Doomed too soon
It was with a strong sense of disbelief that I read Nicolai Ouroussoff’s article in the Los Angeles Times unjustifiably disparaging the Grand Avenue revitalization project (“Grand Plans, Flawed Process,†April 4).
What is there to criticize? Not one revitalization proposal has even been approved yet. Not one groundbreaking ceremony has taken place. Yet Mr. Ouroussoff already has declared the entire project “sterile,†“superficial†and “generic.†In short, he’s doomed it before even one structure has been built.
Mr. Ouroussoff justifies his premature prediction on the basis that only one member of the Grand Avenue Authority wrote a thesis on architecture during her college years. This despite the fact that member Eli Broad was, in Mr. Ouroussoff’s words, “a major force behind the drive to build Disney Hall†-- an edifice of immeasurable architectural value that The Times itself called a “sound palace†and a “cultural jewel.†This despite the fact that members Antonia Hernandez and Alma Martinez have dedicated years of their lives to ensuring legitimate meaningful community participation in countless public projects. This despite the fact that members Broad, Ayahlushim Hammond, David Malmuth and James Thomas have proven their abilities as successful project managers and developers time and time again.
Gloria Molina
Los Angeles
Gloria Molina is a Los Angeles County supervisor whose chief of staff, Alma Martinez, is a member of the Grand Avenue selection committee.
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