REBUTTAL

Congratulations on your new Sunday edition. But I must take issue with

some aspects of your editorial about Town Center (“Editorial: Town Center

plan deserves city approval,” Feb. 4).

If Harbor Center or South Coast Plaza are the models for a first-class

development, then I would prefer second class or something else. Harbor

Center is ugly, crowded and awkward to navigate. The garish colors and

strange building shapes will not stand the test of time. Personally, I

miss Sammy’s and the Barn.

South Coast Plaza is larger, but not a more friendly place. I’m sure

the merchants prefer it that way, but it is impossible to dash into a

store and buy something quickly. Maybe those who put up with the maze end

up buying more, but some of us consider it a major reason to shop online.

I note that the Town Center project allegedly includes a

“pedestrian-oriented” area along Avenue of the Arts. That won’t be

possible unless the area is limited to a single block. Once a pedestrian

has to cross one of those super-wide and busy streets, it will cease to

be friendly. What’s the point of such an area that can only be reached by

driving and parking a long way away in an overpriced lot?

These over-designed and sterile developments do not add to the quality

of life in Costa Mesa. (Maybe they add tax revenue.) I chose to live in

Costa Mesa because it isn’t (yet) as stultified as most of those parts of

Orange County south of us. Unfortunately, it appears some of our civic

leaders, and now the Daily Pilot, want us to move in that direction.

DAVE CLOSE

Costa Mesa