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I actually had a whole different article planned for this week but I’m sure that problem won’t go away anytime soon so I will put it on the back burner for now. Instead a little birdie hipped me to a situation that for us here in Temple City has a more immediate need of my attention.
Personally, I prefer to paint with broader strokes. By that I mean I like to write about things that everyone can relate to not just the local gentry here in my hometown of Temple City. I like to write about world or national events that the people who read this column on the Internet can relate to even though they are not even in this city or state. Even though I try to limit the amount of local topics I write about I am reminded of Michael Corleone’s line in “The Godfather III”, “Just when I think that I’m out they pull me back in.” The “they” in my case would be the fabulous group that is supposed to be watching out for our city, the city council.
According to what I have heard from more than one source, our city council, without the benefit of a plan, is a couple of weeks away from purchasing the property at the north east corner of Rosemead Boulevard and Las Tunas Drive commonly known to long time residents as the “Edwards” property. For those of you unfamiliar with the area what this property represents is for all intents and purposes the gateway to the downtown area at the heart of the city. It is the most visible area in town due to the heavy traffic that continuously flows north and south on Rosemead Boulevard.
What currently resides at that corner is the Temple Regency Theatre, which opened after the closing of the Edwards Theatre and just days before the opening of the new Applebee’s restaurant across the street. A true stroke of luck for all involved due to the fact that when the deal was struck with Applebee’s the Edwards was still up and running. It is a mandatory factor in the success of most Applebee’s that they are located near a theatre or destination point.
Which brings us to what could be the scary part of the city’s intended purchase of this property, what do you guys and gal plan to do with it? Anytime any of you are asked there is never an answer and that concerns many people. Based on some of your recent decisions as to what this city needs, “scary” is a very appropriate word and not just because Halloween is just around the corner.
If you are planning to build a multiplex theatre with stores and restaurants attached, that is a good thing. Putting anything else there, and I mean ANYTHING else there would be, well, a bad thing. I say this because in the time period between when the Edwards theatre closed and the Temple Regency opened all of the neighboring businesses, and especially the restaurants, suffered. If you think I’m kidding ask any of them how much their business declined without having a destination point anchoring that corner and how it changed once it reopened.
I’m sure there will be the same feeble arguments I have been hearing for quite some time now like, well a new theatre was just built over in Alhambra at Garfield Avenue and another has just opened in the Santa Anita Mall. So what? Does that mean that Temple City can’t have one and get in on what is obviously a very desirable and lucrative proposition?
Speaking of those other properties, especially the Alhambra location, if the city council uses it as a blueprint, they could use it as the catalyst to revitalize the downtown area. Something that the previous and current council have attempted but failed to do. Maybe this is something that is beyond their vision or scope, but I hope not.
Think about it for a minute. There are thousands of people who are going to those others theatres because they have more choices, are state of the art, and have lots of things to do surrounding them. Many of which are driving right by the Rosemead location to get there. By building a new state of the art theatre and food court at that location there would be no need for anyone to go elsewhere. The money and tax revenues would stay in Temple City with the existing businesses that surround the property reaping untold benefits.
If you want to look even deeper into the crystal ball, let your imagination go and try to envision the possible metamorphosis that could happen by looking directly across Las Tunas Drive on the south side. There is a bank of businesses of varying sizes that could easily be transformed into restaurants and specialty stores that would make the prefect compliment to my proposed theatre complex. During his run for city council, Councilman David Capra said he envisioned a bridge going across Rosemead Boulevard from the theatre to the TJ Maxx Center. If this little picture I’ve painted came to fruition I could actually see two bridges. Imagine what an amazing sight that would be as you came up or down Rosemead Boulevard, you would really know that you were in Temple City.
The other little excuse that has always mystified the city council, past and present, and has prevented projects of this magnitude from getting off the ground, is parking. Look guys and gal this isn’t that big of a deal given the space that is involved at the corner. You go down a level or two and up three and you will have more parking than you know what to do with. Plus you always have the thirty or so spaces that surround the new chamber of commerce building that just opened across the street.
By the way since it opened I haven’t seen more than two cars in that lot. So far I don’t think there was as big of a demand for parking in that area as you thought. That or people don’t know they can park there. This isn’t surprising considering that the only signage that tells you that you can park there is printed so small you can barely read it. Unless it’s a secret how about putting the words “public parking” in big letters on the little portal that faces the street, it’s not like it’s serving any useful service anyway. Speaking of signage, chamber of commerce is not one word and the way that you have the letters bunched together it looks like it is. You’ve got plenty of room up there so why not give it some spaces.
That being said, if my speculations as to the intentions of the sitting city council about the Edwards Property are wrong I apologize. Maybe you have had the same visions for the property that I have and are just keeping it under your hat choosing not to share it with the people that elected you. Perhaps you have already spoken to the businesses you will impact once you’ve purchased the property and the theatre closes once again. But unless you have promised them a true destination point which, I reiterate, can only be what I described, a theatre complex, I can’t believe they would support your move.
If you haven’t got a plan though, I’ve just given you one. So before spending the city’s money think it over and if you can’t come up with a better one feel free to use mine. I promise I will let you take credit for it.
That is unless your egos won’t let you do it.
The Shrub Speaks: The last two years, the American people have come to know me. They know my blunt way of speaking. Daytona Beach, Florida, Oct. 16, 2004
B.D.’s Response: There you go again Dubya, trying to do math. We’ve actually been listening to your nonsense for four years!
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