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Grassroots Effort to Stop Alameda Multiplex Grows, Delays Planning Decisions
"What is the real goal of this project? It seems that the community's desire to have their theater restored is being exploited to get a parking structure built. Who reaps any benefit?"
Planning Board Decision Postponed, Discussion Continues
The basic message from the public at Monday's Planning Board meeting was "design issues are irrelevant, the multiplex must go." Alameda does not want a seven screen megaplex downtown regardless of whether it has square or rounded corners, painted precast concrete panels or wheat colored brick. The message was loud and clear, backed by a stack of petitions containing almost a 1000 names. Many, many Alamedans don't think a multiplex is the answer to the revitalization of Park Street or our Civic Center, and will continue to voice their opposition and work for a better plan.
Faced with an overwhelming number of speakers well into the evening the planners remained awake, patient and receptive, and both public and board members retained a sense of humor. At 11:30 the Board voted to postpone making a decision and to continue last night's agenda at the next Planning Board meeting to be held in two weeks, so that the public will have an opportunity to comment on the garage design as well. They reminded the public however that they are only an advisory committee, and that the final decision rests with the City Council. We are aware of this and will be asking the City Council and Mayor to include public comment on the project on the agenda of their upcoming meeting.
How you can help
Write to the Mayor and City Council members and request that a discussion of the megaplex and garage are included on the agenda for the City Council meeting on June 21st. You can use or add to this sample letter provided for your convenience (please address, date and sign your letter.) Click here for contact and mailing address information. The more people ask for a discussion of this issue, the more likely it is to happen.
Planning Board Member Patrick Lynch also suggested that the public become familiar with the Development and Disposition Agreement signed between the City and the developer for the the theater project, Alameda Entertainment Associates, in case they want to address specific issues in it. You can download PDF files of the DDA below.
DDA(14.4meg)
Summary Report-Theater DDA
Finally, Alamedans opposed to the megaplex realize that their comments come late in the process, however, this is not a good reason to just go on with something that is so egregious to the community. Please continue to make your voice heard, it is never too late to do the right thing.
Open letter to Mayor Beverly Johnson
PETITION FOR A MEGAPLEX-FREE ALAMEDA
We, the voting citizens and taxpayers of Alameda oppose the building of a megaplex and six level parking structure next to the Historic Alameda Theater in downtown Alameda. We believe that the original vision of this community of restoring the Alameda Theater has been lost and replaced with a headlong rush to build an over sized megaplex and garage, with a permanent detrimental impact on Alameda's downtown. Such development will create a traffic nightmare, be an eyesore in the heart of our city and destroy Alameda's treasured charm.
We are concerned that sensible alternatives to a megaplex have not been given a fair hearing, and that in allowing the current project to move forward the City Council and Planning Board are not acting in the best interest of Alameda's citizens, nor are they working for the preservation and beauticication of this jewel of the Bay, Alameda.
Therefore, we call for and immediate halt in the development plans, a city wide forum with Mayor, City Council and Planning Board to openly discuss the long-term viability and consequences of a megaplex, and a list of realistic alternatives for a smaller complex involving the existing theater only.
Click here to sign the petition!
The Petition PDF file may be downloaded by anyone who wants to sign it on paper or pass it around. Of course you have to let someone know you have it, in order for the signatures to be counted! Send an email to stopmegaplex [at] yahoo.com to let us know you are circulating a petition. Thank you for being an active supporter!
Click here to download the petition!
Because we are a group that does not yet have funding we must rely on whatever free tools are available to publicize our effort. Many of these tools, like the petition site, are supported by advertising which can get annoying. The site can also fail to load at times if too many people try to access it at once. Please do not get discouraged. Just keep trying and click "No, Thanks" to the pop-ups until you reach the signing page.
The website states in their privacy policy that they do not "sell, share, or rent this information with any other company or individual in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. From time to time, we may share your information with others on an aggregated basis. We will not share information in such a way that it can be linked to an individual."
"Million Dollar Baby"
Did you know that the City of Alameda is about to spend $25 million of our tax dollars to build a 10 screen megaplex theater and a six level parking garage on Central Avenue and Oak Street right here in Alameda?
