Brochure on W. Hollywood Civic Center Called ‘Deceptive’

A leading opponent of a proposed civic center in West Hollywood has assailed as “misleading” and “deceptive” a city-sponsored brochure promoting the project.

Calling it “a slick piece of propaganda,” City Councilman Steve Schulte--alone among the five council members in opposing the center in West Hollywood Park--this week criticized the brochure as an attempt to mislead the public about the cost and scope of the project.

“It implies that the project is going to cost $23 million, when it’s more like a $46-million project, and it implies that the park is going to be improved and enhanced when in fact what they’re talking about is reducing it to a well-manicured lawn space,” Schulte said.

“I find (the brochure) misleading, basically deceptive and inappropriate to say the least,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councilman John Heilman defended the accuracy of the so-called “fact sheet,” which the City Council unanimously authorized two months ago.

“I think what Steve is objecting to is that the fact sheet includes the facts, and is not part of his delusions concerning the civic center,” Heilman said.

A hearing on the civic center proposal is scheduled for next Thursday, with the council expected to approve the budget for the center’s design next month.

Distribution of the brochure began last weekend, with more than 2,000 copies made available at the West Hollywood Street Festival.

The brochure includes graphics depicting a sprawling collection of low buildings, including a performing arts auditorium, library, city hall and recreational building, highlighted by two observation towers and a portico along San Vicente Boulevard.

It states that “the Phase One construction program is designed to stay within the $23-million budget” available from the city’s general fund, noting that “added program elements will only proceed as additional funding becomes available.”

City officials last month revised their cost estimates, saying that all elements of the project--including a comprehensive center for senior citizens on the city’s east side, a child-care center and other recreation facilities--could cost as much as $50 million and require financing from the sale of bonds and other sources.

Schulte said the brochure, “while perhaps technically accurate, leaves the clear impression that we’re supposed to be getting a lot more for $23 million than is possible . . . and it sort of avoids the whole issue of bond issues that the taxpayers would have to pay for.”

Both Heilman and John S. Given, a consultant hired by the city in June as the project manager, said that each of the council members had an opportunity to review the brochure before it was published.

Schulte said that he expressed his concerns to City Manager Paul Brotzman about “the tone and content” of the brochure as it was being prepared and was “disappointed that the key changes I suggested weren’t accepted.”

Brotzman, who was out of town on city business, was unavailable for comment.

The park, located on San Vicente Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, occupies a 6-acre parcel along with an auditorium, library, swimming pool, parking lot and county public works maintenance facility.

Design Amended

When opponents complained last year that park space was being sacrificed for civic buildings, the design was amended to eliminate ground-level parking lots in favor of underground parking.

Architects said the changes would help to more than double the space devoted to buildings while increasing open and recreational space by 30%. Opponents claim otherwise, insisting that a planned rooftop tennis court should not be considered park space.

Last November, the city spent almost $900,000 to acquire a building next to the park that city officials have acknowledged could be torn down for future expansion of the park. The city is negotiating to buy another parcel next to the park for $1.5 million.