We urge you to vote "YES" on Prop 1A for High-Speed Rail

Gavin Newsom urges voter approval of Prop 1A


Sen. Dianne Feinstein urges Prop 1A voter approval


Speaker Pelosi urges Prop 1A voter approval

Please Vote "YES" on Prop 1A for High-Speed Rail

Please Vote "YES" on Prop 1A for High-Speed Rail



California High-Speed Rail will:
1) allow Californians to travel from the Bay Area to Los Angeles in two and a half hours, without the hassle of the airport.
2) reduce traffic and reducing air pollution.
3) reduces our dependence on foreign oil and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
4) high-speed train system create new jobs and boost our economy.
5) reducing auto accident fatalities and injuries and related health care costs..
6) reducing delays to air and auto travelers as freeways and airports are relieved of congestion. Congestion costs Californians $20 billion per year in wasted fuel and lost time.
7) generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue surplus.
8) cost $55 one way train ticket.

Prop 1A Endorsements

Newspapers
Los Angeles Times
San Francisco Chronicle
San Jose Mercury-News
Fresno Bee

Organizations
American Lung Association
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce
California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
California Labor Federation
California League of Conservation Voters
California Nurses Association
California State NAACP
California Transportation Commission
Consumer Federation of California
Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
League of Women Voters of California
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Orange County Business Council
Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Labor Council
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
Sierra Club California
and more....

Learn more at:
http://www.californiahighspeedtrains.com
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov
http://www.calpirgstudents.org

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Fremont update

Globe still empty, but spinning forward, developer says

Fred Kim and developer John Wynn of Imperial Investment and Development are working on city permits for the next village, an ode to the Pacific Rim, but they don't have money to build it.

"We've had to revise our strategy in terms of funding," Kim said, noting that credit is tight these days. Their plan is to find foreign capital, he said.

They also are asking the city to let them make a major change to the development plan, putting a 200-room hotel in Europa Village, which was slated to have European-themed shops.

Saigon Village
Cyclo Cafe-The prospective owner of the Cyclo Café — a coffee shop that is fully furnished, but not yet open — backed out for family reasons, Fred Kim said. A few other prospective tenants also backed out this year for various reasons, he said.

Pho Appetit (Open October 9, 2008) (Free soda on 10/9/08-11/9/08)

Pho Appetit, a Vietnamese restaurant, is scheduled to open next month in Saigon Village. Six more establishments, including a food court, sushi bar and nightclub, dentist office and rice museum could be in by early 2009, Kim said.

With only an East West Bank and World Gourmet opened on the edge of Saigon Village, Pho Appetit owner John Nguyen is concerned about being the first merchant to open inside of it.

"It's going to be tough there; there's no foot traffic, Nguyen said.

He said he has been paying rent for nearly a year and was told that other shops would be open that still aren't operating.The restaurant will offer authentic Vietnamese food with modern service, he said.

Kim said he understood Nguyen's concerns, and said other shops were on the way. Among those that have either gotten city permits or are planning to get them are a food court, a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant, a dentist shop, a rice museum and Yogurtzinha — a tea, gelato and frozen yogurt shop that is will have a second location in Pleasanton.

Kim, who said he also is negotiating with a potential sports bar operator, is looking for city permission for a sushi bar and nightclub.

Orchid Restaurant
Taste of Asia/Vietnam - Food Court (Open Soon)
Rice Museum
Miss Saigon
Royal Thai
dentist shop

Yogurtzinha (Open December)
Second location: Downtown Pleasanton
600 Main Street, Suite F
Pleasanton, CA 94566

Publish Post

Fremont Times Square
Now under construction

Pacific Commons
Asian Pearl (Open September 4, 2008)

Coming soon Fremont Bank Aqua Adventure Water Park update.

Fremont needs to change. Part 1/2

Rich Cities and Poor Cities
Many people are shopping and going to the Century Theater to watch movies. Fremont is poor, while other cities are rich. Why is that? Milpitas has great shops, restaurants, and high-tech companies. People like to shop, dine, and play over there. When people shops and go eat at a restaurants, more revenue go to the city. I went to the Great Mall and there were so many people shopping and dining. That makes Milpitas get more tax revenue. I mostly go to Milpitas Square to eat at restaurants because Milpitas Square has great restaurants and a big shopping center. I also went to San Jose, Union City, Newark, and Cupertino restaurants. Sometimes I go eat at Chinese restaurants in Fremont, but Fremont has less restaurants than other cities. A lot of people work at high-tech companies. Mostly people who work at Cisco or Google are mid-high income. High-tech companies earn alot of money, so more revenue go to the city.

Shopping , Dining, and Play
People love to shop, dine, and play. I really want a shopping mall in Fremont, where there is an outlet shopping center or luxury shopping center that people would love to shop at. The shopping center has to be new and have up-to-date architecture. This would also attract more people to Fremont. Why is Fremont building alot of shopping center if less people shop in Fremont? Because people love to shop at clothing stores. Such as American Eagle Outfitters, Banana Republic, Hollister, etc. Fremont just keeps building the same shopping center. Also they tried to bring us stores like furniture, home, and office supplies. Who will shop there? I only buy furniture, home, and office supplies every 1-5 years. But clothing stores, I will shop once per week or month. Bob Wasserman brings 90 restaurants to the Fremont area and a lot of people, including me love going to them. But we need to stop opening restaurants at old shopping center, so we can improve on other things rather that restaurants that don't get that much business. I will discuss more in the next paragraph. We need bowling alleys, sport teams, movie theaters, and ice skating rings in Fremont. Why? I will discuss in Part 2. We have this in Fremont already, but they too old and need to be updated and remodeled .

Rebuild shopping center + Why are restaurants closing?

We shouldn't keep opening restaurants at downtown Fremont, until we improve shopping centers. Fremont Plaza Courtyard used to have Uno, then it change to Pasta Q, then it's now Joey Basil's Pizza & Pasta. Next to Sweet Tomatoes, we used to have SFO Pizza and now we have Straw Hat Pizza. We shouldn't keep adding restaurants there. Because a lot of restaurants are opening and then closing a few years later. We should start improving that area and rebuild a better shopping center there. If we start improving the areas that need to be improved, then more people will shop and dine in Downtown Fremont. I'm can't wait for them to start construction at Capitol Avenue Downtown Project.


Fremont should change 30-50 years. How we want are city to look like.

Our city should change from Suburban to Urban, because of Global Warming. I will like the city to be more like Dubai. Also, I wish the government would spend more money on buying single family housing, so they can turn into mixed-use development. All I want for this community is to live, work, play, shop, and dine. Not everywhere in Fremont, but in one location. Instead of driving to shop, work, or even play, we can have more have shopping areas closer to our peoples homes. Example, I live in condo then I walk few block to work, then few block to go groceries store. But Suburban, people have to drive to get groceries then drive out of town to work. In the general plan, Fremont should design a street where light rail can go. This would help save gas money for people and will keep our environment cleaner. Fremont should try to ask MTC for funding a light rail service. Fremont should have it where people can walk or take transportation to work.

