The Los Altos City Council approved the environmental review for an ambitious framework that could facilitate three-story mixed-use buildings in four downtown parking plazas and a public parking garage in another.
The next step is deciding exactly what to build – and how big it should be.
A unanimous city council July 26 rezoned downtown parking plazas, currently at ground level, to permit residential, retail and office buildings as tall as 45 feet. Officials anticipate that would jump-start the downtown economy by attracting hundreds of potential shoppers, especially if class-A office buildings are built.
“I’m not a big fan of the word ‘revitalize,’” said Councilwoman Val Carpenter, who was involved in early studies of the plan nearly three years ago. “What we need is more feet on the street, more foot traffic downtown, more people who are there to shop in shops, eat at restaurants. … The most efficient way to do that is office (buildings).”
The city’s plan, named the Downtown Opportunity Study, is intended to ease the building approval process for developers, because most of the environmental analysis, performed as a “worst-case scenario” on a 200,000-square-foot office, would already be completed.
While offices may offer the best economic scenario, Assistant City Manager James Walgren said “nothing’s off the table.”
“We’d like to see a movie theater, a hotel. … We’re looking at all uses – retail, homes, office,” he said. “We want a mix downtown. It seems natural.”
He said, however, that a movie theater probably wouldn’t happen.
Residents are encouraged to weigh in on the type of projects they would like to see, and a series of workshops will be scheduled next year. Walgren said that in approximately one year, there should be a clearer picture of what could be built. After that, the city will begin soliciting developers.
The study began three years ago as a parking-garage analysis, but because officials quickly realized such a plan proved cost-prohibitive, public/private partnerships that included parking garages became the centerpiece.
According to city staff, new development could bring nearly 300 additional parking spots downtown if office buildings include underground parking in their plans as anticipated.
Walgren said the city is working to establish an in-lieu parking program, which would allow developers to purchase parking spaces in a new structure to satisfy parking-code requirements.
Chicken and egg
While some might consider rejuvenating downtown Los Altos a chicken-and-egg scenario – Which comes first, people or business? – Walgren said it makes more sense to place people first.
“The idea is there would be more people (from offices) supporting businesses, and more businesses (outside of Los Altos would) then say, ‘Wow, this is a thriving market. I want to relocate there,’” he said. “You have to have people downtown.”
Downtown property owner Kent Nelson favors moving ahead.
“We desperately need this in our community,” he said.
But not everyone agrees with the prospect of significantly developing the downtown triangle.
“We have a unique character to our city – small, down-home, single-story, uncomplicated,” said resident Jim Jolly. “I’m totally and completely opposed to this and hope the council comes to its senses soon.”
