I had this whole post already written about parklets (also on the Planning Board agenda on Monday night) but I had to bump it for this set of graphics for the Gateway parcel. Just so you know, both the Chase bank design review and the In-N-Out design review will not be put to a vote on Monday night because the plans were not submitted in time for Sunshine Ordinance compliance. Although I think it might be under the Brown Act because of the weekend…anyway, not on the agenda for approval but review only.
However all the other use permit things will be on the agenda, the Safeway gas design review, extended hours of operation for the gas station and In-N-Out. Safeway has withdrawn their request for beer and wine sales after much indication from the Planning Board that they were not inclined to approve and In-N-Out has dropped their request for super extended operating hours. They are now asking for an closing time of 12:30 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. As a comparison, staff provided this in the report:
A survey of other restaurants in the area and in Alameda reveals that extended hours for restaurants are not unusual. For example, all restaurants at the South Shore Shopping Center have approval to stay open until midnight. A number of restaurants on Park Street have requested, and received, approval to stay open until midnight or 2:00 am. Spice I Am recently received approval to stay open until 2:00 am in response to customer demand. The Taco Bell on Webster Street closes its drive-through at 3:00 am on weekdays, and 4:00 am on Friday and Saturday. The Jack in the Box is open until midnight, and the drive-through is open 24 hours a day. Carls Jr. dining room and drive-through are open until midnight Sunday-Thursday and until 1:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Planning Board will still need to provide an okay to operate both the Chase and In N Out drive-thrus and the 24 hour operation for the Safeway gas station.
So I don’t have a copy of the In N Out designs yet because — also according to the staff report:
In-N-Out Burger was delayed because they are developing a unique design for Alameda, which must first undergo internal company approval before being submitted for City review.
But I do have the drawings for the new Chase bank, which will run along the all important gateway side of the remnant parcel. But first, some context for those that do not venture to the West side
Coming out if the Tube you can choose to stay on the right to Webster Street or stay left on to Constitution.
View to the right:
View to the left:
Beginning of view of the remnant parcel:
The plan:
As you can see the first thing you will see if you go toward Webster instead of Constitution, you’ll see the landscaped tip and the beginnings of the gas station canopy. There are plans for a tree screen on the Webster side, but you know how it is with tree screens, they always end up being puny to start with.
Lining Webster on the remnant parcel will be the Chase bank which looked like this in the initial plans:
Pretty meh. When I was screen capturing the images I literally couldn’t figure out which one I had just captured because it was so eh.
Here’s the new look, which is almost completely different from the original and has a traditional bank-y feeling:
The West and North elevations are going to be the most important for folks that are concerned with gateway attractiveness since those will be the ones that will face Webster. I think. I’m not quite sure, sometimes I’m directionally challenged.
Here’s one of the signs proposed for the site, no 65 ft pylons here, but here’s the hilarious part, look at the little scale version of the people in front of the sign, given that there is no sidewalk crossing approved for that side I’m not sure how those reference people made it over to that side of the street:
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
1 more: Nation’s on Webster is open til 3AM on weekends. Having once lived very close by, I can tell you those hours are not a plus for the neighborhood.
Comment by dave — July 19, 2013 @ 6:28 am
Dave,
These days, late night stores open is never really a plus for a neighborhood. Read the breaking news on the Alamedan today. The Bonefare market on High Street has experienced the SECOND armed robbery in one month. The last robbery took place on July 10th — less than two weeks ago.
Comment by Karen Bey — July 19, 2013 @ 8:09 am
isnt there already a Chase across from carls jr at marina village? do they need 2 so close to each other
Comment by E — July 19, 2013 @ 9:34 am
I like the changes to the bank design. (Funny though, how nobody’s complaining about the “organized crime” influence that Chase Bank represents. Next thing you know they’ll want to put up a Bank of America and then, there goes the neighborhood.) As for the hold-up at Bonfare, it occured at 10:30 pm, not exactly “late night” IMHO. Thanks to the sheriff’s deputy who was quick on the draw, however, I don’t think Bonfare will be having anymore repeat performances.
Comment by Denise Shelton — July 19, 2013 @ 11:58 am
If we really want to accommodate the needs of current residents for lower-cost goods and also reduce the horrific sales-tax “leakage” that Alameda now suffers, we need to widen our economic offerings her on the island. There are costs as well as benefits to changes like this, but the focus on the unusual crimes does not reflect our lower crime rates overall and our very secure community compared to surrounding cities of comparable size.
