1st-class city deserves new hall

Wendy Brooks

On April 2, I attended the meeting at City Council Chambers, on the

subject of “Renovate or Replace Our City Hall.”

I must say, I was appalled at the rudeness exhibited by some of

the attendees, who were not even willing to give those presenting the

plan the courtesy of listening to the presentation.

As an aside, I would like to mention that I am not unfamiliar with

architecture, the world over. Even though I am not an architect, I am

passionate about architecture as one of the greatest forms of art and

culture that can be left as a legacy to mankind.

I have been an affiliate member of the American Institute of

Architects for most of my adult life in Los Angeles, as well as

having transferred my membership to the Orange County chapter

immediately upon moving to Newport Beach over 10 years ago.

Newport Beach’s rundown, outdated, patchwork, eyesore, shack of a

City Hall is an absolute disgrace for a world-class city such as

ours.

It has been overdue for a major replacement for decades. In every

way, Newport Beach is a first-class city. We should have a City Hall

in keeping with the rest of the city’s image.

From what I understand, it is desperately in need of upgrading,

including more space, technology, security, a public meeting room,

parking, seismic renovation and major improvement in terms of

aesthetics.

Building something special and lasting in this location could also

begin a trend of upgrading of the entire immediate area, which I

understand has been declining in value recently.

Has anyone seen Irvine’s high-tech, steel and glass, multi-story,

City Hall? At least it looks like it’s going into the future, instead

of into the past. It is somewhat in keeping with the futuristic,

curvilinear, glass (reflecting waves of both sound and water) concert

hall currently being built, adding to Costa Mesa’s prestigious art

center, between South Coast Repertory and the Performing Arts Center,

designed by the same award-winning, world-class architect, Cesar

Pelli.

Pelli also created the curved, high-rise, stainless steel building

near South Coast Repertory, 30 some years ago, which was so ahead of

its time, it looks like it might have been built only yesterday.

Like the cities adjacent to us, it’s time for a city with the

status of Newport Beach to have a sizable, architecturally

significant, commercial structure.

If we don’t construct something somewhat futuristic in appearance,

we need to be thinking in terms of the next 50 years, my concern is

that we will always be playing catch-up, not to mention how much more

expensive and inefficient it is to keep adding construction in

stages.

Anyone who has done even a minor residential remodel can attest to

that.

Look how dated our buildings appear now. They bear the stamp of

the exact years they were built because they were not created with

the future in mind. The design of these original buildings was

restricted by fear of repercussion, rather than inspired by talent.

Let’s not make the same mistake again.

* WENDY BROOKS is a Newport Beach resident.