Historical Society Decides Foe Deserves an Award

Calling a temporary truce in its battle against a proposed downtown office tower, the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society plans to give its annual award tonight to Michael Harrah, the project’s developer.

Society members have spent months fighting Harrah’s proposal to construct what, at 37 stories, would be Orange County’s tallest building. The project would require demolishing or moving three historic buildings.

“The initial gut reaction was: Look how bad this guy is, what are we trying to do?” society president Alison Young said. “But everyone is not all bad.”

Harrah, the society recognizes, has worked to restore the former Masonic Temple, has converted an old church into a concert hall used by the Orange County High School of the Arts and is working to open a restaurant inside the vacant United Auto building.

If not for the dispute over the office tower, “there would be no question that he deserves recognition from us,” vice president Jo Ann Ramirez said.

Still, at least some society members are unhappy with the decision to give Harrah this year’s award.

Catherine Cate said she has decided not to renew her membership as a result.

The award doesn’t make sense “when we have such a huge controversial situation on the horizon,” Cate said.

Previous winners include DGWB Advertising, which moved from Irvine to Santa Ana and restored an old City Hall building in 2000 and is the head of marketing for the city’s revival efforts.

William Beaubeaux, a spokesman for Harrah, said the developer is happy to receive this year’s award and will be at the Hacienda Restaurant to accept it.

Last year, that would have seemed unimaginable. Members of the society protested plans for One Broadway Plaza, the building Harrah wants to construct with a five-star restaurant on the top floor.

Responding to those protests, Harrah said he hopes to move the historic buildings in the project, although Ramirez says relocation could mean the loss of historic designations and restoration funding for them.

The building may face other challenges as well. Cindy Nelson, a deputy city manager, said the project has been stalled for months because Harrah has yet to submit documents showing he is the owner of all the project land.

But Beaubeaux says that Harrah, who owns 2 million square feet of commercial space in Santa Ana, has arranged to buy the needed property from the Santa Ana Police Officers Assn., which will move to a building Harrah owns at 1608 N. Main St. The deal will soon be final, Beaubeaux said.

Despite the award, Young said the preservation society will continue fighting to stop One Broadway Plaza.

“We need to make sure that people know we are not rolling over on this just because of the award.”