sweet success!

It's official. The cinearts project at 10th and K is dead! I received an email to this effect a few weeks ago from Jimmy Yee's assistant, and here is the email that Heather received from Steve Cohn:

Thanks to the outpouring of public support for the Tower Theater andCrest Theater, and with an assist from the Mayor's 7th and K Arenadistraction, I believe that the City's proposal for a "Cine Arts"theater complex at 10th and K Streets is now dead. The dramatic supportfor the Tower Theater especially has been quite compelling. And therecent box office success of the hit documentary "Fahrenheit 911"has also helped their bottom line. Meanwhile, the French Film Festival,which I sponsored, and other attractions have helped the Crest Theater. But both of these theaters need our continued support.Meanwhile, unless the misguided proposal for an arena at 7th and Kmiraculously moves forward, I would still like to convince CenturyTheaters and Westfield Downtown Plaza to relocate their proposed16-screen theater complex to the edge of K Street, at 7th and K, insteadof their favored site at 5th and L Streets. This way, the millionvisitors expected for the theater complex will be able to also filterout on to K Street and help retail there.But whether the new Century theaters go to 5th and L or 7th and K, Ishare your concerns about the need to preserve the Crest and Towertheaters. Both of these theaters have been adversely affected bychanges in the exhibition industry, generally, but may be particularlyvulnerable to competition from a new CineArts Theater.In conclusion, I will oppose the Cine-Arts Theater concept at 10th andK Streets. Instead, I will push for more housing at that site andelsewhere Downtown. If enough people live Downtown, the retail shouldtake care of itself. It is an oft proven maxim that where there arerooftops, retail will follow. Again, I thank you for your interest andencourage you to stay involved and voice your concerns/supportthroughout this process.Yours truly,Steve Cohn

I guess the new stupid cineplex could go on 7th and K. I still don't think we need a new one because the other one a few blocks away gets most major movies that come out, but I guess it sucks for people with no car to try to get to Arden to see movies out there. And at least it's not at all in competition with the Crest. But anyway this just shows that at least on the local scale, a few people can make a difference. Maybe Tower will take down that stupid "remember the Alhambra" sign. Why is that phrase in quotes? Who are they quoting? This email reminds me, too, in case you missed the French film festival, it was great! Try to go next year. I was amazed at how many great movies were playing. The Battle for Algiers was amazing and A Woman is A Woman was, well, Godard, but at least I got to look at Anna Karina a lot.