Team Bisno punked as 31 story tower project gets delayed

Team Bisno showed up in full force to tonight’s public hearing concerning their ridiculous proposed 31 story luxury condo tower, which is supposed to be situated by the City Place.  The Santa Ana Planning Commission heard from a Bisno hack first, then I had a chance to light into him.

The Bisno spokeshole was so boring I almost fell asleep.  But he did admit that the EIR found that their tower would have a negative impact on traffic at least until the year 2030.  And they found that the shadow cast by their monstrous tower would indeed affect homes and Park Santiago. 

I got up and pointed out the irony of seeing Bisno use human signs to tout their City Place auction, which took place this weekend.  They had to sell their units for a lot less than they originally listed them!  So one has to wonder, why build more overpriced condos that they will have to auction off in the future?

I also pointed out the fact that the Park Santiago Neighborhood has only three entrances – this stupid tower would make entering via the Edgewood entrance a complete nightmare.  And I asked if Bisno ever communicated to our neighbors via anything more than legal notices – which no one reads.  And I asked if any information was ever sent out in Spanish.

No one else from the public got up to speak during the hearing.  Park and Recreation Commissioners Julie Stroud and Tish Leon were there, but they did not speak about this agenda item.  Thomas Gordon arrived there late, but he did arrive in time to hear Team Bisno pontificate about their ill-advised project.

Bill Hamerstein, another Bisno schmuck, then got up to rebut my comments.  He admitted that he was not sure if the tower would ever be built – and he wondered if his grandchildren would ever live there.  I doubt any of this guy’s family would EVER live here in Santa Ana!

Hammerstein then tried to say that the auction was necessary in order to create momentum.  Hey, I’m sure that the poor saps who paid full price for the City Place condos were very pleased to see them sell at a huge discount!  Hammerstein had to admit that he could only sell the units, which were priced originally at $750,000, for $500,000.  That is still too much!

Hammerstein also said that he sold 21 of the units at the auction and three more later.  Well, he still has a long way to go before he dumps all of these overpriced condos!

After his dumb comments, Planning Commissioner Vicky Betancourt weighed in with some even dumber questions.  Rather than ask Hammerstein if he bothered to do an Latino outreach, she asked about “Sustainable Building Practices.”  I had to laugh as she asked this and immediately took a swig of water from a plastic water bottle.  Nice dedication to green practices there Icky Vicky!

Afterwards, our blogger and Planning Commission Member Sean Mill asked to put aside any vote on this project until a later date.  Eventually Mill’s motion to delay approval came to a 3-1 vote, with Pulido hack Jim Gartner voting “no.”  Planning Commissioners Eric Alderete and Patrick Yrarrazaval were absent.

I hope we can get more people to the next meeting!  In either case, a delay is a win for us.  Too bad Team Bisno!  By the way, I wonder when these hacks are going to take down the giant “Pulido” sign at the City Place?


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.