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