King & Lyons Moving Forward

Where it is: Northwest corner of Dixon Landing Road and
Interstate 880 in Fremont, near the Newby Island Compost 
Facility

What it was: Vacant land.

What's going on: Barbara Meerjans, a Fremont senior
planner, said landowner King & Lyons' original plan to
build a business park across about 45 acres has changed.
In September, the developers filed a proposal for a
490,000-square-foot retail project. "We are in the early
stages of beginning the environmental impact report for
this proposed development," she said.
The plan calls for extending Fremont Boulevard from where
it ends south of Lakeview Boulevard to Dixon Landing Road.
Meerjans said the developers already have approvals to grade
and develop the site, of which 100 acres was donated to
the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
to be restored as wetlands.When it is: The project will go to the Planning Commission
for consideration,likely in 2008.

Similar to: Pacific Commons.


 

Part 2, 3, and 4 Housing/Mixed-use, Recreation, and Fremont

1. Should the City of Fremont build more Mixed-use Development or more Multi-family homes?
More Mixed-use Development 63.6% 7
More Multi-family homes 36.4% 4
The winner is: More Mixed-use Development

2. What type of housing do you want in the City Of Fremont?
Condo 20.0% 2
Apartment 30.0% 3
Townhouse 60.0% 6
Multi-family 60.0% 6

The Winner is: Townhouse and Multi-family

1. What type of Park do you visit beside Fremont and California? Tell what you enjoys their park. Should they have in Fremont? Please describe their park and are they beautiful?

1. None. We only visit other areas to fish.
2. Coyote Hills Park. A natural Wild Life habitate with Foxes, Egrets, Swamp Hawkes. The City of Fremont is allowing development of the Coyote Hills Natural Area. The process has just started, there is still time to STOP IT. http://www.protectcoyotehills.org/vision.htm
3. state parks wilderness
4. none
5. Boston, they are clean, quiet, grass, no playground, clean lake, and go for walking. Band pavilions during 8-10 p.m. nighttime
6. Water Park
7. Newark's Aquatic Center, Not necessary but already in the works. dog park in North Fremont would be nice. We use the one in Union City - its well done.
8. Fremont has enough parks.

2. What are you Concern of Recreation in City Of Fremont? What kind of Recreation do you want in Fremont?
1. Don't use the recreation programs.
2. Please, no more ballparks that are rarely used. More passive parks, Naturalist parks
3. bike riding,hiking
4. it's lousy
5. Clean the Ducks poops, more light for night walk for Lake Elizabeth, and Water Park Expansion instead of 7 acres, but more acres 7 or more.
6. ball field

3. Should they build Water Park in Fremont? Not available

1. What should the City turn into?
Urban 41.7% 5
Suburban 33.3% 4
Small feel Town 25.0% 3
The winner is: Urban

Fremont Future Part 1 (Retail)

1. Do you want more retail in Fremont?
Yes, we need more Retail 50.0% 6
No Need 50.0% 6

The response is: Tie

2. What kind of Retail should the City of Fremont build?
Shopping Mall 44.4% 4
Mixed-use 66.7% 6
Shopping Center(Pacific Commons) 33.3% 3

The winner is: Mixed-use

3. Which one is most important in Fremont? (3 Most important, 2 important, 1 Not important)

Nordstrom 66.7% (8)
Bloomingdales 63.6% (7)
Mall 63.6% (7) Higher-end Retail 63.6% (7)
Cheap Store 2.7% (8)
Apparel 50.0% (6)

Everyone response: 1 Not important

4. What kind of store should they have in Fremont? (Banana Republic, Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, and etc). What type of department store should they have in Fremont? (Sears, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Macys, etc). List as many as you want.

1. More high end like Banana Republic
2. birkenstock
3. more independent retailers of all sorts.
4. None that I can think of right now
5. Whole Foods
6. outfitters Kmart
7. big and tall
8. Any Retail from the mall any upscale retail.
9. Nordstrom, Banana Republic, American Eagle, PacSun
10. WHOLE FOODS

City faces budget shortfall

With its finances teetering back into the red, city officials are implementing several measures to keep its budget balanced.

Slowing property and sales tax revenue is forcing the city to implement a selective hiring freeze, delay allocating $2 million toward the Downtown/Capitol Avenue redevelopment plan and institute accounting changes to keep money in its general fund.

Without the cost-saving measures, officials said, the city would have faced a budget shortfall this fiscal year and the loss of its entire $11.2 million rainy day reserve fund by the end of next fiscal year.

Despite the budget crunch, Fremont's finances still are in much better shape than during the dot-com bust when it eliminated more than 200 positions and cut a fifth of its budget, officials said.

The city has no plans to reinstitute rotating fire station brownouts, and already has filled 10 vacant firefighter positions and seven police officer positions. "I don't see any dramatic (service) changes," City Manager Fred Diaz said.

Police Chief Craig Steckler said he has been asked to trim his budget by

1 percent this year, which could force him not to fill police officer positions that become vacant.

Whether the city has to initiate more cuts could depend on the state, which, facing its own $14 billion shortfall, could choose to hold on to sales tax revenue usually passed along to cities.

The city's next budget update, which could include additional

cost-saving measures, is scheduled for February.

This year marks Fremont's second consecutive December budget surprise.

Last year, one month after voters rejected a utility tax ballot measure, city leaders announced an unexpected

$6 million windfall that was used in part to boost police and fire department staffing.

This year's news that revenue is lower than expected comes six months after the city approved new contracts with all its unions, including 6 percent pay raises this year and next year for police officers and firefighters.

Diaz said he has no regrets about employee raises, which accounted for $1.9 million in new expenditures this fiscal year.

"(The city) entered into (negotiations) with the best information we had at that time," he said.

Diaz attributed mistakes in recent budget forecasts to a "volatile" marketplace. "I've never seen an economy so hard to predict," he said.

Property and sales tax revenue increased last year, but not at the rate city officials had projected. Slumping revenue growth at the end of the last fiscal year left the city with $2.4 million less than anticipated, according to a city report.

Property tax revenue, which constitutes about one-third of city revenue, was slowed by fewer home sales, stagnant home prices and increased property tax delinquencies, officials said.

Much of the sales tax reductions were related to the slumping housing market, Fremont Finance Director Harriet Commons said. Sales tax revenue was down for appliances, home furnishings and construction supplies, she said.

If revenue had continued to slump without the cost-saving measures, she added, Fremont's operating budget deficit would have been $11.4 million this fiscal year and $6.7 million next year.

Several of the budget-balancing measures are accounting changes. The city is postponing the transfer of $2.8 million from its general fund to its risk management fund and is delaying the allocation of $2.3 million for retiree medical benefits, a major unfunded liability.

The delay in funding $2 million toward the Capitol Avenue development won't prevent the city and the developer from moving ahead with facets of the project, Diaz said.

City Council members were not sounding alarm bells about the budget crunch at a Tuesday workshop. "This is manageable," Mayor Bob Wasserman said comparing it to the dot-com bust. "And the right steps are being taken to match it."

New Restaurant Open Soon and Coming Soon

Open Soon

370 Dessert will open January 1, 2008. Pacific Commons
Carino’s Italian Grill will open Monday, December 10, 2007
9 a.m. Pacific Commons

Coming Soon
Asian Pearl (Under Construction)Chinese Food, Dim Sum, and
Seafood Restaurant. Pacific Commons
French Bakery (No Construction)Unknown. 
Pacific Commons
Cyclo Cafe (Under Construction)Coffee, Snack, and Juice Bar. 
The Globe, Saigon Village, next to East West Bank
Federico's Cafe & Bistro (Under Construction) Unknown.
Downtown Fremont, next to Baskin Robbin

Council approves Mission project

Acting against the wishes of a standing-room-only crowd, the City Council has approved a six-story development heralded as a gateway to Mission San Jose and suggested that Fremont's days of suburban sprawl development are coming to a close.

