City should address MICA issues up front

On Jan. 10, Councilmember Dan Grausz sent out his monthly update on matters facing Mercer Island. I appreciate that he takes time to alert and inform citizens on these matters.

Item No. 6 in that email was his views on the MICA project. I’d like to respond to those views.

First, Mr. Grausz comments that he understands the MICA is having trouble fundraising due to the uncertainty surrounding the project, and therefore, having the council approve the lease will improve MICA’s fundraising efforts. However, the lease signing will do little to alleviate that uncertainty as there would still be major hurdles. Moreover, MICA’s fundraising challenges should not be a reason for the council to fast track a vote that deserves the full scrutiny of the council and citizens.

To change, fundamentally, the nature of Mercerdale Park requires greater citizen input, and an advisory vote is the most comprehensive approach to achieve that input.

Second, Mr. Grausz opines that the project is the kind of facility that will benefit all age groups. I’d modify that statement to suggest a facility, whether in a park or not, will benefit a very small percentage of all age groups.  According to the 2014 National Arts Index, the share of the population attending non-profit professional theater and arts is in the single digits — thus, a very large city benefit is being conveyed to a very small percentage of the population. In addition, one may argue that the building of a “35-foot high McMansion” structure in Mercerdale Park will irrevocably change the passive nature and use of that park thus harming the benefit that many users currently enjoy.

Third, he hypothesizes that such a facility will give the Town Center a “true center” that will support retail and provide Islanders a place to go for cultural entertainment and that does not require fighting I-90 traffic. I strongly suggest that all of those perceived benefits are not exclusive to a Mercerdale Park site, but rather a Mercer Island site. Furthermore, I’m not convinced (without further study) that support of retail is a valid rationale. Perversely, MICA is dependent upon a number of off-Island performing groups for rental income and they may find the I-90 traffic argument works against them.

Finally, Mr. Grausz blithely sweeps away all other serious issues, i.e. parking, saying those are resolvable. Rather than kicking the proverbial “can down the road” and ending up having taxpayers potentially shoulder a greater burden, those issues should be addressed up front and removed as contingencies before any lease is signed. I urge the council to establish in fact that the perceived benefits that Grausz outlines will materialize and can be reasonably quantified before signing a lease with MICA.

Peter Struck