I've had several conversations with people in town about the forthcoming changes to the streetscape on the Avenue. It's been in the works for awhile as you can read here or on the City site here. Construction bids are being worked on now. One of the issues in contention is parking and how many spaces are there now and how many will be lost, so I got my pitch-counter out (lap-counter for you swimmers) and walked the Ave. today.
For the record, there are 120 spaces on the Avenue including handicapped spaces and 24 minute slots. None of the motorcycle spots are directly on the Ave. 61 spaces are on the North/West side and 59 on the other.
Trees have taken a hit from storms and for some other reason I'm not aware of, like these two stumps on Primrose.
And something finally appears to be happening at 329 Primrose which is under interior construction. That space seems like it has been empty for at least three years since All That Glitters moved to B'way.
It's a great Tudoresque space and when refilled will add to the parking situation--in a good way.
What I want to know is what is the plan DURING construction? Where are all of the 120 spaces going to be relocated? How will I get to all the shops and how will I carry my merchandise back? I think Safeway is a savior since I will just part there
Posted by: local motion | January 05, 2013 at 07:43 PM
Consider riding that bicycle downtown. The sheer beauty of being able to walk from place to place and to lock to tree, pole, parking meter(!) or even already in-place bike parking racks means you can load that bike basket with your purchases as you go along, rather than backtracking to the car.
Posted by: pat giorni | January 06, 2013 at 10:07 AM
What?
I think bicyle riding through active construction sites may be dangerous.
That street will be closed down for one year or more while destruction and reconstrution happens.
I am betting 18 months.
I feel sorry for Every Single Business in that corridor. Especially the new ones. Mollie Stones and Safeway too.
Who is going to want to deal this?
The remodling is Necessary and long over due.
Posted by: Holyroller | January 06, 2013 at 03:13 PM
If you wear your bright orange safety vest you will be fine, right Pat?
Posted by: Anne | January 06, 2013 at 07:24 PM
You missed the point, HR....one can WALK with his bike thru the passable sections. I do not and never have advocated walking, biking, nor driving undirected thru "active construction sites".
Before you start throwing around timetable projections it might be prudent to check w/ PW about the construction schedule.
It is my current understanding that the entire Avenue will not be closed for the duration of the project, but worked in a block by block sequence.
As to cycling sartorial splendor, a safety orange construction vest w/ reflective strips trumps spandex jerseys in terms of overall visibility. However, don't assume it's a guarantee that one is always "seen". The very best defense is common sense and adhering to the rules of the road if you want to live past 55 and still survive.
Posted by: pat giorni | January 08, 2013 at 10:26 AM
I searched for a prior string on the rec center/master plan, but to no avail, so I am posting here. Following is an update on the master plan. I strongly urge the "powers that be" in the City to NOT consider using general obligation bonds based on assessed value taxation to finance any renovation improvements. The rec center is enjoyed by all in this community, and thus any upgrade should not be bourne disproportionally on the shoulders of newer property owners. I publicly opposed Measure H (the original storm drain measure), and will vehemently oppose any rec center upgrade financing based on assessed value:
_______________________
Community Center Master Plan Update
Posted Date: 1/29/2013 .The project management team (PMT) is excited to begin the first phase of the community outreach which will include focus group meetings. Each focus group meeting will work to identify the needs and concerns of a specific group of community members. The meetings will be interactive discussions designed to encourage participants to share their preferences, provide information and share their insights about the community with the planning team. The focus groups will have approximately 18-25 participants and will be by invitation. Participants will need to commit approximately 2 hours to participate in a focus group meeting. The proposed list of focus groups is the following:
1.Seniors
2.Teens
3.Neighbors
4.Families with pre-school aged children
5.School-age parents/PTA/School educators
In addition to the focus groups and community meetings, the PMT will also be interviewing, either by phone or in person, key stakeholders in the community to gain a further understanding of the community needs and interests.
If you are interested in participating in one of the focus groups listed above, please provide your contact information and focus group interest to Joleen Helley at 650-558-7323 or [email protected] before February 8, 2013.
We anticipate this phase will begin in February and continue through April 2013. In addition to the outreach being conducted during the needs assessment phase of the project, we will also have broader community meetings in May/June and in September in which the entire community can participate.
We are excited to move forward with the next phase of the Community Center Master Plan and appreciate your participation.
More updates to come….
Posted by: Account Deleted | January 30, 2013 at 06:59 AM
We are off and running on the downtown refresh as reported here in the DJ:
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=lnews&title=Officials kickoff Burlingame Avenue revamp&id=1766340
Those who enjoy visiting Burlingame Avenue should work on their parallel parking skills.
Over the next 14 to 16 months, Burlingame Avenue will be overhauled to create a more pedestrian friendly experience that includes changing parking from slanted to parallel and thinning the avenue’s two lanes to a total of 20 feet. Sidewalks will also be widened from 10 feet to 16 feet with bulb-outs to allow for smaller pedestrian crossing areas. The design will include more landscaping and outside dining space. On Monday, the City Council and staff celebrated the start of the $16.5 million project. While all were excited to get started, many joked about the humor that will come from watching people parallel park on the revamped downtown street.
Councilman Jerry Deal was the first to comment on the new parking configuration, urging everyone to pay attention.
Posted by: Joe | April 09, 2013 at 02:49 PM