Alright, so it’s Monday and we’re back to the grind, but there is plenty to look forward to. We’ve got an important City Council meeting coming up, a mixer, a playdate at Tongva Park for all the Streetsblog/Santa Monica Next families out there, and a silent auction to benefit Santa Monica High School’s choir program. But first, we’re going to bug about registering to vote. If you haven’t already, the deadline to register is October 20. It’s easy and takes about five minutes online.
500 Broadway Project at the City Council
For you fans of transit-oriented housing out there, Tuesday (read: tomorrow) night’s City Council meeting will be an important one, since the Council will hear the float-up presentation for the 500 Broadway project, a seven-story mixed-use residential building proposed just a couple blocks from the future Expo station at 5th Street and Colorado Boulevard in Downtown Santa Monica.
The project, which could include a grocery store among of its ground-floor commercial uses, went before the Planning Commission in July to a warm reception. Here are a couple reasons (spoiler: 262 new apartments walking distance from Expo is one of the reasons) why we think this project is worth supporting. The project, designed by local husband-and-wife team Koning Eizenberg Architects, will eventually need approval from the City Council to be built and replace the single-story retail building and surface parking lot currently on the site.
If you agree this is a good project, come voice your support at the City Council meeting Tuesday. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall (1685 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401). If you can’t make it, send an email to show your support to your individual City Council members or you can email council@smgov.net. Trust us; they read those emails.
Santa Monica’s Next Round
Join Santa Monica Next and Consensus Inc. for Santa Monica’s Next Round, a happy hour mixer on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Wokcano in Downtown Santa Monica.
It’s an informal meetup over drinks for people who live and work in Santa Monica and who want to see their community thrive with sustainable progress and more livable neighborhoods. This is our time to socialize and keep each other in the loop on what’s next for Santa Monica. For more information, to RSVP, or to be notified of future events visit http://santamonicanation.nationbuilder.com/smnextround.
Beer, Sangria, Wine – $4! Food specials from $3-$10!
Tongva Park Playdate with Next and L.A. Streetsblog
Bring the kids to Tongva Park this Saturday for Streetsblog Los Angeles and Santa Monica Next’s first playdate at Tongva Park (map) on from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. After the success of a similar event in Washington, D.C. earlier this summer, we’re looking forward to getting together with other parents and their kids living the Livable Streets lifestyle.
We’ll have some fun Streetsblog and Next branded toys for the kids to throw and bounce. Not that they’ll need it. For those of you that haven’t been to Tongva Park before, it’s a pretty amazing place for kids to play. We also planned the event to coincide with the Wellbeing Festival across the street in the Civic Center parking lot so there’s lots to do for any play date families. Bring clothes to donate if you plan on heading to the Wellbeing Festival, since the annual Westside Thanksgiving Dinner will be collecting donations for their upcoming event.
Santa Monica High School Choir “Sweet Serenade” Fundraiser
Samohi’s annual “Sweet Serenade” fundraiser concert will be on October 25, but bidding has already begun online for the program’s silent auction. The money raised by sale of tickets, donations, and the silent auction all goes to support Samohi’s choir program. Don’t take our word for it; let one of Samohi’s students in the choir program tell you all about it.
