---
[ WORLD WATCH ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch)
# Editor’s Memo: In the Eye of the Beholder
August 25 2016
Written by Ken Draper.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
CITYWATCH TODAY—Rick Caruso and Dick Platkin disagree. Caruso is a builder. He conceived and built the popular Grove and at the time there were those who thought his vision was a mismatch for the neighborhood. Adjacent to the Original Farmer’s Market and across the street from the landmark Park LaBrea Towers and Townhouses. The Grove now competes with Disneyland for the Most Visitors crown.
Platkin, in addition to writing about planning for CityWatch, was a highly respected Los Angeles city planner for a lot of his life. So, when he eyes a development plan and says it ‘doesn’t fit’ the ‘hood he does so with a fair amount of wisdom and expertise. In Today’s CityWatch, the successful builder and the successful planner are at odds.
The Grove Chief has a 21-story high rise in mind for La Cienega and Burton Way … his second in the Mid-City West neighborhood … and the planning guru says the design Caruso has in mind is out of sync with the community. Out of context, he says. Same old, same old, he says … just like a lot of LA developers.
Caruso feels that his new vision is in perfect context … if you consider his other nearby complex. This is today’s CityWatch lead. Take a look. Let us know what you think.
Planning and much more. In today’s CityWatch.
Ken Draper-Editor,CityWatch
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/115 "Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/114 "McKinney Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Phone
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
### [Prosecutor, Democrat, City Attorney? McKinney Makes His Case to Los Angeles Voters](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
ELECTION 2026 - The race for LA City Attorney has been laced with political accusations and allegations that when close…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
### [The LA Watchdog’s 2026 Voter Guide](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
LA WATCHDOG - My recommendations are influenced by the need for truly balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility, long ter…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
### [The Fools’ Blame Game](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - Angelenos do not use elections to plot a wiser course of conduct for Los Angeles, but rather they…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
### [California Film Tax Credits Aren’t Enough. The Guilds Need to Change Too.](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
LONNIE’S VIEW - California used to be the center of the movie and television universe. If you wanted to make movies, yo…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
### [Here’s What Zionism’s Got To Do With It](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
ICAN - The anonymous website “BHUSD Watch” recently published a long, detailed article about the current BHUSD board an…
---
## [ WORLD WATCH ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/33600-israels-fateful-election-a-nation-on-the-brink)### [Israel’s Fateful Election: A Nation On The Brink](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/33600-israels-fateful-election-a-nation-on-the-brink)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/33501-the-slow-motion-erasure-of-the-west-bank)### [The Slow-Motion Erasure Of The West Bank](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/33501-the-slow-motion-erasure-of-the-west-bank)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32951-venezuela-needs-the-world-more-than-ever-english-spanish)### [Venezuela Needs the World More Than Ever \[English & Spanish\]](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32951-venezuela-needs-the-world-more-than-ever-english-spanish)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32873-netanyahus-betrayal-of-israels-promise)### [Netanyahu’s Betrayal Of Israel’s Promise](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32873-netanyahus-betrayal-of-israels-promise)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32727-turkeys-egregious-human-rights-violations-are-beyond-the-pale)### [Turkey’s Egregious Human Rights Violations Are Beyond The Pale](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/world-watch/32727-turkeys-egregious-human-rights-violations-are-beyond-the-pale)