In a 4-1 vote taken after nearly two hours of public comment Tuesday night, the council approved a mix of 158 condominiums and retail shops on an undeveloped 12-acre parcel at Sabercat and Durham roads, just east of Interstate 680.

The project had galvanized neighbors — 600 people signed petitions against it — who argued that its buildings towered above the surrounding single-family homes; its location adjacent to an earthquake fault, power lines and underground gas pipes posed major safety hazards; and its 300 residents would exacerbate traffic congestion on Auto Mall Parkway.

Neighborhood opposition also was fierce last month when the Planning Commission rejectedthe project — a decision the council effectively overturned.

In siding with San Jose-based developer Michael Luu, council members cited the specter of global warming and projected state population growth to support their decision for taller, more densely populated developments, even near neighborhoods comprised of single-family homes.

"In the time that I've been in Fremont, the population has doubled — and it's going to double again, whether you like it or not," Mayor Bob Wasserman said. "Fremont is going to see

"In the time that I've been in Fremont, the population has doubled — and it's going to double again, whether you like it or not," Mayor Bob Wasserman said. "Fremont is going to see high-rises, it's going to see street cars — all the things we said we never wanted."

---

high-rises, it's going to see street cars — all the things we said we never wanted."

"The question in my mind," said Councilmember Bob Wieckowski, who brought up global warming, "is do we make a decision to move forward with something that has some benefit ... or do we continue with the standard development plan?"

Councilmember Anu Natarajan cast the dissenting vote. She said the project didn't fit the neighborhood and was too far from public transit to earn support on environmental grounds.

Opponents didn't rule out challenging the council's vote in court.

Most nearby residents would have supported a smaller development that, project opponent Ravi Pathman said, wouldn't have further clogged roads and strained city services.

"The council voted for development at any cost," Pathman said. "They want to be a big city and bring in the (Oakland) A's, but they can't provide basic services."

Luu said he was ready to work with neighbors on the project's retail component, which is slated to include a high-end grocery store.

"This project represents what the future of Mission San Jose will be," he said.

Luu hopes to break ground no later than this summer and expects the project to take about 18 months to complete.

The city approved a 105,000-square-foot shopping center for the site in 2000, but that project never moved forward.

Luu took control of the property three years ago and began work on the current plan, which will include a 55,334 square feet of commercial and retail space in four main structures on 12.2 acres, health club, 158 condos, a park and nearly 700 parking spaces. The four main structures would be 65 feet tall with a 20-foot tower on top, signifying a gateway to the Mission San Jose neighborhood.

City, schools continue talks about developer impacts

In an effort to solve the puzzle of surging enrollment and fees that developers should pay to compensate for added students, Fremont City Council and Fremont Unified School District's Board of Education will begin discussing the situation at every quarterly joint meeting.

The two panels met Nov. 19 to finish a previous discussion cut short at a joint meeting on May 27.

At that meeting, the district presented several options to balance student enrollment at all of its campuses.

Options included redistricting school attendance boundaries, setting up new classrooms and facilities, eliminating class-size reduction or placing schools on multi track, year-round schedules.

In addition, the panels were supposed to discuss developer impact fees, but due to prior commitments, some board members claimed to have, discussions did not occur.

On Monday, school board members voiced concerns over plans for the Patterson Ranch development near the Coyote Hills, which had been presented to the city council Nov. 13.

Many board members said they were worried that when the development enters the construction phase, 800 homes proposed would be completed and filled well before any planned elementary school is built.

Boardmember Lara York was also concerned with the proposed distance of the school from the residential units.

Developers have proposed building the homes in the project all on the eastern side of Ardenwood Boulevard, while the school, parks and open space areas would be on the western side.

"We're trying to make elementary schools that are walkable for many students," York said. "We do have concerns with residential units on one side of Ardenwood and a school and churches on the other.

"We want to make sure that if residential can be built, so can a school," she added. "Having that assurance is important."

Board members reiterated that if homes were built before a school, students generated from the development would be forced to attend nearby schools like Forest Park Elementary School, which school officials say is already facing overcrowding.

The board said it did not want that to happen.

Boardmember Larry Sweeney noted the proposed footprint for the school in the Oakland Athletics' Ballpark Village plans. He said the team has proposed a four-acre site for the school.

However, Sweeney suggested four acres ideally weren't enough for an 800-student elementary school. He added many campuses in the district are at least seven acres in size to accommodate the school, play areas and parking.

Sweeney implored the city to work with the district in possibly convincing the A's to increase campus acreage.

"When it comes to school size and footprints, we ask the council to look at the school board as a full partner," he said. "If we don't get what we need at the beginning it will be a burden to the district, as well as the taxpayer."

Councilwoman Anu Natarajan suggested the district consider multi-story buildings on its campuses to combat the small footprint of the new school site.

School board President Nina Moore said the district was looking into that option for the A's ballpark village campus. She added the district would also install multi-story modular rooms at Warm Spring Elementary School because there is no room for students at that campus.

Vice Mayor Bob Wieckowski said developer impact fees are a main source of funding for school districts, and wanted to know if there was any other option to help with funding besides the district's proposed alternatives or a bond measure.

Wieckwoski recalled Proposition 13, which voters approved in 1978 to set limits to property taxes and to deny future increases. Property taxes are another funding source for school districts, and without increases, funding is the same each year.

"Maybe we need to start thinking about a bond measure," he said.

Moore responded by saying that a bond measure would not be beneficial to all district constituents.

"One challenge we face is that we are not overcrowded all over town," she said. "That's why we won't get all our voters to approve new buildings, because some of (the buildings) won't help them.

"We need to communicate with the city that a message needs to be given to developers that some areas in Fremont just have no room for more students," she added.

Both panels agreed that meeting quarterly instead of semi-annually to discuss the issue would help solve the problem more efficiently.

"As a result of quarterly meetings, I'd like to see a plan of action," Councilman Steve Cho said. "It's nice to get together and talk about (the problem), but we need to take action so we know we have the tools to deal with these issues."

Mayor Bob Wasserman said an option might be to go to the state level for advice.

"I think the next time we have a meeting on this topic, we should invite our local legislators," Wasserman said. "The best we can do is to keep going around in circles, and we don't have the means to solve this. If we want to solve this, we ought to ask those who have the means, and they're at the state level."

Development of Patterson Ranch advance

The first step toward city approval for the Patterson Ranch development was completed during a Fremont City Council work session Tuesday.

After years of public input and debate over the site of the project, city council was presented with a project and a development agreement for the ranch.

City staff said a plan had been submitted, and is now considered complete for processing and review.

Likewise, the environmental review process for the project has also begun.

The council's Nov. 13 work session was to initiate an entitlement request for a Fremont General Plan amendment, a preliminary planned district rezoning, and a development agreement for approximately 101 acres of land east of Ardenwood Boulevard.

The project would include construction of 800 residential units, in six varying types, and 25,000 to 50,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial uses, reports state.

The residential units would occupy 83 acres of the site, in the northern end of the property, along with commercial space on 2 acres of the site.

Additionally, a 3.2-acre park public square would be incorporated as part of the planned district use. Private parks would be built, taking about 7.4 acres. The project would also include 5.6 acres of trails and connections.

About 10 acres would be set aside for two religious facilities as well.

The staff report indicates that the development agreement would allow for the project to be built over a 15-year period.

Interest in creating a project for the site began in 2004, and the Patterson family submitted an application in 2005.

After six months of community outreach, the family spent another eight months revising the project.

