Molina, Alatorre Clash Over Plans for Olvera Street

The two Latino members of the Los Angeles City Council--Richard Alatorre and Gloria Molina--clashed Monday over the future of Olvera Street when Alatorre unveiled a plan to create a nonprofit corporation to oversee the revitalization of the aging Mexican tourist spot.

The councilman’s plan, endorsed by Mayor Tom Bradley, was similar to a proposal suggested last week by Molina, who asked for the creation of a new municipal commission to govern the street.

Both proposals would wrest control of the street from the city Parks and Recreation Commission, which both lawmakers said is ill-equipped to adequately guarantee the marketplace’s future.

Alatorre, Molina and their allies agree that Olvera Street desperately needs revitalization. But the long-simmering estrangement between the two Eastside politicians has flared into a public row over their plans to save the street.

While Molina’s plan would allow for redevelopment by an outside firm, Alatorre’s could do away with the need for an outside developer by putting the nonprofit corporation in charge of the work. It would also force reconsideration of previous commission decisions, like one earlier this year to place a Chinese museum within the boundaries of El Pueblo city park, which includes Olvera Street, Alatorre said.

Molina countered that her own plan would afford greater public accountability while Alatorre’s would not.

Both plans came in the wake of last week’s decision by the commission to ask for competitive bids for the $30-million project. That action was criticized in some quarters because it changed the equity formula by which merchants could buy into the project and authorized the restoration of an Italian community meeting hall on the street.

The commission action prompted an emotional outcry from many Chicano activists that the Mexican flavor of the street, which attracts about 2 million visitors a year, would be threatened.

The debate was no less emotional as Alatorre and Molina jockeyed Monday for public favor on the explosive issue.

At a meeting of the council’s Arts, Health and Humanities Committee, Alatorre was describing his proposal--unveiled hours earlier at a City Hall news conference--when he said that former KMEX television executive Daniel Villanueva would chair the five-member body overseeing the nonprofit corporation.

Molina, who had called for a special committee meeting Monday to have her own Olvera Street plan considered, flew into a rage at the mention of Villanueva’s name.

“Another railroad,” she told Alatorre, who sat a few feet away.

“No, it’s not true,” he replied.

“Mr. Alatorre, it would seem as though you have thought this out very, very well,” Molina shot back. “And you’ve already got the appointments made. You’ve already got the mayor on board on what’s going to happen. This is the problem with Olvera Street . . . it’s being done as a back-room deal and this continues to be a back-room deal.”

“This is no back-room deal,” Alatorre said.

The meeting, normally attended by three committee members, ended in angry shouts and confusion as Alatorre and Molina could not agree on which Olvera Street plan ought to be forwarded with the committee’s blessing. Chairman Joel Wachs was absent Monday.

“I oppose yours (motion) because there have been no public hearings on it,” Molina said.

“So I oppose yours, then,” Alatorre countered.

Both plans will probably be forwarded to the council without a committee recommendation.

Even Alatorre’s presence at the committee meeting miffed Molina. Councilman Gilbert Lindsay is the committee’s third member, but the frail council patriarch was absent.

But, apparently unbeknownst to Molina, Alatorre was temporarily appointed to the committee by Council President John Ferraro to consider the rival Olvera Street proposals. Ferraro later defended his action as entirely proper.

Molina’s anger surfaced early in the day when she refused to attend the news conference called by Alatorre and Bradley to unveil the nonprofit corporation idea.

“She indicated that she had not had a chance to completely read and evaluate this proposal . . . and would not be here this morning,” Bradley explained.

The infighting between Alatorre and Molina over Olvera Street has been simmering for some time. Molina, who represented the area while in the state Assembly, supports the Olvera Street Merchants Assn. and its president, Vivien Bonzo, who is suspicious of Alatorre’s plans for the future. They are also wary of Alatorre’s ties to The East Los Angeles Community Union, an Eastside developer that they fear could end up with the revitalization project.

On the other hand, Alatorre, in whose councilmanic district Olvera Street is located, has said no developer, including TELACU, is assured of being awarded the project. He has accused Bonzo’s merchant group, which represents most of the street’s businessmen, of trying to control the redevelopment work at the expense of dissident merchants, who are not members of her group.

“It’s a personal thing with her,” he said.

And, in the opinion of one interested observer, the infighting is not likely to end soon.

“I don’t think it will,” said Parks Commission Chairman J. Stanley Sanders. “It’s going to remain until everybody decides that the political infighting between the factions within the Mexican-American community can arrive at an acceptable compromise.”