I write with urgency and conviction that the proposed downtown Macy’s Redevelopment Plan is dreadfully wrong.
Everyone agrees something must be done about the Macy’s building, but this plan is not it. It is staff-driven, developer-friendly, and citizen-silent. It lacks support from both the Planning Commission and the Historic Landmarks Commission. The Planning Commission, indeed, stands unanimously opposed. We are ready to help design a solution — but have not been asked.
The plan arrived before the Planning Commission fully formed out of a black box, from an out-of-town developer managing $785 billion in global assets. The developer’s awareness of Santa Barbara’s history is paper-thin. Its architect spoke warmly of his “long relationship” with the city but mislabeled all the renderings — apparently unaware of the compass directions of our streets.