Controversy Swirls Over ‘Steel Cloud’

I read with interest the column on the West Coast Gateway Plaza, and have followed the subsequent discussions on the architectural committee’s selection (Op-Ed Page, Nov. 28).

For the past several years, I have been involved in Miracle on Broadway’s evolution of a long-range redevelopment plan for the Broadway corridor and, more particularly, have been committed to my own project, the rehabilitation of the historic Grand Central Market.

For those of us who care deeply about our city, the rebirth of the historic heart of downtown, with its history of business beginnings, architectural richness, and diverse peoples, is the essential start for the creation of a true urban center. Weaving together the historic communities of downtown Los Angeles--from Chinatown onto Olvera Street and Union Station, and then to Little Tokyo and historic Broadway--into a revitalized and pedestrian-oriented district, will bring a human quality and some needed “soul” to the newly emerging Central City. The creation of the West Coast Gateway Plaza over the Hollywood Freeway is an essential part of the process, tying the historic beginnings of our city to the governmental, institutional, and financial centers across the freeway.

It is in this context that I commend Nick Patsaouras, chairman of the Gateway project, and offer my own thanks for his personal commitment and determination to move what often seems the immovable lethargy of a complex society. While legitimate questions may still exist with regard to the actual art concept that should be located on the Gateway Plaza, there should be no question as to the legitimacy and high purpose of this effort, and its potential to ennoble all of us who live in and love Los Angeles.

IRA E. YELLIN

Los Angeles