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August 27, 2007 --
As you can see in these new photos below, the Twist-Basler's plastic "protection" has been
removed - supposedly to help improve security on the site.
Meanwhile the house -- 7+ months after it was cut apart
ready to be moved -- has been sitting open to the
elements, to vermin, and to vandals. The main gate
to the work area? It has been left open at least
once that we know of and probably more. Does the
city really care? Doesn't seem so.
The developer has agreed
only to move the house, set it up, and hook up the
utilities. The city (meaning taxpayers like you and
I) are to pay to repair all the inside damage and
restoration to it's original condition. However,
with all the damage due to moisture like morning dew,
rain, and winds, do you really think much of the original
materials will be able to be recovered? More likely,
the interior will need to be gutted.
And why? Can anyone
from the city or the developer answer with a good reason?
Your emails helped.... for a
short while. Until the Council stopped looking.
Please take a few moments to email or mail our
councilpersons and mayor asking that they take immediate action before the
house has even more damage. Click the links below to email.
Mayor Miguel Pulido
Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez
Councilmember Carlos Bustamante
Councilmember David Benavides
Councilmember Michele Martinez
Councilmember Sal Tinajero
Councilmember Vincent Sarmiento
You can also mail, phone, or fax them:
Santa Ana City Council
20 Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 1988, M31
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Phone: 714-647-6900
FAX: 714-647-6954
But please contact them now - before it's too
late. Short letters or emails are just as important as long ones!
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Old News - Posted March 27th -- We had hoped that one of Santa Ana’s grand dames
would be getting a new home soon. Well over a month ago (maybe 2?), the 1914
Tudor Revival Twist-Basler House was cut into four pieces to help move it to
a new location in Cabrillo Park. There the City Parks, Recreation, and
Community Service Department plans to restore it and use it to house fitness
and nutrition workshops when the work is completed.
(Click here to see the City
Register listing and information about the house and why it is significant-
PDF file)
However since the house was cut into pieces, the
move hasn't occurred and what's worse - as you can see by the photos - is
that the house is wide open to the elements. No one has chosen to
weather wrap it to protect it against morning moisture, hot summer days, or
animals and vermin.
Development plans had initially called for the
demolition of the house, but thanks to objections of local preservationists
and interested citizens, a Development Agreement for the project required
the developer to pay the costs of moving the house to Cabrillo Park, placing
it on a new foundation, and installing utilities. According to the
Development Agreement, Arts and Culture fees from the One Broadway Plaza
project are to be used for the rehabilitation of the house.
We can only hope by the time the developer moves
the house to the city location, they don't incur still more damage that will
cost tens of thousands of tax dollars to repair -- damage that could have
been avoided.
The Society has asked the city government to
look into this but nothing has been done. We ask you to contact your
city council to ask them why nothing has been done and what can be done to
seal the structures against damage until they can move the buildings.
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