Save Jack London Sq from the developers!

ITEM, TIME & PLACE:

Council Agenda Item 14.4
8 p.m.
Tuesday, June 15th
City Council Chamber
in the Oakland City Hall
(on 14th street between Washington & Clay)
near the 12th Street BART


Perhaps some of you know about this, but I knew nothing until a month ago, and then very little. I only had time to go to a "planning" meeting on Tuesday. Actually, the general mood was one of mourning rather than planning by neighbors who have been fighting this alone for months. I am statistically likely to be wrong, but I just can't help thinking that even at this late date if enough people knew about this and showed their concern, it could be stopped.

I just received a couple of emails in answer to one I sent, (please see them below this) and got some alarming (to me) details of proposals for the Jack London Square area. Been to the new Emeryville lately? Been to parts of the increasingly monstrous Fruitvale area lately? Both areas that yes, were "depressed" or a "backwash" as some people have said, but are these mega mega mega-mall traffic congestive walls of ugliness improvements?

And also, have any of you loved the common space at Jack London Square, the light that is allowed to spread farther than just to the nearest mega-hotel, mall or Cineplex, and appreciated that space where all kinds of folks peacefully linger? Say a firm good-bye to it if the neighbors I met are right in believing that the passage of this corporate scheme is really a done deal after next Tuesday's Oakland city council meeting.

It's agenda item 14.4. I'm told people can sign up to speak as late as 8 p.m. for the later agenda items, of which this is one. Being of suspicious mind, I don't completely trust that, and plan to be there at least by 7 p.m. myself. Citizens in Oakland are given 1 minute to speak about issues that affect them. But we can concede our time to others, including while some eloquent person is being cut off by Herr de la Fuente.

Here are some descriptions from Joanna Adler, a current merchant in the area. Please especially note the heights being allowed on the buildings. I walked around the area with a map they gave me yesterday, but until you envision the heights and shade, and all the rest, I don't think you quite get the impact of this proposal.

I'm not a person who can devote endless energy to things like this, even when they're important. I wish I could leaflet the city! Unfortunately, I have to work and do some self-nurturing. Maybe I'll be sorry I didn't do more. Maybe it seems like not much in the grander scheme of the world, but it's a place I've found a lot of hope, weirdly or not. The neighbors have given up the idea that it can be stopped (only slightly mitigated). But I think -- if people had known about it, they would have stopped it!

I see so much diversity when I go there, and so much relief at having this little swatch of shore in Oakland...

Virginia Browning
(510) 654-8925
Virginia.X.Browning [at] kp.org

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Below are three items. 1) a description from Joanna Adler. 2) an article from the Sierra Club Yodeler. 3) the Oakland City Council agenda for June 15th from the city's website..
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WHAT THE DEVELOPERS PLAN TO DO
(This is an email to Virginia Browning from Joanna Adler)

Virginia,

I'll make a first attempt with your questions...

"Water Expansion 1" is the strip mall in front of Barnes & Noble. There's a Japanese shop, a stereo shop (new!), a coffee shop, a hat shop, another gift shop called Karibu, and California Canoe & Kayak. The plan is to take those out and replace that block of stores with a bigger building with a second floor. This is the second least likely of all their plans to be built. We've already tried explaining that second floor retail doesn't work.

"F1" is Harvest Hall and it's in the parking lot adjacent to Heinold's First & Last Chance Saloon. The height of this building could be up to 108 ft with 6 levels. (The original Environmental Impact Report (EIR) plan called for max height of 148'!)

"F2" is the office building/garage in the parking lot area closest to Embarcadero and Alice. The height of this building could be up to 125' with 8 levels. (The original EIR plan called for max height of 89')

"F3" is the hotel - it's on the site where the Village used to be next to the water. The height of this building could be up to 175' with 13 levels. (It's unchanged from original EIR, except for it being a smaller footprint)

The parking garage (site G) in the Amtrak building could be up to 88' with 7 levels. (The original EIR plan called for max height of 111'!)

The other buildings in the project are:

Site C - the "brewpub"/office bldg to be built on the marina green in front of the ferry terminal is only (hah) 45' - 2 levels. This would be a new building. (The original EIR plan called for max of 58')

Site D could be several different things - they could just use the valet lot next to Barnes & Noble & TGI Friday's, or they could tear down some port of the building where TGIF is. The plan calls for a building (theatre/office) up to 140' - 7 levels. (No change from original EIR)

66 Franklin Street (where El Torrito, Hahn's Hibachi, and the Spaghetti Factory are) also has a few plans. One is to keep it as it is (our favorite), and there are a few other variations where they tear it down and build up to 94' - 6 levels. (The original ERI plan called for max height of 135')

"Pavilion 2" is the least likely of all to be built - it's slated for the area where all the tables are out in front of Barnes & Noble. It's only 1 level - 24'. (The original EIR plan called for max height of 64')

Wow, it seems like we made some positive changes throughout the EIR process. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion they were asking for Mars with the original EIR; they moved down to the moon, and we can only hope that ultimately they build something that remotely belongs on Earth.

