ERIC BEVER -- Community Commentary

I envision a Westside that is a focal point for Costa Mesa tourism: A

lively community of artists, writers, craftspeople, and antiques dealers,

much like Laguna Beach or Carlsbad. This type of development would take

advantage of our prime coastal location and would dovetail nicely with

the world-class institutions and the hometown feel of Costa Mesa.

The existing rundown housing would be replaced with condos,

single-family homes and high-end rentals. (Perhaps the city could limit

rentals to parcels of at least five acres and require on-site management

to help maintain the appeal of these rentals.) Heavy industry and rundown

retail would be replaced with essential retail and service businesses, a

variety of inns -- from bed and breakfasts to a small, high-quality hotel

overlooking the ocean. New cultural institutions would include the Costa

Mesa Museum of Modern Art, a grand city library and additional open

space, such as a sculpture garden or park.

Rather than the current proliferation of liquor stores, charities,

bars, clinics and pawn shops, the 19th Street area would include an

upscale supermarket and establishments one might find in the Mesa Verde

or Westcliff Centers, such as coffeehouses, a small hardware store, a

bike shop, ice cream parlor, etc. Existing light industrial areas could

be converted into gallery and studio space, a restaurant or antique row,

live entertainment venues or a local movie theater. High-quality,

inviting establishments would be the order of the day.

Streetscapes would be improved to reflect a beachy, high-quality and

safe community where a tourist could walk about without fear. The current

crop of light industry could be moved into a core area to reduce conflict

with residential and tourist areas. (In the Home Ranch development

perhaps?) The city could acquire the property at 19th Street and Newport

Boulevard for a City Hall campus, thereby moving the center of town

closer to the ocean, while balancing the allure of the South Coast Metro

area and re-creating our downtown area.

Costa Mesa has successfully reinvented a portion of the Westside with

the Courtyards, Harbor Center and Triangle Square developments. My dream

sees this level of quality flowing down 19th Street, Wilson and Victoria

streets and throughout the Westside.

We have an excellent coastal location to support this dream, and Costa

Mesa citizens have acknowledged the need for Westside Redevelopment for

over 25 years. . . . If our city leaders take the lead by creating a

Westside redevelopment area, this dream could become a reality. Wouldn’t

that be nice?

ERIC BEVER

Costa Mesa

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Bever is a founding member of the Costa Mesa

residents’ group Westside Improvement Assn.