UPDATE: Newsong Church confirmed via news release Tuesday that the Santora Arts Building in downtown Santa Ana is in escrow, with a partnership formed by the church as the buyer, according to the Voice of OC.
Somewhere former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno is smiling. The Voice of OC is reporting that Irvine’s Newsong Church is buying the Santora Building, which is a key component of Downtown Santa Ana’s Artists Village. Moreno, as you might recall, mightily opposed the Artists Village when it was being planned. Moreno, a devout Christian, contended that the Artists Village was nothing more than an attempt by homosexuals to take over Downtown Santa Ana.
In recent years, the Artists Village has seen a few galleries come and go while a lot of restaurants and bars have opened up, including a gay bar, the Velvet Lounge. And yes, quite a few homosexuals have moved into the Downtown area. But it would be a stretch to argue that they have taken over – although one of our readers coined the phrase “gaytrification” to describe what has been happening in the area.
Now a very significant and well-funded church is coming to town – and taking over the building many consider to be the fulcrum of the Artists Village. And as it turns out, one of our current Council Members, David Benavides, is a member of the Newsong Church. Should the artists be freaking out right about now? Continue reading
