In JJ Gasparotti’s June 1 Indy column, he says we owe Mr. Mo a debt of gratitude for his rescuing the restaurant at the FOA. I wonder if JJ suggests we should be grateful for Mr. Mo’s latest tripartite “vision” for Laguna Beach that can be found on the Laguna Creative Ventures website. http://www.lagunacreativeventures.com/
The website declares: At Laguna Creative Ventures, our goal is to maintain and protect Laguna’s creative roots and vibrant culture. Through progressive, locally-guided growth, LCV builds on Laguna’s core values and passions, carrying them forth to future generations of Laguna Beach residents and visitors.”
Unfortunately, what is planned is anything but in keeping with Laguna’s core values and passions. On the website it depicts three of Laguna Creative Ventures’ BIG plans for our Village:
1) The Heisler Project, which is proposed to run from PCH, to Cliff Drive and Jasmine and will be called Heisler Landing and is really just another high end hotel with shops placed smack in the middle of Heisler Park.
2) The Cleo Project: which plans to expand and further develop the Hip District and rename it The Cleo District.
3) The Art’s District which takes in the recent acquisitions of the Art A Fair, all the buildings in what used to be called the Bartlett Center and Seven Degrees. If what they have already designed with these three is any indication of what is planned for their “future” projects, the residents are clearly not their target audience.
Laguna Beach has six million visitors a year and it’s ironic that developers keep telling us we need to change and must attract more visitors. Yet, they keep trying to change exactly what those visitors come here for in the first place!
If we residents do not pay attention, the big money, the big projects and the urge to create an “amusement park on the beach” could completely change what we and visitors love about Laguna Beach.
Armando Baez
Laguna Beach
Hi Armando, How you can read my support for these projects into my column makes you a much better reader between the lines than I am a writer between the lines. I have no idea how I feel about the proposals you reference. I haven’t seen them. I wonder if you’ve been by to see the roof at the Festival Restaurant I referenced.By the way there is no PCH in Laguna Beach. Here we call it The Coast Highway. Cheers, JJ
Hi JJ:
I purposely used the words “I wonder if” to be sure I did not imply your support for all of Mr. Mo’s visions. To me, improvements to Laguna are welcome. However, when they appear to be part of a much bigger development effort that could significantly transform our Village, I get a bit nervous. I look forward to your opinion on the proposals. PS: During the 30 years I have been in Laguna, i have never understood why we call it CH and not PCH! a subject for your next column?