Time running out on SMC’s parking lease
SUNSET PARK — Santa Monica College has sweetened its offer to City Hall in its quest to build an underground parking garage near the airport — to the tune of $32 million.
SMC has announced it would offer that amount in taxpayer-approved bond money to finance the city’s new $8.2 million airport park and other park capital improvement projects, in exchange for being able to build a permanent parking structure below the airport park site.
The City Council, however, has put off any formal discussion of the college’s proposal until at least May. That decision pushes SMC ever closer to a lease expiration in June for a surface parking site that has 1,700 spaces, which the college has been using since 1998 to shuttle students to SMC’s main campus at 1900 Pico Blvd. from the future park site. SMC’s lot will disappear once the park is built.
Meanwhile, city staff is ready to initiate the bidding process for airport park construction, to begin this summer. The park is scheduled to be completed in 2006.
“I’m not sure allowing the parking to go back to the main campus is what the city wanted to happen when we signed the lease,” said Don Girard, SMC executive assistant. “Under no circumstances does the college wish to stop the park from happening, but ours is a big offer and it’s probably still worth discussing.”
Some councilmen, however, said the proposal comes too late for a park that has been demanded by the public for years.
“I have heard that if we go through with this proposal we’re looking at least at a two-year delay, and that delay is unacceptable,” said Councilman Richard Bloom. “The college took the site to use temporarily and the people of Sunset Park have borne the brunt. I’m very interested in working with the college, but that kind of cooperative movement has not been forthcoming.”
If SMC and City Hall can’t come to an agreement for a parking structure on the airport site, college officials said they will have to consider parking alternatives — such as building underground parking on the new Bundy campus site, or purchasing land near the Santa Monica Freeway to build parking structures — both of which would be last resorts, officials said.
SMC also is welcoming public comment on its new Bundy campus, a 10.4-acre site at 3171 S. Bundy Dr. to open this summer, which college officials said will be implemented in designing the facilities for its students. Officials said the public comment also is intended to address resident traffic and parking concerns.
In addition to nursing-and teacher-training programs, the college plans to move its continuing and community education program to the airport campus. Several general education classes also will be offered.
Some councilmen said they look forward to discussing the parking proposal.
“We ought to hear the formal proposal before making any formal decisions about it,” said Councilman Bobby Shriver. “Thirty-two million dollars is a lot of money.”
Rob Rader, an SMC trustee, said City officials have made a valid point that the proposal should have come sooner, but it will still free up city funds.
“I only wish we made the offer in a more timely fashion,” Rader said. “However, I hope we can make similar offers with upcoming parks.”
Rader said he is disappointed City Hall seems more willing to open up to private developers and private foundations also willing to pay for capital improvement projects than it is with the college, which he described as a “jewel” for Santa Monica.
Kathy Larson, a Sunset Park resident, said she does not support the airport parking proposal as it stands.
“The bottom line is, SMC is bursting at the seams and does not have a location that can accommodate the growth it wants,” Larson said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 7, 2005. Read the original PDF.