HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/14/2020 cc - Leutwyler (SLO Rep Parking Structure/Preserving Adobes)
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Lisa Leutwyler <sloleuts@hotmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, January
To:Advisory Bodies
Cc:SLO (Save Our Downtown)
Subject:Fwd: Emailing: Five are city owned.docx
Attachments:Five are city owned.docx; ATT00001.htm
Attn: Cultural Heritage Committee & Save Our Downtown SLO
I had sent this to the Letters to the Editor in the Tribune in Nov. but as with others I’ve submitted, it was
rejected. Before sending I spoke with Stephanie who is the letters Editor and told her she could trim it to
fit or maybe print it as a Viewpoint.
Since she didn’t do either, I’m submitting it to both of you for consideration if a final approval hasn’t
been reached yet. I feel my alternate suggestion would solve the issue of keeping the Heyd Adobe.
Thank you.
Lisa Leutwyler
?????
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From:
Date: November 19, 2019 at 3:44:02 PM PST
To: letters@thetribunenews.com
Subject: Fwd: Emailing: Five are city owned.docx
Lisa
?????
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Lisa Leutwyler <
Date: November 15, 2019 at 12:19:29 PM PST
To: Lisa Leutwyler <
Subject: Emailing: Five are city owned.docx
1
Once again, SHAME ON SLO’s CITY COUNCIL
I thought the idea was to find ways to eliminate car trips downtown. So, what happens at the SLO City
Council meeting on Nov.12, 2019? We’re building another parking structure & destroying a beautiful
historic adobe to enlarge SLO Rep Theater! Since we have very little affordable housing, why not build
walkable, actually affordable, micro apartments in the parking structure space instead? I’m sure that won’t
happen.
To quote sections in a Viewpoint article on Oct. 21, 2019 by James Papp former chair of the city of San
Luis Obispo’s Cultural Heritage Committee:
The 5 city-owned adobes; La Loma, Rosa Butrón, Rodriguez, Murray and Heyd have been shut up,
vacant, for decades. What remains of the Murray is used to stow equipment. The Rodriguez, restored
with $300,000 of city and developer money almost 20 years ago, sits empty and signless in a nameless
park. The Rosa Butrón, which 30 years ago the city agreed to open as a historic house and park, displays
only NO TRESPASSING signs.
The city spends $200,000 a year maintaining its sole historic house museum, the Jack House and
Garden, but only opens the house for 30 public hours.
SLO Repertory Theater; the SLO Rep plans to demolish the district’s historic Heyd Adobe to make room
for its back office and restrooms.
Many former Mayors & Council Members truly cared about SLO and knew how important its history has
always been. I wonder what they and especially our recently passed, beloved former Mayor Ken
Schwartz is thinking now. I also wonder how Andy Pease & Aaron Gomez would have voted if they
hadn’t recused themselves.
While I’m all in favor of a larger theater, why not build around the adobe, create a covered walkway
linking it to the theater and use it for SLO Reps back office, restrooms and perhaps a small café. The
theater could lease the café with the understanding that the theater could use it during shows. Residents
& tourists would use it while enjoying downtown & the public views from the top floor of the garage.
Only small concession is that the Council will allow the City Manager , Derek Johnson the discretion to
allocate up to $100,000 in city funds to help a private investor or group cover the estimated $1 million to
relocate the adobe. But notice the word, ‘discretion’, if someone does come forward, it’s up to Derek to
say yay or nay.
Perhaps Save Our Downtown could start a Go-Fund Me page to raise the other money necessary to
move the adobe if my suggestion above isn’t used. I’d donate to it and I’m sure many others would as
well!