From Barcelona to Brentwood

I’ve been reading the final environmental impact (FEIR) report for the proposed project called Green Hollow Square. It’s about 2.5 inches thick and weighs several pounds — lots of mind-numbing detail.
Charlie Munger (the developer) and his associates say Green Hollow Square will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood; many in Brentwood agree. But many have their doubts – or at least want a lot of questions answered before they’ll buy in, if they ever do. The main concern, of course, is increased traffic along San Vicente and nearby streets.
Many are also opposed to tearing down the Barry Building, where Duttons used to be, which is Charlie Munger’s plan. The Barry Building has historical protections, complicating matters for anyone who wants to change or remove the building. One option discussed in the FEIR is to keep the building intact. There is a rendering of what the project might look like if Green Hollow Square is essentially built around the existing Barry Building.
This is not Mr. Munger’s preference; he doesn’t like the Barry Building at all and would like to see it torn down so everything put up in its place will be brand spanking new. One member of the Munger team said the Barry Building is out of code and in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To even change window panes in order to achieve greater energy efficiency is problematic because of the historic protections, he added.
Some years ago I had the opportunity to visit Barcelona and I stayed in a place called The Hotel Claris. The original structure is a 17th Century church that had crumbled over the years. When building the hotel, the masonry work was repaired, and a new, very modern steel and glass structure was built on top of this. The old and new blend together in a marvelously imaginative and harmonious way. Many buildings in Europe employ this old/new technique.
The building Charlie Munger wants looks fairly fortress-like; simply building around the Barry Building, if it comes to that, seems like an uninspired afterthought. Couldn’t the old Barry Building, in Hotel Claris-like fashion, somehow be incorporated into some bolder, grander structure?
I still think there should be a nice chunk of open space in the middle of the property (think Grove). If it is really considered so important to save the Barry Building – and if it’s really so objectionable to the Munger folks to do this – maybe the building could be moved to the back of the property and incorporated into some more imaginative design.
In the coming weeks, there will be hearings to go over the FEIR and to get answers to questions. Those who are for the project will rally in favor; those opposed will protest against. One option that should concern everyone is what happens if NO project goes in. While that might please opponents in the near-term, the entire property could rot over time. This would NOT be good for Brentwood. Right now there’s still an opportunity to create something truly vibrant.