A's Ballpark Village.

I'm very supportive of the A's moving to Fremont. Last time my cousin went to Santana Row and she like watching a Jazz Concert. She loves Jazz music and she want a Jazz concert in Fremont. I said theres a concert at Lake Elizabeth. But she wants a jazz concert near the shopping center. So, I said A's Ballpark is going to be similar to Santana Row and there will be a concert there. Before she was against the A's moving to Fremont, but now she is supportive of the A's moving to Fremont. The A's Ballpark Village will have a park.

Ashely Furniture has no right to oppose the A's Development. Ashely Furniture opened a store after the A's announce they are moving to Fremont. Parking and Traffic is mostly the big concern in Fremont. Last week, I talked to a Lawyer about the A's Ballpark Village. The lawyer said that they need at least 20,000 parking space. It must be a multistory garage. A's proposed plan is 11,000 parking space. If the bus can hold 4,000 people then they need at least 5,000 parking space. If Fremont, A's, and MTC work together, then the A's Ballpark can happened. Most Developers don't like spending money on parking because most parking won't get charge. This causes the developers to not get money on parking, but if Fremont and MTC give the A's money to pay for parking, then it will happened

Next, I will discuss part 2, and who I will endorse the city council and mayor, and why?
Part 2, I will discuss recreation, school, and Newark and Fremont.

Fremont Update: August

The Globe

Saigon Village
Cyclo Cafe (Open Soon)
Pho Appetit (Open 2-3 weeks)
Orchid Restaurant
Taste of Asia/Vietnam - Food Court (Open September-October)
Rice Museum
Miss Saigon
Royal Thai

Fremont Times Square
Navlet's Garden Centers (Demolish August-September) The ground-breaking is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Pacific Commons
Asian Pearl (Open Mid-Late August)

Suburbs may make you fatter

New research suggests that it might for those who reside in neighborhoods designed more for cars than foot traffic.

People in the study who lived in the most walkable neighborhoods weighed an average of 8 pounds less than people who lived in the least walkable areas.

Neighborhoods built before 1950 tended to have sidewalks and other characteristics that made them more accessible to pedestrians, including being more densely populated and having restaurants and other businesses nearby, lead researcher Ken R. Smith, PhD, tells WebMD.

In general, newer neighborhoods offered fewer opportunities for walking.

The study appears in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“We aren’t saying the move from older to newer neighborhoods is the cause of the obesity epidemic, but it may be a factor,” Smith says.

Walk Less, Weigh More

In an effort to test the theory, Smith and colleagues calculated the body mass index (BMI) of 453,927 residents of Salt Lake County, Utah, using height and weight data from their driver’s license applications. Adults between the ages of 25 and 64 were included in the analysis.

The researchers also reviewed census data that included information about the neighborhoods where the residents lived.

In general, the research suggested that the more walkable a neighborhood was, the less likely its residents were to become overweight or obese.

Based upon the analysis, a man of average height and weight who lived in the most walkable neighborhood in Salt Lake County would be expected to weigh an average of 10 pounds less than a man living in the least walkable neighborhood. For women, the difference would be 6 pounds.

Smith says the growing emphasis on designing pedestrian-friendly places for people to live, work, and play could have a large, positive impact on health in the future.

He cites a recent report from the Brookings Institution predicting that by the year 2030 half the buildings in the United States will have been built since 2000.

“That represents a huge opportunity to think about how we are building our communities and to make them better places, both from a health and an environmental standpoint,” he says.

Walkability a Goal

This is the goal of the CDC’s ‘Healthy Places’ initiative, says Andrew Dannenberg, MD, MPH, of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.

“Our mission is to get health on the table when building decisions are being made,” he says. “This has not been done much in the past, but awareness is growing.”

The recent stratospheric rise in gas prices and concerns about climate change have helped focus attention on the subject, but it is still too soon to know if the attention will lead to change, Dannenberg says.

The CDC’s ‘Healthy Places’ web site makes it clear that the challenge is daunting, as it calls for substantive changes with regard to future growth.

“Today, typical suburban homes sit in cul-de-sac subdivisions that empty out onto high volume roads,” it reads. “Zoning laws encourage the separation of residential areas from schools and shopping malls by long and often dangerous travel distances. Elementary school bicycle racks stand empty as parents fear for their children’s safety on narrow or traffic-laden roads. (And) pedestrians take risks as they cross dangerous intersections in communities where safe crosswalks are all but nonexistent,” the CDC statement reads.

Fremont fall election

Fremont's elections are shaping up as a free-for-all, with establishment candidates competing against each other and against opponents from ends of the political spectrum that often aren't represented.

In Fremont, the mayor's race is a veritable battle of the titans with Mayor Bob Wasserman squaring off against former Mayor Gus Morrison and Councilmember Steve Cho.

Expected to be at the center of the debate is the Oakland A's ballpark village proposal, which Cho and Wasserman support and Morrison opposes. The A's are acting like a campaign already is under way. The club has sent residents two glossy mailers this year touting the team's potential contribution to Fremont.

As for the council, incumbent Bob Wieckowski has said he wants to seek another term, and he will face at least two challengers for either his seat or Cho's seat.

In Fremont, however, Cho is being termed out of his council seat this year. Planning Commissioner Suzanne Chan would be considered a favorite for the seat, but she said "I am doing my homework and assessing the pros and cons of running for public office. This is not an easy decision, but I am getting closer to a decision."

Another planning commissioner, Dirk Lorenz, already has declared his candidacy. Lorenz, a pro-business Republican who owns Fremont Flowers.

Also in the race is Sierra Club member Vinnie Bacon. Bacon, a former transportation planner who now works in technology, has criticized city development policies and promised not to take contributions from developers.

New Retail Center in Fremont, Ca

New Retail Center
Osgood Retail Center-Auto Mall Parkway, Fremont, California
3350 Mowry Avenue
Old Mission Courtyard

Stevenson Row
Charles Schwab
Fuzio Universal Pasta

Fremont Update: Part 1

Pacific Commons

Yogurt Swirl (Now Opened)
Asian Pearl (Mid July or Late July)
Chez Nous Bakery (June or July)
Dickey's Barbeque Pit ( Open July 7, 2008) Please note the date change

The Globe

Saigon Village
Cyclo Cafe (Open June or July)
Pho Appetit (Open 2-3 weeks)
Orchid Restaurant
Taste of Asia/Vietnam - Food Court (Open August)
Rice Museum
Miss Saigon
Royal Thai
1 New Tenant (Unknown)

Fremont Times Square
Navlet's Garden Centers (Demolish July)

Coming Soon

Straw Hat Grill ( formerly Pizzeria SFO Bar & Grill, next to Sweet Tomatoes)

Fremont Bank Aqua Adventure Water Park: June 2008 Construction

Photobucket Album

Fundraiser for Bob Wasserman at Japra Mahal

India Post News Service

The current Mayor of Fremont, Bob Wasserman runs against former Fremont mayor Gus Morrison and Councilman Steve Cho.

