April 2, 2004

Tamien Station project continues with amiable meetings

By Carol Rosen
Editor

The project for Tamien Station has generated a lot of objections since August 2001 when the City Council amended original plans of 65-foot buildings to 120-foot buildings.

Approximately eight* neighborhood groups complained with genuine concerns about traffic problems, lack of retail stores and parks and under funding for streets and sidewalks. Those objections are important, but are part and parcel of the major objection of 11-story buildings joining an established neighborhood of one- and two-story single family homes.

Those groups, with the help of city councilmembers Cindy Chavez and Ken Yeager, are now working with the developer to ensure that everyone is reasonably happy with the final product. One important area of disagreement recently was worked out. The developer wanted to build the entire project at once.

The neighborhood associations asked that half the project or phase one—one high-rise building and six townhomes—be completed and sold before an identical phase two is begun. That way, if the economy tanks, the project won’t be a half-finished eyesore that could be a crime generator.

The most recent meeting between the city, the developer and the neighborhood associations was one of harmony. An outside architect from San Francisco, Berger, Betner, Ennis Inc., which worked with the city on the Fox Theater, has been hired to redesign the area. At the March 25 meeting, the architect presented plans for the project and the neighborhood association committees (NACs) got to comment and critique the plans. The architects will be back with a redesign incorporating those comments in late April for further review. Another public meeting will be held in late June to finalize the plans.

While there are always people who won’t ever be happy, nearly everyone involved seems to find this solution rewarding. The meetings are convivial, and both the architect and developer seem open to suggestions.

“The architect showed pictures of different buildings, lots of boxy buildings, and we want more airy designs. We want the project to be more walkable. We want people to be able to walk to the light rail. The architectect listened, and that made most people happy. We’re hoping that these meetings will allow us to weave the project into the community fabric,” said Larry Ames, a member of the WGNA board.

He and several others from nearby NACs noted that the original design appeared to be like a castle fortress. “It was a gated community and appeared to have a keep, moat and dungeons. Sort of like a rich enclave in a hostile environment.” That appears to be changing now.

“We feel that the more community input we have on any project, the better the outcome,” said Jessie Hall, the project manager for Barry Swenson Builders. “We are pleased with the communities’ interest. Their ideas make it a stronger project, and we appreciate their comments so far.”

“The city and the developer are involving the neighborhoods and taking the project to the neighborhoods so that the project can now become part of the community,” added Ed Rath, who lives in Willow Glen and is a board member of WGNA, in addition to vice chair of the United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County and several others.

Rath indicated that it may take more than three meetings, although that’s the current proposal. At the March meeting, he said, people gave the architects more direction and those attending are hoping for more proposals and options at the April meeting.

The current timetable schedules groundbreaking for late 2004 to early 2005, said Hall. The construction phase, which begins with groundbreaking, is a 14- to 16-month process. Once phase one, which is six townhomes and 115 condos, is complete, Hall expects the development to sell out in six months to a year. Once it’s sold out, phase two will begin. She added that the Valley Transportation Authority plans to build a 3.6-acre park near the site.

*The eight neighborhood groups include Washington Guadalupe Advisory Council, WGNA, Tamien, North WGNA, Greater Gardner NAC, Alma Association, Goodyear Mastic and the Washington Strong Neighborhoods NAC.