When Montecito Almost Became Miami

As Important as What Gets Built in Santa Barbara Is What Doesn’t Get Built How Santa Barbara Was Nearly Redesigned by Crockett & Tubbs

As you know by now, the Journal’s gorgeous new Riv mag is out and boy is she a humdinger. This ish is saturated with amazing architecture, art, and design. Shout out to our advertisers for supplying some of the best shelter porn in the business. And be sure to read the article by SB’s longest-serving (now retired) Mayor Sheila Lodge about how Montecito came perilously close to becoming Miami West.

Today, as Santa Barbara wrassles developers over height restrictions for a proposed residential high-rise behind our historic Mission, ex-mayor Lodge reminds us this isn’t the first time we’ve had to battle titanic towers. Not once, but at least twice in Santa Barbara’s not too distant past, developers came darned close to creating structures that would have cast quite the long shadow – and given our defiantly quaint little burg, a completely different vibe.

As the ex-mayor’s article points out, just as important as what gets built here is what doesn’t get built here. And thanks to activated citizens, thus far the only cultural transplant we received from Miami is Don Johnson. Ex-mayor Lodge spills the tea, and she should know a thing or two about housing and development. After all, her name is Lodge. Check it out in the hot-off-the-presses Riv!