However, by November 2006, Measure K was placed on a ballot to keep a portion of the Patterson Ranch free of heavy development.

About 13,000 residents signed a petition last year to put the measure on the ballot, but the initiative was quashed by more than 65 percent of the vote in November.

Open space advocates aimed at keeping developers from building 1,276 housing units, and 20,000 square feet of commercial space on 520 acres west of Ardenwood Boulevard.

After the measure's defeat, the applicant decided to move forward on smaller projects, and keep the residential development on the eastern side of Ardenwood Boulevard.

The development will still be built just north of a vacant piece of land currently owned by Cargill Salt, and east of the Coyote Hills Regional Park.

The entire project site stretches from the Union City border to the Cargill-owned property, which is located along Route 84.

Scott Ruhland, a city planner, said Cargill has an industrial user lined up for the property, but that the company will not disclose who that might be. Adjacent to Cargill's property is the Dumbarton Quarry, which has ceased operations.

Ruhland said quarry operators are in the process of removing equipment and rock, and will turn the land over to the East Bay Regional Park District.

Currently, Ruhland said the project is in a scoping period, which will end Nov. 20. He added a draft environmental impact report for the project should be ready by February.

Many residents in attendance were pleased with the Patterson family's ability to listen to the concerns of the public. Residents also said they appreciated how the family revamped the project to meet those concerns.

Greg Simas, the pastor at Harvest House Church, said the new development could provide a new home for his congregation.

Josh Roder, another pastor with Morning Star Church, said the project has addressed both community and economic concerns.

"We feel the plan not only meets the rights of the owners, they've been very proactive in meeting the needs for the community," he said.

Newark resident Howard Harter and Union City resident Richard Stormo said the fields provided by the Patterson development would give Tri-City youth much needed, safer facilities to play on.

Despite strong community support early in the development stage, opponents still raised concerns over the project.

Dan Ondrasek, a member of the Friends of the Coyote Hills, had a number of questions for both the city and the applicant.

"Development is development is development," he said. "This doesn't belong west of Ardenwood. Why doesn't this combine parking? You're paving paradise and putting in not one, but six parking lots.

"You're putting schools on an island separated by six to eight lanes of traffic," he added. "Why is Fremont burdening Ardenwood residents with more high density housing? Why are Fremont residents resigned to accept this?"

Resident Ann Rice said many of the amenities, such as the fields and the schools were inappropriately placed. She said placing playing fields in the middle of an open space area breaks the project into divisions.

"This also puts a community park way out on the periphery of Fremont, where people have to drive a long way to get to it," Rice said. "There must be a better place for (the park)."

Rice also noted there was no written guarantee in the plans that land would ever be donated to the city. In Ruhland's presentation, he claimed Fremont Unified School District was planning an elementary school and a junior high school for the site.

Rice also pointed out the district was only preparing for an elementary school there.

Other concerns came from the Ohlone elders. Carmen Saldovar, speaking on behalf of the elders, asked if discussion with them had taken place, as required by law.

"This land is Ohlone land," she said. "If you're going to give back some of it, why not give it back to the Ohlone? (Parts of the site) were not just part of the Ohlone village. They were the Ohlone village. Families want to know how this is all being handled."

Council members said they too were pleased with the applicant listening to the community.

"The biggest thing we've seen here is that development has moved to the east side of Ardenwood, and that's very important," Councilwoman Anu Natarajan said.

Mayor Bob Wasserman addressed the concern over a possible junior high school on the development.

"I know the applicant said there would be an elementary school," Wasserman said. "But I thought if a junior high isn't built, something should be written that says the space should go back to us."

Planner Ruhland said the project is now in the normal review process, and he maintained it will be presented at future Fremont Planning Commission and city council meetings.

EMC releases VERY encouraging poll results in regard to the A's project!

A's have been working very hard this past year to reach out to the community for feedback in regard to the A's proposed Cisco Field/Ballpark Village proposal. I am very proud of the efforts I have seen the A's go to in an effort to reach out to the community and to make people aware of their project. The A's even went as far as to hire, EMC Research, to poll citizens of Fremont to see if the A's have been focusing on the concerns and issues that are most important to the citizens of Fremont.

I am attaching the press release , so you can review the poll results for yourself. I am sure you will be just as encouraged as the A's were when they first saw the results.

We support for the A's effort to build the most State of the Art facility in all of Major League Baseball, right here in Fremont!

Go A's

P.S. Make sure to tell all of your friends that share your same desire to support the A's to sign up for our A's To Fremont Support Group online at www.AsToFremont.com

For more info on A's Public Opinion Presentation go online at www.emcresearch.com


MEMO
To: Lew Wolff, Keith Wolff, Michael Crowley
From: Alex Evans, Tom Patras
Re: Fremont Research
Date: October 17, 2007

EMC Research, Inc., recently conducted a telephone survey in Fremont, California.
Outlined below are some of the results and key findings from this study.

Key Findings
A strong majority support the A’s ballpark village project. When asked whether they
support or oppose the construction of a new baseball village within Fremont, 62% say
they support the project, compared to 34% who are opposed; only 4% are undecided.
Awareness of the project is extremely high, with nearly all (98%) having heard
something in the news recently about the project.

Considering nearly everyone has heard of the project, and only 4% are undecided, it is
particularly encouraging that 62% are in support of the project today. People have heard
of it and most of them like what they hear.

Fremont, along with supporting the project, has a strongly favorable opinion of the
Oakland Athletics baseball organization. When asked if they have a favorable or
unfavorable opinion of the A’s, 69% say they have a favorable opinion of the A’s,
compared to 18% who have an unfavorable opinion of the organization.

The job creation and revenue generating aspects of the ballpark project are
important to people in Fremont. When told the project would create hundreds of local
jobs, 73% indicate they are more likely to support the project. Similarly, when told the
project will generate revenue for Fremont city services, 72% say they are more likely to
support the project.

The construction of a new elementary school is another popular component of the
project. When asked to rate “a brand new, technologically-advanced elementary school”
on a 1 to 7 importance scale, 69% rated it as a 5 or higher.


Fremont places high importance on the potential transit connectivity of the project.
Respondents were asked to rate certain components of the project on a 1 to 7 importance
scale. Seventy-four (74%) rated the potential for transit options, “including connection to
BART, CalTrain, and ACE Train service,” as a 5 or higher, including 53% who rated it a
7.

Conclusion
The research suggests that the Oakland A’s project is popular in Fremont. By and large,
people like what they have heard about the project so far and generally believe it would
be a good thing for Fremont.

People like the many positive aspects that the project brings to Fremont, including: job
creation; generating revenue for the city; a new state-of-the-art elementary school; new
parks and landscaped open spaces; and potentially expanded transportation options.

Methodology

The sample for this survey consisted of 400 registered voters in the City of Fremont,
California. A pre-test of the survey was conducted with 25 voters on September 24,
2007. The remaining interviews were conducted September 25 through September 27.
The overall margin of error for this study is +/- 4.9%.

Third poll results

Voting for the third is now closed. Here are the results:

• A. Westfield Mall ( Valley Fair) - 3 (50%)
• B. General Growth ( Newpark Mall) - 0 (0%)
• C. Mixed-use development - 3 (50%)
• D. 1 stories Shopping Center - 0 (0%)
• E. 2 stories Shopping Center - 3 (20%)
• F. Entertainment Center - 3 (0%)
• G. None - 0 (0%)

The winner is Westfield Mall ( Valley Fair) and 2 level Shopping Center/mall.
People want is Mixed-use development. Finally people want is Entertainment Center.

The next poll topic is What do you want the City of Fremont turned into?

The question:

What kind of shopping center, should they build in Fremont?

