By Donna Westfall – August 17, 2016 –
Supervisor 1st District, Roger Gitlin, has tackled the blight problem head on while the other politicians give lip service just like they do to various other problems in our community week in, week out, month after month, year after year. Want examples: poor test scores by our students in public education, high welfare, homelessness, and lack of jobs. We’ve got some of the highest dump fees in the State. Our sewer fees are continually rising. Last chance grade could fall into the ocean. Not to mention the Sutter Coast Hospital/Sutter Health debacle. And, our Sheriff’s Department still employs, in my opinion, some dirty deputies.
So, it was a pleasure to find out that at least Gitlin is intent on continuing to clean up our town. Here’s his email to City Manager Vandemark:
“I bring to your attention the long-standing, vacant eyesore medical
building located at A and 2nd St. This site is the very definition of
blight, a continuous problem of graffiti, dumping, human-created feces and urine stench and other undeniable negatives. Neighbors must endure the site of this building day after week after month after year after year. It is unacceptable the community and visitors must be subject to this problem. It is unacceptable visitors to our community must be subject to this blight as the front drop to one of the most iconic locations along the North American coastline.
It has come to my attention owners have requested a controlled burn but the request has been met by resistance from both the City and the California Coastal Commission (CCC).
I would respectfully request this item of Discussion and Possible Action be placed on an upcoming City Agenda for Council discussion in sending an appropriate letter to the CCC for flexibility in working with some of the environmental concerns.
Certainly, the dumping of trash, graffiti, and human waste continuing unabated is of great environmental concern, also. A controlled burn is far less costly and efficient than the physical razing of this structure.
If my office can be helpful in mitigating these unsatisfactory
conditions, please advise.”
I sent an email to our new city manager, our fire chief, our mayor and public works director asking for an answer or explanation for why the burn is not happening. Not one bothered to comment.
Let’s see how long it takes for something to be done with that unsanitary eyesore.
Wow this is a very old issue. I wonder when we might find an answer to the use of the old A St. Clinic. The last comment was over 3 years ago.
Nick, I did not know Tsunami Landing was a memorial to those who died during the 1964 Tsunami. The entire project came on like gang busters, with a sense of urgency to finalize the job before that “important something happened”. I had not lived here long and was not sure where Tsunami Landing was and what part of the landing was going to be removed, and why.I remember Jenny saying many of the residents in that area were upset at the thought of removing such a valued area to the many citizens who walk in the city. She was saying many took refuge from the rain and were able to enjoy the outdoors and remain dry/ I think you took pictures of the neatly stacked old growth redwood posts. There was a bundle to be made on selling materials from that demolition. It was obvious the old growth posts were not going to the dump. Do you know if there are restrictions on building on a memorial site? So remove the structure that was the memorial dedicated to the citizens who lost their lives and without the structure do you still have the memorial? Sounds like the genius of the city/county developers out on another rampage! That memorial site needs restored. We need something tangible to replace “the landing” that was the memorial dedicated to our fallen citizens. We also need to explain to the children of this town that memorials dedicated to citizens who lost their lives is an honor and forever. Not until some elected politician can personally profit from the demolition and resale of materials from the memorial. An accounting of the necessity to demolish a memorial would also be nice.
Nick, you are very bright and a great historian. Thank you for sharing.
what would the old hospital on A st and 2nd St cost if I wanted to buy it? Have my eyes on it.
Donna, who are the “dirty deputies” and what did they do? I ask because I recently had issue that i feel was not handled to my satisfaction.
Read the “BlackHawk Pistol Story” series and in particular pay attention to Part 5 which lists some of the officers involved…published June 5, 2015.
This travesty has never been dealt with properly and part of the problem seems to be that the public has no process for submitting complaints against Del Norte Sheriff’s Dept. officers because there is no Internal Affairs Department.
Now that I think about it, I requested but never received a roster for all the officers involved that fateful day involved in the SWAT-style raid upon Dave Egan.
Wow! I read that Mr. Egan filed a lawsuit. Sounds like he should (or his attorney i’m guessing) prevail without much effort. Is it complete or still ongoing? if you know that is.
Mr. Egan’s lawsuit against the County (Sheriff’s Dept.)was recently dismissed by Judge Nichols. We’re anxiously waiting to read how they reached that verdict. An appeal will surely be filed.
After seeing what happened with Tsunami Landing… a monument to those who died here in 1964.
I bet that someone already has access to acquire the property and turn it into whatever they want. I bet McClure has some connection to it.
I bet $1. Who wants to bet against me?
BTW, I was born next door, across from the lighthouse. That was another scandal. We won’t even bring forth the issue with A street being cut off, a measly $200k+ paid to take that land away from those who owned it: The taxpayers, like you and me.
The land across from Seaside Hospital in Crescent City was contaminated, is that why they [A business who was in bed with McClure?] haven’t been able to build on it still? It was cleaned up at one point, I remember the machines there digging up and burning off the dirt to “clean it”.
