By Marijune Wissmann

Why are developers intent on destroying Midwick Tract in Alhambra?

City Ventures has purchased a large plot of land at 2400 South Fremont Avenue, the site of a retirement home that is now vacant. They have notified SOME residents in the area that they plan to build a mega-residential complex with 90 plus units.

The Midwick Tract has a famous history, developed on a site that featured a polo field, used by European royalty, a golf course and country club, members included movie stars and the elite.

Our clubhouse at Granada Park has been destroyed to house a temporary library while the new library was being built next to the city hall in Alhambra. A tournament sized basketball court was ruined by a concrete floor strong enough to support the heavy bookshelves. Our council promised us that upon completion of the new library the aire de jeux gonflable gymnasium would be restored to its original use. Now the council declares there is no money for this. Where students practiced basketball it is now used for ping-pong. Our beautiful swimming pool has such stringent pool hours one must undress in haste to swim for a few minutes and the adult lap swimmers cannot use the pool, which was closed early for lack of funds for a lifeguard.

Residents feel as if they have been abandoned by their representatives and are separated from the rest of the city by the 10 Freeway, dwarfed by the development on Atlantic and Hellman and eventually we will be prisoners in the tract, unable to enter or exit the territory due to permanent traffic gridlock.

Our home values will decrease,  no one will buy in a location surrounded by high-density buildings, traffic, overcrowded schools, sewers unable to handle the overflow, etc.

A dedicated group of neighbors are working on this issue. They have been attending council meetings, planning commission meetings to learn as much as possible about the project. Please sign the petition being circulated to oppose the project in its present state.