• A. Westfield Mall ( Valley Fair)
• B. General Growth ( Newpark Mall)
  
• C. Mixed-use development
• D. 1 stories Shopping Center
  
• E. 2 stories Shopping Center
  
• F. Entertainment Center
  
• G. None
  

If you like, you can post a comment here to go with your vote

A's submit ballpark application to Fremont. What's next?

Almost a year to the day that the Oakland Athletics publicly announced plans to move their baseball team to Fremont, team officials submitted a formal application Thursday to build a stadium with a surrounding neighborhood of retail stores and housing.

The "Ballpark Village" would be sit just west of the Pacific Commons shopping center, near Interstate 880 and Auto Mall Parkway. The stadium, with just 32,000 seats, would be the smallest of the 30 Major League Baseball parks. Retail stores - including restaurants and a hotel - adjacent to the stadium would be open both during game times and non-game times. The mixed-use area also would include apartments built on top of the stores.

A's officials say they hope to have the stadium ready for the 2011 baseball season.


Village would create a brand new neighborhood

Approximately 3,000 lofts, apartments, and homes eventually will be built in the complex, with most of the housing in areas south and west of the stadium. The residential area of the Ballpark Village also would include a new elementary school and several small parks.

In previous discussions, A's officials proposed an "urban-style", multi-story school that would sit on just four acres - about a quarter of the footprint of many suburban schools. Fremont Unified School District trustees recently said they would prefer a more traditional suburban design for the school. In their proposed plan, A's officials say they will work with the city and school district to arrive at a "mutually agreeable size and location" for the new school.


How would those who live and work in Fremont be affected?

At their November 27 meeting, City Council members are expected to approve the hiring of a consultant to perform an environmental study of the planned Ballpark Village. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be completed before construction can begin.

The study will address possible impacts of the project to surrounding communities as well as to wildlife and natural resources where the complex would be built. The study also includes possible ways to mitigate problems that it identifies.

The EIR process is expected to take about a year and a half to complete, Fremont Economic Development Director Darren Fields said. Before it can begin, the public will be invited to a "scoping session", where they will be able to request specific issues they would like the EIR to address. The public also will have the opportunity to review and comment on a draft version of the report once it is completed. Those comments, as well as responses to them, become part of the final report that the City Council must approve at a public as part of the approval process.


Traffic

With 81 regular-season home games, each attracting tens of thousands of spectators, it should come as no surprise that the most talked-about impact is traffic.

A's officials say they will encourage the use of public transportation, running shuttle buses from the Fremont BART station four miles from the stadium and the Milpitas light rail station seven miles south of the stadium. The BART shuttle will move to the new station in the Warm Springs district - about 1-1/2 miles from the stadium - once that opens.

A's officials say they also hope that the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) and Capitol Corridor rail services will build a new station at the northwest corner of the complex. That land is owned by Fremont's Redevelopment Agency.

Those who drive will be able to take one of three exits from Interstate 880 to get to the stadium. Each of the exits (Cushing Parkway, Auto Mall Parkway, and Stevenson Boulevard) would lead to a separate parking area, distributing traffic to and from the stadium. Team officials say the shops and restaurants also would help relieve congestion, as some spectators would arrive early and leave late to eat and shop.


The business end

City officials also will be discussing the financial aspects of the project with the A's management. The private negotiations will include any incentives sought by the A's, as well as an analysis of potential benefits to Fremont. Once the two parties reach agreement, the terms of the deal will be presented to the City Council at a public hearing.


Heading home

With the EIR and financial arrangements complete, the plan for the stadium and surrounding development will be discussed by the Planning Commission at a public meeting. If the city's planning commissioners approve the project, it will be sent to the City Council for final approval. The public will have the opportunity to express their views at each of these meetings.

Included with the A's formal application was a check for $700,000 to pay for the environmental study. The team also will pay for the experts in Major League Baseball and stadium deals who will represent Fremont in the business negotiations with the A's. Though arguably the most significant development in Fremont's 50-year history, Fields said Fremont is handling the project just like it would any other.

"Any developer pays for their application. If you want to build in Fremont, the general public doesn't pay," Fields said.


For more information...

Click here to read the development application submitted by the A's.

Pacific Commons Update

Now Open:
Spicy Town ( October 28, 2007)

Coming Soon:
370 Dessert Cafe ( Open 1-3 weeks)
French Bakery ( Under Construction on October)

Coming Soon ( Not Construction Yet)
Asian Pearl

Unknown Stores:
Infinitel ( Verizon Wireless Store)

Applebees ( Construction September)

Johnny Carino's Italian ( Open Soon)

Second poll results

Sorry for delays

Voting for the first poll is now closed. Here are the results:

• A. Yes - 3 (60%)
• B. No - 2 (40%)
• C. Next week - 0 (0%)
• D. 2 Weeks - 2 (40%)
• E. 3 Weeks - 1 (20%)
• F. 4 Weeks - 0 (0%)
• G. Next Month - 0 (0%)
• H. Never - 1 (20%)

The winner is A and D and the failed is B and G.

The next poll topic is What kind of shopping center, should they build in Fremont?

The question: Are Oakland A's really moving to Fremont? What when will the files the Application?

• A. Yes
  
• B. No
  
• C. Next week
  
• D. 2 Weeks
  
• E. 3 Weeks
  
• F. 4 Weeks
  
• G. Next Month
  
• H. Never
  

If you like, you can post a comment here to go with your vote.

A's Wolff begins to show he's frustrated

When it comes to ballpark village building, one has to endure a whole litany of nightmares to realize the actual dream, and the strain of that is starting to show on Lew Wolff's face and in his statements.

That's because the process of moving the Oakland Athletics to Fremont is now beyond the conceptual stage and entering the tougher, trickier reality phase — getting all the preliminary ducks in a row under the slow crush of governmental approval at both the state and local levels before a shovel can ever move a single pebble.

On top of all that, the Oakland A's owner must continue to answer questions about why the A's really have to move out of Oakland and why the proposed Fremont site, with all of its potential access and traffic issues, ultimately will be much better. It's the ultimate test of a gentle man's patience, and the cracks are showing.

Quite frankly, it's tough to understand why Wolff, a man in his 70s, wants to do this. OK, sure, he and his son Keith and billionaire partner John Fisher will make a nice profit on the business venture itself. There will be altruistic rewards as well, even though many A's fans are skeptical these businessmen are doing this for an improved quality of life in the Bay Area.

But, Wolff readily admitted in a wide-ranging address and Q&A session at the Commonwealth Club on Monday night that realizing the vision of Cisco Field is at least four years away and probably five, and that he may be too old and exhausted by the pursuit to actually enjoy much of it himself if it ever gets built by 2012 or 2013.

And it may not. Wolff said he hopes he'll be able to pronounce this venture a done deal within the next 12-18 months,but the A's aren't there yet, either. Things are moving slowly, and if that isn't enough of a headache for Wolff, he and his partners are trying to juggle the approval and construction of a San Jose soccer venue in concert with the baseball extravaganza.

Wolff is about as optimistic and humorous a businessman as you're ever going to meet, but some of his comments in this informal session hinted at his level of frustration right now. The next step in the process, for example.

"Within a couple of weeks, we will be submitting a development application which initiates the environmental impact report, which initiates a lot of spiral-down reports and paper," he said. "More trees have been knocked down by environmental impact studies than developers. There are steps within steps. But we're going to follow them. We have no choice."

That particular process could take a year to 18 months. Wolff clearly isn't looking forward to the snail pace of it.

"We're going to do everything on our end to move it as fast as we can, but the process to a lot of people is the end process," he said. "A lot of people live on the process. It gripes the heck out of me."

