1950-1960 Storrs 1974

Les Storrs Santa Monica Portrait of a City Yesterday and Today, Santa Monica Bank: Santa Monica, CA, 1974, 67 pp., 1950, 1950s

     "Not too long after the end of World War II, in 1950 to be specific, the City Council began a very tentative consideration of the possibility of redevelopment of parts of Ocean Park, a section of the city in which lots ranged from 11 to 25 feet in width, and from about 90 to 105 feet in depth, hardly adequate for substantial development without the necessity of consolidating several such properties.

     "Even when that was possible, and such assembling of lots usually encounters great difficulties, street widths were inadequate indeed.

     "The then City Council therefore asked for, and received a summary of the manner in which the area could be improved under the provisions of the Housing Act of 1949, but many years were to pass before anything was actually accomplished [who benefitted by the delay?]"

     " . . .  

     "George Bundy, member of an old and respected Santa Monica family, had served under Dorton as assistant city manager . . . succeeded him . . . and he, too suffered a serious heart attack.

     "His successor was Ernest Mobley, ex-Army officer . . . resigned shortly, followed by William A Hard, city controller and director of finance, acting city manager."

     " . . .

"As of this writing [1974], in fact, only the buildings which constitute Santa Monica Shores, on the property on Neilson Way, have been completed, in fact further development has been thrown into some doubt by reason of the provisions of Proposition 20, the initiative measure adopted by the voters of California in 1972 and which imposes strict limitations on all construction within 1,000 feet of the shoreline.

     "Subsequent to the building of Santa Monica Shores, considerable criticism was voiced, not only in Santa Monica but nationwide, on the ground that redevelopment tends to oust the poor from their homes and to build housing for the affluent on the same site.

     "Critics to some extent have overlooked the fact that under the law "decent safe and sanitary" housing must be found for those displaced, and that owners in all cases must receive fair market value for their holdings.

     "Records in Santa Monica indicate, however, that the majority of those displaced did not look to the redevelopment agency for help in relocating, but as is usual among Americans of all economic levels, depended upon their own capabilities in the search for new homes.{KR}

     "An exception occurred in the case of a number of persons of advanced age and who were receiving public assistance. A private, non-profit corporation was formed, and some of the newer apartment buildings within the redevelopment area were moved onto city owned property for the use of these people. The housing was considerably better than most of the buildings demolished in the redevelopment process. [KR]

     "The redevelopment area, of course, extends from Neilson Way to the beach, and from Ocean Park Boulevard to the southerly city limits."

     " . . ."

     "No discussion of this area wold be complete without some mention of the defunct Ocean Park amusement zone, and the cottage area which sprang up around it early in the present century. As a matter of fact, the cottages slightly preceded the amusement zone, which began when A.R. Fraser built his "Million Dollar Pier" in 1910, only to have it destroyed by fire in 1912, together with many of the cottages.

     "It was rebuilt immediately, to be destroyed again by fire in 1924. Other leaders in the early amusement park development included G. Merritt Jones, H.R. Gage, and Charles Lick.

"The amusement zone prospered during the period when the Pacific Electric Railway ran three car trains to the area every few minutes during the summer season, almost as often in winter, but it began to decline when the automobile came into general use. At the same time, cottages which had been intended as vacation homes for one family became permanent housing for as many as four families, as I have noted.

     "During the Thirties the entrepreneurs of individual amusement leases turned to gambling, usually labelled as bingo, keeno, or the like, as a means of separating the customer from his or her hard earned cash.

     "Originally, merchandize prizes were given to winners. Soon it became possible, by going to the proper address, to exchange a carton of cigarettes or whatever for money.

     "For a brief period, in fact, a full fledged Las Vegas style casino operated in what had been a dance hall.

     "With the advent of the council-manager government, however, law enforcement became more strict, and a new concept was developed for Ocean Park.

     "The Los Angeles Turf Club, operators of the Santa Anita track, sought diversification, already having a project at Lake Arrowhead. Together with a major broadcasting system [CBS, KR], they launched Pacific Ocean Park, which was intended to provide family type amusement. They leased the pier, the no longer used municipal auditorium which had been built on the beach adjoining the pier, and some privately owned property along the Ocean Front Promenade.

     "In setting up the project, it was evident that the operators had been encouraged by the success of Disneyland at Anaheim, and by Marineland on the Palos Verdes peninsula, and Pacific Ocean Park had some of the features of both.

     "For a time, the operation appeared to be a success, but attendance began falling off, and a new organization took over, cutting the admission price and making most of the amusement devices open to all who had paid at the main gate, without further charge.

     "The effort failed, and the operation went into a receivership. Almost endless litigation followed, so confused was the financial structure by that time.

     "As of 1974 the whole pier and adjacent structures were in ruins, aside from a small area which was leveled by the owner. From time to time large parts of the pier had been falling into the ocean as timbers decayed, and three major and many minor fires have contributed further to the scene of desolation.

     "Demolition has been determined to be the only solution, but the issue is somewhat complicated by the fact that the old amusement zone straddles the line between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The Santa Monica City Council, however, ordered demolition within its jurisdiction.

     "The fact that old-style amusement districts, such as once existed in Santa Monica, Venice and Redondo, are as outmoded as the horse and buggy, now has become quite clear. It is also obvious that Disneyland and Marineland completely meet the needs of Los Angeles county residents for the contemporary type of amusement park."

     " . . ."

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 Kelyn Roberts 2017