The current development plan calls for seven screens in a megaplex building right next to the Historic Alameda Theater, and for three screens in the Historic Alameda Theater ten screens total! Do you think Alameda can support that?
"Analyze That!"
The City of Alameda claims that the Megaplex will gross $3.2 million per year and eventually gross $5 million per year!
Did you know that in order to make $3.2 million per year the Megaplex will need to sell 24,000 tickets per month? Did you know that the Megaplex will need to sell 32,000 tickets per month to gross $5 million per year?
In order to gross $3.2 million the megaplex must sell 5,800 tickets per week, or 23,200 people per month. The average customer spends $8.00 for admission and $2.50 at the concession stand creating a per patron amount of $10.50. The formula is applied as: $10.5x5800ticketsx52weeks=$3,166,800.
The City of Alameda website says the population in Alameda is 76,459. According to the Motion Picture Association of America 21% of the general public attend a movie once a month. The monthly movie going population of Alameda is 16,056. Where are 7,000 extra patrons going to come from? And to gross $5 million per year, they'll need 9,000 more!
"Traffic!"
The additional people needed to fill the seats will not come from Alameda. If they come at all, they will zoom through Alameda, and they will create a traffic nightmare. Imagine a movie crowd trying to leave town when the Park Street Bridge is up!
Did you know that the plans call for a wider sidewalk on the Oak Street side, narrowing Oak Street even more? Have you ever waited at the exit of the Longs parking lot for a break in the traffic, even now? Imagine that at the garage entrance and exit one show time after another!
In 2001 Mayor Appezatto got advice from other City Mayors telling him that they regret erecting huge parking structures downtown, that they usually aren't necessary, but always pushed for by developers. They told him that parking garage will destroy a City's Civic Center. Do we want a Civic Center where we can walk, stroll, bike and drive when we need to, or one permanently choked in fumes and traffic?
Did you know that if erected the 6 level parking garage will be the tallest building downtown? It will taller than the very peak of the Historic Theater! That's right, it will be taller than City Hall too! Way to go, City Council!
"Take the Money and Run!"
Did you know that movies only stay in the theater for 3-6 months and that time is shrinking? What are we going to do with a big, ugly, deteriorating building in 5-10 years when the operator files for "bankruptcy" because the Hollywood Industry itself betrays this model by releasing movies to DVD in 4 weeks!
They say a movie theater will boost business on Park Street. In fact, businesses further away from the garage will see few patrons. Even now the City is eliminating parking spaces along Park Street, making it difficult for patrons to park close to their destination.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157482,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Film/Can-we-save-Hollywood/2005/05/09/1115584889806.html?oneclick=true
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-05-22-box-office-analysis_x.htm
"The Firm"
Did you know that in order to get the property to build the Megaplex, the City of Alameda is forcibly taking the land through a complex legal process called Eminent Domain? Eminent Domain is for acquiring private land for public projects, not for giving from one private owner to another! The City is about to approve this project without even owning the land for it. That's irreponsible!
Wake up, Alameda! We can stop this and get the original theater and reasonable parking solution if we act now!!!
http://www.stopalamedamegaplex.com/
Letter to the Ed in the Alameda Journal
Ill-conceived plan
Was the plan to construct a six level parking garage adjacent to the theatre cooked up using the same "planning handbook" that was employed when it was decided to construct a windowless post office and courthouse on waterfront view property?
While everyone now in retrospect is able to see that our south shore wasn't developed to the best advantage, those in charge seem incapable of seeing similar folly in this latest ill-conceived plan. Yes, other towns have built windowless civic buildings and parking garages but they didn't put them where we have put them (or intend to).
One of the reasons the Alameda Theatre is such a majestic structure is how its peak soars up into the sky. In our city we have precious few examples of buildings that combine such magnitude with grace. Placing a visually heavier structure next door will all but destroy the impact of this beautiful piece of work. In what context does this plan looks like a good one?
What is the real goal of this project? It seems that the community's desire to have their theater restored is being exploited to get a parking structure built. Who reaps any benefit?
