By Anne K Williams
February 11 -- The planning is over, the final appointments have been made and it is time for the new Bayside District to take effect.
This month, the new 13-member Bayside District Corporation Board that will oversee some $3.5 million in new assessments to spruce up the Downtown and make it more inviting will convene its first meeting.
Last month, Todd Flora, Patricia Hoffman and Kelley Wallace were appointed to four-year terms, while Barbara Bryan, Rob Rader and Johannes Van Tilburg were appointed to 2-year terms. All six are currently serving on the Bayside Board.
In their applications for the positions to the city council, these familiar faces talked about what they hope to bring to Bayside as it undergoes its biggest transformation in two decades.
BARBARA
BRYAN
Barbara Bryan is a small business owner with a large vision and a host of interests. Her Interactive Café at 215 Broadway reflects her eclectic edge.
Originally an art gallery, Bryan’s popular hangout now also includes computer terminals, news and magazine racks and menus that feature a full gamut of coffees and teas.
In her years as a board member, she has brought the perspective of a small business owner to the table.
“I live here in Santa Monica, and that’s one of the charms of the city – having a diversified population and diversified shops,” Bryan said when she was first appointed to the Board.
“That’s what gives the color to Santa Monica,” she said.
But, like the international clientele at her café, Bryan’s goals range far afield.
She uses her talents as a journalist and film promoter to deepen “cultural understanding” and, on the board, “to contribute to a better presentation of the City of Santa Monica world-wide.”
TODD
FLORA
Though relatively new to the board, Todd Flora brings energy and experience working in public relations and with nonprofit finances.
“I have tackled my duties with enthusiasm and passion and in a collaborative spirit as we have worked toward well-thought-out solutions to the myriad issues facing downtown Santa Monica,” Flora said of his first year on the board.
As manager of Corporate Citizenship at IBM Corporation in Glendale and a member of the SMRR steering committee, Flora brings a comprehensive vision to his job on the Bayside Board.
“I have been on both sides of many a request for proposal,” said Flora, who also is a member of the Heal the Bay board of directors.
One of Flora’s goals is “to be a strong fiscal steward of public and private dollars and ensure they are being used effectively to improve our city.”
An 11-year resident of Santa Monica, Flora says his views have grown as the city has changed.
“I am a very frequent customer Downtown who views Downtown with great pride coupled with a healthy dose of objectivity.”
PATRICIA
HOFFMAN
Patricia Hoffman is known to anyone who’s been involved in local civic affairs over the past two decades.
A former member and president of the School Board, Hoffman has run for City Council and currently sits on the steering committee for Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR), the powerful tenants group that has controlled City Hall for most of the past three decades.
Hoffman, who also has served on the Commission on the Status of Women and the City Charter Review Committee, is an expert in parliamentary procedure. Formerly Vice Chair of the Bayside Board, Hoffman plans to keep an eagle eye on the Bayside to assure it continues to serve local Santa Monicans.
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“I will continue to look after the public’s interest in maintaining the Promenade, Bayside and Downtown as destinations for our residents,” Hoffman said. “In addition, I will help protect the diversity, vitality and the economic interests of the area as we move forward in these uncertain times.”
Hoffman draws on her experiences as a local business owner, resident and political activist.
“I am deeply committed to the City of Santa Monica and the people living and working here,” she said. “I have years of experience with both leadership and group process.”
ROB
RADER
An entertainment lawyer with a “fascination with themed and location-based entertainment,” Rob Rader brings to the board his business and legal skills – along with his perspective as family man.
“When I first applied, I wrote that the Promenade was our Roman Forum.” Rader said. “I still believe that.”
“It is a unique convergence of public and private and requires a special touch to maintain that balance,” he said.
Rader has served with a host of community organizations and is now a member of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees. His goal on the Bayside Board is to make downtown easier to get to and more inviting.
“I want people to think of downtown Santa Monica as ‘their space’ for entertainment, meals, shopping and simply gathering, so I want to do everything possible to make it desirable for residents and tourists.”
JOHANNES
VAN TILBURG
Architect Johannes Van Tilburg brings a passion for mixed-use housing to the Downtown. As principal of the local firm Van Tilburg, Banvard and Soderberg, he’s designed projects throughout the Bayside including Janss Court on the Promenade.
“I have an aesthetic stake in the progress of the Promenade,” said the 10th-generation architect who immigrated to California from Holland more than 40 years ago.
“As a property owner of 225 Arizona Avenue and 1207 4th Street, I have an economic interest in the well-being of the Bayside District,” Van Tilburg added.
In addition to working out of his Santa Monica office, Van Tilburg lectures at the nation’s top architectural schools and has created maps of ceremonial architecture on Easter Island in collaboration with his archeologist wife Dr. Jo Anne Van Tilburg.
“A successful and vital Downtown is an asset to everyone in Santa Monica – residents, visitors, businesses and property owners alike,” he said.
KELLEY
WALLACE
Practically everyone who’s been Downtown during the past decade has heard of Above the Fold Newsstand and its owner Kelley Wallace.
That’s because the popular newsstand is right in the middle of the Third Street Promenade, displaying papers and magazines from around the world.
And Above the Fold’s advantageous position gives Wallace an edge when it comes to feeling the pulse of the internationally-famous walkway.
“I interact with residents, employees and tourists six days a week,” Wallace said. “This interaction gives me a broad perspective on what people are looking for when they come to Downtown Santa Monica.”
Wallace hopes to continue to bring his unique perspective to Bayside’s diverse board.
“I will continue the dialogue that has helped the different stakeholders groups come together and trust each other,” Wallace said. “I will also strive to maintain transparency in all board affairs, so the public remains confident in the City Council’s decision to support our efforts.” |
