“We sat through this meeting talking about a minor variation here, a minor variation there, [while] this project tramples on the zoning regulations like Godzilla through Tokyo,” Garfinkel said. “I moved to this block, I put all of my money, every penny I had [into moving to Long Beach]…and I moved to this block for this zoning, because it’s a nice block. This will destroy the block.”
Maura Turner, of Lindell boulevard, also commented on the development proposal Thursday night, raising issues with the proposed height of the building, the shade it would create, the removal of a section of boardwalk railing and the removal of memorial benches along the stretch of the boardwalk in front of the West Broadway property.
“My family has lived our lives on the sand and the boards in front of this property since 1975. Washington Beach, summer sun, winter walks, bike rides, jogging,” Turner said. “My mother, sister, brother, nieces and nephews own at least nine homes in Long Beach. Six of them are betweenLaurelton and Lindell Boulevards. This is our neighborhood, we know what is in keeping with the neighborhood and what is not. This proposal is not in keeping with our neighborhood…This will be a blank slate once it is demolished, so why can’t this blank slate be treated like any other blank slate in Long Beach and stay to code?”
While there was considerable opposition voiced at the meeting, there was also a voice in favor of the development. Susan Frushtick, of West Broadway, said the development could serve as a “breath of fresh air” in the city.
“I’m thrilled that this building is coming,” Frushtick said. “It’s about time that we had something new, good-looking and modern, and I think all of the objections come from people living in private homes who don’t understand how wonderful it is to live in a high rise with views of the ocean.”