Under Wasserman's leadership, the city, the fourth largest in the Bay area, is now a hub for arts to sports to fine dining to high tech companies.

Many in Fremont are keen to see Wasserman serve again as Mayor and on Sunday, June 8, in a bid to help the re-election of Wasserman as Mayor, Dr Romesh Japra hosted a fundraising dinner at his residence, Japra Mahal. Also present were Vice Mayor Bill Harrison and Council Member Bob Wieckowski, and Council Member, Anu Natarajan, the first Indian to be elected to the City Council.

The Vice-Mayor and council members spoke highly of Wasserman's leadership skills, political acumen, and his dedication to serving the city of Fremont. 'Please come back Mayor', smiled Anu Natarajan. Bob Wasserman remarked it would be an honor to serve Fremont again as Mayor. He spoke glowingly of his team, saying that interaction with his Council members has always been fruitful if there has been criticism; it's been healthy, constructive criticism.

He said Fremont is slowly but surely flourishing, becoming more business friendly, and the home of several high tech companies. Currently, the city of Fremont is working closely with the A's, and the A's now have completed the land transaction and control 226-acres of land in the City of Fremont where the new Cisco Field ballpark and the urban village will be built. In addition, the A's will continue to work with the City staff on the steps necessary to commence the public application process.

10 Fastest-Growing Real Estate Markets

10 Fastest-Growing Real Estate Markets

The housing implosion is nowhere near over. In 75 of the 100 top U.S. cities, prices are expected to fall in the next 12 months according to Fiserv Lending Solutions.

The S&P Case/Shiller Home Price Index, which tracks 20 of the largest housing markets, showed prices plummeting by 12.7% in the 12 months ending February. That's the biggest fall since the index began tracking prices in 2000.

Meanwhile, foreclosure filings more than doubled in the first three months of 2008, spiking 112%. So far this year 156,463 families have lost their homes to repossessions. Many markets won't hit bottom till late 2009 or even 2010.

Pity the residents of Stockton, Calif., whose homes are likely to lose more than half of their 2006 value. But if you happen to live in Texas -- or any of the other cities below -- congratulations: The housing tornado passed you by.

1. McAllen, Texas

12-month forecast: 4%
Median home price: $109,000
One year price change: 2.1%
Five year price change: 23.3%
Change in foreclosure rate: 23%

2. Rochester, N.Y.

12-month forecast: 2.7%
Median home price: $121,000
One year price change: 3.4%
Five year price change: 20.1%
Change in foreclosure rate: 5%

3. Birmingham, Alabama

12-month forecast: 2.7%
Median home price: $156,000
One year price change: 2.9%
Five year price change: 29.4%
Change in foreclosure rate: 20%

4. Syracuse, N.Y.

12-month forecast: 2.6%
Median home price: $126,000
One year price change: 0.8%
Five year price change: 29.5%
Change in foreclosure rate: 27%

5. Buffalo/Niagara Falls, N.Y.

12-month forecast: 2.4%
Median home price: $105,000
One year price change: 1.6%
Five year price change: 24.5%
Change in foreclosure rate: 14%

6. New Orleans, La.

12-month forecast: 2.2%
Median home price: $158,000
One year price change: 1%
Five year price change: 43.7%
Change in foreclosure rate: 49%

7. Scranton, P.A.

12-month forecast: 2.2%
Median home price: $128,000
One year price change: 7.2%
Five year price change: 41.1%
Change in foreclosure rate: 8%

8. Grand Rapids, Mich.

12-month forecast: 1.9%
Median home price: $124,000
One year price change: -3%
Five year price change: 8.3%
Change in foreclosure rate: 37%

9. Baton Rouge, La.

12-month forecast: 1.9%
Median home price: $170,000
One year price change: 5.7%
Five year price change: 38.3%
Change in foreclosure rate: 14%

10. El Paso, Texas

12-month forecast: 1.8%
Median home price: $134,000
One year price change: 6.9%
Five year price change: 51.9%
Change in foreclosure rate: 32%

BART to buy land for Warm Springs rail extension

Bart took a step acquiring seven acres of Fremont land for its rail extension from the Fremont station to a proposed new station in the Warm Springs district of the city.

The board acquire privately owned land at 39410 Civic Center Drive. BART has estimated the market value of the land at around $5.23 million.

______________________________________________________________________

The City of Fremont hasn't heard back from MTC yet for the MTC station area planning grant on Warm Springs Bart Station. If the City of Fremont receives a grant, the planning process will include the City Council, key stakeholders, and local property owners in a process to help define compatible land uses.

More high-tech companies in Fremont

George Avalos of the Contra Costa Times writes that more tech companies will expand in Fremont.

Two high-tech companies and a food and water purifying firm have all signed deals to expand in Fremont or move their operations there. The expansions mean more jobs for Fremont.

"We are well positioned to provide a home for growing computer technology, clean technology and life sciences companies," said Lori Taylor, the city of Fremont economic development manager.

The new deals in Fremont include:

Super Micro Computer Inc. The San Jose-based maker of high-end mother boards and servers rented 246,000 square feet of production and warehouse space. The deal was handled by commercial realty brokers from CB Richard Ellis and Colliers International.

Asus Computer International, which was already in Fremont, leased 153,000 square feet. The maker of computer, consumer electronics and communications products said the new building represents a significant expansion of its operations.

PurFresh Inc. has moved its operations and headquarters from Livermore. The maker of technology to purify food and water rented 30,000 square feet in its new home.

"We needed room to grow," David Cope, president and chief executive officer, said of the PurFresh relocation. "We found that real estate is becoming less expensive in Fremont compared with the Livermore area.''

PurFresh moved about 52 workers to Fremont as part of the move, Cope said. The company moved into a building that allows for plenty of expansion, if that's needed.

"We could probably double our head count," Cope said. "We have a bunch of open space in the building."

Fremont may have an advantage in rental costs over areas besides the Tri-Valley, said Joe Elliott, a Colliers broker.

"Compared to the rest of Silicon Valley, Fremont has more affordable space," Elliott said.

Room for expansion also was a factor for Super Micro, which has been growing rapidly in recent years near its San Jose headquarters, said Michael Kalodrich, a spokesman for the high-tech company.

About 50 people are working at Super Micro's new Fremont complex. But that number should grow.

"It's a huge facility," Kalodrich said. "So that head count could multiply several times over the next year or two."

Asus Computer needed more room as well, but it had to confront an extra complication from the potential construction of a baseball stadium and other projects in Fremont. Asus is currently located near the site of the proposed Oakland Athletics ballpark.

"With the stadium, a lot of things are going to be built," said Cher Chronis, director of marketing communications with Asus. "I understand lease rates have increased exponentially in that area."

Asus was unable to re-negotiate its lease with the company's current landlord.

Plus, the company's business has grown strongly in recent years, said Debby Lee, an Asus spokeswoman.

