OPINION
Owners of “The Alhambra” development appeal to the public (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net)
Never in my life have I heard of private developers appealing to the general public to “urge the city to approve” their multi-million (billion?) dollar project.
By Melissa Michelson
This is just what owners of The Alhambra, at the corner of Fremont and Mission in Alhambra, are attempting to do.
1,061
residential units,
4,347
parking spaces
The Ratkovich property owners have included a contact form on the bottom of the webpage for their get-rich project called “the Villages”, that is still-unapproved and still in the Draft Environmental Impact phase, as they attempt to garner public support for what is likely to be a very controversial project.
The Ratkovich Company, along with Elite International Investment, intend to build 1,061 residential units with parking spaces for 4,347 cars at an already congested intersection of Fremont, the gateway to the 710 freeway from South Pasadena, Pasadena and beyond.
“Tell us your reason for support. Online support forms will be shared with City of Alhambra officials and staff.”
A screen grab of the “support” questions highlighted in red (Photo – thealhambra.net).
In addition to an expandable text box for the public to express their interest in the project with the developers, as well as with the City of Alhambra, the developers also include checkboxes where the public respondents can volunteer to attend or speak at a public hearing, record an audio-visual message, send email support to Alhambra’s elected officials, and write a public comment—all, of course, in support of the project.
Eight times
The form includes the words ‘support’ or ‘approve’ eight times. I wonder how many actual residents, not investors, will be supporting this project, especially not knowing the current pricing of the units or knowing what will be built across the street in the large empty lot on light-industrial land still awaiting development.
Stay tuned…
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