This past week, Q-line asked: “How should the former Z-Boys’ home at Main and Bay streets be remembered? Suggestions run the gamut from a mural to a skate park to a Z-Boys walk of fame. Or should the original building remain intact? Here are your responses: “I AGREE WITH THE TWO YOUNG MEN who were interviewed in your paper the other day about a memorial to the Z-Boys. I agree with them. It’s a practical solution and the best tribute would be a skate park. Forget more murals or a new building with a plaque, I think a skate park would be very much in order.”
“I DO NOT WISH TO COMMENT ON Z-Boys. However, it is interesting that nearly every building in Santa Monica is a potential landmark. I do not recall when landmarking first started, but I am aware that landmarking is here to stay. I will attempt to name a few buildings for potential landmarking that are still standing and a few that are gone. Still standing are: Hot Dog on a Stick, the Aero and all other theaters, Marion Davies’ old eye-sore residence on Pacific Coast Highway and the old City Hall. Gone are: The Aragon Ballroom that was on the pier, Jack’s at the Beach restaurant, the Broken Drum on Wilshire Boulevard, Zucky’s Deli that was on Wilshire Boulevard (only the sign remains), the Boathouse restaurant on the pier and Sinbad’s, which succumbed to a storm. The Z-Boys’ location will become part of those grand old businesses that have gone, but will remain in the hearts of many.”
“I WANT TO SAY THAT THERE SHOULD be something absolutely real on this building. I don’t want any commercial fakeness. I want straight-up, Dogtown real, and that’s all that matters. As long as it is not fake, I’m cool.”
“NOT BEING A SKATEBOARDER, I CAN’T say the significance of the place. But since it’s Southern California, any building over 25 years old has to be derelict and torn down. That’s the way they do it in California. They don’t keep anything old. So out with the historic and old, and in with the new crud.”
“AS A FORMER PROPERTY OWNER IN this town, I think that the property owner should be able to do what he wants with the property. But maybe he could erect a little emblem denoting that this was once a Z-Boys skating area. That would be a good idea.”
“I’VE LIVED IN SANTA MONICA FOR 30 years and I think that corner should stay. That is what Santa Monica is all about and it’s disappearing little by little with all these new buildings and corporations and whatnot. I think we have to preserve that corner.”
“WHAT HAPPENED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY in this town? It’s funny how you can be allowed to build anything as long as you include low-income units or ‘green’ building saving a whole watt of electricity. If you want preservation, why not buy the property. Better yet, have stricter building codes so owners will have an incentive not to remove structures to build 10 condos. City Hall will never do that because they can tax 10 residences rather than one.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 20, 2007. Read the original PDF.