Construction of Church in Echo Park
Greed and selfishness have rarely reared their heads in Los Angeles as prominently as with the Episcopal Diocese’s devastating construction plans in Echo Park.
Shortly, they will begin building the Episcopal Cathedral Center adjacent to Echo Lake. Residents, all of us low and middle income, have pleaded with the church to select another sight. Their attitude: We came. We saw. And to hell with the neighbors.
The church will be erecting three mammoth buildings in front of existing residences, some of which have been there nearly as long as the historical park. The offices of (Councilmen) Michael Woo and Mike Hernandez throw their hands up because it’s legal. But is it ethical for a single interest to seal off a community from its park?
The diocese uses deceiving architectural renderings to show it’s spent money on the aesthetics to please residents. The pictures it provides are cleverly drawn from perspectives that hide the fact that all of us will be looking straight into stucco and glass.
It’s clear. In Los Angeles, when a group like the Episcopal Diocese has money, the little people don’t have a prayer.
BRIAN LEUNG
Echo Park
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