HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/6/2019 Item 4, Cooper (2)
Goodwin, Heather
From:Allan Cooper <allancoope@gmail.com>
Sent:Saturday, May
To:Scott, Shawna; Advisory Bodies
Subject:Correction To Professor Neel’s Letter In Support Of The 1185 Monterey St. Project
To: San Luis Obispo Architectural Review Commission & Shawna Scott
Re: Correction To Professor Neel’s Letter Supporting The 1185 Monterey St. Project
From: Allan Cooper AIA, San Luis Obispo
Date: May 4, 2019
I have never in my long career as an architect and professor felt the need to defend my credentials to anyone.
Far less would I feel that this would be necessary in the face of what I perceived to be criticism coming from
Professor Paul Neel, a longtime friend and mentor of mine. But I feel I should set the record straight on his
assertion that I have “never practiced architecture”. It is disappointing that this assertion was made coming
from Professor Neel as we both share a long history together in both the academic and professional worlds.
So permit me to set the record straight. The following is a list of architectural and engineering firms I have in
the past worked for in my capacity as an intern architect: Luckett & Farley AIA, Arrasmith, Judd & Rapp AIA,
Harris Armstrong FAIA, CRS Design AIA, Egner & Niederkorn AIA, AIP, Marvin Hatami AIA, Charles Gathers
AIA, Community Technology Corp., Gouvis Engineering, Dan Saxon Palmer AIA, Bechtel Power Corp. and
Energy Management Consultants. After receiving my architectural license, I was a consultant to Brown & Neel
AIA, design consultant for M.R. Enterprises and in collaboration with architect, Joseph Amanzio AIA, I
designed the Gregory Apartments, Pismo Beach, the Elmendorf residence in Atascadero, the Linane residence
in Arroyo Grande, the Stroup Apartments in Santa Maria, the Fernandes Condominiums in Pismo Beach, and
the Sheehy residence in Orcutt. I received two AIA design awards from our local chapter - one for the
Elmendorf residence in Atascadero and one for the Beckett Point residence in Port Townsend. In 2008, I
received from the California Council of the American Institute of Architects a Lifetime Achievement Award for
Distinguished Service.
As for my academic and community credentials, I have received three degrees, a B.A. and B.Arch. at Rice
University and an M.Arch. at Cornell University. I have taught architecture at all levels at Cal Poly over a 30
year period (including courses in professional practice, architectural design and an MBA-type program for mid-
career design professionals) and I served as Associate Director and Director of the Architecture Department as
well as Associate Dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design for twelve years. I served as a
member and chairman of the Architectural Review Commission in Pismo Beach for six years, a six year
member of Pismo Beach’s Citizen Advisory Committee, a six year member and chairman of the San Luis
Obispo Architectural Review Commission and a six year member of the San Luis Obispo Planning
Commission. I have served as chair of our local AIA Chapter, chair of the Obispo Beautiful Association and
board member on the SLO Arts Council.
I would like to emphasize that, contrary to any inference made by Professor Neel, I bear no personal animus
toward architect George Garcia nor would I ever think to judge his work based on either my credentials or his.
Paul Neel and I have an honest disagreement about Mr. Garcia’s design for 1185 Monterey Street. He believes
that “all of the planning criteria have been met and this project would make a good addition to this city”. I have
explained my concerns regarding this project’s non-conformance with the city’s Community Design Guidelines.
And no, It is not my intention to project my “own ideas” on this project. My task, as I see it, is simply to hold the
City’s feet to the fire when it comes to adhering to the City’s design guidelines.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge that Professor Neel has since apologized to me for the letter he submitted
to the City’s correspondence file - the letter to which I am reacting. Professor Neel is a “giant among giants” in
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both the academic world and the profession. Most importantly, I have nothing but the highest respect for him
and I have no reason to believe that his intent was to defame me in any way.
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