RE: 3-4: The criminals at the top 0.0001% of the corporate ladder who brought us the 2007-2008 recession/depression–from which most of us have still not recovered–are the ones we really need to worry about. Restructuring the imbalance of wealth in our country would go a long way towards reducing the street crime that so many people are overly worried about here in “Mayberry.”
Comment by Jon Spangler — July 19, 2013 @ 12:54 pm
Jon, talking about it is not focusing on it. It’s being aware, and hopefully from there we can develop an enhanced security plan– like community watch groups, and maybe more police on the streets.
Regarding the Chase Bank at the gateway, I’d take a Chase Bank and a Wells Fargo Bank at the gateway over a fast food restaurant any day.
Comment by Karen Bey — July 19, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
Quick update, the story poles — reference poles to indicate how high and large each building for the remnant parcel — are up, should be available for viewing until the project is voted on. Photo is here, but best to visit it in person if you really care:
Comment by Lauren Do — July 19, 2013 @ 5:15 pm
6. That’s the problem, Karen. We are being distracted by fleas while the wolf thins the herd. If only people were half so passionate about seeing that the banking industry criminals are prosecuted as they are about what sort of “image” an In-N-Out Burger presents, our country would be in a helluva lot better shape.
Comment by Denise Shelton — July 20, 2013 @ 7:03 am
I just heard about a guy in Florida that has been freed up from his current community watch group and is looking for a new area to work in. Just what we need to protect us from In-N-Out.
Comment by John P. (L) — July 20, 2013 @ 11:04 am
Not funny at all, John P. I would imagine somebody your age would know better than to make these asinine “jokes”.
btw, remember these comments from not too long ago?
John P. — April 8, 2011 @ 9:46 am
John P. — April 8, 2011 @ 10:54 am
Comment by alameda — July 20, 2013 @ 12:19 pm
Alameda, it all depends on whether you have a sense of humor, obviously you don’t. I have changed my mind and will be eating only take out so I won’t need a mask. I think it is a very good thing that you have never had a change of mind.
Comment by John P. (L) — July 20, 2013 @ 6:17 pm
I don’t find anything remotely funny in the Zimmerman/Martin episode, nor do many others. But hey, it’s a free country and if the episode breaks out the giggles in you … go ahead!
When the facts change, I change my mind (as any reasonable person would do). In this case, the facts have not changed since the project was first proposed. Changing your preference from take out to eating in doesn’t address the larger issues at stake, unfortunately.
I also realize this is very much like pounding sand … opinions are already made up either way and don’t warrant further explanations from myself.
Comment by alameda — July 20, 2013 @ 11:58 pm
nor me.
Comment by John P. (L) — July 21, 2013 @ 9:33 am
Actually facts have changed since the project was first proposed:
1. Shorter extended operating hours request
2. Facades for both In N Out and Chase Bank have changed
3. Request for liquor license at Safeway kiosk has been dropped
4. Staff is attempting to get a crosswalk at Stargell and Webster
Comment by Lauren Do — July 21, 2013 @ 9:44 am
Denise #8 – I was looking at the jobs that a Chase Bank and a Wells Fargo Bank would bring to the West End. Wells used to be located on Webster St., and it would be nice to see them come back to Webster St. Overall, I think it would make a positive statement if we had all of the major banks on Webster Street.
Comment by Karen Bey — July 21, 2013 @ 6:10 pm
15. That whooshing sound you heard was #8 going right over your head. Sigh. FYI: The average Chase teller makes around $11 an hour. A branch manager makes $61,000 a year. Chase CEO Jamie Dimon made $23 million in 2011. For In-N-Out Burger, starting pay is slightly less at around $10.60 an hour, but the store manager makes closer to $100,000 a year. In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Torres’ annual salary has not been disclosed, but she’s worth a billion and the youngest female billionaire in America at age 30. Lynsi’s grandparents started the chain and grew it through hard work. Dimon’s grandfather was a stockbroker (who I’m sure worked very hard, too–pushing paper and talking on the phone).
Comment by Denise Shelton — July 22, 2013 @ 7:56 am
Denise, actually it didn’t go over my head – I am focused on other land uses that might be appropriate for that gateway site. All the major banks are located on the east end, and there are very few on the west end.
Comment by Karen Bey — July 22, 2013 @ 10:45 am
By the way Denise, banks are just a one idea — I chose other banks because is already a land use considered by Catellus. I’d be just as happy with a Bank of Alameda (or now Bank of Marin) as well.
Comment by Karen Bey — July 22, 2013 @ 10:57 am