In November of 2007, the Expo Construction Authority and Culver City agreed that instead of building a "temporary" station at the terminus of Phase I of the Expo Project, that the Authority would build the permanent aerial station in time for the grand opening of Phase I. As part of that agreement, Culver City agreed to pay the Authority $7 million to cover some of the construction costs.
The deal seemed a classic win-win for everyone. Culver City moved forward not just with the most ambitious "Transit Oriented Development" project slated for the line, but also on a public health grant to connect the station to the Downtown through a safe and attractive pedestrian walkway. For once, everything was going smoothly.
Until last week's Expo Construction Authority Board Meeting.
Culver City officials are withholding payment of $7 million, $4 million of which is for station construction, they promised the Authority in large parts because the city feels the station that is being constructed is not the one they were promised in the M.O.U. The Construction Authority doesn't dispute that plans for the station have changed and have been somewhat downsized, but that they didn't promise a certain station to Culver City in the M.O.U., just that they promised an aerial station for Phase I.
At the meeting, much of the confrontation was between Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Culver City staff.