Does that sound just a little short to you? His tone was a little more curt on this evening than I've ever heard him. Host Marty Lurie tossed him questions from the audience of approximately 100, and near the end of the session, he received one of the familiar ones about how the move to Fremont could destroy the 40-year tradition that's been built in Oakland.

His answer sounded like a man getting real tired of the question.

"We're still here, folks," he said. "We're not moving to Timbuktu. We're going to be down the street in a beautiful new facility. Anybody in this room that came out to the Coliseum, please try me one day, and I'll show you how lovely it may have been in Oakland once. But it's not really great for us right now. I wish it were."

Wolff is getting very touchy about the Fremont venue's transportation and access issues as well. When Lurie phrased a question about the A's moving to one of the Bay Area's worst traffic bottlenecks, he shot back, "We think we're moving from one of the worst bottlenecks. I just don't accept it as one of the worst bottlenecks. It's one of the many bottlenecks, but the improvement of that area is under way right now."

Regarding possible ticket pricing at the new park, Wolff offered a funny but not very satisfying answer for the average A's fan: "Very easy question. It'll be a little bit less than the Giants."

In another uncomfortable moment, Wolff uttered what might be interpreted as an ethnic putdown when discussing why the A's haven't done much exploration and development in the Asian player market.

"First of all, Asian players, probably if you asked them — and could understand them — they would like to stay on the West Coast," he said. "But the money that's being spent by the Yankees and Boston, they're having to make the extra five-hour flight."

Understand them? Wolff might be hearing about that one, since his address was broadcast over radio. A statement like that doesn't play well orally or in print.

Alas, that's the tough part of trying to sell such a grand vision. Anything you say can be dissected. Fact is, you can slip and say the wrong thing easily.

Undaunted, Wolff forges ahead with the selling of this grand ballpark, even as the push starts to get tougher. Tough to envy his challenge.

Development Application and Two new sites

Fremont officials have been grumbling louder in recent weeks about the A's delays in getting the development application in. They've expressed this frustration to any media person who asks. I don't know if it will get the app in more quickly. The City and the A's have remained professional and cordial throughout.

In today's East Bay Business Times article by David Goll, Lew Wolff admits that the team's in "the tortoise phase":

Wolff himself admits he's in "the tortoise phase" of his plan, anticipating up to 18 months for the city's planning and review process to unfold once he submits a formal proposal. He also foresees spending $20 million to $30 million for a detailed design for the entire development and, assuming the Fremont City Council gives his plans a green light, about two years for construction of the stadium.

Fremont's economic development director Daren Fields gave his opinion on when he thinks the ballpark could open: 2012. I think it can still happen in 2011, but if the application isn't submitted in the next few weeks an April 2011 opening date could certainly be in jeopardy.

Two new sites

Last week two new websites came online for those interested in A's new ballpark news. First up is the A's to Fremont Support Group. Currently the only page is a mailing list signup form for interested parties, but this is sure to expand fairly quickly. I am not involved with this particular site as I was with the dormant "Bring the A's to Fremont" site. That also is subject to change. For now I am replacing the dormant site with the new one on the sidebar.

Next up is MLB's Ballparks of the Future site, presented by Cisco. It has a video showing Cisco's vision of the future plus videos for all five in-development ballparks as well as additional galleries for other new and to-be-renovated venues. Check out the Nationals' stadium tour video to get a glimpse of how crazy the premium seating market has become.

First poll results

Voting for the first poll is now closed. Here are the results:

• A. Chinese (Taiwan) - 0 (0%)
• B. English - 4 (33%)
• C. Chinese/English - 2 (33%)

The winner is B and the failed is A. C is almost close to win and we need 2-3 people to vote on C

The next poll topic is Are Oakland A's really moving to Fremont? What when will the files the Application, so they can have 18 months for the city's planning and review process to unfold.

The question: What kind of Language do you want to have in the Blog?

• A. Chinese (Taiwan)
• B. English
• C. Chinese/English

If you like, you can post a comment here to go with your vote.

No easy solutions in BART plan

Transit officials, NUMMI discourage housing as Fremont deliberates Warm Springs development

When it comes to finding funding for the Warm Springs BART extension, the type of development around the proposed station is almost as important as the station itself, transportation officials say.

Whether it's apartment towers or, more likely in the case of Warm Springs, four-story office buildings, transit agencies want new stations surrounded by developments that will generate lots of ridership.

The Warm Springs project, which already has a $200 million funding gap, is more likely to qualify for discretionary transportation dollars if the city approves uses that are compatible with transit-oriented development, MTC spokesman John Goodwin said.

But that's easier said than done for Fremont.

Although the city's preliminary plan for the station area calls for transit-friendly uses, its zoning ordinance still allows property owners to build storage warehouses, business condominiums and other uses that wouldn't generate many BART passengers.

Just last month, the City Council declined to block a mini-storage warehouse proposed within a half-mile of the station.

And before Fremont can change the zoning, it needs tofind about $200,000 for an environmental study.

The BART station tentatively is scheduled to open in 2013 on land bounded by South Grimmer Road and Warm Springs Boulevard.

To assert more control over development in the station area, the council voted unanimously last week to consider new rules making it less desirable for property owners within a half-mile of the proposed station to subdivide their land and sell it for condos.

New industrial condominium projects are increasingly popular, Fremont Planning Director Jeff Schwob said. Allowing them near the proposed BART station, he added, could increase the number of landowners, hampering efforts to build transit-friendly developments.

NUMMI flexes muscles

When a new BART station is built these days, high-density apartment buildings usually aren't far behind.

But in the case of Warm Springs, an MTC report, citing opposition from the nearby New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., anticipated no new housing in the station district.

"NUMMI has strongly advised against the development of housing in industrial areas," company spokesman Lance Tomasu said. The plant, he added, generates traffic, noise and odors "not conducive to residential development."

The auto manufacturer doesn't control city zoning rules, but with more than 5,000 employees, it has clout at City Hall.

"We don't want to lose them," Councilmember Steve Cho said after a recent council meeting.

Landowners stuck

With housing a non-starter for now, David Beretta, a prominent Fremont developer, said city planners have suggested he build offices, even though the office market is poor. The city, he added, opposed his proposals for a swimming school, retail center or apartments on his parcel.

"We tried every use that we could; the city rejected it each time," Beretta said.

None of Beretta's proposals was permitted under current zoning, Schwob countered.

When he proposed a mini-storage warehouse for the Prune Street lot, city staff members responded by recommending that the City Council approve an emergency ordinance giving the city more ability to reject such projects.

The council rejected the emergency ordinance on grounds that it could be an appropriate interim use for the land, but later approved clamping down on business condominiums.

Meanwhile, Warm Springs BART remains a waiting game for developers like Jack Balch, who owns 8 acres near the proposed station. He is looking into interim uses for his site, so long as he doesn't have to pay for improvements such as curb gutters.

"I bought the land thinking BART would be here by now," Balch said. "We want to hold this land for a higher and better use."

A's present school plans to Fremont School District Wed. 10/10/07 6:30 p.m.

Award Winning Horace Mann Elementary campus in San Jose.

A's co-owner, Keith Wolff, will be presenting the latest plans for an exciting new proposed school that will be built as part of the Cisco Field/Ballpark Village project this Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fremont City Council Chambers located at 3300 Capitol Avenue, Fremont, CA at 6:30 p.m.

The new school will be an urban-style school which would cover less acreage, much like the award winning Horace Mann Elementary campus in San Jose. The Horace Mann Elementary boasts an outstanding facility, from an architectural and educational standpoint. The school would also be designed to allow the campus to be expanded if needed. This is just one more exciting aspect and benefit of having the A's in Fremont!

