Uptown parking lot on hold while downtown neighbors formulate

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 6, 2009 | by Cecily Burt

The Oakland City Council relented to public pressure Tuesday and postponed for two weeks any action to install a new surface parking lot next to Fox Theater on Telegraph Avenue, giving community members time to come up with a plan to display public art there instead.

As part of its Uptown project, Forest City intends to build as many as 220 housing units and 20,000 square feet of retail space on the 1-acre parcel. The developer was supposed to pay Oakland's Redevelopment Agency $6.9 million for the land by July 2008, but because of the housing slump and nationwide financial squeeze, Forest City asked for a 36-month extension, granted last month.

In exchange, the agency asked Forest City to construct a temporary surface parking lot on the empty space to help ease a parking shortage when the Fox and Paramount theaters host events, especially on the same nights, said Jens Hillmer, the city's urban economic coordinator. The surface lot would have added 110 parking spaces to the neighborhood.

But that plan didn't sit well with downtown residents, who flooded the council with letters opposing the lot, which they said would be visually unappealing and detract from the goal of making uptown a pedestrian-friendly area.

At the same time, representatives from the Oakland Ice Rink and Another Planet Entertainment, which puts on concerts at the Fox, said the lack of parking was a problem.

A parent who drives her daughter to the ice rink said she has trouble finding parking nearby.

As a result, the community and economic development committee last week ordered staff members to keep the city-owned Franklin Street Garage open at night to ease the parking crunch, and to make sure the lot is marketed to concert and ice rink patrons. They also requested that better signage be added to the area directing people to the garage and to BART.

The committee also asked for alternate ideas for the empty lot for the council to consider at its meeting. The public responded like crazy, with ideas such as miniature golf, sports fields, and a place to showcase large public art, the last of which appealed to the majority.

On Tuesday, the council voted 7-0 on a motion proposed by Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente (Glenview-Fruitvale) to give the residents and city staff members two weeks to develop a plan to use the lot for a temporary public art installation space, at no additional cost to the city. Councilmember Larry Reid (Elmhurst- East Oakland) was excused from Tuesday's meeting.

If they can't work up a feasible plan, the city can proceed with its plans to install a temporary parking lot. Councilmember Nancy Nadel (Downtown-West Oakland) said she liked the idea of the art space but warned there is no city money to help build and maintain it. But that couldn't spoil the joy.

"I'm so happy you guys are talking about public art," said Joanna Adler, a resident and business owner. "I love the Oakland Art Murmur "... so many people were out walking at night. Even if this does cost money I hope we can find donations to make it work."

Karen Hester, a Temescal resident, told the council that she was relieved there "would be a creative solution" and promised to work hard the next two weeks to make the plan work.

Reach Cecily Burt at 510-208-6441 or cburt@bayareanewsgroup.com. Check out her blog at www.ibabuzz.com/westside.null

Ray Chavez/Staff file

PARKING downtown near the Fox Theater can be

a hassle when the Paramount is also hosting an event.

Concertgoers on their way to the Social Distortion show at the newly reopened Fox Theater in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Feb. 6, 2009.