South Centre Alameda
Last weekend our whole family took a trek out to Alameda Towne Centre, we had to go to the post office to pick up a package, apparently they don’t do package pick-up at the Webster station, so off to Towne Centre we had to go. We decided to stop in at the Children’s Place with 15% off coupon in hand. I have to say that I really like the direction that the formerly very dreary and depressing outdoor mall is taking. With the cleverly placed sculptures and the much improved landscaping, it’s actually a place where one (and by “one” I mean, me) wants to linger rather than get in and get out. We noticed a big sign announcing that a new restaurant and bar was coming into a very neat corner store and later told by friends that a new women’s shoe shop was in the works, which she was very excited about.
Highlights from the Alameda Journal article:
…Officials with the shopping center say they’re finalizing plans for an expansion that will go for study before the Planning Board on Nov. 13, though no decisions will be made then.
For about a year, controversy surrounded the shopping complex because of plans for a Target store on the site of a boarded-up Safeway store near the Willows condominium complex.
While Target withdrew its plans, Towne Centre still wishes to expand.
“What they told me is they want to resuse and maybe expand the (Safeway) building for tenants,” Alameda Planning Manager Andrew Thomas said. “The expansion wouldn’t be anywhere near as big as Target was proposing.”
…
In the meantime, the center, owned by Harsch Investment Properties, already has seen many changes in the form of new buildings and new stores as part of a $75 million redevelopment that began in 2003. Among the businesses that have opened within the past year are Old Navy, T.J. Maxx, children’s clothing store A Children’s Place, a 24-Hour Fitness “Fit Lite” facility and Color Me Mine.
Scheduled to open in mid-November is Bed Bath and Beyond; and in the spring, Borders Books, Nine West Shoes, Massage Envy and Zeytini Bar and Grill.
“We have probably another five restaurants we’re talking to right now,” said Mike Corbitt, the portfolio manager for Towne Centre. “We’re anticipating most of them will be over on the east end of project.”…
I hope they plan on something for the old Safeway site soon because it looks like crap. Particularly with the new facades going up, a vacant building, particularly that vacant building is an eyesore.
The only thing that kept us from lingering at ATC the other day was a dearth of stores, I know that Harsch is really trying to get retailers into the empty storefronts, but until they do, I think most folks will limit their visits to the occassional pop-in and pop-out to pick up what they need rather than spending the time leisuring strolling through.
And I know that this is dead horse, but can I just say how much I loathe the new name? The only thing to complete this “Towne Centre” would be a pillory for public floggings, maybe Trader Joe’s and Safeway can provide the produce. That’s a joke, by the way, for the humor impaired.
You’d think that any one, let alone a shopping center that’s been around here for fifty years, wouldn’t be so tone deaf about the renaming of their place. If there’s anything that would rattle the cages of Alamedans, it would be the renaming of something that had a name that made sense into something that, first is pretentious and second damned sure isn’t where its name implies.
I sit in protest and refuse to add the ease!
Comment by Jack Richard — October 30, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
I was at the opening of the new name (because of friends playing music at the event)where they took the covering off the sign, and I don’t think anyone’s reaction to the new name was any different than mine– stunned silence. It was, and is, a really dumb move and they should go ahead and fix it now — just admit the mistake and get something better. No one will ever call it Alameda Towne Centre.
Comment by Kevis Brownson — October 30, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
A topic we might all agree on! Anyone I have heard (including myself) refer to southshore by the new name always calls it townee centree. Just like new coke, this is an idea before (long long before) its time. Man up Harsch Investments, admit your mistake, and change the name back to south shore.
Comment by notadave — October 30, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Yes, I think everyone in Alameda agrees with the fact Harsch picked an absolutely terrible name for South Shore Shopping Center.
I appreciate Alan Lopez reporting on comments by Alameda planning staff; “Thomas added it was important the complex propose a comprehensive plan for the entire site that avoids the appearance of “piecemeal” planning, “; But it is almost silly to now say we are requesting to know the long term plans –Sounds like another round of lip service. PB had asked for comprehensive plans long ago, but I guess it is like walking – every step is the last step, at least until the next step, and you can deny plans if nobody knows where you are going…
What I didn’t like about the article by Alan Lopez was his “sensationalized line” “…the site of a boarded-up Safeway store near the Willows condominium complex.”… It’s not really boarded up, it is just closed. The parking lot there near Mervyns is almost always full, used by both construction workers and shoppers heading to a store on that end. This may not have bothered me much except that Barbara Grady in her report on Emergency Communication Systems had the opening line “A recorded telephone call alerted hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents to evacuate because fire was leaping at their doorstep.” - Really? Fire leaping at the doorstep of hundreds of thousands? Not quite believable, and if you can’t believe the news a paper prints, – What does that say about the newspaper? Grady’s article goes on to talk about our city’s system of sirens, which like Oakland’s system can be used for many things, toxic spills, natural disasters, terrorism alarms, etc. Too bad her article fails to inform residents on what to do if they hear the sirens. I would react differently to an incoming tsunami than I would to a toxic spill on 880. I hope the new editor Connie Roark plans on adhering more to reality than hype, and has as a goal of the newspaper to be more informative.
Comment by David Kirwin — October 30, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
Maybe they could go for broke and rename it ‘Ye Olde Alameda Towne Centre Upon the Southerne Shore”.
Comment by Susan — October 30, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
Ore the Southe Shore Wannabee Towne Centre
Comment by Jack Richard — October 30, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
I hear the sirens once a month at 12 noon, so I know that they work but if I were to hear them at any other time I would not know what they were wailing about. Perhaps the paper could give us that information. John P.
Comment by john piziali — October 30, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
I sure wish they would rename Atlantic back to Atlantic or just Appenzel ave…why do they have to go for 50 letter street signs. Same with Tinker…Willie Stargell whatever they added on the end…what ever happened to Oak Street or Main Street…who want a address which doesn’t fit on an envelope. In a few years we will have Willie Jones Stargell and Maggie May Memorial Way as one of our streets and why rename streets when they can name new streets as they come up.
Alameda Towne Centre with the English spelling is suppose to be quaint, but sort of annoying.
I hate the parking lots…who ever told them to change from angled lot to straight in was Mistaken…especially if a large SUV is next to you and cars are coming both ways. You have to pull out turn and because the cars behind you are so close you have to partially pull back in and pull back out and turn again. I go forward over the flowers (and dividers) if a car is not parked in front of me. They were absolutely stupid to put in a parking lot like that. I will only go there early in the day or late at night because the parking is so bad.
I love the Safeway, but the parking at Lucky’s is much better even if you have to park aways a way. Although I really do think Safeway has better prices.
Comment by Joel — October 30, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
No package pickup at the webster station! This is an outrage!
Comment by Phast Phill — November 3, 2007 @ 11:31 pm