Bridge subsidy? I thought Disney was paying for the pedestrian bridge?
I'm not sure I'm qualified to determine what's "out-of-scale", and that's actually subjective to an extent, but the neighboring properties are a mix of designs and character.
I do agree with the look of the Bridge issue. Disney focused on the areas where their guests will be on it (Walkway and safety fences on the edge), and built a very basic bridge (Think the Disneyland Drive Bridge and Downtown Disney). The city should make Disney spend some money to make the street views of the bridge a bit nicer than Generic).
The rest is pretty much what we have talked about in the past....
Should be interesting to see the date when the actual hearing will be held. Disney is worrying behind the scenes about possible delays.
The aesthetics of the bridge is the one thing I agree with the Harbor merchants about. TDA should be forced to come up with a better looking design. As it is now, it looks like a freeway overpass with some abstract Mickey heads stuck to it. This is a typical example of Disney being cheap when it thinks it can get away with being cheap.
If these business owners are going to demand that Disney improve the look of the district with a prettier bridge then Disney ought to demand that McDonald's, The Park Place Inn, and 7Eleven hire a few talented architects to redesign their ugly properties.
For the uninitiated here's a good visual of how Harbor Blvd appeared looking north from Katella in the 60s.
It remained basically the same until the DLR transformation in 2001.
For the uninitiated here's a good visual of how Harbor Blvd appeared looking north from Katella in the 60s.
It remained basically the same until the DLR transformation in 2001.
No one's going to use your lousy freeway when they can take the monorail for a nickel!I see a place where people get on and off the freeway. On and off. Off and on. All day, all night. Soon, where Disneyland once stood will be a string of gas stations, inexpensive motels, restaurants that serve rapidly-prepared food. Tire salons, automobile dealerships and wonderful, wonderful billboards reaching as far as the eye can see! My God, it’ll be beautiful.
Is there anyway the city or Disney can shut down Tiff's for the same reason? Worst restaurant ever!I just thought of something this morning... I haven't seen the owners of Captain Kidd's Buffet at any of the meetings or mentioned.
Heck, that is one good reason for the city to close down the crosswalk on Harbor, public safety against food poisoning.
For the uninitiated here's a good visual of how Harbor Blvd appeared looking north from Katella in the 60s.
It remained basically the same until the DLR transformation in 2001.
While I want to be sympathetic to the (relatively) small business along Harbor, I think we all have to admit that the overwhelming reason for their existence is Disneyland, and the customers Disney attracts. (And I know the Convention Center is a draw, but it was built in the mid 60's, and it's location was no accident.) While there may be a somewhat symbiotic relationship, it's nowhere near a 50/50 situation.
An analogy I think of is that in most of California, you can't buy a view. You can purchase a house or property with a certain view, but if somebody with surrounding property decides to build something that blocks that view (following local laws and zoning) you're out of luck. While those Harbor businesses assumed (correctly) that Disneyland would remain in existence for their foreseeable future, their fairly direct access to Disney's pedestrian customers was never guaranteed. I would hope they would appreciate their decades-long ride.
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