More expansions could head Fremont's way.

"We are getting a lot of inquiries from a number of companies," the city's Taylor said.

Fremont ranks 38

The men’s magazine Best Life listed the top 100 cities in the U.S. to raise children, and Fremont ranks 38.

Higher ranking cities include Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Jose area, Sacramento, Plano Tex., and of course Reno, which was ranked 31 under the magazine’s fool-proof methodology.

Fremont did rank higher than Hayward (93), San Francisco, Worcester, Mass., Seattle, Antioch, and (40).

For more on the Best Life rankings, click here.

1 Honolulu, Hawaii Schools spend almost $9,000 per pupil, unemployment ranks less than half the national average, and you can play on the island of O'ahu's 125 beaches
12 Los Angeles, California
23 New York, New York
31 Reno, Nevada
32 Las Vegas, Nevada
38 Fremont, California
40 Berkeley, California
67 San Francisco, California
73 Richmond, California
84 Oakland, California
87 Washington, D.C.
100 Lexington, Kentucky

The Globe

China Village











Supermarket, Gong De Lin Xiao Nan Guo, Tea Store, and restaurant.
Start Construction 1-2 weeks. Complete February, 2009.

Pacifica Village







Cellphone, Pizza, and World Gourmet Buffet.
Start Construction 1-2 weeks. Complete December, 2008.

JK Town









Oceana Seafood Market Restaurant include supermarket restaurant, and among other businesses. Start Construction 1-2 weeks. Complete February, 2009.

Saigon Village
Cyclo Cafe (Should opened anytime)
Pho Appetit (Should opened anytime)
Taste of Vietnam ( Start construction April and opened August)

Fremont Times Square
Here’s what the new Asian-themed shopping center in Warm Springs (formerly Navlet’s Garden Center) will look like:

The Navlet’s Garden Center in Fremont’s Warm Springs District is closing at the end of June. The nursery and an adjacent business that sells rocks for landscaping are scheduled to vacate the site by June 15. The store, which has been near the corner of Mission and Warm Springs Boulevard for 35 years, is being forced out so the property owners can build an Asian-themed grocery store.Navlet’s, which has been in business since 1885 and has four other East Bay locations, is trying to find a new home in Fremont.

Barry Swenson Builder, which is developing Union City’s high rise residential towers near its BART station, has bought the land and is building a 94,000-square-foot Asian-themed shopping center. The anchor tenant will be a Marina Food supermarket, which is known for having a good fish department. The developer is also planning for a spa, medical offices and an acupuncturist, among other businesses. Groundbreaking is scheduled for July, and the supermarket should open in the second half of 2009.

Pacfic Commons
Asian Pearl (Opened June)
Yoswirl (Unknown opening date)
Chez Nous Bakery (Unknown opening date)
Dickey's Barbeque (Unknown opening Date)
Prolific Oven (Unknown opening date)

Smart & Final
Drug Emporium is scheduled to be a new Smart & Final location.

Summerhill Homes project on State Street Walnut Avenue
Summerhill is redesigning their project with their sister organization, The Urban Group, to turn it into rental housing. When they are done it may have to come back to the Planning Commission or Council for any needed amendments.

Fremont officials travel to China

With 2 million square feet of vacant industrial and office space, Fremont is crossing the Pacific in search of new tenants. The city sent a nine-member trade delegation to China on Friday in hopes of persuading Chinese businesses to consider Fremont when opening a U.S. office. The delegation has scheduled several meetings with Chinese business and government officials in and around Shanghai during the next week.

"This is our chance to see what our opportunities are and see how Fremont can benefit from the expansion of Chinese companies," Economic Development coordinator Angela Tsui said.

The delegation, which will be in China through May 3, includes representatives from several Fremont businesses with ties to China: Sheena Chang of Vantec, Nancy Lee of Pan Pacific Bank and Theresa Cox of Lam Research, which has an office in Shanghai. Representing the city will be Tsui, Deputy City Manager Melissa Stevenson Dile and Councilmember Bob Wieckowski.

Ohlone College board President Garrett Yee also is with them to support Ohlone's effort to open an exchange program with a technical school in the Chinese city of Suzhou, which is near Shanghai.

Most delegation members will pay their own way, but Tsui, Stevenson Dile and Wieckowski will travel at taxpayer expense with the total cost estimated at $20,000.

Initially, Mayor Bob Wasserman and Steve Cho were supposed to represent the council, but Wasserman had to cancel, which led Cho to question the trip's merit.

"Based on what I know of the mentality of (Chinese) government officials, if you don't have the appropriate title, then the value of the trip is diminished," he said.

Wasserman said that a personal matter had forced him to cancel, and Chinese officials said his absence wouldn't be a problem. "It's not going to diminish the trip in anybody but Cho's mind," he said.

Cho, who is running against Wasserman for mayor in November, also noted that the trip comes during May 1, which is a major Chinese holiday.

"If we're going over there to conduct official business and the country is shut down, what business are we conducting?" Cho asked.

May Day traditionally has been a three-day holiday in China, but this year the government has decreed that it will last only one day.

Wieckowski, who has never visited mainland China, said Fremont needs to demonstrate to the Chinese the importance it places on establishing business ties.

"What's the thing our dads told us?" he said. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Do you want Shopping Mall in Fremont?

We need more survey. We only have 7 people complete the survey. If you want or don't want something then complete my survey. Because, 5 people wants shopping mall. Please complete my survey.
1. Do you want Shopping Mall in Fremont?
Yes 74.4%
No 28.6%

Final Result will be posted on May 13th. This survey will be send to City. Thanks

Fremont Newswrap: 4/29/08

Fremont may get its own Berkeley Bowl

A Fremont developer has pledged to bring the Berkeley Bowl supermarket to Fremont, or develop a copycat market himself.

Ray Tong of Pacific General Construction guaranteed a Berkeley Bowl-style market at last week's City Council meeting to anchor a retail and office complex he wants to develop on an

8.7-acre vacant lot at Auto Mall Parkway and Technology Court.

The Berkeley Bowl is an independent grocery store known for extensive and inexpensive produce and bulk food departments, and very long checkout lines.

Fremont has been trying to lure an independent and upscale grocer, but so far hasn't persuaded Whole Foods or a similar chain to come to town.

Tong said he isn't as interested in Whole Foods.

"I think that a Berkeley Bowl concept would work here better." he said. "I don't think in Fremont you have the deep pockets that you find in other communities."

Tong, whose company has built a Ranch 99 Market, said he has approached the Berkeley Bowl's owner about opening a store in Fremont or serving as a consultant for a market that Tong would develop and own.

"By hook or by crook, we are going to bring the (Berkeley Bowl) concept here," he told the council.

Acting against the recommendation of city planners, the council voiced unanimous approval for Tong's concept.

The planners had argued that the development would cause significant traffic impacts at Auto Mall Parkway and Osgood Road, convert needed ndustrial-zoned land to commercial uses, and most importantly, Planning Director Jeff Schwob said, draw customers from similar commercial centers in nearby neighborhoods.

