In a surprising switch up, all the interesting stuff is happening in under the consent calendar of the City Council agenda. Expect to see some items pulled for discussion or public comment tonight.
The first big item is the parcel map for Alameda Landing. The Planning Board has already recommended approving the parcel map, but very few things get through the City Council without someone wanting to make some sort of comment on the issue. This subdivision of the parcel will allow the actual building of the property to start. According to the staff report Parcels 2, 3, and 4 will be residential development and Parcel 1 will be Target and other retail, see Parcel Maps here. A 10.2 acre pad in Parcel 1 will be sold to Target — because that’s how they like to develop their stores, by first purchasing the land — and it’s unclear if Catellus will be developing the remaining of the retail vertically itself or farming that out to a different developer. Probably the former since they do vertical commercial development.
The Staff report also indicates that — as I tweeted earlier —
Looks like TRI-Pointe will have control of all three parcels. Surprisingly enough Warmington Homes was not selected. Tri-Pointe is located in both Southern and Northern California. The bulk of their current projects are located in Southern California right now with only three active projects in the Bay Area in San Jose, San Mateo, and Morgan Hill. It appears that the TRI of TRI-Point stands for “Think. Renew. Inspire.” which I am torn between thinking is very clever or just really cheesy. Probably a little of both.
This news will probably be a blip on most people’s radars until the designs and maps for the housing units start coming out. Remember Catellus has already indicated that they plan on taking full advantage of the Density Bonus Ordinance. So we might want to keep an eye out on TRI-Pointe’s development at Bay Meadows in San Mateo for an idea of what we should anticipate. I’m guessing that at least on the Fourth Fifth Street frontage across from the retail portion of Alameda Landing we are probably going to see townhome style homes, but a better look would be housing on top of retail to be truly mixed use.
Another item of interest under the Consent Calendar is an item about electing to accept a portion of the Redevelopment Tax Increment. This is sort of a CYA resolution to make sure that Alameda received its proper pass-throughs. The good news is that the library should be receiving an additional $250,000 annually due to the dissolution of Redevelopment. But if the powers that be decide that the City of Alameda’s right to these passthroughs are not a “valid community election” the General Fund stands to lose almost $200K annually.
Also on the agenda is approving the MOUs between three other City bargaining units which will see those bargaining units, like the Public Safety ones, contribute more to their post-retirement benefits.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
Included in the Bay Meadows development are two parks. One is a neighborhood park (1.5 acres) and the other a community park (12 acres). Hopefully our council will insist on something similar for Alameda Landing. It’s interesting to note that the Bay Meadows development required 5 years of community meetings to develop a plan that took many factors into consideration– paramount was the biggest factor, traffic. If you’ve ever been on Hillsdale Blvd between 101 and El Camino, you know it can be an absolute parking lot at times. One thing Bay Meadows has going for it is proximity to a Caltrain station. In theory, the Bay Meadows development will attract lots of people who work in Silicon Valley or San Francisco who wish to use public transportation. For Alameda Landing, there’s the attraction of the ferry being nearby, though it’s a bit of a walk (perhaps a shuttle during peak hours?) A shuttle connecting that area to BART would also be prudent.
Comment by Kristen — June 19, 2012 @ 8:28 am
Two planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines are designed to serve Alameda Point and Alameda Landing.
One will loop round AP, including Alameda Landing, and run to 12th Street BART. A second line will
run the length of the island from AP (possibly from a new combined transit hub at the Seaplane Lagoon that would include a new, moved ferry terminal) to Fruitvale BART along Lincoln Avenue. Funding for both could come from the Transporttion Expenditure Plan projects that will be on the ballot in November.
If voters do not approve the new sales tax measure (“Measure B3” is a common nickname for it) the lines would have to be funded in other ways, which means they might not be implemented for years….
Comment by Jon Spangler — June 19, 2012 @ 9:39 am
Kristen,
The Alameda Landing project is required to provide annual money (over $350K I believe, and adjusted for inflation) for shuttles/transit, etc. to alleviate these concerns. No matter what happen in November, there is money for Landing specific transit solutions.
Neither of the BRT/Rapid Bus solutions mentioned above would serve Alameda Landing directly.
Comment by jkw — June 19, 2012 @ 9:51 am
B3, another unwanted sales tax increase for a Bart extension to Livermore with the hope that some of the money will be left over for the locals to bus around the Point. If the developer needs shoppers, let them pay for bus transport.
Comment by Jack Richard — June 19, 2012 @ 12:17 pm
“1.Included in the Bay Meadows development are two parks. One is a neighborhood park (1.5 acres) and the other a community park (12 acres). Hopefully our council will insist on something similar for Alameda ”
Kristen
Our Mayor and Council wanted to swap Golf Course as a way to get a Park. Some Cities think differently.
San Clemente clears way for Target, sports park
By the end of next year, San Clemente civic leaders are expecting to hear children playing in a 47-acre sports park and cash registers ringing in the city’s own Target store.
On a series of 5-0 votes Tuesday night, the City Council set the wheels in motion for construction of a $23 million sports facility at 989 Avenida Vista Hermosa and a 142,000-square-foot Target store across the street at 990 Vista Hermosa.
Target’s purchase of 14 city-owned acres for $13.8 million will help fund the park, which will include:
•Three lighted baseball fields
•Two lighted soccer fields with synthetic turf
•A lighted football field with synthetic turf
•A large multipurpose field
•An aquatics center featuring two pools and support facilities
•A universally accessible playground called Courtney’s SandCastle
•Two restrooms to serve the athletic fields and a third restroom specially equipped to serve the playground
•Landscaping, irrigation, parking-lot lights and a traffic signal at the park entrance. Grading, utilities, drainage and paved surfaces already are in place.
As an added attraction, local entrepreneur Scott Melcher is preparing a 36-hole miniature golf course in the park under a lease with the city.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-249408-target-city.html
Comment by John — June 19, 2012 @ 2:24 pm
“A 10.2 acre pad in Parcel 1 will be sold to Target — because that’s how they like to develop their stores, by first purchasing the land .”
I’m sure all this money will be going to Build a New Sports Park in Alameda across from the New Target.
Comment by John — June 19, 2012 @ 2:36 pm
Lets focus all our attention on a Shuttle and the Transformers Jon Spangler and JKW will raffle off the Transform Lottery Tickets.
Comment by John — June 19, 2012 @ 2:43 pm
Great Vision and they seem to have Priorities Right
Sports park comes alive to the sound of kids
San Clemente has opened the 45-acre, $31.5 million Vista Hermosa Sports Park, featuring an aquatics center, universal-access playground, three baseball fields, two soccer fields, a football field and a multipurpose field.
After eight years of planning, putting together funding and three phases of construction, it is play time at San Clemente’s new 45-acre Vista Hermosa Sports Park.
The city opened the gates Saturday and families poured into the $31.5 million facility to try out its 50-meter competition pool, its 25-yard fun pool, its Courtney’s SandCastle universal-access playground, its three baseball fields, two soccer fields, football field and multipurpose field.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kids-342009-courtney-play.html
http://www.sanclementeparksfoundation.org/LaPataVistaHermosaPark.htm
Comment by John — June 19, 2012 @ 3:01 pm
@6, dream on … this is Alameda. The Council is probably dreaming up ways to put another half-baked sales tax proposal on the ballot.
Anybody know how much the 10.2 acres sold for?
Comment by alameda — June 20, 2012 @ 7:21 am