A question of improvement
I was pleased to read that the proposed Kohl’s department store has
received Planning Commission approval. However, in reading recent
letters I was surprised at some of the residents’ opposition. Several
letter writers talk about the loss of recreation.
I am not sure what they mean. If the theater and Ice Capades were
successful they would still be there. So unless a new wave of
residents (and those writing letters are not) plan to patronize these
types of uses, why not clean-up the empty buildings and provide the
residents of Costa Mesa with a use -- Kohl’s -- that makes more sense
and more importantly will provide revenue to the city.
The people we should be listening to are the residents who live
directly behind Mesa Verde Center. They all support the project. In
fact, a recent commentary by one of the residents in this paper
stated that the residents of Mesa Verde see the addition of Kohl’s as
a welcome improvement. These are the voices our City Council should
be listening to -- not the rumblings of the same usual suspects that
oppose every project that comes before the city.
Kohl’s will be a nice addition to the Mesa Verde Center and
provide the residents of Costa Mesa with an amenity that will be used
by many -- I bet even some of those who oppose the project.
JEFF EDMAN
Costa Mesa
So let me get this straight. The Segerstroms own the land, there
are three buildings on this land, two of these businesses have gone
out of business, and the third is about to. The Segerstroms put the
land up for sale, a buyer offers to buy it and put in a new business.
The buildings are the same size, and from what is reported all the
traffic, and environmental concerns are addressed and comply to the
standards that have been set forth from the city. And the residents
that are impacted the most have no problem with this.
Excuse me but where do we live? I thought this was America, where
free enterprise and supply and demand dictated businesses and where
Economics 101 was studied. Businesses go bad every day. Who made the
mayor of the Costa Mesa a dictatorship and said government can tell a
business how to run their business? To rectify this problem with the
bowling alley, the Segerstroms should shut them down, and plow the
three buildings down, make it into a giant parking lot. What will the
mayor and the Kona Lanes people do then? Tell the Segerstroms they
can’t?
After a few years of having a vacant parking lot, maybe the mayor
can tell the Segerstroms to give up the land to the city through
eminent domain and then the city can develop it, though into what I
don’t know. As much as I can tell, there will never be 100%
agreement.
But wait we have 100% agreement now with the proposed Kohl’s
store. The Segerstroms want to sell, Kohl’s wants to buy and there
100% support from the neighbors directly affected by this proposal.
Where’s the problem ?
KEN KASSIN
Costa Mesa
Kona Lanes is a recognized landmark-pure and simple-and a very
unique landmark to boot. Its sign pops up in Sven Kirsten’s “Book of
Tiki” on page 197.
Tiki architecture universally conjures a beach lifestyle and what
better place to maintain such imagery than Costa Mesa, “coastal
table” if you will, scant miles from the Pacific Ocean?
A redundant Kohl’s won’t fare nearly as well -- if it survives at
all -- after close to 50 years of existence. Toss into the mix
generations of Kona patrons who fondly remember times spent there
with friends and family. No one, in 2050, will fondly or otherwise
remember quality time spent shopping at Kohl’s. But, in the meantime,
perhaps they can purchase their Hawaiian shirts there ... just as
they could at Kohl’s in Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas or any of the
28(!) California Kohl’s scheduled for a grand opening this month.
Keep Kona, scrap Kohl’s!
LINDA NEWMAN
Costa Mesa
I totally agree with Steve Smith on his idea for the Mesa Verde
Center (“Where’s the vision in Mesa Verde?” Saturday). We definitely
need a skateboard park (wake up Costa Mesa and Newport Beach) and it
is so hard to find a movie to take my grandkids to any more. Maybe
Smith should talk to Henry Segerstrom. I e-mailed skateboard park
activist Jim Gray, asking him to read your article. Good food for
thought.
PEGGY MAROTTA
Balboa Island
I would like to voice my opposition to Kohl’s coming into our
neighborhood just because of the sheer traffic impact and also the
extra noise that would be generated by the trucks and the amount of
customers.
CRAIG BELMONT
Costa Mesa
I think it is a really bad idea. We do not need any more
department stores, we have K-Mart, Target and we don’t need Kohl’s
there.
What we do need is bowling alleys, high schools, something for
families with children and just young people in general, places for
kids to hang out. A woman wrote in her letter to the Daily Pilot that
maybe a combination with a state park or something like that would be
good, but apparently the people in the housing next to the Kona Lanes
don’t have any kids so they don’t want this kind of thing.
I think it is a very bad idea for a shopping or department store
at that location.
MORTEN KIELER
Costa Mesa
I thought the City Council appointed people to represent us, not
to run over us. A huge Kohl’s will only detract from other retain
outlets in our city despite the big traffic problem that is going to
happen.
WAYNE LEFFLER
Costa Mesa
I am calling in support of Mayor Karen Robinson, who is appealing
the Planning Commission’s approval of the Kohl’s department store in
the Mesa Verde area. Costa Mesa does not need another store for
shopping. I think we need to keep that area for younger people so
they can have some recreation area in Costa Mesa. It seems that Costa
Mesa is getting more about money than anything else and I think maybe
they are heading toward no more fun.
SHIRLEE MCDANIELS
Costa Mesa
I am so against this Kohl’s store. I have lived here for close to
40 years and my husband and I used to go to the movies and ice
skating there. Our children, our grandchildren have gone there, and
now with the Kona Lanes gone, we have no entertainment, no fun places
anymore that we can go to easily without going into big crowds or up
steps.
The older people used to enjoy the theater and the younger ones
ice skating and bowling. My vote is no on Kohl’s.
MARY ANNE KANDEL
Mesa Verde
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