June 11, 2013
Honorable City Council Members,
Save the Civic is a coalition of concerned community members and local business
leaders, working towards the common goal of restoring and enhancing the Civic
Auditorium’s place as a vibrant cultural and community hub. We are committed to
keeping Santa Monica’s diverse public informed and engaged in the process and to
encouraging the city to keep things moving forward as quickly as possible so we can get
the Civic Auditorium back on line as the actual and symbolic heart of our cultural life in
Santa Monica and beyond.
We met for the first time in November 2012, shortly after the City Council meeting at
which it was determined that the Civic Auditorium should be closed on June 30, 2013,
even though there was no longer a plan to rehabilitate it. Since that time, we have
started a Facebook community page called Save the Santa Monica Civic that has nearly
650 likes, and growing, with a steady level of engagement from fans. We also have
created a web site, www.savethecivic.org, where we have made accessible the
exhaustive amounts of research and planning the city has done since 2002 by a few
simple clicks.
The diversity of points of view within our group is not unlike the diversity found in the
community at large; we are proud of the degree of consensus we have reached. We
agree that the Civic Auditorium site should be a cultural campus of some kind. We
believe so strongly in its success that the only thing that can get in its way is to narrow
possibilities too early in the process, before entertainment, cultural and arts industry
professionals have had an opportunity to pitch the most creative, financially feasible
and functionally vibrant and exciting possibilities.
The city has conducted a number of extensive planning processes for the Civic Center
including this site and has already invested a great deal in carrying out those plans,
which are nearly fully realized. We recently had a community meeting about the future
of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium that seemed to confirm that those plans are still
more or less on track with the public’s desires. We suggest that the City Council move to
establish a Public Advisory Panel as soon as possible to use the existing body of
research, combine it with their own professional knowledge and experience, run it by
their real world contacts and come up with a plan or perhaps a couple of options. This
type of strategy would ensure that the public visioning to date would be honored, that
the ideas would be financially sound and likely to ensure the long term sustainability of
the venue, and that it would be arrived at with a degree of good will and transparency
that would ensure the confidence of the public in the plans.
Members of our group have written thoughtful papers on these topics; which follow.
One is about a community process that establishes priorities rather than requirements,
and the other is about all the possible synergistic elements that could be included in the
program to enhance visitor experience while providing financial sustainability. Save the
Civic is working hard to collect and process information from a variety of sources and we
hope that you and the city will consider us a resource in decision-making about the
iconic Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
Respectfully,
Nina Fresco
Judy Abdo
Mike Bone
Lori Brown
Sepp Donahower
Steve Duron
Scott Ferguson
Frank Gruber
Carol Lemlein
Lori Nafshun
David Newberg
Mike Salazar
John Cyrus Smith
Jodi Summers
Priorities for a Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Project
An Open Process
Save the Civic is a coalition of community members from all over the local political
spectrum united by the goal of ensuring that the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium has a
vibrant future equal to its historic past. We would like to stress the importance of
soliciting and evaluating a wide range of proposals for the Civic Auditorium and its site.
We support the ULI Technical Assistance Panel’s recommendation from May 2013 to
create an advisory panel of experts to help the city guide the future of the Civic
Auditorium.
To attract the proposal that will reactivate the Civic Auditorium, we should avoid
committing ourselves to narrow consensus programs, which could preclude the
ingredients for success. This could lead to a no-solution-possible position that results in
the loss of an irreplaceable resource.
Solicitations for proposals can attract creative programs for the Civic Auditorium from
financially responsible parties if crafted with flexibility. We suggest a public process that
gathers information for the establishment of priorities, not requirements, to use as a
ranking system that tests proposals against how well the community priorities are met.
Our goal is to avoid stifling innovative thinking about the Civic Auditorium and its site.
The Priorities
The priorities of Save the Civic are to restore the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as a
vibrant cultural and community hub, to save its landmark architecture, and enhance the
Civic Auditorium’s surroundings. We can imagine a variety of proposals that could
achieve and meet the goals of past community visioning processes. We suggest that the
following factors could be a basis for evaluating and choosing among financially feasible
proposals.
1) Preserve the Landmark Civic Auditorium
a) The iconic 1958 Civic Auditorium, a designated city landmark and the work of
renowned architect Welton Beckett, must be preserved as the centerpiece of the
project.
b) If the entire facility cannot be preserved, the priorities for preservation are
under the purview of the Landmarks Commission.
2) Preferred Uses
a) The Civic Auditorium’s historic uses such as a venue for performances,
conventions or conferences and long-standing community events would be ideal.
b) Next best uses would include cultural or service institutions such as a museum or
educational program.
c) Any plan could include network of cultural venues in cooperation with SMMUSD,
integrating Barnum Hall and the Greek Theater.