"This could have a real drain-down effect," Schwob said.

Councilmember Anu Natarajan disagreed. She said that the site on Auto Mall between the two freeways was well-suited for residents stopping off for dinner or groceries on their way home.

Tong said the development likelywill have a supermarket, restaurants, shops and offices.

He must now present the city with a more detailed proposal and an updated traffic analysis before the council can approve the plan and change the zoning code to allow for the commercial development.

If all goes smoothly, Tong said he might be able to start construction by the end of next year.
___________________________________________________________________

Fremont picks firm to start downtown plan
City leaders have tapped a new developer to jump-start plans to build something resembling a downtown near the BART station.

TMG Partners, a San Francisco-based development firm, was named lead developer this week for the city's Capitol Avenue project, which stalled last year when a previous lead developer found himself at the center of a family squabble, city officials said.

Fremont officials want Capitol Avenue to be extended to Fremont Boulevard and integrated with adjacent properties to form the heart of a high-density urban neighborhood with high-end retail, residences and public amenities.

Two years ago, city leaders thought they had a plan to do just that.

Developer William Faidi, who had teamed with development firm Blake Hunt Ventures, presented a concept to the City Council that would have extended Capitol and integrated several parcels to make room for a public plaza and about 200,000 square feet of ground floor retail space below residential towers.

But Faidi, who owns an adjacent shopping center at Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue, soon found himself in a legal fight with relatives over family assets, city officials said.

Faidi's legal troubles prevented him from following through on the project. That forced the city to turn to TMG, according to a city report presented to the City Council on Tuesday.

It could prove hard for TMG to propose anything quite so ambitious in the 180 days it has to present a conceptual design.

The firm controls about seven vacant acres owned by the city at Capitol Avenue directly west of State Street.

To extend Capitol farther west to Fremont Boulevard, TMG will need participation from Faidi, who owns the shopping center that houses Barnes & Noble, as well as three other nearby landholders, including Fremont Bank.

At this point, it's unclear how involved Faidi can be in the project, Fremont Economic Development Director Daren Fields said earlier this month. Mayor Bob Wasserman said he wouldn't be surprised if TMG proposed a mix of housing and retail on the city-owned site, and provided for Capitol to be extended to Fremont Boulevard in a later development phase.

"We always wanted to cut Capitol through and make Fremont Bank a cornerstone," said Wasserman, who also wants a cultural arts center to be part of the long-term plan.

As for the retail, Fields said, the city is looking to take "the next step up the retail ladder," with higher-end shops that want to have a street presence.

A's move to Fremont might be delayed

The Oakland A's still plan to come to Fremont, but team officials no longer expect to arrive in 2011.

A's co-owner Keith Wolff said that opening day 2012 now is the team's target date, although that, too, could change.

"If everything goes perfectly, 2012," Wolff said at a community meeting Tuesday night when asked what year the team would arrive. "I think we need a little leeway."

After the meeting, Wolff said that the team could only arrive in 2011 if the city certified the team's environmental impact report by the end of this year - a target date both Wolff and city officials said almost surely would be missed.

"2012 was probably more realistic than (2011)," City Manager Fred Diaz said Wednesday. "It's a very complicated project, and because of its complexity, it's very slow."

The A's are proposing a 32,000-seat ballpark, along with up to 3,150 homes, an elementary school and a commercial center similar to San Jose's Santana Row on 226 acres west of Interstate 880 and south of Auto Mall Parkway.

Because the project is so massive, the team is continuing to fine-tune details with the city and other agencies.

"I think they're realizing that there's a lot of things that need to be addressed," Planning Director Jeff Schwob said.

Fremont and the A's still are discussing different plans for accessing parking lots and determining which entity will be responsible for paving a temporary parking lot west of Cushing Parkway, he said. The environmental report, which requires the team to respond to comments from public agencies and citizens, typically takes 14 to 18 months to complete.

The draft environmental impact report, which will include the city's much-anticipated traffic impact study, could be completed by the end of the year, Schwob said.

Given that schedule, it is unlikely that the report will be made public before the November mayoral election, in which former Mayor Gus Morrison, a critic of the A's plan, is running against two men supporting the team move to Fremont - incumbent Mayor Bob Wasserman and Councilman Steve Cho.

Wolff did not directly respond when asked if the team was concerned about Morrison entering the race. "We just want to present a project that makes sense for the city of Fremont."

Meanwhile, the team is continuing to try to strengthen local support.

Last week, it sent out mailers to Fremont residents that had a picture of co-owner Lew Wolff, Keith's father, on the front reading to a group of schoolchildren.

And at Tuesday's meeting, attended by about 45 people at St. Joseph's Parish, stadium backers distributed a different flier touting the development and its benefits for Fremont.

Fremont mayor says city needs revenue

The city needs to boost revenue if it is to provide services that residents expect, Mayor Bob Wasserman said Monday in his fourth State of the City address.

Wasserman touted recent sales tax growth and new shopping centers as evidence of progress during a speech that focused mainly on city finances.

"Signs indicate that Fremont is heading is the right direction," he told a crowd of about 240 civic leaders and Fremont Chamber of Commerce members at the Fremont Marriott.

The mayor also announced that two of Fremont's biggest construction efforts could be completed earlier than expected.

The Washington Avenue/Paseo Padre Grade Separation project is nearly a year ahead of schedule and should be finished by early 2010, Wasserman said.

He gave 2014 as the estimated start for BART service to Warm Springs. BART has used 2013 as a tentative starting date, but city officials had been hesitant to give any date, fearing that the service could start much later.

He also touted a retail center planned for Dixon Landing Road and drew applause when he briefly mentioned that environmental studies were continuing on the Oakland A's ballpark village proposal.

As for the vacant 6-acre lot along Fremont Boulevard in the Centerville district, Wasserman acknowledged that it "has been a work in progress for many years."

A new development plan, including housing and shops, is in the works, he said.

Wasserman also noted several grants the city has received this year to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide better services to seniors and open a hazardous materials drop-off center, which is scheduled to open in July.

Click to view the State of the City Address.

Do you want Shopping Mall in Fremont?

Please complete the survey about "Do you want Shopping Mall in Fremont?"

Fremont Update: Part 1

Pacific Commons
Yogurt Swirl (Open May or June)
Asian Pearl (Open May and Officially Open June)

The Globe

Saigon Village
Cyclo Cafe (open April or May)
Pho Appetit
Orchid Restaurant
Taste of Vietnam- Food Court (Open August)
Rice Museum
Miss Saigon
Royal Thai

Pacifica Village (Start Construction 2-3 months)
Pizza
World Gourmet Buffet
Cellphone

China Village
Mom's Supermarket

Europa Village
Hotel (8-9 floors)

What is Urban City?

The increase of urban city, means that their are more shopping center, more business which attracts many people from other cities and it also helps the city as it get more taxes. As the Urban city develops it is usually very "together" crowed in which a person can just walk to the next store instead of driving 10 miles to get to store, which is use of fossil fuel and causes CO2 in the atmosphere.

