On Saving Landmarks
I was dismayed and shocked by Sam Hall Kaplan’s insensitive and ill-informed mention of the controversy surrounding the Pan Pacific Auditorium.
The county is looking for a profit-making venture to put on public land to pay for the meager security patrol that it reluctantly offered to patrol the park that exists on the remainder of the site. The reason neighbors are concerned about crime is that attacks in the park were common and occurring even during daylight hours.
The warehouse structure of the Pan Pacific Auditorium is not a historic landmark, the facade is. Residents want to preserve the facade as an entrance to the park, but to bring the warehouse up to earthquake and safety standards would cost an estimated $15 million. To pay for this, the developers want high-density development: movie theaters with a total capacity of 1,500-2,000 seats and two restaurants. In addition, the neighborhood will be faced with other major developments in the next few years.
CHAVA DANIELSON
Los Angeles
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