Tel Phil started Market Place, Tel Phil...
Tel Phil started Market Place, Tel Phil should run it
With regard to the Orange County Fair Board opening the Market
Place operation to so-called competitive bidding.
This action demonstrates a typical government mind set. Being
unable to exercise creativity in the use of resources, the board can
only try to cheapen a prosperous, ongoing business by substituting a
lower bidder mentality for one ongoing change and improvement.
Without Tel Phil Enterprises’ inventiveness and creativity, the
Market Place would not exist. Don’t mess with success; leave the
Market Place management and operation with Tel Phil Enterprises.
PETER J. and LINDA L. OETH
Costa Mesa
An alternative to Marinapark proposal
I submit an alternate plan for the proposed, and controversial,
Marinapark hotel. I think this is a much better plan, as it keeps the
traffic off the peninsula.
We have an area of town that needs to be torn down and rebuilt. It
is known as Lido Village, and it has a large marina also in need of
replacement. The reason I say it needs to be rebuilt is that it
doesn’t conform to new standards and it is brick, so it is hard to
reinforce. The parking structure may be able to be saved after it has
had support pilings installed under it.
This site would make a perfect resort because the existing
six-floor office/nightclub building at the south end would make
perfect hotel rooms. The village itself could still have waterfront
restaurants, but with private suites above, catered by the
restaurants below. You could have a couple of conference rooms, too.
The office building immediately next to the Arches Bridge could have
hotel rooms, also.
This would provide a “shot in the arm” to the economies of the
theater, market, drug store and charter boat business. The old Bank
of America building would make a great lobby and already has a vault
for hotel security and safety deposit boxes.
This location is close to the oceanfront and is on the harbor. It
is zoned for medium to dense traffic and close to Coast Highway and
the Costa Mesa Freeway.
If the city needs more money, then instead of building a
$30-million city hall, sell the property and the resort could wrap
around the shopping center. You could even build the parking
structure the city has proposed and have that much more revenue.
City administrative offices could move to the non-harbor-front
rooms in the building next to the Arches Bridge. City Council
meetings could be held in one of the resort’s many conference rooms.
Now, instead of a new City Hall costing us $30 million, we receive
money for the property. Everybody wins.
The Marinapark site should be developed into a youth and senior
citizen sailing center; after all, the city of Newport Beach does
conduct sailing classes from this beach.
Tennis courts could be reconditioned; add some basketball courts
and rebuild the kids playground area.
If there must be some kind of income from this site, parking
meters can accomplish it.
Let’s not lose one of the last harbor-front open spaces. Once it’s
gone, the people will never get it back.
Maybe we could even bring back lawn bowling here.
LARRY BARRETT
Newport Beach
Commentary bridged the issue perfectly
The commentary by Eric Bever published in the July 29 Daily Pilot
is the best discussion about the 19th Street bridge I have seen
(“Quality of life the issue with Santa Ana River bridges”).
Anyone who did not read and understand it should look back to that
issue to read it. The construction of the 19th Street bridge should
be done as soon as possible.
MEL RICHLEY
Costa Mesa
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