Letter stymies Strand beginning

Developers of a 225,000-square-foot Downtown shopping center are

telling Main Street retailers to ignore a letter from the city’s

Economic Development Department advising that construction is set to

begin on Monday.

Karla Wynia, project manager for general contractor

Snyder-Langston, said her firm has not been granted all its permits,

or received approval from the Planning Department for its plan to

lessen the effect of construction and traffic. She added she was

surprised that one city department would tell retailers the project

was set to begin when another still hadn’t signed off on it.

“The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing over

there,” she said. “Our original schedule showed that date, but it’s

been four weeks since we’ve submitted our traffic report, and we

haven’t received anything back yet.”

The letter’s author, Housing and Development Manager Gustavo

Duran, was unavailable for comment.

Whenever the project does begin, businesses on the northern side

of Main Street’s 100 block could lose their parking and delivery

access. The lot on the east side of 5th Street will be closed for

infrastructure repairs, and Downtown tenants are being diverted to

the city’s municipal parking structure on Walnut Avenue.

Businessman Joe Cornman, owner of Downtown clothing store

Sunshine, said it will be expensive to pay for parking for all his

employees. An annual parking pass at the structure is $125.

“It seems like a lot of people will be making money off of this

project, but not the businesses on my half of the block,” he said.

When the $25-million project is completed, it will be bordered by

Main Street, Walnut Avenue, Pacific Coast Highway and 6th Street, and

will include a 149-room hotel and large retail shopping center.

Veterans nearing goal for flagpole money

Veterans with the Huntington Beach American Legion are more than

halfway to their goal to raise $13,000 for three Downtown flagpoles.

So far, more than $7,000 has been raised for the project to pay

for one 40-foot fiberglass pole to fly the American flag and two

35-foot poles to hoist the California and Huntington Beach flags at

Pier Plaza.

“We would like to have all the money raised by Aug. 1, for a

ceremony on Sept. 11,” American Legion 1st Vice Cmdr. Dennis Bauer

said. A Patriot Day celebration with Huntington Beach police and fire

officials and local veterans is planned for that day.

Bauer said most of the money has come from its own members and

private businesses, including $1,000 contributions from the

Huntington Beach Auto Dealers Assn. and Rainbow Disposal.

“This is a really worthy project, and there’s been a lot of

enthusiasm,” American Legion Executive Board member and Huntington

Beach City Councilman Dave Sullivan said. “It’s a lot of money to

raise, but we’re working on it.”

To contribute to the American Legion’s effort, send a check or

money order to American Legion Post 133, P.O. Box 133, Huntington

Beach, CA 92648.

For more information, visit https://www.hbpost133.org

Local shopping center wins ethics award

The 5 Points Plaza shopping center is this year’s Huntington Beach

winner of the Ethics in America Program, sponsored by Chapman

University and the Passkeys Foundation.

Second-generation shopping center owners Merritt, Abby and Ronald

Sher accepted the award on June 8. The award was given to more than

135 individuals, organizations and businesses in Orange County since

1996.

Built on the corner of Beach Boulevard and Main Street in 1962,

the shopping center created by Saul and Sydney Sher has enjoyed

tremendous commercial success for its family atmosphere and

cleanliness. For the past six years, 5 Points Plaza has been chosen

as the “Best of Orange County” shopping center.

“The operators of 5 Points stand up for their property so that it

looks professional, presentable and welcoming to the shoppers who

patronize its stores,” said Charlie Bunten, Huntington Beach Chamber

of Commerce chairman. “Five Points is there for the community and

helps its retailers understand the value of being involved.”

Several of the tenants at the shopping center have gone on to

enjoy enormous retail success. Southern California clothing chain

Tilly’s started operations at 5 Points with less than 1,000 square

feet of space and now operates 30 stores throughout the state.

Likewise, the original Van’s retail store started operations at 5

Points Plaza in 1966 and now has outlets around the world.

Golf tourney raises $3,000 for seniors

The Council on Aging raised more than $3,000 during its June 25

tournament at Meadowlark Golf Course.

Golf Committee Chairwoman Cathy Meschuk reported that more than

135 participants took a swing at the 18-hole contest for a chance to

raise money for special programs, transportation and Meals on Wheels

at the Rodgers Senior Center at the corner of Orange Avenue and 17th

Street.

“The tournament was a lot of fun, and everybody had a great time,”

Meschuk said. “We want people to enjoy themselves so they come back

next year.”

This year’s four-man team winner of the best-of-ball scramble

included John Barnhart, Dick Brennan, Tom Lawrence and Bob Meschuk.

Women champions included Sally Schwartz, Jerry Burton, Marcia Low and

Pat Paolinetti.

Two city officials receive prestigious distinctions

Conference & Visitors Bureau President Doug Traub and Economic

Development Director David Biggs were both recently honored for their

public service.

Traub was recognized as a Certified Destination Management

Executive by the International Assn. of Convention & Visitors

Bureaus. Traub is one of fewer than 100 people worldwide to earn the

distinction and one of two in California.

On July 1, Biggs was appointed as the chairman of the Orange

County District Council of the Urban Land Institute.