sr-062061-6vCITY OF SANTA MONICA
7
DATE: June 6, 1961
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: George Bundy, City Manager ~~;~7 ~,~~~~
`` ~ ir~~fll9ol
SUBJECT: Progress Report -Department Store in Central Busines ~~istr~~t'~" f&
The Santa Monica Central Area report, prepared and submitted by
Victor Gruen Associates in October 1960, contained this recommen-
dation:
"A major new department store. should be brought into the
established primary retail core by the utilization of every means
and effort available to the City and the downtown merchants.'"
The City Council,. at its regular meeting of February 14, 1961, in-
structed the City Manager ''to ascertain interest, and under what
conditions, relative to locating a major department store" in the
Central Business District (CBD).
At the same meeting, the Council voted in favor of reorganizing
the Citizens. Progress Committee (CPC), placing thereunder the
responsibility of formulating plans to implement the Gruen report.
In early March, a Central Business. District Committee (CBDC) was
established as an operating division of the CPC. Mr. Ralph Lamb
was appointed. CBDC Ch2irman.
On March 16, 1961, a meeting of various CPC members, City offi-
cials and interested citizens was held. Plans were discussed re-
garding the structure of the. CBDC. A similar meeting was held
March 23, 1961, and three sub-committees were formed, viz.
(1) Department Store (DSSC)
(2} Mall (MSC)
(3) Parking, Transit and Traffic (PTTSC)
_2_
The DSSC held a meeting several days later and reported to the
CBDC on March 30 that an economic study would be necessary to
interest a department store chain in a CBD site. Four competent
economic consultants were. considered. The cost of the economic
study was estimated to be $5, 500, which sum the DSSC proposed
to raise solely from local business. The DSSC was authorized to
solicit the necessary funds, and accounting procedures were ar-
ranged. The D5SC further reported that one major chain had been
contacted, and others would be in the future:
The CBDC function in April concerned MSC endeavors and met on
April 27. All sub-committees also held meetings.
A CBDC meeting was held on May 4. The DSSC. reported that local
business. had pledged or paid sums sufficient to finance the economic
study. The DSSC was authorized to contract for the study. The DSSC
further reported that there were only two feasible ways of assembling
land sufficient for a department store site, viz. , private investment
or Redevelopment Agency procedures. The DSSC is studying these
alternatives.
The DSSC, on May 15, entered into a contract with Larry Smith and
Company for an economic study at a cost of $5, 500. The study is
now underway and will be completed on or about July 15, 1961.
GEODE BUNDY
City Manager
GB/emc