But city-imposed restrictions may hinder development
After eight years of work, developers were given the go-ahead Tuesday to give McDonald’s on Second Street a facelift.
Council members voted to approve a three-story building at the intersection of Second Street and Colorado Boulevard, a corner that is largely considered the gateway connecting downtown to the pier.
The new building will have two to four retail shops on the ground level, office space on the upper levels and a renovated McDonald’s, all housed in a Spanish-style structure, said Tom Landau, architect for the project.
But that’s only if it gets built. Developers said that one condition of the approval — which follows a Planning Commission denial and an earlier recommendation by city staff to deny the project — threatens to kill the project.
The City Council voted not to allow cars to enter the building off of Colorado Boulevard, something developers said is necessary to keep McDonald’s profitable. The chain outlet currently has a 25-foot-wide driveway off of Colorado Boulevard.
“The project is in jeopardy based on the direction of City Council,” said Norman Kravetz, the head developer on the project. “It doesn’t seem fair to me and I don’t think it is good planning. Period.
“We tried hard,” he added. “We tried to do the best quality project. The best materials, the finest architecture, great roof lines. We exceeded the landscaping requirement, kept the foliage and trees in place, for the most part, and tried to comply with all of the goals of everybody we met with. We’re proud of what we presented and we’re disappointed with the outcome — even though our project was approved.”
Kravetz, who earlier in the process scrapped plans for drive-through service on the site, said he would consider a host of alternatives, but said blocking access outright would be too detrimental to profitability.
A spokesman for McDonald’s echoed that sentiment.
Council members who voted against allowing access from Colorado Boulevard pointed to traffic and safety concerns.
“That McDonald’s has more customers from pedestrians than from cars,” Councilman Herb Katz said. “You can look at the parking lot and see that.
“It’s one corporation saying, ‘We won’t do it unless you do it our way.’And why would the city cave in to one corporate entity? Especially our city. It has got to be good for the city and good for downtown for the next 50 or 100 years.”
“It’s one corporation saying, ‘We won’t do it unless you do it our way.’” — — HERB KATZ Santa Monica City Councilman
Councilman Bob Holbrook, one of three who voted to allow access, cautioned his fellow council members that denying entrance to the building off of Colorado Boulevard could preclude the development altogether.
“What we’re looking at is a wonderful rejuvenation of that corner,” he said. “And I think we ought not lose the opportunity to do something positive” by not allowing any cars to enter the project off of Colorado Boulevard.
The City Council is expected to formally adopt its approval of the project at its next meeting May 20. Council members don’t typically change their approvals at that point.
While Kravetz works out a strategy to save his project, local residents and businesses have spoken in favor of the proposal.
The Pier Restoration Corp., the Bayside District Corp., the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and several homeowner groups have all voiced support for the building.
A handful of members praised the project Tuesday night, saying it should serve as a model for future development in Santa Monica.
“This developer deserves an award for public spiritedness and flexibility,” said Art Harris, a Bayside board member. “This is a plus. This is a plus in many ways.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 15, 2003. Read the original PDF.