Urban needs more Mixed-use development. Such as Office, Retail, and Housing or condo. Need public school near your house, without driving very far.

Most Urban cities had transportation. Such as subway, light rail, bus, and monorail. It's more easier than driving and wasting gas.

Example:
Oakland A's Ballpark Village
Capitol Avenue Downtown Fremont
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

Example Cities:
Boston
New York
San Jose
San Francisco
Oakland
Los Angeles

We want:
Urban
Better places to live, work, and play
Lifestyle with more walking, and less stress
Reduced traffic congestion and driving
Greatly reduced pollution and environmental destruction
Greatly reduced dependence on foreign oil
Reduce Global Warming

We don't want:
Suburban
Driving and spend more money on gas
Increase Global Warming
Stuck in traffic to go to work
Drive 10-20 miles to go shopping and Whole Food Market

Do Not Vote For Gus Morrison. We will stuck Suburban forever.

Applebee's Grand Opening

Applebee's will be opened on March 31, 2008. It is located at Pacific Commons in Fremont.

43349 Boscell Rd
Fremont, CA 94538

Fremont Update

Pick Up Stix is close at Pacific Commons in Fremont.

Water Park in Progress: Building, Lazy River, Lap Swimming/Recreation Pool, Tots Spray Pad, and Youth Pool is under construction. Water Slides has not been selected and it will be until this summer. General Manager will be selected next year and they will be a making website. There won't be any Parking Fees.

Capitol Avenue Downtown Fremont: The City is looking for a new development partner for the Capitol Avenue Project and hope to have someone on board within the next month or so. This Project is hoped to be completed in 3-5 years. At this time, it is not anticipated that sales tax will fund the Project.

Pacific Commons: Chef Nous Bakery is under construction and will be completed on Chinese New Year. Yogurt Swirl is under construction and will be completed around April or May. Asian Pearl is under construction. It will be completed in mid or late May and officially opened in June. Applebee's, Dickey's Barbecue pit, and The Prolific Oven is coming soon to Pacific Commons. Applebee's is under construction and the last phase of the Pacific Commons shopping center will completed by the end of 2008.

Centerville Unified site: Once again, it's back to the drawing board for developers of the Centerville Unified site, but it still works with Blake Hunt Ventures. City council was open to a mixed-use development, with some council members suggesting multiple-story structures. Councilwoman Bob Wieckowski suggested as many as five stories, Councilwoman Anu Natarajan agreed with Dinh that the project needed to be a catalyst for the district, Councilman Steve Cho said over the last eight years the city had reached this point in the planning stage several times, and it was frustrating that it keeps happening, Vice Mayor Bill Harrison said the area can be revitalized with mixed-use development, and suggested a project along the lines of Washington West, and Mayor Bob Wasserman favored the ideas of senior housing, and said he had no obligation to multi-story structures, just as long as the people wanted it. "Eight years or so ago we defined what we wanted on that site, and it never happened," he said. " According to city staffers, Blake Hunt Ventures and Field Paoli Architecture Inc. will return to the council at a future meeting with ideas gathered from the input received.

Parc Pacific GPA

Planning Commission

When: March 27, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: City Council Chambers
3300 Capitol Avenue

PARC PACIFIC GPA - Technology Court - (PLN2006-00166) - to consider a General Plan Amendment to change the land use designation from Light Industrial to Neighborhood Commercial and certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for an 8.7-acre site in the Industrial Planning Area.

Project Planner - Kelly Diekmann, (510 0494-4540, kdiekmann@ci.fremont.ca.us

Recommended Action: Certify the EIR and deny the proposed GPA.

PC Report

Total: 144,580 square feet
Retail: 79,580 square feet
General Office: 40,000 square feet
Medical office uses: 25,000 square feet

Concern:
One resident stated that traffic conditions are too bad along Auto Mall Parkway and he does
not support approval of the project.

The second major comment was from CalTrans asking foradditional information on mitigation requirements for facilities within their jurisdiction. No new information or impacts that were not addressed by the Draft EIR were discussed by respondents.

RECOMMENDATION:
1. Hold public hearing.
2. Find the EIR is adequate and recommend the City Council certify the EIR.
3. Recommend that the City Council deny General Plan Land Use Amendment change from Light
Industrial to Neighborhood Commercial as represented on Exhibit “B” and retain the site’s
current Light Industrial designation.

ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION:
4. Hold public hearing.
5. Find the EIR is adequate and recommend the City Council certify the EIR.
6. Planning Commission identifies applicable legal, technological, social, economic, or other
benefits of the project that outweigh the unavoidable adverse environmental impacts as the basis
(findings) for adopting a Statement of Overriding Consideration.
7. Recommend that the City Council approve General Plan Land Use Amendment change from
Light Industrial to Neighborhood Commercial as represented on Exhibit “B”.

Rich Cities but not Fremont and Mayor

San Jose

Rich: 18th floor city hall, Santana Row, Eastridge Mall, Westfield Oakridge, and High-tech companies.

Poor: Spend too much money and poor

Milpitas

Rich: Nice city hall, High-Tech Companies and Great Mall

Hayward

Rich: Mall and nice city hall
____________________________________________________________________
Mayor

Gus Morrison: Anti-Development and Oppose A's
Bob Wasserman: Bring A's to Fremont, Bring Restaurants to Fremont, Support High Density, and make city to go Green
Steve Cho: Support A's, wants vacant office to be lease, Vote "NO" on Water Park, Wants A's to put on Ballot.

Gus Morrison did nothing about Fremont and how he improve Fremont. He have been working on Pacific Commons since August 27, 1996. Pacific Commons is not very successful. Theres no traffic and less people shop at Pacific Commons. Fremont is very poor and has finances trouble.

How did Downtown/Capitol Avenue redevelopment plan to be Funded? Sales Tax Revenue

How did city get Sales Tax Revenue? Oakland A's Ballpark Village and Bayside Marketplace. Mostly clothing stores will get Sales Tax Revenue.

Will Pacific Commons get successful and will people shop there? Yes, Oakland A's Ballpark Village will attract people to shop at Pacific Commons and Oakland A's Ballpark Village Retail.
Whoever live at the Ballpark Village don't have to drive other places to shop. People can just shop at Pacific Commons and Ballpark Village without driving. Hopefully they won't have to drive Bayside Marketplace and The Globe. Mayor Bob Wasserman said, " in the future we will have monorail from Bart to Bart and Ballpark Village to The Globe." " We meet with John Wynn and Lew Wolff about it before, but need to get Ballpark Village and The Globe to be built."

How we get Whole Food Market? Mostly Location Location Location. But some can be Oakland A's Ballpark Village and Ohlone College.

"Sales tax revenue is forcing the city to implement a selective hiring freeze and delay allocating $2 million toward the Downtown/Capitol Avenue redevelopment plan."

