Menlo Park: City Council to address Safeway development Menlo Park: City Council to address Safeway development (September 21, 2005)

** New public art project in works.

By Rory Brown

Almanac Staff Writer

After seven years of planning, discussions and even some disputes, the proposed redevelopment of the Menlo Park Safeway at 525 El Camino Real is on the brink of approval.

Following unanimous approval by the Planning Commission, the project awaits a public hearing before the City Council on September 27.

If permitted, the 85,662-square-foot store would be replaced with a smaller triangle-shaped 65,017-square-foot store plus 11,500 square feet of additional retail.

Construction could begin as soon as May 2006 with the new store fully operational by the summer of 2007, according to Safeway consultant Candace Hathaway.

When Safeway unveiled plans for a remodeled store in June of 2000, residents created a group of eight representatives -- two from each street near the current store: Middle Avenue, Kenwood Drive, Roble Avenue and Morey Drive.

The same group of representatives met regularly with Ms. Hathaway for five years, speaking on behalf of the neighborhood, and working with Safeway representatives to design the new store.

"Initially, Safeway proposed something that was hideous," said Jeff Kline, one of the Kenwood Drive representatives of the working group. "Their original plan had huge trucks driving right past our own backyards."

With Ms. Hathaway facilitating meetings, concerns were quickly addressed. "We addressed so many problems, we really saved the city a whole lot of money," said Mr. Kline.

At the August 29 meeting, the Planning Commission made four minor modifications to the proposal, including the addition of a sidewalk plan that maintains at least four feet of sidewalk along El Camino Real, and the addition of a left-turn pocket from El Camino Real into the parking lot.
Art project

Although Safeway abandoned plans for a sculpture project after the public art ordinance was repealed in 2004, another art project is in the planning stages.

Similar to a project displayed at the Children's Art Alliance gallery in February, the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula and students of Phillips Brooks School will once again be painting and glazing clay tiles. Instead of displaying the tiles in a gallery, they will be installed in the base of light fixtures in the redesigned Safeway parking lot, with Safeway covering the installation costs.

"It's just a simple project, but it's two groups coming together to make public art for the community to enjoy," said Joyce Massaro, director of development for Phillips Brooks School.

A theme for the tile project will develop over the scholastic year, said Ms. Massaro.
INFORMATION

The Menlo Park City Council plans to hold a public hearing on the Safeway project at its meeting on Tuesday, September 27, in the council chambers. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

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