It cracks me up that Rockridge residents are so upset over getting a new grocery store. And if LaFarrine thinks that they’ll be competing with Safeway, I’d bet that they’ll actually get MORE business with the added foot traffic. I know I’d be more likely to pop in for a pastry or a loaf of bread since it’s right there.

Meanwhile, here in the Jack London District we’ve begged and pleaded for a grocery store. Even a Safeway would be better than nothing. Yeah, I’d prefer a Trader Joe’s, Andronico’s, or Piedmont Grocery but trust me, I think down here people would be really, really happy to see Safeway.

I’m not sure what the reason was for moving the store from it’s current location – it seems that a 2-story building on the existing location with more parking and a few extra shops, would be good. But maybe they have some particular reason for wanting to move down a few blocks?

I’ve been listening to Jane Brunner in various meetings lately. I think she’s beyond ready for the summer break. She’s letting her frustration show way too easily and doesn’t appear at all interested in what folks have to say. (imho)

At the AC Transit hearing last month about price increases, there was a lot of venting, but I left the meeting feeling good. Why? Because after the public spoke, the AC Transit directors responded and talked about next steps. They made it clear that they had listened. (And that became clearer recently when they decided not to raise fees.)

In contrast, Jane Brunner only said a couple words after the public spoke, and she sounded pretty disinterested. She didn’t sound like she had listened to anyone and she didn’t say anything about next steps (except for that Safeway would submit a proposal). So I left the meeting feeling like nothing had changed and having no idea what would happen with the comments we had all shared.

Actually, I would argue that this is the exact reason why they should have started with the Rockridge Safeway. The current use of the College & Claremont site is entirely out of character with the neighborhood — much more so, actually, than the design Safeway has proposed. I’m not saying I totally dig Safeway’s design, because there is plenty of room for improvement. But it’s clear that a building of this sort should definitely be built, though I (probably contrary to many neighbors, I imagine) would like even better to see a couple stories of apartments above.

In terms of urban design, the Broadway Safeway is already a “lost cause,” so to speak, because it’s a huge strip mall with many stores. I would really like to see that site redeveloped into something more urban as well, with lots of apartments and pedestrian alleys, maybe a park, and so forth. But it would also take a master planning effort beyond what Safeway can do on its own.

I’d be happy to participate in neighborhood discussions about the project, as I do recognize that the people who spoke have more nuanced opinions than they were able to share in one minute. If anyone knows of any upcoming discussions, please let me know.

It’s unfortunate that Safeway didn’t start with the Broadway store, which is an easier sell (close to freeways and major transpo corridors already, and a dedicated retail space, rather than part of a neighborhood fabric)–they might have had an easier time in Rockridge with a model already in the ground. In Berkeley, the Solano and Shattuck (N. Berkeley) stores are also being rebuilt as part of this campaign–worth following all of these projects since they’ll face similar challenges along the way. Might be some shared solutions, too.

I think the meeting was stacked against Safeway’s proposal because after the Safeway rep spoke, three community groups that oppose the project were each given 5 minutes to speak. Also, the “greeters” at the door were opponents and there was no proponent or neutral information to be found when walking into the meeting. That really set the tone for the entire meeting. I believe there were many people in the audience that supported parts of the project or were neutral who were probably a bit scared to get up and say that because of the initial tone of the meeting. And after the response I received, I can see why they would be too scared to voice their opinions.

I understand that this meeting is part of a larger process and that some in the community are upset with Safeway. I do hope that Safeway will listen to some of the more constructive comments given on Thursday and will work further on their project plan before submitting it to the city.

My main problem with Thursday’s meeting is not really what was said but how it was said. I wish we could have had a constructive back and forth conversation (as I had with some community members after the meeting ended). I do think that progress can be made. Ultimately, not everyone will be happy with the project plan, but hopefully we can move towards something the entire community can live with.