What if Gus Morrison is elected?: Your making wrong choice
Gus Morrison did not do anything about these thing. He is not very good mayor and doesn't know city that well. If he was elected, he will destroy Oakland A's Ballpark Village. How about future? I predict that in the future, we will have downtown in 50 years or we don't get downtown at all.

Remember that Oakland A's Ballpark Village will fund Downtown Fremont. Bob Wasserman is the one who brings A's to Fremont.

Update News: 3

Costs for grade separation jump

Fremont City Council approved two cost increases for the massive Washington Grade Separation project Tuesday, citing unexpected delays over multiple years and under-estimates of construction and management costs.

Last April, council authorized staff to execute a relocation agreement for $287,008 with a 15 percent contingency, for a total not to exceed $330,059.

The contract was originally estimated at $4,201,764, and it was believed at the time that work on the project would begin within six months. It was also estimated that work would take 34 months to complete, for a total contract duration of 40 months. The city approved a $4.6-million increase for S & C Engineers Tuesday, making it an $8.8-million contract.

The contract was originally estimated at $4,201,764, and it was believed at the time that work on the project would begin within six months. It was also estimated that work would take 34 months to complete, for a total contract duration of 40 months. The city approved a $4.6-million increase for S & C Engineers Tuesday, making it an $8.8-million contract.

The overall construction cost estimate at the beginning of the major project was $33.5 million.

As a result, S & C's contract duration increased from a 40-month total to 73 months, and total construction costs doubled Ð to $66.7 million.
____________________________________________________________________

Mayor asks managers to explore charter city feasibility

Mayor Bob Wasserman asked the city manager and city attorney to probe the feasibility of becoming a charter city during Tuesday's Fremont City Council meeting.

The city last proposed becoming a charter city in 1997, a plan later rejected by voters.

"In the last few months it's come up again," Wasserman said Tuesday. "I'm curious to see now if there's anything different than there was 10 years ago."

A charter city can provide for any form of government. A charter city is also not bound by California state laws or election codes, meaning a charter city can hold elections when it sees fit and operate under its own rules and procedures.

In 1998, Fremont voters rejected Measure P, which would have allowed the city to oversee the operations of its administrative departments including compensation, tenure and retirement of school board members.

Councilman Steve Cho was supportive of Wasserman's request, as long as the city did not undertake a study to begin the charter process.

"We went out 10 or 11 years ago, spent a lot of time and money to look at the feasibility of being a charter city, and it didn't pass with the voters," Cho said. "I think we should take the charter from 10 years ago as a basis, and look at what's changed in the last 10 years."

Fremont City Manager Fred Diaz said he would present a feasibility report to the council in May.
____________________________________________________________________

Council mulls contribution for orchestra

Fremont City Council Tuesday debated granting $15,000 to the Fremont Symphony Orchestra, and was concerned that other groups may come forward asking for money the city contends it does not have.

Treadway wrote that fund-raising events, considered the primary sources for the symphony, have fallen short of meeting the budget for two years.

As a result, the board has taken out loans from local banks, borrowing up to the symphony's endowment of $45,000

This fundraiser will be aimed at paying back bank loans already taken out, and returning to fiscal solvency.

Treadway said that instead of a May 10 Pops Concert, the symphony will hold a "Save Our Symphony" fundraiser.

He noted in the letter that the $15,000 requested from the city would be a one-time grant, used to help the symphony meet current financial obligations and keep a minimum staff in place during a restructuring period.

Vice Mayor Bill Harrison suggested the city give the symphony the money in the form of a loan rather than a grant.

Councilman Bob Wieckowski said he did not believe additional groups would come forward if it were explained that this funding would be a one-time donation for a group that had been in Fremont for more than 40 years.

Last June, the council approved a one-time donation to the Fourth of July parade in the amount of $15,000.

At that time, Councilman Steve Cho argued that because the parade was once a city-run event, the city should be able to help out with funding.

Mayor Wasserman said he liked the idea of loaning the symphony the money. He added other event organizers or representatives could try to convince the council that their own events are special as well.

City Manager Diaz is expected to return to a future council meeting with funding options.

Ex-mayor announces candidacy

Former five-term Mayor Gus Morrison shook up the mayoral race Wednesday, announcing that he once again will seek Fremont's top job.

Morrison's candidacy, which comes four years after term limits forced him from office, potentially turns November's election into a referendum on the Oakland A's proposed ballpark-village development.

Morrison has been the most vocal critic of the $1.8 billion plan that would bring a baseball stadium, retail shops and up to 3,100 new homes to 226 acres next to the Pacific Commons Shopping Center.

The two other announced candidates, current Mayor Bob Wasserman and Councilmember Steve Cho, both support the plan.

The A's proposal will be a major issue, Morrison said, but it won't be the sole focus of his campaign.

He said the city has become too focused on generating sales tax revenue at the expense of quality of life for residents, and not proactive enough in dealing with crime and continued population growth.

He also criticized the council's handling of a stalled redevelopment project in Centerville and Measure L, the failed 2006 utility tax measure that Morrison said had poisonedfuture tax-increase efforts when the city announced a surprise budget surplus one month after voters rejected the tax.

"I'm just not happy, so I'm going to raise the issues on things I'm not happy about, and see if it strikes a chord," Morrison said.

He backed Wasserman in 2004, and his candidacy complicates

what appeared to be a straightforward path to re-election for the mayor.

Wasserman already has secured endorsements from Fremont's political establishment and has raised more than $25,000 for the campaign.

Also, Wasserman, a centrist Democrat, could have expected strong support from liberal voters in a two-person race against Cho, the council's lone Republican.

Now, the mayor faces a challenge on the left from Morrison, who previously has depended on strong support from left-leaning Democrats and a challenge on the right from Cho, who also is expected to fare well among Chinese-Americans, Fremont's largest ethnic group.

Councilmember Bob Wieckowski, a long-standing Morrison supporter who also is up for re-election, said Morrison's entry into the race won't cause him to withdraw his endorsement of Wasserman. It will, however, keep him from actively campaigning for Wasserman, as he would have done had Cho been his only opponent.

"All I would be doing is hurting myself," he said of stumping hard for Wasserman.

Wasserman wouldn't say much about Morrison's candidacy, but said he was concerned that the A's development plans now will dominate the November election.

"I don't think we need that," he said. "Things have been going very well."

Morrison, 72, spent nearly a quarter-century on the council, including five terms as mayor. He was barred from seeking re-election in 2004 because of a city term-limits rule enacted in 1996 that prohibits lawmakers from serving more than eight consecutive years in the same seat.

California: An economic micro-climate +Predict Little Economic Growth In U.S For First Half Of 2008

We've been hearing a lot about a possible recession, but a new report from UCLA says we can still avoid a recession, even though housing, jobs, and consumer spending are all off.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/business&id=6013
992

or Link
______________________________________________________________________
A panel of economists predicted Monday that there will be little U.S. economic growth in the first half of 2008. However, a pick up in growth was predicted for the second half of the year.

