Interesting Input From a Contributor

An individual who is an instrumental leader if the fight to keep condominiums off of the former site of McCowan's Market, has created some writing that is important to know and possibly shows us the demeanor of the current owner and one of his partners.

I am taking the liberty and responsibility to change some of the information for legal purposes.

I am not going to change the facts that the contributor believes are true. The contributor has done their homework and has information many of us do not currently have access to.
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It appears, according to evidence uncovered by the contributor that they believe that the majority of vendors supplying the market, were stiffed by Mr. Rosenthal, when he closed down.

The contributor has the opinion that his dishonest business practices are something the public should be made aware of.

The contributor received three calls from purveyors that were told they would only be paid 50 cents on the dollar. Many of them had done business with John McCowan for years and never had any problems. They assumed Mr. Rosenthal would be honest and pay for the products he ordered. Instead they were cheated out of payment. One vendor went to small claims court, but was told that since he didn't have a personal guarantee there was nothing he could do. The public needs to be aware of this scam, by the same man that is trying to build condos, in our single family neighborhood, according to the contributor.

The contributor feels Rosenthal is blowing smoke proposing the City of L.A. buy the property to build a park. This is not an adequate area for the type of park we need in San Pedro. A park at this site would only bring vandals and graffiti gangs. We don't need that in our neighborhood either. This man is a con artist trying to fool San Pedro once again. We aren't buying it!!

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A personal pause comment from me. I have no idea whether other neighbors feel the same about having a park in that location. As I have addressed before, we are blessed more so than just about everyone else in the greater L.A. area by having so many parks, park lands, nature preserves, beaches, and other recreational venues nearby.

IF, and I mean IF a park is even remotely really considered by Mr. Rosenthal at the site, I think everyone should let the neighbors living in that area decide whether they would like a park or not. If they don't want a park, then that is their decision.
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Now back to the contributor's post.

The contributor learned that Rosenthal states he is the owner of the property, but not the developer - that doesn't make any sense at all. This guy must think we are all idiots!!

Also, Mike Popa, Rosenthal's partner, and the builder, said the prospective condos would be priced for first time buyers - how do you do that when you build million dollar houses next door? It just doesn't make sense.

The contributor wants to see a large showing of folks concerned about the issue at tonight's Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council meeting.
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The contributor also unwittingly brought up an issue that could be of concern to future residents of Ponte Vista. If first-time home buyers lived next to large town houses at Ponte Vista, might there not be some issues placing upper middle-income folks right next to millionaires?

What would keep a "first-time" home buyer hitting hard times and leasing out their unit and moving back in with mom and pop, or renting a much less expensive apartment. Use the rental income from the condo to pay for the apartment and anything else.