It would be great if you could have a nice showing of support and some volunteers to speak in favor of the project after the presentation. We want to show the FUSD Board that we support this effort and want to see the A's come to Fremont!

Go A's!

A's to present latest school plans to district

Proposal calls for multistory urban-style campus in Fremont

Instead of the typical single-story elementary school campus spread over 8 to 10 acres, as often is found in the suburbs, Oakland A's officials envision a multistory "urban" school to become part of its proposed ballpark village.

An urban-style school would cover less acreage, with classrooms built atop one another.

Last month, the A's proposed a

4-acre site for the school. On Monday, team co-owner Keith Wolff said the ballclub is considering a two- or three-story school and is looking at the Horace Mann Elementary campus in San Jose as a model.

Schools Superintendent Doug Gephart, who has visited the San Jose campus, said the school boasted an outstanding facility, from an architectural and educational standpoint. However, its playground was smaller than desired, he said, adding that A's officials are aware of the district's wish for more play space.

The proposed ballpark village, near Interstate 880 and Auto Mall Parkway, would feature a 32,000-seat stadium and a mix of retail shops, offices and residences.

Some of the residences would be three to four stories high.

Because of the greater housing density, the neighborhood could generate anywhere from 600 to 1,000 new students, Gephart said. The key, he added, is to design a campus with the flexibility to expand if necessary.

The A's latest plans, with the focus on the school, will be presented at Wednesday's school board meeting.

In preliminary designs earlier this year, an elementary school had been penciled to go up near Tri-Cities Landfill at the end of Auto Mall Parkway. But some Fremont residents objected to the location.

Now, the plan is to place a school east of Cushing Parkway, "in the heart of the residential development," Wolff said.

"To provide a K-6 school that serves the need of the population generated by our project ... that's still our commitment to the city," he said.

Developer chosen for Centerville Unified site

Another developer has been chosen to revitalize 6.6 acres in the Centerville Unified Redevelopment Area.

Fremont City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency Board, selected Danville-based Blake Hunt Ventures by a vote of 3-2 at the Oct. 2 Redevelopment Agency meeting.

Vice Mayor Bob Wieckowski and Councilmember Anu Natarajan dissented, voting in favor of the team of Phoenix-based Opus West and San Mateo-based Regis Homes.

In the planning stages since April 2000, the site has had three different projects proposed by two developers.

All three projects failed to move forward for different reasons.

A grocery-anchored shopping center lost steam when the proposed grocery store for the project pulled out, and developers were unable to find a suitable replacement.

A restaurant-anchored, vertical mixed-use project dubbed Centerville Market Place fell through due to escalating construction costs and financial infeasibility.

The developers of that project returned with a 100-percent retail center, once again named Centerville Market Place.

However, by the end of last year, rising construction costs once again blocked progress on the site.

The site is bounded by Fremont Boulevard, Bonde Way, Post Street and Thornton Avenue.

According to city staff reports, the RDA Board authorized a request for qualifications for the site on June 26.

Six development teams submitted qualifications by the Aug. 16 deadline for the site.

The applicants were then narrowed down to three development teams, which were invited to an interview to present qualifications and a vision for the site.

Staff reports state the interview panel consisted of five city staff members, three consultants and two representatives of the Centerville community.

For the site, Blake Hunt Ventures proposed two projects, one of which included a 57,000-square-foot mixed-use retail and residential project that included a 20,000-square-foot grocery store and a 16,000-square-foot secondary anchor store, possibly a drug store.

Additionally, the firm proposed another 21,000 square feet of various retail and restaurant space.

There would be 44 to 48 residential units in six buildings on the south end of the property between Fremont Boulevard and Post Street.

There would be 245 parking spaces for retail.

Blake Hunt Ventures also proposed a 99,200-square-foot retail-only project that included a 45,000-square-foot grocery store.

A drug store or secondary anchor store would again be 16,000 square feet, and there would be an additional 38,200 square feet of additional retail and restaurants.

There would be 427 parking spaces in the project.

Brad Blake, chief executive officer of Blake Hunt Ventures, said his firm believed the Centerville community was looking for a strong sense of identity and place, and that a retail project would bring that to the area.

"We really think this should be a 100 percent retail project," he said. "If there should be some residential, we look at it as infill and don't want it to be the Ôdriver' of the project."

Blake added he believed as many as three grocery stores were interested in taking up residency on the site.

The team of Opus West and Regis Homes proposed building 20,000 to 35,000 square feet of retail along Fremont Boulevard, with 170 residential units of rental housing in the interior and along the rear of the site near Post Street.

Units may also have been added as a second story above the retail, reports state, with as many as 200 units on the site.

As many as 500 parking spaces would have been built in two parking garages behind the retail buildings. The garages would have been two or three stories high, staff reports state.

John Eller, an architect with SB Architects, said the Opus/Regis project would have provided an attractive community gathering space.

"We expect to provide high-quality development along the frontage of the project," he said. "Addressing Fremont Boulevard as the focal point of the project is the key to this plan."

Natarajan said that while both presentations were very good, she favored the Opus West/Regis Home proposal, as it had residential units that could be filled.

She said other types of retail stores could move in without a grocery store and still be economically viable.

"We're looking for a project that's viable, not a pie in the sky proposal," she said. "We want something that can be a catalyst of the community. If you're looking at a grocery-anchored retail project and it doesn't happen, we don't have a plan B."

Councilmember Steve Cho said when this first project first came to light in 2000, the community expressed the desire for a grocery store on the site.

"I remember seven or eight years ago, the community came together and voiced what they wanted for that site: it was a grocery store," he said. "Without an anchor store, it's difficult to get other stores to come to the site and make it viable. I think having all retail there will bring economic vitality to the area."

A list of the business at The Globe

A List of Restaurants at The Globe

Approximately 20 to 25 different kinds of restaurants. Some would be freestanding
pads, some could be smaller. Restaurants that were expected to locate in this center
were:

Jackie’s Kitchen (from Honolulu)
Anamadera (a high-end Vietnamese restaurant)
Indian Chi Café (a small facility)
Vietnam Dim Sum
International Culinary Arts
Roy’s
Straits Café (currently in Santana Row)
Amber’s (an Indian restaurant also in Santana Row)
GONG DE LIN XIAO NAN GUO LLC ( 40525 Albrae, Fremont, CA 94538) ( A former “Home Depot”, now a furniture store, is located on one of the parcels)

In conversations with many community leaders and
consulates, they seemed very supportive of this concept.


Hotel Boutique/Franchise

Property Description:
Looking for a Hotel Operator or Hotel Franchise to fill and operate 83 - 90 rooms in the Globe. Building Size: 85,000 sq ft, 3 stories total (1st story =15,000 sq ft, 2nd and 3rd =35,000 sq ft each)

As the first internationally-themed lifestyle center in the United States, The Globe will serve as the premier retail and entertainment destination in the Bay Area. It will not only attract visitors and acclaim regionally but also from across the nation and around the world. The concept of the Globe is to create an environment that is inclusive of the different cultures of the world and to express them through the design of the architecture as well as the types of products and services offered. The Globe will be a place where the commonalities of cultures are highlighted and differences appreciated; food and fashion being two prime facets. The Globe will target the middle to upper income echelons as its primary target market. The tenant composition will also be vital.

Location Description:
Will be situated at the E-Building (European Village) across from the Heart area and in the center of the Globe Mall.

