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By Bob Dickinson
The proponents of Measure P profess to be trying to “save” downtown Menlo Park. The question is for whom. It seems unlikely the answer is for the residents of Menlo Park, although the backers of Measure P would have voters believe otherwise.
If we had the vibrant downtown today that people would like to see, we would be having a far different discussion. Unfortunately, the reality is less pleasant. There is a 17% vacancy rate, which is much higher than is the case in neighboring cities. There is a Design District, consisting of stores that one only visits when undertaking a project of some sort, rather than stores that people frequent regularly.
Stores that had been located downtown for years and were frequented on a regular basis have closed or moved as rents have escalated. The new occupants of those spaces are all too often so high-end that they are out of reach of many Menlo Park residents, although perhaps not those of neighboring communities such as Atherton and Woodside.
As is often the case, the real answer can be found by following the money supporting Measure P, which quickly leads to Mickles Enterprises, a Petaluma-based property management firm that is one of the major donors. The downtown landlords and some of the merchants are apparently doing just fine and don’t want anyone rocking the boat. They may prefer to continue drawing more affluent buyers rather than welcoming new residents, and potential customers, of more modest means.
While some of the backers claim that their support is due to nostalgia for downtown as it was in the past, that past is long gone and Measure P won’t bring it back. It will simply lock in the status quo.
If we truly want a more vibrant downtown that the residents of Menlo Park can enjoy, Measure P is not only not the solution, it is a difficult-to-reverse step in the wrong direction that is likely to lead to protracted litigation, more “builders remedy” projects like the 80 Willow Road development and fewer city services for residents as the city struggles to cope with its financial consequences.
Bob Dickinson is former tech CEO and has consulted on climate impacts and adaptation since 2011. He and his wife Sylvia have lived in Menlo Park since 1983.
