WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2002
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Volume 1, Issue 176
Santa Monica Daily Press 100% organic news. Picked fresh daily.
Santa Monica Place may be split in two
Well-orchestrated
Plans call for multimillion dollar redesign of ‘dinosaur’ mall BY ANDREW H. FIXMER Daily Press Staff Writer
Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press
Members of the Santa Monica High School symphony orchestra receive instruction from Chris Woods, right, a substitute teacher on Tuesday.
In 10 years, downtown Santa Monica may be a completely different place. Plans were unveiled Monday night that would extend the Third Street Promenade through the Santa Monica Place Mall, creating a pedestrian walkway stretching from Wilshire Boulevard to the Civic Center. Though many of the details have not been worked out, the Macerich Company — which owns and operates the enclosed mall — wants to slice its building in half to create a row of ground floor retail
stores and restaurants similar to the set-up along the Promenade. In fact, Macerich representatives said their goal is to create a seamless transition from the third block of the Promenade through their mall. “One wouldn’t realize they were entering the mall area,” said Randy Brant, a Macerich senior vice-president. “It would appear as just another block of the Promenade.” However, the connection would mean a lot to Santa Monica officials. They want to connect the Civic Center and the Promenade, as well as a future location for the Expo light rail line eventually reach the city. “I think many people, like myself, think of Santa Monica Place as a See MALL, page 4
College buys downtown Renters victorious in small building for $8.6 million claims fight with landlord BY ANDREW H. FIXMER
BY CAROLYN SACKARIASON Daily Press Staff Writer
Santa Monica College has purchased a downtown building for its newest satellite campus. The $8.65 million building is the college’s first purchase as part of its voter-approved $160 million bond passed in March. The SMC Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to purchase the four-story glass building on Second Street to give SMC’s emeritus college a permanent home. “The college made it clear that its No. 1 priority for the use of Measure U funds was a new and permanent home for
emeritus college,” said SMC President Dr. Piedad F. Robertson. “This action fulfills that promise and opens a new and exciting chapter in the history of this wonderful program.” The emeritus program is designed for older adults and provides classes on everything from the arts to current affairs to health. In its 27-year history, the college has grown from less than 200 students to a current enrollment of 2,900, with about 80 instructors. The new facility — located at 1227 Second St., between Arizona Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard — is 24,000 square feet — four times larger than the current See COLLEGE, page 3
Daily Press Staff Writer
A Santa Monica landlord violated his own lease when repairs to an apartment turned into a massive construction project, a small claims judge ruled Monday. Roommates Maria J. Thomas and Jenny Marchick took landlord Marco Ramirez to small claims court for $3,000 and $5,000, respectively. They argued that they were forced to move from their 17th Street apartment when repair work got out of hand and therefore they should not be penalized by having their security deposit withheld. The women also sued for hundreds of dollars in damages to their belongings, which was caused during construction.
But Ramirez argued that his partner had written in the lease that repairs were scheduled for the unit and the two roommates were made aware in advance that their $1,500 a month rent would not be discounted. However, Judge Pro Tem Norman Axe found that Ramirez had violated the lease and ruled in favor of the two women. Thomas was awarded $2,068.27 and Marchick was given $3,450.63. Axe found that the repairs listed in the lease were to begin when the lease commenced in July 2001. They didn’t actually start until months later. Also, the repairs were supposed to be limited to fixing the roof, replacing winSee CLAIMS, page 6
Census ranks Rancho Santa Fe as nation’s wealthiest town BY SETH HETTENA Associated Press Writer
RANCHO SANTA FE — The schools are outstanding, there’s almost no crime and the sun shines 320 days a year. Only residents can join the community’s worldclass golf club. “It’s a wonderful place,” said Annie Perez, who owns Bolero Mexican cafe in the tiny downtown area and lives nearby. “This is the best life.” bosco, ward & nopar
R . J E F F E R Y WA R D attorney at law Business Litigation • Entertainment General Litigation • Business Transactions of all Types 204 Bicknell Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-553-0756 rjefferyward@msn.com
1925 Century Park East Ste.500 Century City, CA 90067 www.bwnlaw.com
But only the rich need apply. Rancho Santa Fe ranks as the nation’s wealthiest community with 1,000 households or more, according to Census figures released Tuesday. The per capita income of more than $113,000 puts Rancho Santa Fe ahead of the Bay Area enclaves of Atherton and Woodside as well as Palm Beach, Fla. and Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Census figures show. Indian River Shores, Fla., ranked No. 1 in 1990, was seventh in the latest survey. The average per capita income in the United States was
less than $21,000 a year, according to 2000 Census figures. Rancho Santa Fe was also the most expensive place to buy a house in the United States over the past year. The median single family home price is $1.7 million, according to DataQuick Information Systems of San Diego. But few residents are complaining about high home prices. “I consider myself lucky,” said Albert Plattner, who lives a short walk from his real estate office in Rancho See CENSUS, page 6
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