EDITORIAL
The City of Los Altos will be mailing graphics of the Civic Center Plan to all residents of Los Altos. Why? The City Council is looking towards moving forward with putting a bond issue on the ballot to finance Phase 1 of the project.
The Plan certainly will not delight everyone, but on the other hand it will not offend anyone either. Most buildings are staying more or less where they have always been. All residences with borders on the site have the same kind or better kind of border than they have always had. ( No NIMBY problems with this plan as drawn.) All the sports facilities space we’ve had before is being maintained but moved around a bit, and the pool might actually get built!
“Villagers” can be thankful the city Plan will not be adopting the height zoning now in effect along First street, but is sticking with two-story maximums. There will only be surface parking. Buildings will be “green” and LEED certified. The phasing of construction carefully minimizes impact on ongoing city, recreation and library activity. Wow, what a brilliant stroke of compromise.
A Failure to Communicate the Cost Part
Yet there is a failure to communicate. The brochure does not discuss costs. I don’t know about you, but just because a pair of shoes catches my eye, I don’t buy it without learning the price tag. Yes I love those shoes, I have an emotional connection with those shoes, but…I won’t buy them if something similar is half a much, if they are beyond my budget, etc.
Supposedly there is a web site coming…
Compromise or just kicking the can down the road? Parking!
The Plan does not seem to impose any negative changes on any contiguous neighbors. The operative word is “seem” – actually the plan has left parking for the Phase 4 theater unresolved, aka “optional.” But perhaps parking requirements may change by 2016. Wink, wink.
A Missed Opportunity to Build for the Future
The plan looks like what I wish the city had built in 1990. But this is 20 years later folks. Notice that the look and feel of the buildings is still undecided as of today. However, a planning document from 2009 says that mission, craftsman or other traditional style is preferred — nothing too modern please.
18 Acres of Possibilities…What the Plan is not doing
I have heard a long list of interesting items that the civic center plan could have included:
- Integration with downtown via a San Antonio underpass/overpass
- Locate the library and/ or city offices to downtown to increase vibrancy there
- Fewer buildings with more stories and smaller footprints in order to increase the number of sports facilities
- Better pedestrian and biking paths through the site
- Collective raised bed gardens for youth, seniors and families
- Preservation of the architecturally and historically significant city hall – classic ranch ( at least have it moved)
- Shared auditoriums between Community Center, City Hall and the Theatre
- Underground or structure parking to make the site more bike/pedestrian friendly
- Architecture that will appeal to future younger buyers with IPO money
- Development of spacious townhomes on part of the site to increase downtown density
The Last Word
We could have a lot more bang for our tax buck on these 18 acres of possibilities as yet unrealized. And watch out for Phase 2, 3 and 4 not ever being built due to “voter fatigue” after paying for Phase 1. Once the site is messed up with Phase 1 — wrong buildings in the wrong place — there will be fewer design options left. The buildings will stand there for 40 or even 60 years. What could have been…
Plus, there is an alternative. Defer this big expensive project. But finally do the deferred maintenance and renewal on the existing Hillview Community Center Building. At the Los Altos Council meeting of Dec. 13 it emerged that the price tag could be as low as $7M. Think about it: $140-170M or $7-14M.
Bottom Line – Not much bang for the Buck, Risk Only Phase 1 gets built, $~10M alternative
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