses that would both
enhance the visitor experience and generate funding.
The panel suggested that the city work on a clear plan and get a public advisory panel in
place to manage to project and the operations.
Questions
This concluded Jessica’s report. Comments and questions from the community about
the report included:
1. Voter approved bonds need a 2/3 vote at the polls for approval. Such a bond
would increase people’s property taxes by approximately $12/$100,000 of
property value. Landlords are permitted to share the cost with tenants so
everyone contributes.
2. Would the $52M plan that was aborted have included the multiple types of uses
that have typically taken place at the civic? Yes.
3. Why can’t we continue to have concerts in the auditorium in the meantime?
Why is it okay for small groups but not large groups? The building is not
considered earthquake safe for public assembly. Waivers can be given to
individuals in small groups who wish to use the auditorium in its current
condition.
4. Has Bruce Becket, son of the Civic Auditorium’s architect and architect in his own
right, been consulted on plans? Yes.
5. Has there been a discussion about naming rights yet? No. It is recommended
that that take place late in the process because as more of the plans are
confirmed, the rights become more valuable.
6. Can we float a bond large enough to cover the whole project? Yes.
7. What have other cities done with their civic auditoriums that have run into
similar problems? How are public/private partnerships working? This is still being
researched; more information will be presented as we move forward.
8. When the zoning in the civic auditorium area is changed from open space to a
development zone, will there be consequences? For example, will we have to
purchase new open space elsewhere? This is something that will have to be
researched down the road when plans are clearer and we know if such a revision
will occur.
Breakout Group Reports
The attendees broke up into four special topic groups for more in depth discussion and
reported back to the room. They were given the opportunity to create additional groups
on other topics but did not choose to do so.
What types of Cultural Activities would you like to see at the Civic?
The civic should be our cultural center and incorporate the venues on the High School
campus next door. It should be the arts center for the Westside.
It would be great to include a museum, a waterfall or a fountain, an outdoor
performance space. The site should be related to the beach, could have an outdoor
café.
The venue definitely needs better acoustics, new bathrooms.
It should continue to be a multi-purpose space: concerts should continue, tradeshows
should come back.
The city should not manage it. There should be an appointed commission figure out how
it will work.
Funding
A lease and parking revenue bond would not need to go to a vote because those
revenue streams could back these.
Don’t release naming rights until the end of the process because as operators are
contracted and the final designs are public, the rights become more valuable.
We will need both capital funding and cultural subsidy funding.
SMMUSD and SMC could possibly share some of their bond funds in exchange for
shared use.
Is there community support for general obligation bonds? This and city bonds should be
explored.
No one wants 20-story towers.
Bond repayment is shared by owners and renters alike, does not only fall to property
owners.
Local cultural institutions could hold fundraisers at regular intervals to assist in upkeep
and subsidies.
ULI Recommendations: Cultural Campus
If the site included residential, it would be artist live/work. If the site included offices,
they would be creative offices such as for production companies.
The site should include a red carpet movie theater such as for AFM.
Is there enough practice space there now? Will we need more?
Add flexible performances spaces such as smaller black box venues for local theater
groups.
Restaurants on site would greatly enhance visitor experience.
The key is synergistic uses.
What is the civic missing if it were to become a cultural hub? A welcoming arrival,
Upgrade to the interior to make it more attractive, Inviting open space outside,
connections to neighborhood.
To preserve open space, activity could be shifted to Main and Pico side.
Important building views are from Fourth Street and from the Main Street approach and
should be preserved.
The Civic Auditorium should remain the focal point if development is added around it.
Its style should lead.
Even though there is a park nearby, there should be open space on the site.
Don’t miss out on an opportunity to put parking or other features underground.
Who should manage the Civic Auditorium?
The whole thing begins with good management. A civil authority, A public authority, A
Civic Advisory Panel. We need a group of experts, whatever we call it, who really know
their business to begin the process of figuring out how to do this. We should not wait
until we are in the operational phase. We need the experts to help us craft deals,
determine funding, develop operational models and make development
recommendations. The experts should all be professionals in the fields of expertise.
It would work in a way similar to the pier restoration.
Final Comments
After the reports from the groups, attendees were given a chance to stand up, take the
mike and make final remarks.
1. Fourth and Pico should remain open space for SMMUSD, doesn’t necessarily
need to be soccer but should be open space. Our city has a deficit of dozens of
acres of open space; we should not convert what we have at the civic without
replacing it elsewhere by, for example, covering over the freeway to make
parkland for the village across Main Street. The reason the height of the new
parking structure at Olympic and Fourth was accepted was because of the open
space it didn’t cover, we should not renege on that.
2. We need a storm drain retention basin.
3. The private sector manages venues more economically but we should not allow
them to do it at the expense of workers wages.
4. Ask Michael Dell to give the Civic $1,000,000 every year.
5. All developers working in Santa Monica should pay a fee towards the Civic.
6. Do not close the Civic down on June 30. We need it in the meantime for all the
uses we have been enjoying.
7. Make sure renters can participate in bond payment too. Considering adding the
repayment fee to utility bills instead of property tax bills.
8. Establish that the Civic Auditorium and the cultural campus are a public entity.
Ensure low cost community access so everyone can participate.
9. Make sure employment practices are just.
10. The Civic Auditorium is the true home of the SM Symphony.
11. The Civic Auditorium is the crown jewel of Santa Monica.
-----------------------------------------Disclaimer: Please forgive omissions or incorrect interpretations of comments in these well-intentioned
notes. Send corrections to savethecivic@gmail.com.
Please attend the City Council Meeting on June 11, 2013!