Don Cribb?
Santa Ana’s Nimby Usual Suspects are quick to scream that something is historical whenever their institutions are threatened. And then they sue. They did that when dilapidated housing in the proposed Station District was threatened and they are doing it again now that folks are talking about bringing the Chivas USA soccer team to the Willowick Golf Course. Suddenly Willowick is, you guessed it, historical.
You don’t however hear these folks screeching about the pending change of Downtown Santa Ana’s Fiesta Marketplace, on Calle Quatro, to the “East End,” which is what the Chase family wants us to call this area now. And not one of the Usual Suspects is complaining about the pending eviction of El Centro Cultural de Mexico from the building on the West Side of Downtown Santa Ana, where they have been for over seven years. (Click here to read more about this story).
You see, in Santa Ana “historical” is in the eye of the beholder – and nothing Latino is ever deemed to have such value, at least not by the Usual Suspects.
That said, we cannot stop business and property owners from exerting their right to do with their property what they want to do with it. The Chase family appears to be hellbent on purging all things Latino from the “East End,” and making it an extension of the Artists Village. And whoever it is that is evicting El Centro appears to have similar ideas.
The sad thing is that our Artists Village is better for being in an area with Latino influence. It makes our Artists Village more interesting. Whitewashing Downtown Santa Ana actually makes our Artists Village less interesting.
It is worth noting that the “Godfather” of the Santa Ana Artists Village, Don Cribb, is one of the Usual Suspects crying foul over the proposed move of the Chivas USA soccer team to the Willowick Golf Course. How ungracious of him. The people of Santa Ana spent a fortune to put in place his vision of an Artists Village. The least he could do is get out of the way and let Mayor Miguel Pulido try to improve the rest of Santa Ana.
Make no mistake about it – there is a concerted effort at hand to de-Latino-ize Santa Ana. That this is happening while we have an all-Latino City Council in place is beyond ironic.
I hope that our City Council members will try to help El Centro Cultural de Mexico to find a new home. It might be too late to save the Fiesta Marketplace, but we can at least help out El Centro, before it is too late. Turning Downtown Santa Ana into another Irvine would be beyond tragic.
Imagine if we could find the money to restore the old YMCA building on Civic Center and put El Centro there – eventually? How awesome would that be?
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The new Fiesta Marketplace, ala East End, has nothing to do with race or gender. It is about the changing demographic in Santa Ana. There are still a majority of hispanics, no surprize there, but there is also an influx of young (under 30) into the neighborhoods and businesses. This is purely market influences. It has nothing to do with politics or race. These are pure market influences. Isn't there a way to have Mexican influences along with the new market? The market will decide. And those of you who continuously say that Santa Ana is a done deal for crime....you have not been here for years!
One of the best articles I have read from you all year Admin! We all tend to be hypocrites from time to time. I did think that it was quite ironic that the Mayor was having Downton Inc. push for "Mexican" Chivas at the same time that they were trying to move most of the "Mexican" population out of Fiesta Village. Hypocrisy is abound everywhere in this city these days. Including myself. How do you expect the public to regard a secret city government though that appears to embrace blatant hypocrisy? With Suspicicion.
Why doesn't Miguel claim the Artists Village and sit down with actual Village Artists instead of just taking the advice of Cal State Fullerton and Whitewashing, Gentrifying Dreamers. He should invite Gerardo as well. P.S. Downtown Inc. does alot of terrific things for the Village. Unfortunately though, not as much as they could because they are dominated by certain property/owner interests that are not part of the artists village.
Three Downtown Arts/Cultural Centers worthy of support and preservation besides Grand Central and OCCA.
1) The Cultural Center De Mexico (move it within the Artists Village or YMCA if they are losing their lease.)
2) The Santora Building for the Arts( they have no historical plaque, unlike Grand Central)
3) The East Village Arts Complex (Where the are having newly promoted events that you recently posted.)
mateo,
Good ideas. I would also like to see a historical marker on the spot where the Usual Suspects of old burned down our Chinatown.
ocgrrl,
All I am saying is that it sure looks like a concerted effort to stamp out the Latino influence in our Downtown. This could have been done another way. It is too late for the Fiesta Marketplace but I hope at least that El Centro will survive.
Well Admin, you have your conspiracy theories, but to state them as "fact" is the same as lying. The Fiesta Marketplace is changing names at the wish of private property owners. Your desire to control private property rights is somewhat alarming, especially for a libertarian. I also hope El Centro will survive, but only if they can pay rent which is what utlimately caused the loss of many of the latino tenants in the Fiesta Marketplace. They were subsidized for years, and still could not pay rent. What private property owner would want that long term? If new businesses come in and make a go of it, I don't care if they are run by whites, latinos, greens, or purples. I just want them to succeed. THAT is Santa Ana pride.
ocgrrl,
You didn't state anything I didn't already acknowledge. What is unsettling about the Fiesta move is that it happened so quickly and the result is debatable. I have also previously written about the marketing and demographics changes - but if anything we need more Viet influence in Downtown SA, not more gabacho culture.
The market will decide if any of this will work.
As for El Centro, it is a precious cultural jewel. I hope that we all can come together to find a way to help it survive in some form or another.
"The Fiesta Marketplace is changing names at the wish of private property owners. Your desire to control private property rights is somewhat alarming...I also hope El Centro will survive, but only if they can pay rent which is what utlimately caused the loss of many of the latino tenants in the Fiesta Marketplace. They were subsidized for years, and still could not pay rent. What private property owner would want that long term? "
ocgrrl,
Do you feel the same way about Mike Harrah's property rights and the so-called artists not paying him rent?
Yes, I do. Just like the Fiesta Marketplace has subsidized the tenants for a time, Harrah will do the same for a time. If given these breaks, they still can't survive, then they should find somewhere else to rent where they can afford it. I am all for subsidies for a time, but eventually, that tenant has to make it or leave. Basic math.
BTW, "gabacho culture"??? That is the extremely racist. Whether it is "gabacho culture" like the Copper Door, Chapter One:the modern local, Crosby, Proof, Lola Gaspar, Gypsy Den, Mil Jugos, El Curtido, or others of the like, I am all about successful businesses. Whatever clientele comes to those places are their own personal choices, but I for one, prefer a business that makes the most of their business plan.
ocgrrl,
If Santa Ana gets rid of all Latino influence I can assure you that gabacho culture will not work. You can go to Irvine for that sort of thing.