That kinda reminds me how the airport situation also got handled, in various ways.
May you die in pain and go straight to H_ _ l, Martha.
At least my mother was smart and gave me the name Nicholas, meaning Victorious One. The name suits me.
PS, Mr Gitlin, I know your intentions are right on, but let’s not expedite clearing a building before we know what’s going to happen with the land? I can tell you, it won’t be pretty after it’s cleared off.
First of all that is not the old hospital building, it was the former Wellness Clinic The old hospital was located at the present site of the large motel between front st & 1st and was razed to build the motel after the new Sutter Hospital was built This is just another example of recent residents from SoCal presuming to believe they have all the answers to political situations in Del Norte People resist your opinions because half the time thay are the result of erroneous assumptions or lack of research. Surely there could be some solution other than burning that building.
Lin Ryan, Whether or not the article is about the “old hospital” or the former A Street Clinic, it is important to keep ones eye on the ball here. The fact that you have chosen to make an issue out of a mistakenly labeled building does you no credit. Nor can you assume that someone from SoCal is completely ignorant of the political situation in Del Norte County. I’m not quite sure what the problem is from your perspective, but it is indisputable that the building being referred to is an eyesore and desperately needs some kind of attention. If it cannot be refurbished into something that makes sense, something I highly doubt given its location, then it needs to be demolished and the property cleaned up in some way so as to make the property available for some project that makes sense for that area. For you to quibble about the process is not helpful to that end. If some one is willing to light a fire under the “City fathers” to speed things up more power to them. That particular building has been going steadily down hill for years, which by the way is not an opinion, erroneous assumption, nor lack of research. While burning the building is one option, I see no where in the article that this is the only option. So, if it offends you in any way to burn the building, come up with a viable alternative and be civil when others are trying to solve one of the City’s many issues.
That old hospital was Seaside Hospital. The A Street Clinic was located next door. Tsunami Landing, the downtown park and other parked nearby represented a beautiful downtown Crescent City as i was growing up. I have pictures. Many others do as well.
Someone or more than one profited from tearing down what was left of downtown Crescent City. The big push over the next ~20+ years was towards Washington Blvd, around the time and afterwards of the hospital and Walmart being built.
I have been patiently waiting for those corrupt “good ‘ole boys’ to slowly die off. We’ve had about 30 die off so far who make up the majority. We’re down to about ~10+/- left, along with the family members who make up probably another ~20+/-, since they managed to get themselves killed in other ways. I am only speculating at this point that it doesn’t matter who’s left now.
Like a flower garden, weeds who thrived on others in negative ways finally get pulled and what’s left is the flowers who are diverse and who can thrive and flourish, blooming into beautiful flowers that inspire others around them to do the same. The stronghold of the good old boys are no longer.
FINALLY.
Mr. Gitlin, I warned you as you came into office that you’d face some serious trials and tribulations in this here hick town. Luckily, my suspicions were right and we were at the very end of the reign of terror here.
Good will always triumph over Evil. I just hope that time is finally wrapping up. Before I die, I want to see this town brought back to it’s former Glory, before the pain, hurt and sorrow brought onto so many here who only wanted to do good.
The newspaper in this town put a restraining order against me. I guess they felt “threatened” by me.
Too bad. I have a lot to offer this town.
Mr Maietta It was not my intent to push your button but I would imagine that you have many pushable buttons. Accuracy is considered intrinsic to newspaper publication. I realize that the CCTimes has methods that do not always follow usual publication methods but accuracy should be a priority. You can refer to focus or content but it was just about accuracy. Actually, I also find some of the insults to individuals, the negative name calling, and the threats such as “burn in hell”, “die a miserable death” & “only 10 left to die” as problematic as the lack of accuracy in printed articles.
I am divided. Nothing has been done about that building. The fact that it stood there, solid since i was a little kid tells me that there was a good fight going on to keep it right there.
Who owns that building? Are they willing to sell? There has got to be some reason it has sat nearly my whole life, empty.
Corruption. Illegal deeds? I don’t want to speculate, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Lin, In about 1982, Bob Swanson and myself began to recruit a physician to replace Dr. Vipond, who was moving to Ukiah. One of the physicians we contacted was Dr. Martinelli, a recent graduate from an internal medicine residency. As an inducement for him to relocate to Crescent City we (Hospital Administration and the Board of Directors) offered to build and staff an office for his practice. Because of existing California laws our offer was couched in a loan arrangement, whereas we would front the expense and then, when his office was profitable, he would repay the loans, which he did. We also relocated our accounting offices to the new building and contracted with a pediatrician to establish offices there. Dr. Martinelli was hugely successful, the pediatrician was not. Her offices were subsequently occupied by Dr Jackson and an OBGYN, with good success. You seemed to have a little doubt as to the origins of the old clinic building. I hope this helps. Richard Cooper RN BSN/MS, Former DON Seaside Hospital 1980-1989
Can the building be rehabilitated? Does the building contain asbestos? Wouldn’t toxic fumes be an issue with neighbors?