WILL DOWNEY’S ECONOMIC OVERHAUL MEAN ANYTHING WITHOUT ARTS AND CULTURE?
By The Downey Patriot
These days it seems as though everywhere you look in Downey is soon going to look much different. Blueprints for restaurants, grocery stores and an assortment of civic projects are circulating in some of the best briefcases in town—and as each of these developmental plans becomes a real place, they are going to end up on the resumes of the ambitious businesspeople or politicians who are leading this transformation.
“You’re never going to have a more aggressive City Council—that wants to get things done—than you have now,” pronounced Councilman Mario Guerra. “We just approved the Downtown specific plan. We’re on the verge of revolutionizing the quality of life in Downey.”
But the question is whether the coming revolution will ultimately raise or ruin that quality—and one particular group believes the answer lies in arts and culture, which must run parallel with sustainable economic development if Downey’s makeover is truly going to mean anything.
Filmmaker Andrew Wahlquist is among the residents who hope Downey will follow the lead of other cities that have converted their humdrum downtowns into dynamic destinations for art and entertainment enthusiasts.
“The character of an area creates a draw towards people wanting to come here—like the Pomona Arts Colony, for example,” said Wahlquist, 32. “It’s amazing; in Pomona they have all these two-story buildings with a residence on top and a gallery underneath— basically someone’s home.”
Wahlquist created and operates Downeyarts.org, a blog that promotes local art, theatre, music and film.
“We’re the center of Orange County and Los Angeles,” Wahlquist said. “In Pomona, there’s something like 40 galleries now, coffee shops, monthly art walks…we need a transformation like that in Downey.”
Last month, at the request of The Downey Patriot, Guerra and Councilman Roger Brossmer hosted nearly a dozen Downey arts, conservancy and culture advocates who pleaded with community leaders to preserve the city’s history and architecture while offering more artistic and creative opportunities for Downey residents.
Brossmer began the discussion by touting the city’s new contract with a private outfit called VenueTech, which will operate the publicly owned Civic Theatre.
“I am very optimistic—this is a step in the right direction in getting the theater in play,” said Brossmer. “What excited me was not only the theater’s programming but also the arts, the connection to the downtown. They’re planning just as many things outside as they are inside. I’m super excited about this.”
Guerra said he would love to see the old Avenue Theater—a long-ago movie house the city purchased in 2008 with housing funds—become a second venue for artistic events. But if no buyer steps forward, Guerra said the city is obliged to build housing on the property.
“Would our preference be to save the Avenue Theater? Absolutely,” Guerra said. “Why wouldn’t we? There’s this perception that somebody wants to buy it—great, show us a plan. I’m willing to meet with anybody. It’s just got to be feasible.”
For years Downey conservancy groups have been trying save the Avenue from demolition. George Redfox, local historian and photo teacher at Warren High School, believes saving mid-century modern architecture in homes and buildings will only better help define Downey.
“The art and the preservation go together,” Redfox said during the roundtable discussion. “The facts show that historic preservation drives up neighborhood values, the value of a city, but there’s always a reason why it can’t be done. The architecture gives the city character, a place and a time, and artists are attracted to that.”
Brossmer responded by questioning whether the Avenue Theater is relevant now that the Downey Theater’s programming will be revamped to offer more arts and culture events.
“As far as the Avenue Theater, it may be nostalgic, but I don’t see the history component of it,” Brossmer said. “And I got a theater 100 yards away that is my responsibility, so moving forward I’m much more energized on fully maximizing the potential of our existing theater—my money’s on the Downey Theater.”
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“The character of an area creates a draw towards people wanting to come here—like the Pomona Arts Colony, for example,” said Wahlquist, 32. “It’s amazing; in Pomona they have all these two-story buildings with a residence on top and a gallery underneath— basically someone’s home.”
Every city should have this. What’s usually missing from the two-bit “social engineers” getting their palms greased by developers in one way or another–I’m looking at you, city council–is a modestly assisted artists community. Without a solid and diverse artistic community, a city usually becomes a stark noirish environment, much like the inner life of most local developers.
“Without a solid and diverse artistic community, a city usually becomes a stark noirish environment, much like the inner life of most local developers.”
Brilliant!