As the evaluation and analysis of the proposed Purple Line (“Subway to the Sea”) extension continues, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Beverly Hills High School board, members of the Beverly Hills City Council and a select number of homeowners are intent on potentially delaying a project that is critical to the long-term economic health and growth of the L.A. regional area. In contrast, the greater business community outside of Century City has ignored or discounted this debate. As the deadline for the final Environmental Impact Report draws closer, it is increasingly imperative that the L.A. business community invest itself in understanding the potential consequences that may unfold in the event the Beverly Hills activists succeed in achieving their agenda.
The issue in question is the location of the Century City subway stop. Currently, two locations are being considered. The first is on Santa Monica Boulevard at the north end of Century City and abuts the Los Angeles Country Club. This is the preferred location for Beverly Hills, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority would not need to tunnel underneath the Beverly Hills High School. The second location, on Constellation Avenue, is situated in the heart of Century City, but requires tunneling underneath the high school. While final data is still being gathered, common sense and decades of urban planning would suggest that the best location to achieve the greatest benefit is at the center of all the employment Century City offers, not one that loses almost half of the area, providing ridership to a golf course.
So far, most of the businesses outside of Century City do not appear to realize the vested interest they have in the success of the subway expansion. First among them is the downtown community. Imagine the convenience of traveling to Century City midday for a meeting or having friends or clients arrive in the evening to the Staples Center without having to drive.
By linking two of the biggest employment centers in the greater L.A. area, the business community will be able to better compete against other cities for new businesses to grow and expand. Study after study has indicated that mass transit is a critical component in building an environment that attracts and retains business. A successful mass transit system benefits the entire region, not just the immediate neighborhoods it serves.
Furthermore, completing the subway as soon as possible is important; traffic continues to increase and the gridlock on our streets is intolerable. While the subway is not the final solution, the sooner it is built, the more quickly it can impact our region. The full benefit will not be recognized immediately, but rather over the years that follow as people adopt and shift their daily habits to the new opportunities created. The pattern of development that has followed after the completion of the Red Line continues 10 years after it opened, but demonstrates powerfully the ability of a subway line to influence and shape a region’s growth.
It is clear that the core of the Beverly Hills objections are not based on either the best subway design or the best regional answer. The basis for their objections has changed several times as they have sought to find a case that is compelling to the greater community. In the process, they have invested significant funds and retained a small arsenal of consultants and lawyers to achieve their goals.
More legal obstacles
If Metro does choose the Constellation stop location, it is conceivable that the board will take the step of filing various legal objections to delay and challenge the findings. Some of their arguments, such as insinuating Metro is operating on behalf of the interests of developers, as well as the choice of some of the legal counsel they retained, suggest they are prepared to pursue this course of action.
Consider this for a moment: In the event of a legal showdown, hundreds of construction jobs will be lost, countless hours of productivity destroyed, and a major infrastructure project designed to help keep Los Angeles as a competitive job market will be delayed. And for what clear benefit?
Metro needs to conduct a full and thorough analysis of both locations and the legitimate concerns of the school board should be heard and taken into consideration. However, those concerns threaten to overshadow the bigger macro-economic issues that Los Angeles faces. Just as it is important for the members of the Beverly Hills community to take time to object, the greater business community of Los Angeles needs to make it clear that issues of mass transit are important to them and that regional planning should not be driven by the whims of a few localized politicians.
Christopher Hill is a real estate investor and consultant in Beverly Hills.
