This Week on the Central Coast
Carmel is getting a recording studio, historic Monterey photos will be saved, Hartnell received a federal grant, a Mountain View student provided a charity, and (hopefully) the end of parklet drama
Carmel approved a proposal to build a “world-class recording studio”
Carmel City council passed the vote 5-0 to allow a recording studio to be built at the China Art Building on Dolores Street, between 7th and Ocean. Architect Robert Carver and Owner Sean Moriarty say they envision an “Abbey Road-level studio” that will attract some big talent. They also hope for it to be a useful resource for local acts, such as the Bach Festival, Monterey Symphony, Monterey Jazz Festival, and the Days and Nights Festival.
However, not everyone is on-board with the proposal. Residents have expressed concern over modifying the outside of the historic building. The designs of the recording studio would have added a sound-lock glass door to keep sounds from entering or escaping. Locals complained that it wouldn’t fit the “1930s Mission Revival-style Building”.
The city council suggested moving the doors inside, but Carver and Moriarty explained that the main room’s sound and space would be negatively impacted if the doors were moved inside. The two parties settled on moving the doors into the entryway outside the building. “Moriarty argued that he’s giving new life to a building that has sat empty for over 10 years.”
Carmel parklet drama is finally coming to an end.
The city voted to “hard stop” the parklets after a final 90 days, ending on April 20. The battle of the parklets have been a back-and-forth between restaurant owners, who enjoy the extra seating options, and residents, who think they are unsightly.
Restaurant owners urged the council to come up with a permanent solution, pointing out that if the parklets are removed without a replacement plan, restaurants that don’t have built-in outdoor seating may lose customers. Carmel created the Outdoor Seating Ad Hoc Committee last year specifically for this purpose.
Residents complained that many parklets are poorly taken care of and have reported seeing cigarette butts littering the spaces. From now until April 20, if the parklets are not kept clean, a restaurant will be given a strike. After three strikes, the city will order the parklet removed at the expense of the business.
Pat Hathaway was a local photographer who took pictures of daily events in the Monterey Bay. His photos captured events, big and small, including the opening of the aquarium. Pat’s friend, Kent Seavey, was the one who proposed the Historical Society as the final resting place of the photos.
The Historical Society is based in Salinas and will ensure the pictures remain accessible to the public, saying the images are “way too important to stay locked up in a vault.” Some of the photos date back to the 1840s and will appreciate the temperature controlled facilities in their new home.
Mountain View High School Senior provided shoes to low-income kindergartners in Watsonville.
Bridget Stuebner, a senior at MVHS, provided Vans shoes to low-income kindergartners at Starlight Elementary in Watsonville. Stuebner is a member of the National Charity League, which allowed her to pull off the project.
The NCL had a bake sale to raise most of the money that allowed them to purchase the shoes. Another nonprofit called Shoes That Fit helped to simplify the purchasing process.
Stuebner said “I could see the smiles on the kids’ faces. They were really, really excited when I gave them their present.”
Hartnell received a federal grant to expand its basic needs services.
The United States Department of Education awarded the school $990,000 over the course of three years to use on “basic needs services”. Hartnell plans to use the money to create a Basic Needs Resource Center which will help students find support programs, follow up with students who are struggling, and provide other resources. The school wants the center to be a single place for help, rather than sending students to multiple offices throughout campus.
Hartnell already focuses on helping students-in-need by providing services like affordable preschool, crisis mental health counseling, free food bags, and “loaner laptops during the pandemic”. The funding will help Hartnell continue to expand their help for students.
