Behind the Headlines : Bill Ficker

The decision of where to put a new City Hall has roiled Newport Beach for years now. Bill Ficker, an architect and longtime resident, has formed an initiative that would allow voters to decide on his plan to build the city hall on a portion of the planned Newport Center Park. Ficker recently answered, via e-mail, some of the questions surrounding the plan.

Question: Why did you decide to push the idea that city hall could be built there?

Answer: I did a thorough and responsible analysis of the Newport Center area, and it became obvious that building the city hall on that site provided overwhelmingly the most opportunities for an outstanding and successful project. I think it is important to continually review these opportunities because they reflect fiscal responsibility, and I am very reluctant to just dismiss a few million dollars because “we are a wealthy community.”

Working together, there will be better opportunities to develop and maintain the park, as well as better security and, of course, sharing the wonderful view from the site with many more people.

Perhaps at this point, the main reason that I am pushing the idea of the city hall is because of the overwhelming response to help push it.

Q: Critics keep asking why you don’t let this issue die. How do you respond to that?

A: I think that most people in the city — and perhaps even some council members who are opposed to it — know that it is the best place for the city hall and the opportunities that it provides for more of our population and to help improve other parts of the city. If I let the issue die, I feel I would be letting down the many, many people who have stepped forward to support this issue.

I have a long love affair with this community, and I don’t intend to let it down.

I did not set out to form any special interest group, but the community has embraced the idea to such a degree that I would not even consider letting this issue die.

Q: What do you think the new city hall should look like?

A: I have tried to stay away from designing the city hall because I think this is a separate issue. However, I think it should be low-key and very tasteful.

I think without question the building must be and should take a leadership role in environmental design. Perhaps a low-key competition among Orange County or Southern California architects could also be embraced.

Q: How much of your own time and money have you put into this effort?

A: Until the last couple of weeks, it has been all of my own time and money. I have been devoting all of my time over the last year or more to pursuing advocacy planning issues with the city of Newport Beach and raising money for the University of California. Both have had great influence on my life, and this is a way of repaying, in some way, two wonderful institutions that have had a big influence on my life. I haven’t kept close track, but I would guess that, with all of the printing and materials, etc., that I have produced in the last year and a half, I have probably spent $20,000 or more, and if I were to bill my professional time, it would be well over $150,000 to $200,000.

I think we have plowed the ground, and I think the 12.6-acre vacant site can certainly grow a 2.5 acre city hall and provide the fruit of fiscal responsibility and convenience for the entire city.