Comments on: Fighting God. Or, you know, the supermarket.

By: BrianT

BrianT — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:08:45 +0000

DBackman,

As a neighbor of Safeway, I like what Lowry has done with the project. I was on the fence previously before the May 6th presentation. I agree that supporters of the project will get their voices drowned out by the NIMBY’s who are opposed to even small mom & pop restaurants moving into the spaces along College. It is important to have moderate voices at the planning commisission meetings!

Two Questions for you about the process (you may not know them!)

Safeway is going for a rockridge zoning C-31 exemption. The 8 retail spaces are Safeway condominiums that I imagine they will sell ahead of time to help finance the construction. Are the commercial owners of these condos still under C-31 zoning requirements for the use of those spaces by default or must language be adopted in the exemption to require this?

The great features of the design run the risk of being “value-engineered” away from the project when the general contractor starts to price the design for construction. In your experience, is the language in the C-31 zoning exemption the last chance that residents have in protecting those features and making sure that they are not given away in “value-engineering”?

Very long, I know, but I hope that you can help!

By: RobertW

RobertW — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:17:41 +0000

DBackman, you’re mistaken. Rockridge is NOT Progrssive. Only progressive for OTHER people. Some used to say it was conservative 35-40 years ago, but now it’s reactionary in a different way.

Agree that the College entry would probably best be killed, but unlikely. That would drive the College/Claremont and College/Alcatraz intersections crazy.

By: kokloong

kokloong — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:25:35 +0000

I live 1 block south of the Safeway, just off College Avenue. I bought into the area 2 years ago and love the retail mix. Definitely looking forward to the new Safeway (kudos to the architects!) I just fear that the NIMBYs will have their way because they are so skilled at causing maximum ruckus with their faux-rational appeals for “small-scale” stores on College. Diversity is great, let’s have big and small! What the really NIMBYs really want is no change, the wonderful ability to keep free riding (i.e. parking) at Safeway while the shop at Yasai or grab a coffee at Cole, and to bandy about exaggerated fears (hello – we didn’t suddenly get traffic jams when TJ opened…) about traffic increases.
I think the main thing now for supporters of the project is to make sure that this gets through the planning commission. I am looking out for any meetings/hearings that are going to be held. Once it is through, my understanding is that someone wants to appeal it they have to pay a non-refundable fee. Is that correct?

By: jenn

jenn — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:32:33 +0000

I like the new design a lot better than the last one proposed. I don’t have a car AND I hate shopping at Safeway in general – this one is probably one of the crappiest Safeways around. It’ll be nice to have a cafe area at that corner – looks like it would be better for people with kids/strollers than Cole Coffee, so the rest of us can have more space for our motorcycles.

By: jackbdazzle

jackbdazzle — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:16:57 +0000

I am very surprised that Safeway has spent so much time making the community happy (or at least trying to). They could easily have just dropped the remodel plan completely. It is not like we in Oakland have that many choices for groceries. I appreciate that they are willing to make an investment in us in this economy.

Overall, I think they did a great job.

By: Becks

Becks — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:33:00 +0000

The building is two stories. The first floor will house 8-9 small retail stores on College and Claremont, and behind those stores will be the parking lot. The second floor will be taken up entirely by a larger Safeway store.

By: Hayden

Hayden — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:43:04 +0000

Will the new Safeway actually have two stories used for commercial and/or residential, or is it a single-story structure dressed up as something else? From the renderings, it seems like the latter–a one-story building that will be solely occupied by Safeway, but which looks vaguely like a Portland, Oregon version of the Rockridge Market Hall.

It would be nice to see two stories of use here, although alternatively, an interesting one-floor structure might not be too devastating–that is, if the building height was used in an interesting way in the interior, as opposed to being just a high facade.

By: leila

leila — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:27:34 +0000

The NIMBYs in Rockridge are as tiresome as the GOP – they always say no. This plan is a lovely upgrade to the neighborhood. Thank you Safeway….

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:37:10 +0000

As someone who lives in the neighborhood and shopped regularly at the current Safeway for 17 years, all I can say to the new design is, “Hallelujah!” Going to the existing Safeway can be a miserable experience, with its limited parking, crowded aisles, and jammed check-out lines. Not only that, it’s a physically unattractive store and contributes nothing to the overall character of the neighborhood except the sense of neglected urban blight. I could care less about the sign.

To “Bikerider,” I couldn’t disagree with you more. I like the proposed color and layout. The new design seems more spacious and elegant, and certainly in keeping with the somewhat upscale quality of that corner of College and Claremont.

And while I won’t miss the 76 station, that’s where I currently get exchange propane canisters. I guess I’ll have to figure out a new source for that.

To the architects on this project: Good job on the new design!

By: dbackman

dbackman — Sun, 03 May 2009 06:24:04 +0000

Never had the pleasure. Sounds great though. Maybe Kasper should open up a hot dog stand in one of the new Safeway storefronts.