I'm glad you've taken an interest, even at this late date. At least you can speak out and let them know that you'd not heard about the project and it's massiveness before now.

Joanna
joanna [at] jacklondonmail.com
(510) 893-4100
(510) 893-0563 fax
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Virginia,

I forgot one other important piece of info...

The development agreement has a life of 15 years, but there is a minimum project which consists of sites F1 -- Harvest Hall -- and Site D -- the movie theatre that could also end up as just office space. They have six years to get the building permits for these two projects. We had asked for the developer agreement to be only ten years with the minimum project within 3.

Meanwhile, they've told their tenants in the Port that they plan to break ground in September. Just in time to ruin Christmas for the various merchants. No one is worried because they don't believe it will happen that fast. I tend to agree.

Joanna

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PROJECT WOULD CONVERT OAKLAND'S JACK LONDON SQUARE INTO A ROUTINE MALL

by William Smith & Joyce Roy
joyceroy [at] earthlink.net
May - June 2004
The Sierra Club YODELER

Jack London Square, with its views across the Oakland Estuary and its extensive public space, is one of Oakland's most attractive areas. Would it be enhanced by a $300-million project patterned after a shopping mall with giant parking garages?

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Ellis Partners' project found many significant and unavoidable environmental impacts. The project would adversely impact transportation, circulation, parking, and air quality. The humongous parking garage proposed for the Amtrak parking lot would overwhelm the jewel-box rail station and be particularly offensive. The project should not go forward as proposed.

The reason for these impacts is that for economic viability the project would depend on attracting multitudes of free-spending consumers. The location has such poor transit access, however, that it would need huge parking structures.

The project would change Water Street into a mall-like street surrounding shoppers with shops. Existing open space or water views would be a distraction to shoppers. The Port of Oakland classifies open space as non-performing real estate, rather than as a community asset.

The Port seems to have little interest in festivals -- it claims that they do not stimulate much retail activity and are costly. Hence the project would cover half of the space that used to accommodate open-air concerts in front of the Port of Oakland office building with retail. The project would also kill the lively open space behind Barnes & Noble with more retail.

Today few people go to Jack London Square to shop. It's the fresh air, light, views of the estuary, and open-air festivals that attract visitors and exhibitors alike. Why not conserve the Square's existing virtues, and locate new retail development where it could revitalize our existing shopping districts, such as Eastmont and downtown, areas that are better served by transit? The Port, as a public body, has an obligation to put the public good first.

A scaled-back version of the project could enhance outdoor recreational activities. It would need to preserve all the space in front of the Port building and behind Barnes -- Noble. Instead of investing in parking, invest in a shuttle to connect the Square with downtown and BART. The route could loop along Second Street, up Oak to Grand, and then down Broadway. This rubber-tire trolley could run in each direction every 10 minutes from as early as 7 am and until 1 am. Even weekend and evening out-of-town visitors would be well-served since they could use downtown garages, which are largely empty at those times.

Without such changes, the project would turn Jack London Square into simply another place for commercial transactions. Retail uses would no longer be ancillary to recreation, but would become the main show.

http://sanfranciscobay.sierraclub.org/yodeler/html/2004/5/feature7.htm

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From: KnechtGary [at] aol.com
Subject: 6-15 City Council Agenda Item 14.4

From the City's webpage, here is the official notice for the Jack London Square project (but no staff reports had been posted online as of 2:00 PM Friday--maybe later):

Council Agenda Item 14.4

Subject: Jack London Development Project - Public Hearing

From: Community and Economic Development Agency

Recommendation: Conduct a Public Hearing and upon conclusion adopt the following legislation related to the Jack London Development Project - Nine Sites in Jack London Square Bounded by Harrison Street to the West, 2nd Street to the North, Alice Street to the East and the Estuary to the South (Councilmember Nadel, District 3)

1) Adopt a Resolution upholding the appeal of Jack London Square Partners, LLC as to fast food uses only and partially upholding the appeal of Gary Knecht as to parking mitigation and design review only, and otherwise sustaining the March 17, 2004 Planning Commission approval for the Jack London Square revised project, and approving the Jack London Project as revised;

2) Approve the Introduction (First Reading) of an Ordinance of the City of Oakland adjusting the zoning district boundary line for the Jack London Square District so that C-45 (Community Shopping Commercial) is designated for the area bounded by Harrison Street to the west, 2nd Street to the north, Alice Street to the east and the estuary to the south; and

Approve the Introduction (First Reading) of an Ordinance of the City of Oakland approving a Development Agreement between the City of Oakland and Jack London Square Partners LLC, and CEP-JLS I LLC, and authorizing the City Administrator to execute the Development Agreement on behalf of the City

Final Passage (Second Reading) has been scheduled for July 6, 2004
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I have no idea what (in my appeal) has been "partially upheld", so I look forward to seeing the staff report. For anyone who would like to review outstanding issues on this massive project, please let me know if you would be interested in meeting next Tuesday, 6:30-8:00 PM at the Egghouse.

Thanks,
Gary

Gary Knecht
510-893-9829; fax: 510-763-8866
knechtgary [at] aol.com