M. Manousos
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/counties/alameda_county/alameda/11918520.htm
The basic message from the public at Monday's Planning Board meeting was "design issues are irrelevant, the multiplex must go." Alameda does not want a seven screen megaplex downtown regardless of whether it has square or rounded corners, painted precast concrete panels or wheat colored brick. The message was loud and clear, backed by a stack of petitions containing almost a 1000 names. Many, many Alamedans don't think a multiplex is the answer to the revitalization of Park Street or our Civic Center, and will continue to voice their opposition and work for a better plan.
Faced with an overwhelming number of speakers well into the evening the planners remained awake, patient and receptive, and both public and board members retained a sense of humor. At 11:30 the Board voted to postpone making a decision and to continue last night's agenda at the next Planning Board meeting to be held in two weeks, so that the public will have an opportunity to comment on the garage design as well. They reminded the public however that they are only an advisory committee, and that the final decision rests with the City Council. We are aware of this and will be asking the City Council and Mayor to include public comment on the project on the agenda of their upcoming meeting.
How you can help
Write to the Mayor and City Council members and request that a discussion of the megaplex and garage are included on the agenda for the City Council meeting on June 21st. You can use or add to this sample letter provided for your convenience (please address, date and sign your letter.) Click here for contact and mailing address information. The more people ask for a discussion of this issue, the more likely it is to happen.
Planning Board Member Patrick Lynch also suggested that the public become familiar with the Development and Disposition Agreement signed between the City and the developer for the the theater project, Alameda Entertainment Associates, in case they want to address specific issues in it. You can download PDF files of the DDA below.
DDA(14.4meg)
Summary Report-Theater DDA
Finally, Alamedans opposed to the megaplex realize that their comments come late in the process, however, this is not a good reason to just go on with something that is so egregious to the community. Please continue to make your voice heard, it is never too late to do the right thing.
Open letter to Mayor Beverly Johnson
PETITION FOR A MEGAPLEX-FREE ALAMEDA
We, the voting citizens and taxpayers of Alameda oppose the building of a megaplex and six level parking structure next to the Historic Alameda Theater in downtown Alameda. We believe that the original vision of this community of restoring the Alameda Theater has been lost and replaced with a headlong rush to build an over sized megaplex and garage, with a permanent detrimental impact on Alameda's downtown. Such development will create a traffic nightmare, be an eyesore in the heart of our city and destroy Alameda's treasured charm.
We are concerned that sensible alternatives to a megaplex have not been given a fair hearing, and that in allowing the current project to move forward the City Council and Planning Board are not acting in the best interest of Alameda's citizens, nor are they working for the preservation and beauticication of this jewel of the Bay, Alameda.
Therefore, we call for and immediate halt in the development plans, a city wide forum with Mayor, City Council and Planning Board to openly discuss the long-term viability and consequences of a megaplex, and a list of realistic alternatives for a smaller complex involving the existing theater only.
Click here to sign the petition!
The Petition PDF file may be downloaded by anyone who wants to sign it on paper or pass it around. Of course you have to let someone know you have it, in order for the signatures to be counted! Send an email to stopmegaplex [at] yahoo.com to let us know you are circulating a petition. Thank you for being an active supporter!
Click here to download the petition!
Because we are a group that does not yet have funding we must rely on whatever free tools are available to publicize our effort. Many of these tools, like the petition site, are supported by advertising which can get annoying. The site can also fail to load at times if too many people try to access it at once. Please do not get discouraged. Just keep trying and click "No, Thanks" to the pop-ups until you reach the signing page.
The website states in their privacy policy that they do not "sell, share, or rent this information with any other company or individual in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. From time to time, we may share your information with others on an aggregated basis. We will not share information in such a way that it can be linked to an individual."
"Million Dollar Baby"
Did you know that the City of Alameda is about to spend $25 million of our tax dollars to build a 10 screen megaplex theater and a six level parking garage on Central Avenue and Oak Street right here in Alameda?
The current development plan calls for seven screens in a megaplex building right next to the Historic Alameda Theater, and for three screens in the Historic Alameda Theater ten screens total! Do you think Alameda can support that?
