HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-27-16 CHC Correspondence - Item 1 (Loper)Lomeli, Monique
Subject: 71 Palomar - Thank you
From: JM Loper [ Meeting: CHC 0b"a ' IQ9
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 2:44 PM g
To: Leveille, Brian
Subject: 71 Palomar - Thank you Item: ,—
Dear Cultural Heritage Committee
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
JUL 18 2016
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
First off, let me thank you all for the amount of time you have each put into listening to the extensive input on the 71 Palomar project. I can't imagine that all
your projects meet with such interest and involvement. I consider that a sad aspect. We should all be interested in the preservation of the historical beauty of
SLO. I am a life long resident of SLO — born in the old French hospital and raised on the Cal Poly campus as my dad was an instructor there. I am
saddened to have watched the uniqueness of both the campus and our town slip away to progress and what I see as the need for change and growth. I consider
some of that change based on greed as we put in as much as we can in all open space. Reading an article from a May 24, 2007 copy of the Tribune, Jean
Martin (my second grade teacher) warned us that if we didn't watch out, our downtown would be lost and I believe that is what has happened over all as I
watch the many many projects underway.
As far as the 71 Palomar property goes and the Sanford House, I saw that you were put in a difficult position, preserve the house and let the owner move
forward. I appreciated so much in our first meeting how you listened, interpreted and sent the archetect back to redesign. And, as much as I appreciate their
attempt at redesigning, I fail to see how what they did change will truly honor the Sanford House. I see it, the house, becoming just another old house stuck
on a modernized lot. I know the trees are not a direct part of the deal but they are what adds to the character of the house. Moving the house, removing the
trees and crowding as many people as possible on that lot will forever displace the house as an honored part of our history. What I found that was so amazing
is the full history of that house and how so few people are aware of it. As a kid, I walked past it through the open space surrounding it before the development
of any student housing and had no idea what it represented. I went there as a teenager when it was a Frat house and was impressed by the interesting design
of the house. But I had no idea of the importance of the people who had designed it and lived in it. I do wish we had the historical society commected in on
all of this.
I know you have passed this project on to the ARC and I can only hope that we can encourage them to driect the plan to once again be revised, reduced or
even rejected and encouraged to go elsewhere. I, of course, would like to see the property open to public use and purchased by the city knowing that there are
very few lots left that could offer what 71 Palomar can offer and I also know that I'll be told that there is no money for that. Why is that in a town a affluent
as SLO we can't pull this off... I hope in your recommendation to the ARC you will really emphasize that what is currently planned does not honor the
Sanford house and will still over shadow it.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Jackie Loper
(266 Luneta Drive)
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