I spit coffee all over my monitor this morning as I read this in TMS:
“When I first brought up that the façade of the library looks like a ski chalet … everyone laughed,” said Kevin Korenthal, a member of the Newhall Redevelopment Committee. “The more we look at it, the more it really looks like a ski chalet.”
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, several members from the committee and the Old Town Newhall Association told council members the design of the library on Lyons Avenue doesn’t fit in with the Old West look of Main Street, which includes wood-plank sidewalks and hitching posts.
City Council members agreed.
Mayor Laurene Weste and council members Marsha McLean, Laurie Ender and Bob Kellar all said they wanted to go back to the drawing board to make sure the library incorporates the history of Newhall.
OMG. 4 Real? SRSLY?
They’re calling into question the design of the library now? In this budget climate, in this time? When we should feel lucky to have the wherewithal and resources to build in the first place?
Where were you Johnny Come Latelies in 2008, when the City of Santa Clarita held public meetings to discuss the look, feel, features and design of the new Newhall Library? Where were you when the City released these sketches back in August of 2009? Kevin Korenthal, you are on the damn committee that approved these plans. Why are you bringing this up now?
Why is this coming up now a week after these same City Council members busted out the golden spades and broke ground in our beloved Newhall?
And what the hell is this?
“Old Town Newhall Association told council members the design of the library on Lyons Avenue doesn’t fit in with the Old West look of Main Street”
The Old West look of Newhall? Come again?
Does this look Ye Olde West to you?
How about this?
Spanish Colonial Style, not Olde Weste!
At best, Newhall is a funky mix of different architectural styles. Aside from the Western Walk of Stars and say, Melody Ranch, there’s very little to suggest Old West in Newhall. Witness:
How many stained glass windows existed in the rootin' tootin' old west?
or this:
Victorian Style. It even says on the sign.
And it’s not just Victorian styles in Newhall either. Over in the Latin Quarter on Walnut Street, we have a school auditorium that is very suggestive of 1930s Art Deco:
Hart’s Mansion isn’t Old West. It’s Spanish Colonial:
And the Newhall Metrolink station, built just 10+ years ago by the City? It’s far from Old West:
There’s no Old West in evidence at the Community Center either:
Nope. Not here!
Just so it’s clear to our City Council and people like KK, let me show you what is and what is not Old West:
Not Old West. Just because Vasquez Rocks existed during the Old West does not make it Old West today (or in the future)
Definitely Old West. It happened in Melody Ranch, it's sepia-toned, and there is period clothing
Hey City Council: Themed Developments belong in Valencia in places like Bridgeport, not in scrappy Newhall. We like our diversity and mix of styles here, mkay? Please don’t take that away from us, it’s really all we have left in this sea of sameness.
Build. The. Damn. Library.
Unless this is a smokescreen for some other problem?
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Jeff,
I do not recall ever being asked to give my opinion on the facade prior to earlier this year. Upon the first time I saw the facade design I remarked in the open NRC meeting that it reminded me of a ski lodge. A number of NRC committee members shared their discomfort with the design at that time and in subsequent discussions. We were told by staff that the City Council had made their decision on the facade design and that it was final. Though I do not deny that outreach meetings might have been scheduled, NRC members invited and the events might have taken place, I have no no recollection of them. The library project is a particular issue I have taken a great deal of interest in because my initial thoughts were that a $25 million library might not be the best use of our limited funds. As it turns out, the citizens of Santa Clarita disagree with me and upon seeing the list of impressive technology, study areas, meeting rooms and other amenities that would be contained in the library, I was turned into a supporter.
I tend to agree with the Downtown Newhall business owners that say that the facade design does not fit in with the motif of the area. Your pictorial presentation, though exhaustive and impressive, does not convince me that the ski lodge design fits in. All of the design elements you highlighted have a similar theme, they point to Americana circa the beginning of the 20th Century. As far as I know, European Ski Lodges have never been prevalent in turn of the century California.
Kevin, you sort of walked right into this one, but the most iconic American architecture style of the early 20th century is the craftsman style, without a doubt. And while it might not be a great example of it, this library façade design is clearly in the craftsman style. It was is style most often associated with our greatest architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Many, many homes built in the early 20th century in Southern California are in this vein, in places like Pasadena, Franklin Hills, and yes, even Newhall.
You know I love you, right? But if you can’t distinguish between craftsman and “ski lodge”, maybe architectural review isn’t your calling.
Then let us agree that architectural review isn’t my calling. Having said that, Craftman or otherwise, it looks like a ski lodge.
For some background, I quote the estimable “navigator” from when this came up on SCVtalk before:
navigator says: September 25, 2009 at 12:57 pm
As I stated previously, the Craftsman style was definitely not my first choice of design for the library but it is consistant with what was actually constructed in Newhall in the early 20th century. If all goes as planned there will be a computer center there as well.
Did I say that?
It’s true, which is why it is one of the styles included in the Downtown Newhall Specific Design Plan. It’s also true that it is the least favored design. It’s also true that we had reviewed the architects designs prior to that post and asked for a better design and it was brought back to us as a done deal.
I think Bill’s should move into the building when it is complete. That’s the ticket.
Billy’s that is.