Dear Editor:
When I read about the Cultural Center locating on Eigleberry
Street, I realized there is no intellectual Culture in Gilroy
– what a shame!
Dear Editor:
When I read about the Cultural Center locating on Eigleberry Street, I realized there is no intellectual Culture in Gilroy – what a shame!
The mentality that advised the Eigleberry location is the same mentality that gave us a hospital located across a railroad track, across a freeway, through the most congested intersection and in a remote area north of town with limited access.
Like the current Cultural Center planners, the hospital board members ignored constructive advice such as do not build two hospitals in South Valley – if you do they will both go broke! There was a fine location for a combined hospital (Wheeler and Good Samaritan) west of Monterey Highway in San Martin, approximately where the current county courthouse is located – a choice location conveniently out of traffic’s way.
Research results showed that not only would two hospitals go broke, but also hospital room cost would soar – and they have!
Wheeler Hospital rooms averaged $400 to $600/day; Saint Louise Hospital room charges are in the $2,000/day range. Why? Because Wheeler Hospital had a $2 million mortgage with $200,000 annual debt service and Saint Louise Hospital has a $20 million mortgage with $2 million annual debt service. Hence the great increase in cost to the ill, the infirm, and the dying!
Those advocating the Eigleberry location exhibit the same midget mentality as those who approved the development of the outlets east of the freeway, killing downtown business in order to bring in sales tax dollars. You doubt this? Just ask Joe Rizzuto, ex-businessman on Monterey and Fifth Street.
If the City Council really wants to rejuvenate downtown, just eliminate the outlets, the large shopping malls. Block all these big chain stores from locating in the area, then watch Monterey Street thrive (tongue in cheek). The really sad situation is that the same mentality that bankrupted the hospitals and developed the outlets, thus destroying downtown, now wants to saddle the citizens of Gilroy with a so-called Cultural Center in an odd-ball location. The goal is not to develop and encourage culture, but to rejuvenate downtown at any cost!
The Eigleberry location will do neither: it neither gives us culture nor will it rejuvenate Monterey Street. The situation is desperate. Please call your Councilman and the mayor and ask them to reconsider and correct a serious mistake in locating a Cultural Center on Eigleberry Street.
J.G. McCormack, Gilroy
Submitted Sunday, Jan. 19 to ed****@ga****.com
