Photo by Cathy Blaivas
West Hollywood suspended redevelopment plans for Plummer Park as the city grapples with funding issues and concerns from the community, according to Senior Planner Francisco Contreras.
Contreras said the city is evaluating whether the funds are available to move forward with the $41.3 million park renovation. According to the city’s website, nearly $31 million of the funds came from Tax Allocated Bonds issued by West Hollywood Community Development Commission, which is also known as the Redevelopment Agency. Community activist Stephanie Harker said the city might not be able to fund the project with those redevelopment funds because Governor Jerry Brown dissolved the Redevelopment Agency with an assembly bill known as ABx1.
The redevelopment plans could lead to the demolition of Great Hall/Long Hall, according to Jennifer Dunbar, a member of Protect Plummer Park. Dunbar filed an application with the state in an effort to get Great Hall/Long Hall designated as a historic building on national listings.
Contreras said the city was notified that the state received the application, but it is still waiting to hear back on when the state will be holding a hearing on the issue. At that time, the city will decide whether it will present documentation either for or against the historic designation of the building. In the meantime, the application does not prohibit the city from demolishing Great Hall/Long Hall.
“Just because you are eligible for historic designation doesn’t mean you cannot demolish the building,” Contreras said. “It just alerts the city that you may have a building that is significant at the state level.”
Dunbar said the state meets four times a year, and the hearing will most likely take place in January or April of 2013.
Photo credit for this Plummer Park photo is: Cathy Blaivas
Just FYI – the Assembly Bill number is AB x1 26, if anyone wants to read it. It was followed by AB x1 27 and then AB 1484
Check out: change.org and sign the petition for Plummer Park.