••• The Santa Barbara News-Press building won’t be part of the bankruptcy proceedings, says Noozhawk: “Ampersand Publishing LLC sold the Santa Barbara News-Press building, the parking lot across the street and its Goleta printing plant in 2014 to newly created limited liability companies formed by News-Press owner Wendy McCaw.” Of course it did. That’s a shame for the creditors and employees owed money, because the real estate was the only asset of value. Will Noozhawk—or someone else—even bother to snap up the News-Press brand? The last 18 years of archives are nothing but a liability.
••• First, the Independent floated the rumor that UCSB was pulling the plug on Munger Hall, then the university sent out an email to faculty avowing that it was still on. Now Noozhawk reports that UCSB “says it will spend more than a half-billion dollars to construct new student residences at the site it had set aside for Munger Hall, signaling a shift away from the contentious student dormitory that has seen extensive development delays and widespread backlash. The new housing plans were detailed in a request-for-qualifications posting by the university seeking an executive architect to help construct 3,500 new bed spaces.” Meanwhile, the university administration continues to be vague, presumably in the hope of securing Charlie Munger’s money without having to actually build his pet project:
When asked about the apparent change in housing development plans, UCSB spokeswoman Kiki Reyes said the campus will “continue to work on the planning and consultation process for Munger Hall with members of our campus community, donors and stakeholders.”
“The university is also actively moving forward simultaneously with plans to develop (the new housing),” she added.
••• Dirt.com is being folded into the Robb Report. We’ll have to see whether it’ll focus on who bought where (and whether I’ll be able to sift out the interesting info amid all the high-end dross).
••• The Guardian has a recap of Santa Barbara County’s cannabis mess.
••• An update on Hidden Oaks Golf Course. —Independent
••• “Buttonwood Farm & Winery Sold to Hospitality and Ag Group [….] The deal—which the parent company of Drift Hotels made in partnership with farming company Simpatica, Newport Beach-based investment manager Anthony Curci, and Santa Barbara–based developers Jason Jaeger and Sep Wolf—sets in motion plans to build 60 farm-stay cottages on the estate while enhancing visitor-serving opportunities such as expanded food service, horseback riding, and stargazing.” —Independent
••• “Attorneys for four Montecito homeowners who sued the county over Hot Springs trailhead parking want to take the case to the California Supreme Court after an appellate court sided with Santa Barbara County. The California Court of Appeals, Second Appellate District, ruled last week that the county could remove unpermitted encroachments in the public right of way along a portion of East Mountain Drive.” —Noozhawk
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can you please look further into this hidden oaks golf course thing? I am not buying the BS statement they put out. If you actually walk the course, the only parts that are being maintained are those visible from the street/bike path/rental house. There are wide swaths that they have let fallen into an overgrown apocalyptic disaster. It’s on Airbnb and being marketed as an event venue. Is it zoned for that? What is the timeline to open the golf course to the public (if that’s even REALLY the plan still)?! Are we really going to let something that was open to the public for over 50 years just slip away? Totally ridiculous and I am surprised this is just being written about.