GAINS & LOSSES

GAINS

CROSSING OVER

Huntington Beach Mall will be torn down by the summer, making way for the

new Crossings at Huntington shopping center. Developer Ezralow Retail

Properties hopes to breathe life into the flagging retail center by

bringing in upscale restaurants and stores. Plans for Crossings include

an Italian-theme with two piazzas and an 18-screen movie theater.

Existing tenants have until the end of April to move out.

FROM OIL TO SOIL

If an experimental technique used by Simple Green works, it may take less

time to clean up oil-soaked land. Ten acres near Huntington Beach Central

Park Equestrian Center will be the first in the county to test the

treatment, with funding from the government. If it works, the land will

be made available to the Therapeutic Riding Center, a nonprofit

equestrian group for developmentally disabled children. With so many

acres contaminated by oil, the city stands to gain a boost if this

experiment pans out.

WHAT, NO FOOD FIGHT?

More than 20 area restaurants competed Saturday in the first-ever

Restaurant Olympics. Spearheaded by the newly formed Restaurant Assn.,

the games at Pier Plaza included cherry tomato passing, bread basket

tossing and a clean water relay. The association hopes to make it an

annual event.

LOSSES

RAISING THE RENT

Residents of The Gables in Huntington Harbour are facing a 389% land

lease increase based on a new appraisal of the 7.6-acre property on which

their homes sit. The increase means payments for the 80 homeowners would

skyrocket from $190 to $740 per month, an amount that equals some

mortgages. The Gables residents pay the land lease in addition to their

mortgage and homeowners association fees. Some residents fear they may be

forced into bankruptcy if the increase stands. The homeowners association

has hired an attorney to try to work things out.

FAREWELL, PAPA JOE’S

Papa Joe’s Pizza, a Downtown hangout since 1989, will be torn down now

that the building’s owners, Frank and Sal Cracchiolo, have agreed to

lease the land to CIM Group. The developer plans to build a

multimillion-dollar hotel, restaurant and retail complex. “It seems like

I have no future,” said Papa Joe’s owner Jennifer Song, on losing her

space.

A TRAGIC TALE

Huffing, inhaling aerosol fumes to get high, is suspected to have caused

the death of a Huntington Beach child. Tyler Pinnick, 12, died last week

after his great-grandmother found him unconscious in a locked bathroom.

Tyler was known around Vista View Middle School as a good student and a

good kid. “He wasn’t too cool to be helpful,” said Diana Dominesey, a

school cafeteria worker. Tyler’s family has asked the school to make

contributions to DARE in his name.

THE END OF HOOP DREAMS

Roy Miller, varsity coach of the Huntington Beach High School basketball

team, resigned last week after a 23-year reign. Miller, who was on the

1968 Oilers team that made it to the CIF 4-A Finals, has left it open to

return after a year if he wants. Assistant Coach James Dingus will be

taking over.