"Analyze That!"
The City of Alameda claims that the Megaplex will gross $3.2 million per year and eventually gross $5 million per year!
Did you know that in order to make $3.2 million per year the Megaplex will need to sell 24,000 tickets per month? Did you know that the Megaplex will need to sell 32,000 tickets per month to gross $5 million per year?
In order to gross $3.2 million the megaplex must sell 5,800 tickets per week, or 23,200 people per month. The average customer spends $8.00 for admission and $2.50 at the concession stand creating a per patron amount of $10.50. The formula is applied as: $10.5x5800ticketsx52weeks=$3,166,800.
The City of Alameda website says the population in Alameda is 76,459. According to the Motion Picture Association of America 21% of the general public attend a movie once a month. The monthly movie going population of Alameda is 16,056. Where are 7,000 extra patrons going to come from? And to gross $5 million per year, they'll need 9,000 more!
"Traffic!"
The additional people needed to fill the seats will not come from Alameda. If they come at all, they will zoom through Alameda, and they will create a traffic nightmare. Imagine a movie crowd trying to leave town when the Park Street Bridge is up!
Did you know that the plans call for a wider sidewalk on the Oak Street side, narrowing Oak Street even more? Have you ever waited at the exit of the Longs parking lot for a break in the traffic, even now? Imagine that at the garage entrance and exit one show time after another!
In 2001 Mayor Appezatto got advice from other City Mayors telling him that they regret erecting huge parking structures downtown, that they usually aren't necessary, but always pushed for by developers. They told him that parking garage will destroy a City's Civic Center. Do we want a Civic Center where we can walk, stroll, bike and drive when we need to, or one permanently choked in fumes and traffic?
Did you know that if erected the 6 level parking garage will be the tallest building downtown? It will taller than the very peak of the Historic Theater! That's right, it will be taller than City Hall too! Way to go, City Council!
"Take the Money and Run!"
Did you know that movies only stay in the theater for 3-6 months and that time is shrinking? What are we going to do with a big, ugly, deteriorating building in 5-10 years when the operator files for "bankruptcy" because the Hollywood Industry itself betrays this model by releasing movies to DVD in 4 weeks!
They say a movie theater will boost business on Park Street. In fact, businesses further away from the garage will see few patrons. Even now the City is eliminating parking spaces along Park Street, making it difficult for patrons to park close to their destination.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157482,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Film/Can-we-save-Hollywood/2005/05/09/1115584889806.html?oneclick=true
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-05-22-box-office-analysis_x.htm
"The Firm"
Did you know that in order to get the property to build the Megaplex, the City of Alameda is forcibly taking the land through a complex legal process called Eminent Domain? Eminent Domain is for acquiring private land for public projects, not for giving from one private owner to another! The City is about to approve this project without even owning the land for it. That's irreponsible!
Wake up, Alameda! We can stop this and get the original theater and reasonable parking solution if we act now!!!
http://www.stopalamedamegaplex.com/
Letter to the Ed in the Alameda Journal
Ill-conceived plan
Was the plan to construct a six level parking garage adjacent to the theatre cooked up using the same "planning handbook" that was employed when it was decided to construct a windowless post office and courthouse on waterfront view property?
While everyone now in retrospect is able to see that our south shore wasn't developed to the best advantage, those in charge seem incapable of seeing similar folly in this latest ill-conceived plan. Yes, other towns have built windowless civic buildings and parking garages but they didn't put them where we have put them (or intend to).
One of the reasons the Alameda Theatre is such a majestic structure is how its peak soars up into the sky. In our city we have precious few examples of buildings that combine such magnitude with grace. Placing a visually heavier structure next door will all but destroy the impact of this beautiful piece of work. In what context does this plan looks like a good one?
What is the real goal of this project? It seems that the community's desire to have their theater restored is being exploited to get a parking structure built. Who reaps any benefit?
M. Manousos
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/counties/alameda_county/alameda/11918520.htm
For more information:
http://www.stopalamedamegaplex.com/
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Rob Ratto Screaming & Bellowing & Yelling at Pat Bail
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Megaplex Letter
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