National Association for Business Economics also provided its first prediction for 2009. The organization projected that GDP will grow 2.9% over the course of the year.

For 2008, however, growth was predicted to be extremely slow, though a recession will likely be averted.

“U.S. economic growth is expected to slow to a crawl in the first half of 2008," said Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, NABE president and chief economist at Ford Motor Company.

She went on to say, "while a slight majority of our panel of forecasters expects the economy to avoid a recession in 2008, growth is expected to average just ¾% before accelerating in the second half in response to fiscal and monetary stimulus.”

Survey: Warm Springs Retail (multiple answers) + Wam Springs

BART On-Call Community Relations Team answer my questions:

1) Is Warm Springs Bart Station are going to happened?
Yes, pending full funding for the Warm Springs project the
Warm Springs BART Station will be constructed by 2013.

2) Yes, the project has received $2 million from the Alameda
County Congestion Management Authority.

3) The project team is working with the City of Fremont to
restart the Warm Springs Station area specific planning process.
The planning process will examine various development scenarios
in the one-half mile radius around the planned station.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Warm Springs Bart Station Area Survey: Retail
This is multiple answers

What kind of shopping center do you want to have in Warm Spring
Bart Area near Warm Springs Bart Station?

(Example)
Lifestyle center
Shopping Center
Regional malls Yes
Enclosed retail structures Yes
Open-air retail complexes
One-stories shopping center
Two-stories shopping center Yes
Pacific Commons or Fremont Hub
Apparel Yes
Movies Theater Yes
Department Store Yes
Big-box store
Simon Property
General Growth
Westfield Yes
None

The Result will be posted next month.

State of the City + Fremont named 'greenest' cities

Chamber hosts State of the City 2008 on Monday, March 31

The Fremont Chamber of Commerce is pleased to present the State of the City 2008 on Monday, March 31 10 from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Fremont Marriott Hotel. Mayor Bob Wasserman will discuss our City’s economic development and large scale projects, recap the budget and fiscal state of the city, report progress on the General Plan, and address other important issues facing our city.

The State of the City event will also serve as the Chamber’s annual meeting where we will install our officers and directors as well as offer a salute to Chamber volunteers for their work and dedication.

Registration for the event begins at 11:30 a.m. and lunch is included. Tickets are $40 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members. Tickets are expected to sell quickly, so purchase them in advance by calling the Chamber office at (510) 795-2244 or visiting www.fremontbusiness.com.

Sponsorship opportunities are available at $700 for table sponsorship and $1,200 for event sponsorships. Sponsorship packages include various forms of recognition at the event and in advertising for the event.

For more details, contact Nina Moore at (510) 795-2244 x107 or nmoore@fremontbusiness.com.

Visit the Chamber's calendar page to get weather info, print driving directions and register online.

For more information:
Visit Fremont Chamber
Email: nmoore@fremontbusiness.com

___________________________________________________________________________

Who's the greenest of them all? If a new national survey is any indication, it's the Bay Area.

San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley made the top 10 of a national survey by Popular Science magazine rating the country's 50 most environmentally friendly cities. Concord and Fremont made the top 50 (numbers 43 and 44, respectively), as did 13 California cities — enough to turn other states green with envy.

The survey combined data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society's Green Guide, which collected survey data and government statistics for American cities with more than 100,000 people in categories including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits.

Portland, Ore., grabbed the top spot, while San Francisco ranked

No. 2.

California dominated the survey, with 13 cities on the list. New York came in second, with four cities on the list.

"I'm not surprised," said Sean Randolph, chief executive of the San Francisco-based Bay Area Council Economic Institute. "California has always been more environmentally attuned than other states, and the Bay Area has always been the most environmentally attuned region in the state.

"It's brought a lot of money into the Bay Area," Randolph said. "The Bay Area attracted about a billion dollars last year for research in alternative energy technology."

As examples, Randolph pointed to a $500 million grant from BP Oil for developing biofuels given to University of California, $125 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to UC Berkeley and other entities. Venture capital money invested in "green" technology is another example, he said. Berkeley, as well as a

"The Bay Area's cities scored high largely because our investments in public transit enable more of us to get around without driving, creating far less unhealthy pollution," said Emily Rusch, an advocate with California Public Interest Research Group.

On a 1-to-10 scale, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley each scored 8 or more for widespread public transportation and air quality. AC Transit's fleet of three hydrogen buses took the spotlight in an accompanying case study of how green cities got that way.

"This designation reflects Oakland's commitment to be a sustainable model city," Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums said. "Through the tremendous dedication and efforts of community partners and city government working together, we are advancing efforts to curb global climate change and oil dependence, reach our zero-waste goal, and become a leader in 'green' jobs creation."

The survey gave points to cities for the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as their recycling programs. Cities also scored points for getting their electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power, as well as for offering incentives for residents to invest in their own power sources, such as solar roofs.

California has a head start in this area, having passed legislation in 2004 and 2006 aimed at creating one million solar roofs in the state by 2018. Also, utilities such as PG&E are under a mandate to get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2010. And Assembly Bill 32, passed in 2006, aims to slash state greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.

Like Randolph, Adam Gottlieb of the California Energy Commission wasn't surprised by the news.

"Popular Science has acknowledged what we've known all along," Gottlieb said. "We're (California) bold, we're daring, we're innovative. Let's tell Portland to watch its back, because we're gaining on it."

Fremont Water Park: February 2008 Construction

Photobucket Album

Fremont Water Park: November 2007 Construction

Photobucket Album

Newswrap 2/27/08

Retail and Restaurants
Interest by retailers and restaurants remains strong in Fremont and 2008 promises to add new shopping and dining opportunities.

A number of new restaurants have recently opened in Fremont:

Santa Fe Mexican Restaurant in the Northport Center

.

Federico's at the Fremont Plaza

.

Carino's Italian Grill at Pacific Commons

Watch for more restaurants coming soon to Pacific Commons, which will include Asian Pearl, a second location for Applebee's Neighborhood Grill, Prolific Oven, and Dickey's Barbeque.

Additional retail projects that are in the planning or construction stage include:

The Globe, an international retail center located just off of Interstate 880 at Stevenson Boulevard.

Bayside Marketplace, a regional shopping center at the intersection of I-880 and Dixon Landing Road.

Stevenson Row, a neighborhood commercial center, located at the intersection of Liberty Street and Stevenson Boulevard.

Economic Development Highlights Report Available
Interested in learning what the City's Office of Economic Development was up to last year? Check out our Economic Development Highlights. This report highlights the past year's progress and accomplishments on key initiatives carried out by Economic Development staff. It also identifies new and continuing initiatives for 2008.
_____________________________________________________________________

The King & Lyons project, Bayside Marketplace, is designed as a regional
shopping center, similar to Pacific Commons.  The proposed tenant uses include
big box and jr. anchors in the apparel, sporting goods and home and garden categories
along with a number of casual, family style restaurants. 

* Target
* T.G.I. Friday's
* Sporting goods
* Lane Bryant