CRA approves University Gateway Project
Thursday, July 6
Today at the Memorial Coliseum the CRA approved the University Gateway Project which Urban Partners is in the process of building.
In a hearing that pitted Conquest and Urban Partners Shammas group against each other', accusations of Urban Partners receiving special treatment with not having to abide by creation of more parking , height requirments etc being hurled .
It seems that the people at Urban PArtners , a contractor accused Conquest of having a vendetta and lying about what they were presenting.
Bernard PArks was present to present his case for the Gateway project as well as representatives from Antonio Villaraigosa's office were also there to show their support for the project .
To me it was like watching a feud between the developers , both being members of the CCA. The CCA also supports the project. The competing developer accusing the Shammas Group of getting special treatment while the developer of the Tuscany had to abide by all of the rules set in place by the CRA.
The CRA used what it called an overiding consideration balancing the benefit to the community over the detrimental effects in the EIR as their way of approving the project. One Commision member stating that it was not the fault of the Developer for the parking problems and that they should not have to bear the burden for the parking problems of a whole community , but that it was the fault of the City of Los ANgeles for not having a parking policy in place.
Another point of contention was the living wage versus prevailing wage in the voluntary conditions that the Developer was agreeable to.
100% prevailing wage for the constructuon workers with a union opt out , because the CRA can not impose a developer to accept and only hire Union Workers.
There is more , but i have to go. Interesting turn of events.
I will post later.
I put my name on a speaker card against so that the opposing team could have time to have their voices heard , I also wanted to hear what they had to say. So for today , I was actually on the other side of the table although Jan Perry and Bernard PArks apporved and support the project.
I do have some problems with the parking situation especially at night , and especially single women having to walk that far to get to the parking structure.
I will post later.
