A story, by Amy Taxin, ran in the OC Register on December 20, and it might have escaped the attention of most Santa Ana residents – however it has been passed around to those who opposed the “One Broadway Plaza (OBP)” and it has confirmed suspicions about this project and its developer, Mike Harrah (pictured at left). I cannot find the article on the Register’s website at this point, but I have included a few excerpts below.
The bottom line is that it is now looking like Harrah is having major trouble delivering this project to fruition. He was supposed to secure tenants for at least half the building before starting construction. He hasn’t found even one. Check out this quote:
Didn’t Tim Rush and the Santa Ana Historical Society give him their annual Man of the Year award at a fancy dinner a few years ago? What’s the deal…do they love him or hate him?
Neither historic preservation nor One Broadway Plaza are about loving or hating Mike Harrah. He’s done an excellent job of revitalizing disused vintage buildings… his seismic retrofit and rehabilitation of the Masonic Temple at 5th and Broadway was the impetus of the Historical Preservation Society’s recognition, but the adaptive reuse of the United Auto Building (now “Original Mikes, 1st and Main), the Santora Building (2nd and Broadway), and the Bank of America (now the OC Pavillion, 8th and Main) are also noteworthy and praisworthy. But those good projects are not poker chips that get traded in for a bad one. I’m not going to rehash all the reasons I opposed One Broadway; that argument is over.
Planning Commissions and City Councils should not be approving projects because they like (or love) the developer; they shouldn’t be refusing projects because they don’t like (or trust) the developer. Each project needs to be evaluated on its own merits.
We now have a chance to see One Broadway make good on the promises made to the City, and the campaign pledges made during the referendum. For the sake of this City which I love, I hope it comes through.
Well said Paul. The success of One Broadway Plaza is important for all of Santa Ana. If Harrah can not attract enough tennants to come to Downtown Santa Ana, that does not reflect positively for the city. Let’s hope that there are enough wise companies that know how beneficial it would be to be located in the heart of Orange County.
Harrah has failed to deliver on the terms set forth in the development agreement. Alas, someone is holding him to task about not meeting the Dec. 1 annual report deadline.
Leo’s comment is the best… “ambitions ran high.” That could best be translated as … our elected officials and appointed Planning Commissioners were asleep at the wheel.
Prior to the approval of the project, and during the referendum, Harrah claimed he had the building leased out.
Where are the tenants?