Councilmembers voted unanimously 7-0 to create an economic support program to ensure that the Bergamot Station Arts Center is thriving and continues to be a leading arts and cultural hub in Tuesday’s meeting. However, the specifics of what exactly will be undertaken were not confirmed.
Almost every speaker under Item 6, that permits public input on remaining agenda items, was in attendance to talk about this issue, a clear indication of how strongly residents and local artists feel about this matter, many of whom have been living and working at the site for over two decades.
"I’m here along with other arts tenants at Bergamot to ask you to change the city’s thinking about Bergamot. We urge you to consider it an art center first and a revenue generator second," said Charles Duncombe, Executive Director of City Garage Theatre.
"You have always supported the idea that it should be an arts center, one that is vibrant and inclusive. For that reason, we urge you to level the playing field, make it fair and accessible for all. The privilege of being at Bergamot should not be weighted toward those with the greatest ability to pay," he said.
Members of the arts community wrote a proposal to the Council submitted by Jeffrey Gordon, President of the Bergamot Tenants Association in which they ask for three initiatives. (Summarized.)
• The City assume the ownership expenses of management fees and security costs currently being passed as CAM (common area maintenance) charges and empower a representative to assist in leasing and tenancy issues.
• The City expedite approval for hardship tenants to give back a portion of their spaces, adding a lease clause granting this ongoing right to all tenants
• The City equalize rental rates to match the legacy rental rate of $1.80 per square foot, reduce the rental rate for non-profit tenants to $1 per square foot and reduce rent for exterior space to 30% of the new rate.
"Bergamot Station is not only a local treasure, not only a regional treasure, but it is an internationally recognized center for all aspects of the arts. From the most contemporary, from the most family friendly, from the most challenging, from the most innovative, from the most traditional, Bergamot Station constitutes a free museum," Michael Masucci of the Santa Monica Arts Commission said.
Tarrah von Lintel, gallery owner and board member of the Association of American Art Dealers said," In the last year we’ve already seen a number of galleries leave Bergamot Station because of lack of sales. The condition of the buildings and the availability of one year leases only will make it hard to find other galleries to fill vacancies."
Lois Lambert, owner of the Lois Lambert Gallery, said, "I’ve been at Bergamot for 30 years. I want to speak to you about the most troubling part of what has happened to me at Bergamot, which is the increase of CAM charges. We have no heater, or air conditioning, no water and in most of the buildings, only one public bathroom with a code to get in. Which, when we have events of hundreds of people, is unsatisfactory.
"During the rains last week, our roof leaked, flooding the upstairs, causing drywall damage downstairs, along with damage to two pedestals on a table. We had been told the roof was fixed, it was not," Lambert said, adding how pandemic-reduced rent repayments have nearly crippled her gallery. She also spoke of parking issues and how the spaces at her end of the site have given over to businesses and as such, she regularly has to deal with complaints.
"I love Bergamot, I do not want to leave. I have been in business for 30 at Bergamot, I do not plan on retiring as I love what I do … We need you to help us survive by lowering our CAM charges significantly. By only offering one year leases it is almost impossible to attract anyone to take over part of the spaces," Lambert said, before adding, "Why are we not listed on the Santa Monica website?"
The request to direct the City Manager to create an economic support program originated from Councilmembers Oscar de la Torre and Jesse Zwick. Councilmember Gleam Davis raised the question of whether creating this program would interfere with the housing element and potentially undermine the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
"We have a contractual obligation with the state to deliver affordable housing on Bergamot and what we have allocated across all of our city owned properties, about 150 units per acre. So for the Bergamot properties that does result in about 707 units of housing, which we do have an obligation to deliver on," City Manager David White responded.
Support for this issue was undeniably positive from every member of council. "We’ve been trying to work with Bergamot for a while with the CAM charges [and] the quality of life issues for the businesses over there," Councilmember Christine Parra said.
"We tout ourselves as a cultural art center, but here we are, they’re begging and we’re still in the midst of an economic recovery. And so I think that it behooves us to do what we can, to do what we can to lift them up. And so I think that we really need to look at this very deeply, to be able to make it work," Parra said.
Zwick moved the item with the additional recommendation that Council directs the City to "begin the long term planning process for the site. And we do that not just with an eye towards accommodating future and current residents and others who might live there, but accommodating galleries, whether it’s at that site or at other potential sites in our city."
The motion was seconded by de la Torre and passed unanimously.
