SR 12-06-2016 13E 13.E
December 6, 2016
Council Meeting: December 6, 2016 Santa Monica, California
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CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson -Warren, City Clerk , Records & Elections Services
Department
Date : December 6, 2016
13.E Request of Councilmember McKeown, Mayor Pro Tem Winterer, and Mayor
Vazquez th at the Council allocate from Council contingency funds $10,000
as a one -time matching incentive for fundraising to retain Bergamot
Station’s City Garage, a facility considered crucial to our community’s
long -term plans for a cultural campus at Bergamot, wh ere City Garage has
received a 50% rent increase from the private entity holding the master
lease until December of 2017.
City Garage • Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Ave., Building T1 • Santa Monica, CA 90404
tel. 310.453.9939 • citygarage@citygarage.org • w ww.citygarage.org
November 15, 2016
Mr. Michael R. Meyers
Chairman, Santa Monica Arts Commission
c/o Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Ave
Santa Monica CA, 90405
Dear Mike:
Thanks so much for your concern and offer of assistance with our rent problem at Bergamot Station.
As you know, in July of this year, our landlord, the current leaseholder, abruptl y informed us that he was imposing a
100% rent increase ef fective imme diately . This was without warning and without any change of circumstances. Like all of the
month -to -month tenants on the city -owned property at Bergamot we were highly vulnerable and had no leverage whatsoever
to negotiate. Nonetheless, in a face to face m eeting, our landlord agreed to scale the increase back to a 50% increase. This still
represents a sudden and drastic bu rden on a nonprofit of our size whose finances, like most such organizations, are break -even
at best. The one good outcome however was th at, foll owing your advice, I persuade d the landlord to also grant us an actual
lease which would take us to the end of his term, December 31, 2017. This provides us the stability and guarantee we need ed in
order to continue operating until the city passes the master lease to a new party.
The total increase , including additional deposit, to take us to the end of the term is $18,828. In previous discussions
you said that through the Commission you might be able to secure approval for a one -time, emergency grant of $10,000 to help
us make us it through this very challenging time. This money would be matched from our own donors and supporters. So far, I
have pledges of $6,000 toward that goal and am confident, with the Commission ’sAleadershipAasAanAexample;A we will make it
the rest of the way by December 31 st of this year.
I was very honored to serve with you on the Bergamot Advisory Committee and to have your support (as well as the
unanimous vote of the committee) in endorsing City Garage as a vital perfo rming arts component of both the existing Bergamot
as well as the arts -focused redevelopment that hopefully Council will vote to advance. I know that you agree that a vigorous
and diverse cultural ecosystem that includes performing arts is one of the best ways of broadening the type of activity at the
site much to the benefit of the community: extending its hours of usage, opening it to a wider range of Santa Monica citizens,
encouragingA“green”AaudiencesAusingAtheAnewAMetroAandA Big Blue Bus lines while not negatively impacting the daytime parking
load. We are proud to be already serving a steady, loyal, and expandi ng audienceAofAlocalAresidents,Awe’reA are also in ongoing
discussions with the Worthe Group and Santa Monica Cultural Affairs about how to streng then and expand our program in
order to bring the greatest possible cultural and civic benefit to Santa Monica for years to come. To do that, however, we have
to weather the short term.
Thank you again for your willingness to immediately jump in and help usAfindAaAsolutionAtoAthisApressingAproblem.AIt’sA
greatAtoAknowAthatAtheA rtsACommissionA;AunderAyourAleadership;AisAthereAforAtheAcity’sAnonprofitsAinAtimesAofAurgency.
Sincerely,
Charles Duncombe
Producing Director
City Garage at Bergamot Station