Located in Fremont, California, the site area covers 47.24 acres or over 2 million sq. ft. with over 700,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area (GLA) planned. The Globe is located in Silicon Valley adjacent to and west of the 880 Freeway south of Stevenson Blvd. The 880 Freeway extends along the East Bay from San Jose to Oakland connecting to these other high-volume freeways and highways - 101, 280, 580, 80, 92, 84, 8 and 237 - and running through the following cities - Los Gatos, Campbell, Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, Newark, Hayward, Union City, San Leandro, Alameda, and Oakland. The Globe's convenient location near the Dumbarton Bridge (84) will allow for easy access from cities across the San Francisco bay such as Palo Alto, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Woodside, Mountain View, and Los Altos Hills. The City of Fremont is currently the last stop in the South Bay for BART and the Globe plans to Serve the public transit commuters with its own customized BART shuttle, whose schedule will be coordinated with the BART system.
Additional Types: Retail Pad No. Stories: 3
Anchor
Theme/Festival Center


Planning Commission Meetings 01/12/06 SAIGON VILLAGE ARCHITECTURE

What types of businesses, other than restaurants, were anticipated to locate within
the Village?
Fashion retailers would be located along Fashion Boulevard within the project. It was
hoped that some retailers would reflect the cultures expressed in the architecture,
which would cater to the local market. A cinema was envisioned that would show
independent foreign films, rather than the “usual blockbuster films.”

Were there any plans for office-type businesses?
Most would be retail. The only office spaces would be used by the Village
management company and his firm.

Would there be any other types of office businesses?
No more than a total of 5,000 square feet, if any.

Would office space be allowed in this area?
Associate Planner Ruhland replied that this parcel was already zoned for High
Volume Retail and Commercial. The General Plan amendment would change the
land behind this parcel from General Industrial to High Volume Retail and typical
office use was not anticipated within High Volume Retail. Some service businesses,
i.e., real estate, banks, accounting would be allowed.

Was an eating establishment previously approved for this site?
Associate Planner Ruhland replied that there was no specific use identified in the
previous design of the building.

Were quite a few eating establishments planned?
As many as four different restaurants were being considered.

Did the applicant know of any actual businesses that were planning to occupy the
buildings? No leases had been signed, but there was a waiting list of interested restaurants.

Was this particular project near the sign that stated an Asian buffet was coming?
Yes, but it would be on a different parcel, altogether.

Would East-West Bank actually be located on the smaller pad, or was that shown for
the purposes of illustration?
Discussion had been held with East-West Bank, along with other banks.

Was the Golden Theater one and the same that was referenced as the performing
arts stage?
No. However, it was hoped that the theater would be used as a multifunctional
performing stage, as well.
Mr. Horn clarified that the performing venue that she was referring to would be an
outdoor performing plaza in the public space area.

Would parking be adequate, as other local Asian shopping centers seemed to lack
enough space.
All parking requirements would be met and they were working with their consultants
and Associate Planner Ruhland to make sure adequate parking would be available.

Planning Commission Meetings 01/26/06 The Globe
Where might the parking structure be located, if deemed necessary, and how many
stories would it be?
The parking structure would be located at the upper rear portion of the site between
the buildings and Encyclopedia Circle. At this time, it was anticipated that two stories

Where might the parking structure be located, if deemed necessary, and how many
stories would it be?
The parking structure would be located at the upper rear portion of the site between
the buildings and Encyclopedia Circle. At this time, it was anticipated that two stories
would be adequate.

How would these separate types of businesses contribute to ethnic integration?
Would only the Vietnamese, for instance, visit only the Vietnamese shops and
restaurants?
It was hoped that the entire community (regardless of nationality or race) would be
interested in going to the center to shop and eat.

How many restaurants were anticipated to locate in this center?
Approximately 20 to 25 different kinds of restaurants. Some would be freestanding
pads, some could be smaller. Restaurants that were expected to locate in this center
were: Jackie’s Kitchen (from Honolulu), Anamadera (a high-end Vietnamese
restaurant), Indian Chi Café (a small facility), Vietnam Dim Sum, International
Culinary Arts, Roy’s, Straits Café (currently in Santana Row) and Amber’s (an Indian
restaurant also in Santana Row). In conversations with many community leaders and
consulates, they seemed very supportive of this concept.

Was it anticipated that the same number of shops would be located in the center?
They expected an international market and a Chinese market would open business in
the center. It was hoped that boutiques that would sell, for example, wedding
dresses from another country, thus, eliminating a trip by the bride to her home
country to chose an appropriate dress. Rather than these kinds of businesses being
located in the typical “older shopping center,” they would have a location that was a
part of the culture of Fremont.

Was the applicant talking with individuals with the various ethnic backgrounds that
were to be represented in this project?
Yes, they were.

Would the shops be upscale and, for example, sell artifacts indigenous to a particular
country? What kinds of shops were expected to locate in the project?
Fred Kim stated that they expected to create a project that was fiscally sound. Each
cultural district would be customized to cater to the demographics of the city. Retail
demand was expected to be from middle to upper middle household incomes within
the city. They hoped to create a project that would reach out to all cultures.
Architectural inspiration had been taken from the source cultures, and they were
modified and contemporized for each building. Everyone they had spoken with
“loved, loved the idea.”

Eugene Sum, Sum Architects, added that he and the applicant were “trying to create a fusion
of elements from different cultures. They planned to look at new ways of looking at cultural
elements from different countries and to collage it in a way that would create “inclusionary
principles into the design.” This architecture would be specific to Fremont, specific to
California and, at the same time, it would respect those elements that come
would be adequate.

Newswrap 9/27/2007

Now Open
Taiwan Food talk (Now Open) September 15-20, 2007

4 star rating

based on 2 reviews

Category: Asian Fusion

43755 Boscell Rd
Fremont, CA 94538

(510) 668-0818

www.foodtalkcafe.com

• Price Range: $
• Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
• Attire: Casual
• Good for Groups: Yes

They were having a 10% OFF promotion (until the 15th of next month).

Overall, we're glad to have a more upscale (but not expensive) Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant like "Food Talk Cafe" in Fremont. We hope that the rest of that shopping center will develop so that there will be other good eats!

*Incidentally, the website doesn't seem to be up yet.

Fremont Water Park Update 09/08/07

August 30, 2007-August 31, 2007- I have Seen they added Temporary Power and the add power wires.
September 6, 2007- The old buildings at the old Swim Lagoon has Demolish.

The Globe
Projected Completion
Saigon Village: Winter 2007
China Village, JK Town, and Pacifica: Summer 2008
The Heart, Europa, and Taj India: Winter 2008
Additional Shopping Village to Come in Future Phases: Africa, Australia, Mexico

If you want more info just click The Globe on the top or bottom. They do have a Website and if you can't find the website you should have the to the website.

Saigon Village
Saigon Village is now complete on September 1-8, 2007. Now they have to do tenants improvement and they haven't even started. I don't know what stores are they having and it will be long time the finish the stores.

3-year Paseo Padre detour opens today

Major construction begins to eliminate railroad crossings





What do you call something that's yellow, 100 feet tall, and has been sleeping at the side of Paseo Padre Parkway the past month? City engineers don't seem to know exactly what it's called either. But they know it's about to wake up and make it possible to eliminate the railroad crossings that tie up traffic several times a day.

Starting this afternoon, cars traveling along Paseo Padre will be routed onto the detour road that construction workers have been building for the past few months. The paved detour - a single lane in each direction - will carry traffic between Hancock Drive and Shadow Brooke Common for the next three years as workers complete the Grade Separation Project.


Background

The hundred million dollar project - the biggest public works project in the city's history - will eliminate the railroad crossings both Paseo Padre and Washington Boulevard. The tracks will stay at ground level in both locations. Washington will be raised 25 ft to cross above the tracks, while Paseo Padre will dip 20 feet to pass under them. In addition to eliminating traffic delays from passing trains, the project will make it possible for BART to extend to the Warm Springs district.


