Cloaking a Weak Argument : Mayor’s veto of garment-center proposal raises eyebrows

Mayor Tom Bradley has vetoed a proposal that stood to revitalize an all-but-unused corner of the Broadway shopping district downtown. It is a puzzle, and more than a bit of a shame, that he did so.

The project would have taken the huge May Co. building at Broadway and 8th Street--now without tenants or reasons for being--and made it into a vital and job-creating garment center.

A group of investors has already sunk $5 million into the once-splendid retail store to improve the 1-million-square-foot structure, and it had plans to spend twice that on further renovations.

Its marketing strategy was aimed at attracting to the “Broadway Trading Center” a wide panoply of garment-center-like enterprises--everything from sewing warehouses to showrooms. The center would have included a child-care facility and housed up to 7,000 workers and 600 businesses.

Think of that (especially in this bad recession): 7,000 jobs. But it was spiked by Mayor Bradley, siding with property owners in the nearby garment district, who gave as reasons for their opposition the fear of increased traffic and congestion but who perhaps feared the competition of a resurrected May Co. building even more.

In his statement justifying the veto, Bradley threw in every sort of reason except the kitchen sink, including the fear of more crime that a revitalized building might trigger. But his opposition struck many City Hall observers as having the ring more of politics than of disinterested government.

No doubt the City Council, which previously approved the project 10 to 5, will caucus to determine the availability of the two additional votes needed to override the veto.

An override would be a blow against negativism and would provide a much-needed shot in the arm for downtown redevelopment.