A city of this size should have animal-care facilities
While acknowledging budget constraints, it is still very sad that
the third-largest city in the largest county in the United States has
no animal-services facility of its own ("Council says no to new
animal shelter," Feb. 12).
Residents of a city of 200,000 should not have to travel all the
way to Pasadena for quality animal services, nor wait for its staff
to travel here, with all due respect and gratitude for that fine, but
overburdened, facility.
I'm not alone in agonizing over the money unwisely or
inefficiently spent from the city treasury in the past few years,
which could have been invested in a state-of-the-art animal facility.
Meanwhile, the city should be, but is not, professionally and
aggressively pursuing corporate and other funding, as well as land,
with this future project in mind. The excellent feasibility study, in
whose focus group I participated, cost $53,000, which I hope will not
be wasted.
Perhaps a portion of the projected $3 million in tax revenues the
new Town Center will generate annually in its beginning years will
find its way to an animal-services facility budget.
JOANNE HEDGE
Glendale
Louvers could be redone, reduce energy costs
The Feb. 24 front-page article about the Glendale Federal building
states that it is "doubtful [the louvers removed from the building]
can be restored."
Actually, architects familiar with restoration techniques and
designing new uses for old buildings have assured me the louvers
could be remade to the original specifications. Even better, it seems
to me, would be to use modern materials that would recreate the
essential look and style of the former louvers while providing
greater transparency. This might have the added benefit of reducing
energy costs and justifying an energy tax credit.
There are lots of great ideas out there for how the building could
be adaptively reused to add excitement and attract tenants.
Innovative materials and design concepts abound. While political and
legal controversy about the building will take its inevitably
protracted course, the building slips further into disuse and
deterioration. I hope the owners will bring on board architects and
designers who have the skills and know-how needed to do the project
right. Our city deserves nothing less than the best.
DEBORAH DENTLER
Chairwoman, Glendale Historic Preservation Committee
Why is the city settling for the same-old same-old?
I have been a Glendale resident and property owner for more than