The Big Yellow Thing

Once the detour opens, workers will be able to start digging out the section of Paseo Padre that will pass under the tracks. But sinking the road down 20 feet is not just a matter of digging. With the water table sitting less than 10 feet deep, the new road would flood.

That's where the big yellow thing comes in. Drilling far into the surface, it will pump in a mixture a soil and cement that will be used to construct two 50-foot deep walls to keep water from seeping onto the new road. The walls will run along either side of the lowered portion of Paseo Padre, outside of the separate retaining walls that drivers will see once the road is complete.

Though only about a mile away, the Washington crossing does not have the same water table problems as the Paseo Padre one. The reason is that it is on the other side of the Hayward Fault, which runs diagonally between the two crossings.

"That shows you just what type of impact the fault has," said Jim Pierson, the city's transportation and operations director.


The Trains

Before fabricating the 50-foot deep wall for the new road, the big yellow thing will be used to build a similar, temporary wall to protect the railroad tracks. The tracks will be shifted east as part of the project, but not for a couple of years. And since the trains need to keep running throughout the digging, they too need protection from the underground water.

The whole reason for this project, the tracks also are the main cause of its complexity. To save money, shifting trains to the new set of tracks will be done at the same time for both locations. That means the tracks crossing Paseo Padre will not be shifted until the ones that cross Washington also are ready. But because the reconstructed Washington Boulevard will pass over the tracks, those tracks can't be relocated until after the roadway is completed.

"It's dangerous to build over live tracks," Pierson said

Once both sets of tracks are shifted, section of Paseo Padre where the old tracks had been can be lowered.


A bridge to the future water park

When the new road is complete, pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to cross over it on a prefabricated bridge. The bridge is as much a necessity as an amenity, Pierson said. Utility cables that now run underneath Paseo Padre will no longer be able to do so, since they would need to pass under both of the deep walls that keep water from entering the depressed road. Those cables will run through the bridge.

Other city projects will pick up the cost of building paths to the bridge, which will make it easy to walk or bike from Irvington to Central Park, Pierson said.


Project could be completed ahead of schedule

Although the real construction is only just beginning, Pierson said the project - set to finish in 2010 - has kept on schedule. In fact, the contractor has told the city they would like to speed up the work. But the city also wants to limit construction hours so residents are not woken up too early from the noise. And some of the work requires closing intersections for short periods of time, which typically would be over a weekend, Pierson said.

"The city will gladly accommodate (a faster schedule) to the extent it doesn't impact residents," he said.


For more info...

The city maintains a Web site with up-to-date information, detailed project diagrams, frequently asked questions, and contact information at www.fremontgradesep.com.

Cisco Field will be on Irvington district and More update

A's complete field renovations at school
Fields at Washington High School in Fremont are redone

The A's and their partners, the Good Tidings Foundation, cut the ribbon on their latest field renovation on Tuesday, celebrating the completion of work on the baseball and softball fields at Washington High School in Fremont.A's owner Lew Wolff and club president Mike Crowley joined pitcher Huston Street and catcher Kurt Suzuki to lead the A's contingent attending the event. Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman, Fremont Unified School District Superintendent Doug Gephart and Washington High School student body president Tenaya Davis also participated in the ceremony.

The A's began the renovation process of both fields at the end of June. It included the replacement of the entire irrigation system, fresh sod and infield dirt. The renovations also included new concrete under the bleachers for both fields, a new wood backstop with fresh paint and fencing around the bullpen for the baseball field, and fresh paint on the backstop and fencing to enclose fan and bleacher areas behind the backstop for the softball field.

Last year, WHS renamed the baseball field in honor of alumnus Dennis Eckersley, the former A's right-hander who went on to reach the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Last season, the A's and Good Tidings Foundation renovated and renamed Rickey Henderson Baseball Field located at the Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center in East Oakland and renovated Bambino Field at the Greenman Field Baseball Complex in Oakland in 2005.

The Good Tidings Foundation is a 501-(c)-3 children's charity that looks to equally support education, athletics and the arts for youth from communities of need in the greater Bay Area. The Good Tidings Foundation received assistance from general contractor Robert A. Bothman, Inc., Calco Fence, Hunter Industries, Kelly-Moore Paints and West Coast Turf in the renovation of the Washington High School baseball and softball fields.

Concern

The new A's Stadium maybe will fall through. For Example: If Lew Wolff wants to build a overpass freeway. But Lew Wolff wants the City of Fremont to pay for the overpass freeway. The City of Fremont can't afford too build a overpass freeway. "Then the new A's Stadium deal is off."

September 18 City Council Work Session

The City Council held an additional work session on September 18 to hear an updated presentation from the Oakland A's on their proposed Ballpark Village land use plans. Keith Wolff, co-owner of the A's, and Marty Borko from Gensler Architects, discussed the following items with regard to the proposed Ballpark Village: residential density, land use variety/flexibility, school site and design, connectivity and walkability, parks, parking and transportation, and sustainable elements.

Watch the Work Session.

Below is the A's presentation. Please note: due to the size of the file, it is divided into 5 different PDFs.

Part 1,2	Part 3,4	Part 5

New A's ballpark in Fremont would be surrounded by upscale eateries

If approved by Fremont's City Council, the $450 million Cisco Field would open in 2011 in a now-vacant lot in the city's Irvington district. It would be surrounded by high-end retail stores, restaurants overlooking the outfield, and housing for at least 3,000 people, A's officials told Fremont Tuesday night.

"This is the biggest project Fremont will ever see," said Mayor Bob Wasserman. "If it's approved, it will create a pride here. It will make the city a whole place."

Though finances weren't part of the discussion as the A's outlined the latest details of their 200-acre, $1.8 billion development plan to Fremont officials and residents at Fremont City Hall, the team has asserted that a new ballpark would raise millions of dollars a year in public and private revenue.

On Tuesday, the A's said they would comply with city officials' request to move a proposed elementary school closer to the stadium. It had been planned for several blocks away.

Cisco Field - which would be located 25 miles south of the the team's current stadium on Oakland- would seat 32,000 and be the smallest ballpark in Major League Baseball. Almost the entire outfield would be rimmed with elevated seated. That way, pedestrians, shoppers and diners walking in a mall area below could watch the game for free through windows beneath those elevated seats.

The team, tentatively to be called the Athletics at Fremont - at one time it had been the Silicon Valley Athletics at Fremont - would play in a classic ballpark with plenty of bricks reminiscent of Boston's Fenway Park or AT&T Park in San Francisco, said Keith Wolff, the A's co-owner.

"On game days, the ballpark will provide energy and excitement," Wolff said. "On nongame days, it will be like a sculpture or a park."

The public would also be able to watch games for free from a public park just beyond center field. That park would even have its own scoreboard.

The development would include 11,000 parking spaces cloaked by four- and five-story residential buildings, with more than 3,000 units in all.

Most of the 60 or so Fremont residents who attended Tuesday's meeting supported the project.

"Fremont, for many years, has needed something to keep people here," said Bill Rinetti, owner of Massimo's restaurant there. "People will stay here and spend their money here, and the whole city will prosper."

Not everyone was thrilled with the project. Some complained that the ballpark wouldn't be close enough to BART - it's five miles from the nearest station - and that the shopping area would attract too much traffic.

There were also environmental concerns.

"Everyone here seems to be intoxicated with the idea of bringing a professional ball team to Fremont," said Vinton Bacon of Fremont who works for the Sierra Club. "This project brings more suburban sprawl and is inherently environmentally unfriendly."

The A's plan to submit a formal development application to Fremont within four weeks, Wolff said. The A's have said they are leaving Oakland because they couldn't secure land for the expanded development the owners envisioned.

"We tried to do it in Oakland. That was our first choice," Wolff said. "The officials were great, our fans are amazing. We just couldn't get the land."