Bring Laemmle theater to Maryland Avenue
In response to the letter from Barry McComb regarding the Alex Theatre’s true value to our community (“Theater offers value other than profit,” Nov. 3), we concur with him that the Alex serves not only as our architectural crown jewel of downtown, but plays an important role in providing a venue for an eclectic mix of entertainment, and recently, a community forum.
In expounding on that thought, we would like to suggest to McComb and City Councilwoman Laura Friedman that the city’s arts commission consider negotiating to attract the Laemmle Theatre Company to occupy the Mann Theatre at the Exchange, which will be closing next year.
When the City Council permitted the Americana at Brand to build the Pacific multiplex there, we knew it spelled a death knell for the very nearby Mann Exchange and Marketplace theaters. In our opinion, the council’s decision caused much suspicion as to its motive for doing that.
Periodically through the years, readers have posed the question as to why we don’t have our own independent/foreign film theater? Why does Pasadena have two, and we have none? It appears to us that Maryland Avenue would be the kind of cozy, artsy area that the Laemmle Theatre Company would desire.
We’re sure there are a significant amount of Glendale residents who would gladly patronize our own Laemmle on Maryland Avenue, not only because of the broader entertainment offerings, but to avoid the weekend crowds of Pasadena! If we could draw some of those independent/foreign film patrons here to Glendale, it would be even better! It’d be refreshing to see Maryland Avenue bustling with theatre goers and diners again!
“If you build it, they will come.”
Rachele and John Morales
Glendale
We need answers about DMV branch
Please tell me that I misunderstood the Oct. 30 article, “DMV closes refurbished Glenoaks branch.”
After $900,000 was spent in taxpayer-funded renovations, with the ribbon-cutting just around the corner, we are told that the Glenoaks Boulevard brand of the Department of Motor Vehicles will remain closed due to budget concerns? Are you kidding me? Couldn’t this have been disclosed, let’s say, $800,000 ago?
With all of California’s “green” concerns, the people of Glendale will now need to drive 10 miles to conduct DMV business. Inconvenience aside, how much fuel consumption and pollution is this going to create?
What a boondoggle. I say we conduct a thorough audit and see where this $900,000 really went! In the meantime, I guess we can add the Glenoaks DMV to the long list (Belmont High School, Children’s Library, etc.) of government projects that turned out to be a black hole for tax dollars.
Do we apathetically shrug our shoulders and say, “Whatever?” Or do we demand that we see some accountability and responsibility for this matter?
You and I, the taxpayers, were just fleeced for $900,000. I want to see who signed off on these expenditures, when exactly was it known that the office would remain closed and how much was spent after that!
Enough already!
Ben Ochart
Glendale