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A New Lease on Life
Douglas McWhirter
02/02/2004
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| "If you’re investing money
in a restoration project,
you can’t just buy into
the economics;
you have to buy into
the broader vision as well." |
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Like Gilmore, Napoliello and Moskowitz are pioneers and feel their vision, effort and investment will transform an area—not traditionally a destination for art lovers—into the next must-visit destination for art collectors. This goal, acknowledges Moskowitz, is not without risk. But, he adds, "We also know that in Hermosa Beach—a place that is beautiful beyond belief—where the city wants to revitalize the downtown, and where we found this incredible old building, what is missing is a great art gallery. So in the end, building this art gallery in this location made perfect sense."
The community apparently agrees. Since opening Gallery C’s doors in mid-2003, says Napoliello, more than a few locals who fondly remember matinees at the Bijou have stopped by to express their appreciation for saving the building. With this type of community support, Napoliello and Moskowitz remain confident that the restored vitality of the Bijou and of the dynamic gallery it houses can create a whole new cultural and economic dimension in this quiet beach town. Says Moskowitz, "If you make it beautiful, people will come."Photographs by Erhard Pfeiffer
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