Editor,
Regarding the story, “Draper University founder threatens move” in the Jan. 28 edition of the Daily Journal, I think an outdoor elevator at Draper University would be just fine. I visited this building every week for more than two decades to attend service club and business meetings, until the restaurant closed.
The building is outdated. Having it empty for a few years did nothing to enhance its value. Many well-known and able commercial Realtors tried their hand at selling, leasing, converting or modifying it with no success. Creative schemes proposed to banks and real estate syndicates never penciled out. The lack of parking was a constant negative factor.
Alas! Along came the White Knight who took the albatross off the market and proceeded to fight City Hall. I forget exactly how long it took the university to get the coveted occupancy permit. It brought vitality, revenue and activity to Third Avenue and El Camino Real, attracting eateries to open nearby. Of course we can deny the benefits if we choose to do so.
Individuals without any skin in the game or serious understanding of the complexity and cost of preparing this building for other uses should rethink their ideas.
The city already has millions of unfunded liabilities. Let’s not increase them with the purchase of this white elephant that may require millions of dollars of retrofitting.
The university’s founder spent millions in a failed initiative, trying to subdivide our state. He can spend a few more moving his school to one of his other six Californias or to another state. Then again the price of his Bitcoin is up.
Oscar López-Guerra
San Mateo
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(2) comments
We need to keep Draper and give him his beautiful elevator. Then we should terminate our Planning Commission at city hall.
"Beautiful elevator." That's so Trumpian.
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