3) Develop the Site
a) Develop the 11-acre site with compatible design, scale and uses that would
enhance the programming of the Civic Auditorium and also generate revenue to
restore and operate it if necessary.
b) A park or public plaza on the site could also enrich new uses of the Auditorium.
c) A commemoration of the Belmar Triangle neighborhood that was formerly on
the site would enhance our cultural connections.
d) Any plan could enliven neighborhood connections on the north side of Pico
Boulevard and the corners of Main and Pico and Fourth and Pico. Or, connect the
beach, the neighborhoods, the Civic Center, and the high school.
4) Financial Feasibility and Flexibility
a) Essential for any proposal will be its financial feasibility. Because the site was
acquired through eminent domain for the purpose of building the Civic
Auditorium, all city revenue from such development must be earmarked for the
renovations, maintenance, debt service and operations for the Civic Auditorium,
and other public amenities on the site.
b) Relief from annual subsidies for the operation of the Civic Auditorium is
sufficient financial benefit for the City. The City should be willing to give up any
further interest in the property if that is what it takes to save the Civic
Auditorium.
Frank Gruber
June 4, 2013
A Solution for The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium site is on prime real estate in one of the greatest
entertainment, art, and cultural markets in Southern California. Over six million
ticketholders have enjoyed legendary concerts and events at this venue in the past 50
years. With excellent planning for the use of the site, along with good management,
partnerships, and a prudent restoration and upgrade of the auditorium, our Civic
Auditorium could become the cornerstone of a cultural center and gathering place for
the region. Adjacent to this site are the historic 1250-seat Barnum Hall and 3400-seat
Memorial Greek Theatre which, if incorporated into the plan, could result in an
unequaled cultural and entertainment center.
An excellent recommendation from the May 1013 ULI Technical Panel was that the City
Council set the course to appoint an advisory entity or board to lead the planning and
development of the site. Such a group should include financial, business, real estate,
architectural, preservation, art, and entertainment experts. The group will research and
develop suitable options and partners for the site, as well as future management. This
will insure that the very best options, partners, deals, and management structure
available are researched, identified, negotiated, and implemented in a transparent
manner. Such an entity will also help ensure that all revenue generated on the site is
directed to the preservation, upkeep and debt service for the site so that it remains
sustainable for generations.
Following are some suggested complementary components for this 11-acre site. More
good ideas certainly may surface, but this is a good starting point.
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
The venue needs customer service, seismic, ADA and technical upgrades. These
upgrades should include great food and beverage service that will make it more
adaptable for a wide range of uses. Success will come by preparing for many different
types of events. For example: large banquets, award shows, trade events, televised
events, conventions, seminars, weddings, parties, meetings and so on. It should host
everything from the Golden Globes to conventions, not just concerts.
smARTSPACE.....An Art Exhibition Facility
Recently, an art museum was proposed for the Santa Monica Civic site. It is still a good
idea. An Art Exhibition & Flex Space that hosts significant travelling art, photography and
other cultural exhibitions would do very well. Every great museum in the world is
assembling and curating major shows to go on the road and tour. These shows are hot
tickets in the museum world and a top revenue generator. As a flex space, it could also
augment the auditorium to provide enough exhibit space for film festivals, major art
fairs, and other types of events.
The Plaza-An International Food and Beverage Court / Gathering Area
A large outdoor gathering area, with a multitude of quality food and beverage vendors
could be the centerpiece of the Santa Monica Civic site with free music and film
programs to go with the great food. Event spaces, galleries, cultural retail, civic meeting
rooms and so on could be provided underneath. This Plaza would enhance the
experience of visiting an art exhibition at smARTSPACE and events at the Santa Monica
Civic. With the proximity to Palisades and Tongva Parks, the Promenade, downtown
Santa Monica, Rand, the beach, and hotels, the business opportunities are significant.
Culturally Focused Hotel
The value and potential attendance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium would
improve further if there were an appropriate hotel on site. There are many hotel
operators that cater to the arts and entertainment demographic. They could provide
additional business and bookings for the venues, and become one of the prime revenue
generators to support the renovation of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and the
addition of other cultural and art venues.
SUMMARY
If the right components were brought to the 11-acre Santa Monica Civic Auditorium site
with the right deals, partners, and tenants, the revenues generated could pay the costs
to refurbish the Civic Auditorium, develop and oversee the site, and provide the citizens
and visitors of Santa Monica with a wonderful new Cultural Center to gather, have fun,
and enjoy the arts on a world class level. The Civic site could be a wonderful addition to
the quality of life in Santa Monica, and give the historical and storied venue, The Santa
Monica Civic Auditorium a new day.
Sepp Donahower
June 4, 2013