West Hollywood’s City Council gave the green light to two new purchases along Santa Monica Boulevard.
The council approved taking a 10-year lease for property known as Basix at 8327-8329 Santa Monica Boulevard. Basix closed there in 2020. The lease cost is $300,000 a year, with 3% yearly hikes and includes an approval to exercise up to a $6 million option to buy the property. The location across from West Hollywood City Hall will complete the city takeover of the north side of Santa Monica Blvd between Flores Ave. and Sweetzer Ave. The additional parcel is adjacent to the city owned Celebration Theatre, Crossroads Trading, and Joeys Cafe in what has been discussed as a possible ‘theatre’ district.
The council also approved the purchase of 7710 Santa Monica Boulevard. The purchase is across from the current fire station in need of repair. The purchase price is 2million dollars. And near the City of West Hollywood Parking Lot on the corner of Spaulding and Santa Monica.
Councilmember Lauren Meister pushed back on the staff report use of the word ‘adjacent’ as not being transparent. “The report says 7710 is adjacent to our lot, but Mehta Deli at 7712 is in between,”
Council member Erickson defended the staff report and the definition of adjacent to rebuff Meister’s claim that it was not being transparent. Merriam-Webster defines adjacent as “close to, or neighboring” The Council voted 5-0 to approve the purchase.
Let’s print the full definition of adjacent from Merriam-Webster which includes “having a common endpoint or border” “immediately preceding or following” as well as “of two angles, having the vertex and one side in common”
Councilmember Meister is correct.
When people use the word “adjacent” it usually means next to or adjoining something else or having a common side. Saying something is adjacent when it’s two doors down is stretching it. Meister was right. It’s a little misleading -intentionally so.