Urban Land Institute conducts Technical Assistance Panel at Historic Wintersburg

 
   Last week, the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force was joined by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) for a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) which will result in findings and recommendations regarding alternatives for the property's historic preservation.   

LEFT: The Urban Land Institute team at Historic Wintersburg, preparing for their inspection of the property. A dozen ULI panelists and ULI staff spent several weeks doing advance research and dedicated two days to working on the TAP in Huntington Beach.(Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.

   The ULI is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members.  Founded in 1936, ULI has more than 33,000 members worldwide, representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines working in private enterprise and public service.  

   Through the TAP process, ULI facilitates an open exchange of ideas, information, and experience to arrive at informed findings and recommendations for challenging land use issues.  The ULI strives to achieve a balanced approach through the selection of panelists and through the stakeholder interviews, engaging community members with differing opinions, backgrounds and expertise.

   The TAP process was facilitated for the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (Trust), after a major fundraising effort in 2014.  The Trust and ULI have conducted similar efforts for historic properties with challenging issues and diverse stakeholders, such as the Houston Astrodome (read more at http://www.savingplaces.org/updates/urban-land-institutes-bold-report-declares-astrodome-can-and-should-live#.VXjCp0ZLUg4).

RIGHT: A ULI panelist talks about the century-old pines at Historic Wintersburg, with pioneer descendent Norman Furuta, whose grandfather planted the trees on the property.  Historic Wintersburg extends its appreciation to the Furuta family for continuing to be a resource for historical information. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.

   In 2012, the Trust and ULI announced a new research partnership designed to advance the preservation and reuse of older and historic buildings in major U.S. cities (read more at http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/sustainable-communities/green-lab/partnership-building-reuse/#.VXjBJkZLUg4).  This effort was initiated with ULI Los Angeles, the same organization which conducted the TAP for Historic Wintersburg.

LEFT: ULI panelists sequestered themselves for stakeholder interviews and panel deliberations at Huntington Beach's Main Street Branch Library, which itself is on the National Register for Historic Places.  Our appreciation to the Huntington Beach Libraries for their assistance with the two-day ULI TAP. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.

   Stakeholder interviews were an essential part of the TAP process.  Stakeholders included the property owners Republic Services/Rainbow Environmental, Oak View neighborhood  residents, Ocean View School District, Oak View Elementary School teachers and staff, Oak View Renewal Partnership, City of Huntington Beach elected and appointed officials, and the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force.  Each stakeholder group had the opportunity to talk about issues, visions and suggestions for the property in a discrete setting to encourage open discussion.

RIGHT: The Huntington Beach Art Center also provided space for stakeholder interviews, in a quiet, private setting.  The Art Center is located directly across Main Street from the Main Street Branch Library and currently is hosting an exhibit on California Impressionism through July 4, 2015. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.

  A detailed ULI TAP report is expected to be finalized in about eight weeks (estimated to be in August 2015), with a release of the report coordinated with the Trust.  A public announcement regarding the release of the report will be posted here.

LEFT: Historic Wintersburg Task Force volunteer Barbara Haynes created an original work of art--representing the history of the Furuta goldfish and flower farm--for each ULI panelist. Panelists also received a canvas bag and tourism information from Visit Huntington Beach, and a signed copy of Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.

Our thanks to those who supported this effort:

DONORS:
Over 100 financial donors from Huntington Beach and elsewhere in California and the West contributed to the fundraising effort, raising over $30,000 to make the ULI TAP possible, covering the logistical costs.  Additionally,  ULI panelists (representing experts from various disciplines in land use, preservation, economic development, and development) donated their time and expertise, bringing the actual value of the TAP analysis and report to over $100,000.  Donors will be recognized in the final report.

FACILITATORS:
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Urban Land Institute

STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPANTS:
Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force members and advisers
Republic Services / Rainbow Environmental
City of Huntington Beach elected and appointed officials
Mayor Jill Hardy*
Council Member Erik Peterson*
Oak View residents
Ocean View School District
Oak View Renewal Partnership
Oak View Elementary School teachers and staff

*City Council liaisons to the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force.

HOST VENUES
Main Street Branch Library
Huntington Beach Art Center 

LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT
Duke's 
Jan's Health Bar
Sugar Shack
De Guelle Glass
Visit Huntington Beach

Inside the children's wing of the Main Street Branch Library, prior to the start of the ULI TAP. Library staff held the weekly children's story time in another area of the Library in order to make this room available for this community effort. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 3, 2015) © All rights reserved.


DONATION INFORMATION: See our page on the City of Huntington Beach website, http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/i_want_to/give/donation-wintersburg.cfm

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historic-Wintersburg-Preservation-Task-Force/433990979985360

All rights reserved.  No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams Urashima. 

Court orders City to rescind 2013 CEQA action

-Updated June 3, 2015-

   Orange County Superior Court Judge Gail Andler ordered Huntington Beach on June 2, 2015, to rescind within 45 days the 2013 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) action---the Environmental Impact Report (EIR)---that rezoned the Historic Wintersburg property to commercial / industrial and included the approval for demolition.  Both actions are now moot.

   This action followed the June 1, 2015, Huntington Beach City Council meeting at which the Council voted to rescind the EIR and Statement of Overriding Consideration (the justification for demolition).

   Read the June 2 article from the Huntington Beach Independent at http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-me-0604-wintersburg-20150602,0,5201448.story

   Read the June 3 article from the Orange County Register at http://www.ocregister.com/articles/school-664113-company-city.html

   This week, the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force is joined by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) for a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) which will result in findings and recommendations regarding alternatives for the property's historic preservation.   

   This process involves a positive approach with stakeholder interviews to achieve broad community input.  Local stakeholders include: the property owner, neighborhood residents, adjacent school and school district, City of Huntington Beach officials and planning staff.  The National Trust will facilitate the technical assistance panel with ULI and provide input, including expertise in heritage tourism.

   We thank the many supporters, donors and businesses who are supporting this grassroots effort to save one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.  We will be posting updates as this process moves forward.