By Scott Lewis
We've heard the hype ad nauseum.
Superblock this, Superblock that. A hotel here, condo towers there. A conference center, upscale restaurants, plenty of parking, yeah, we've heard it all.
Which leaves one little question: What's so super about the Superblock anyway? Super for who? Super for what?
How about a super whoop-de-doo.
The City Council, led by President Joel Crystal, has outlined for potential developers what they want to see on the undeveloped parcel of land between Long Beach Road and Riverside Boulevard, from East Broadway south to the Boardwalk.
"It's at the beginning of another great adventure for this city," Mr. Crystal has said.
But whose adventure is it, really?
City Manager Bruce Nyman said that from a fiscal standpoint, the theory is that the Superblock site would strengthen the commercial tax base in the City. "You get a lot of property taxes and the residential taxes wouldn't have to be raised," Mr. Nyman said.
Which is all fine and good, but do the pros of such a plan really outweigh the cons? What about the fact that come summer, traffic along the beachfront is already intolerable. What will happen when companies come into Long Beach to take advantage of our precious Superblock? What's the traffic going to be like then?
And what about the tangible benefits for Long Beach? What exactly can we use as regards the Superblock? A nice restaurant is just that - nice - but how is that something "we'll all be proud of," as Mr. Crystal has said?
I commend the City Council for its commitment to growth. With the Waterfront Revitalization Project (which, by the way, looks like something that Long Beach can really make use of) also in the works, there is no question that the City is on the up and up. It just seems that we can make better use of the supposed Superblock.
They've been talking about turning the Park Avenue Twin into a multiplex, but wouldn't it make more sense to build a large movie theater at the Superblock instead of on Park Avenue? While the traffic problems near the beach would need to be addressed, it's still better than the stifling congestion that would occur on Long Beach Road and Park Avenue.
What about a multi-use entertainment complex with a small bowling alley, a batting cage, a miniature golf course, etc? How about something, anything, that the residents of Long Beach can actually utilize?
Sure, we've heard the hype. But wouldn't it be nice if the Superblock could actually live up to it and not become a Supercrock?
