Westside senior center a no-go
This is an view of the proposed 93-unit senior housing project on 16th Street and Medical Center Drive that the council rejected Dec. 17.
6th Ward Councilman Rikke Johnson - who represents that Westside community - led the charge against the proposed facility, arguing that its high density had too much potential for harm in the community.
Councilmembers Neil Derry and Chas Kelley supported the Irvine-based developers' plans, with Kelley calling it a "good project."
The 2-acre lot, about a block from the community hospital, remains vacant.
Here is what the complex would have looked like from street-level:
This is an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, the Westside could use a senior housing complex - especially near a hospital - and would appear to be an area in the city where we should hope vacant lots get filled-in with new buildings.
On the other hand, the density is higher than most of the council was comfortable with, nearly 50 living units per acre. The enclosed garage was also a concern, with some councilmembers and City Attorney James F. Penman believing such structures often become hives of crime.
Johnson said he had negotiated for many months with the developers about lowering their density, but they wouldn't budge below the final 93-units.
Derry said the move made San Bernardino look as un-business friendly as ever.
Kelley said the Westside needed this dose of development.
The developer was miffed over working with the city for three years before seeing the axe put to their project.
2nd Ward Councilwoman Esther Estrada said Kelley and Derry were playing double-standards, supporting a high-density project in the poorer wards that they would never tolerate in their single-family home laden wards.
Johnson pointed out that the Westside will have plenty of development in the next few years and that decisions of what, when and where should be very careful so as to not botch the opportunity to develop the Westside of the future.
It was pretty divisive. In the end, the weeds still grow at that corner ...
It's obvious the Rikke Van Corruption's family would not enefit from this development, so why should he support it???!!!
Maybe the developer should change the project from senior homes to parolee homes and I'm sure that he would get the "nod" and "Van Wink"!
BTW "Density" is too big of a word to be in Rikke's vocabulary...wonder who IM'd the word to him...
Hasn't anyone figured out yet that Rikke wants his ward filled with warehouses? Residents could complain and would take up his time, besides providing more targets for the gangbangers in his area.
And Esther will complain about anything that isn't on the Mayor's agenda. Simple fact.
Mr. van johnson got his feathers ruffled when I said that I could not figure out what the exact special interests were for the four amigos in denying the City Attorneys's office to do its job and do what other local and smaller cities have already done. I guessed that his special interest was keeping his work going by having the parolees roll into town unchecked. this was at the 1-07-08 meeting.
In the future elections, all the Council members who denied the Senior complex will be charged as being against seniors by anyone challenging them for their council position. It appeared to me as if Ms. Estrada did not get any type of a kick back in order to approve this project. She was really "uppity" in throwing the picture of the proposed complex as if it was a piece of used toilet tissue. It sounded really ridiculous when she said that it could have used a fountain. Gimme a break! She was miffed because the developer did not wine her and dance her in order to get the project approved. This facility was close to the hospital, for crying out loud. The area is a well lit area and well policed by the SBPD. There is no place in that part of our community that would have been safer; that is, if anyone can count on being safe unless you are in one of the Operation- Phoenix/Albatross areas.