CenterCal's Mall-by-the-Sea plan packs 15 pounds of development in our harbor's five pound bag. The plan would develop our harbor to three times the density of Plaza El Segundo after its proposed expansion, and twice the density of the Manhattan Beach Mall after its proposed expansion.
And that density comes at a heavy price. Other than two tiny slivers, any view of the harbor from the bike path or sidewalks of Harbor Drive will be hidden by a movie theater, one and two story shops and restaurants and a three story parking structure. I don't know about you, but when I am biking down Harbor Drive, I often would prefer to stop and see a movie with 800 of my closest friends rather than enjoy the harbor, boats and ocean. Those of you who have lived here awhile will remember three movie theaters failed near this location - the Fox Theater, the Bijou in Hermosa, and a two screen theater on Torrance and Catalina. But I am sure this one will work.... If the mall is built, the Chamber will have to change its advertising byline from "More to Sea" to "Where's the Sea?".
And the plan eliminates current boater parking for the Redondo Beach Marina and significantly limits access to the boat slips. Families trying to enjoy a day of boating will have to park across the new surface street that will replace the International Boardwalk in the parking structure. Can you imagine carting your kids, cooler, fishing gear, and friends from a parking structure and then across the street, before getting to a ramp to your slip? Whether the access will shut down the commercial boats remains to be seen, but any tall boats will be prohibited as the new bridge from the pier will be too low to let them through. Taxpayers paid millions to put in four small boat marinas and build King Harbor in the 60's. Now CenterCal and City staff want to ruin one marina to shoehorn in an overdeveloped, cookie-cutter mall. Hey, who needs it? Marina Del Rey and San Pedro have a harbor... Why have a harbor when we could have another mall?
The new three story parking garage, a great way to treat the gateway to our harbor, is on what is considered parkland - the Seaside Lagoon's parking lot. City staff know that they cannot shrink the park, so if you go to the City website you will find the City is advertising the mall's water fountain as a "park". And no, I am not making that up.
Despite claims to the contrary, we will be losing well beloved Mom and Pop harbor businesses like Polly's on the Pier, Naja's and Captain Kidd's. While CenterCal says these unique local businesses can stay, its president, Fred Bruning, caveated, "they will have to change their business model." In other words, the sign might read "Polly's on the Pier", but it won't be the same Polly's on the Pier many of us know and love.
I could go on. If you want to read more go to the BBR Blog. But know this... if City staff and CenterCal get their way, we will get a mall with what remains of a harbor as an afterthought.
