Chron article on Tom Bates wanting to upgrade Telegraph.

Link to SF Gate article

Ideas include
-Turning Telegraph, Bancroft, and Durant into two-way streets.
-Eliminating quotas on restaurants, fast food, and chain stores.
-Adding more night time entertainment options like night clubs and comedy venues.

I like the idea of improving Telegraph. It has become very run down. I went to Boulder when Cal football played there in 2011. When I walked on Pearl St, I kept on thinking that Pearl St was a much better and updated version of Telegraph. I was envious.

YES on two way streets.

It already is a comic venue.

Telegraph is already only 2 lanes which would make it a two-way single lane street... Prob not a good idea.... Durant I can see since has 4 lanes

Bates is right is trying do something...but two-way streets? Is he nuts? Traffic congestion would be a mess with all the pedestrians near campus. Turning Bancroft into a 2-way would be just dumb. If anything he should close Telegraph to auto traffic from Haste or Dwight and get some parking.

The reason why people don't go to Telegraph is partly crappiness but also access. It's street parking or the garage between Durant and Channing. Compare that to 4th St.

one delivery vehicle and it'd be game over. i like the one way streets. stumbling drunk, i always knew i could cross durant looking downhill to check for cars. now students would have to look both ways. that could be a problem.

climbingbear;842089778 said:

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Chron article on Tom Bates wanting to upgrade Telegraph.

Link to SF Gate article

Ideas include
-Turning Telegraph, Bancroft, and Durant into two-way streets.
-Eliminating quotas on restaurants, fast food, and chain stores.
-Adding more night time entertainment options like night clubs and comedy venues.

I like the idea of improving Telegraph. It has become very run down. I went to Boulder when Cal football played there in 2011. When I walked on Pearl St, I kept on thinking that Pearl St was a much better and updated version of Telegraph. I was envious.

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I like the concept. I question if Bates really means it or is just mouthing empty promises to keep the business interests behind him.

If he really means it, great. Changing (Street) Peoples Park into a real public park with playgrounds for kids and students and removing the drug traffic would go a long way to making Telegraph more attractive to tourists, shoppers and diners.

If he is not able to get any traction on cleaning up People's Park, why not put a small police kiosk or small sub-station in People's Park. A police presence would make the rest of us feel more secure about parking our cars in the area.

If the police kiosk/sub-station cannot be located in People's Park what about locating it on the corner where the old hotel used to stand and where an empty lot has stood since the 1960's (Telegraph and Haste). That fenced-in rat-infested junk yard is a real "downer" for tourists and the rest of us.

Improving the appearance and safety of the area, would encourage commerce (along with the other ideas that have been mentioned).

Bubble lady is crazy, no one needs "more bookshops". You can get your stuff online and much cheaper these days.

She probably wants to see more newspaper stands, video and record stores too.

CalBearinLA;842089779 said:

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YES on two way streets.

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Stay in L.A. Two way streets, esp on Telepgraph, is a terrible idea.

Does anyone have any idea (other than Tom the idiot) who thinks making it 2 ways makes ANY sense at all???

socaltownie;842089808 said:

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Does anyone have any idea (other than Tom the idiot) who thinks making it 2 ways makes ANY sense at all???

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It makes perfect sense if u knock down all the buildings and widen it to 2 lanes each way.....Bates is such a forward thinker..:sarc: (just in case)

socaltownie;842089808 said:

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Does anyone have any idea (other than Tom the idiot) who thinks making it 2 ways makes ANY sense at all???

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I'd heard talk of maybe closing it off to traffic from Bancroft to Durant, but this is news to me.

Leave Top Dog alone then you can do whatever the hell you want. Oh, maybe make it 2 hours, :-)

socaltownie;842089808 said:

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Does anyone have any idea (other than Tom the idiot) who thinks making it 2 ways makes ANY sense at all???

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not the answer your looking for I suspect. Its interesting that Bates is now espousing developing the Berkeley economy - does the City need increased sales tax for its social programs? Sorry for the cynicism, but we are talking Bates.

the idea of more night clubs and comedy clubs is a good idea. the problem is, even in a college town im not sure how long they will last. a lot of those places, kips, blakes have already not made it and shut down.

wifeisafurd;842089827 said:

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2 way strets help retail businesses... not the answer your looking for I suspect. Its interesting that Bates is now espousing developing the Berkeley economy - does the City need increased sales tax for its social programs? Sorry for the cynicism, but we are talking Bates.

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Two way streets do help retail but I'd argue that:

[LIST=1]

this is less of a factor in a heavy pedestrian area, peds to cars must be 1,000/1 in the area

on Brancroft one side of the street is the University so it's moot point


As to why, well the City of Berkeley did under go the downtown clean up project and it seems to have worked, or at least is moving.

gobears725;842089830 said:

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the idea of more night clubs and comedy clubs is a good idea. the problem is, even in a college town im not sure how long they will last. a lot of those places, kips, blakes have already not made it and shut down.

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Kips has not shut down, it's definitely still there, has even seen renovations.
Blakes has turned into Pappy's which is doing great.(Who would have thought a college themed bar would do well in a college town, something seedy Blakes failed to grasp)
Raleighs was doing great til the fire fiasco.

I don't think he actually means "clubs". SF isn't even a big club town. Probably more pubs and such which also serve a purpose during the day.

socaliganbear;842089801 said:

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Bubble lady is crazy, no one needs "more bookshops". You can get your stuff online and much cheaper these days.

She probably wants to see more newspaper stands, video and record stores too.

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Couldn't disagree more, the bricks-and-mortar browsing experience for bookstores and record stores (especially used books and independent stores) is not something that can be completely (or even mostly) replaced online. As well, there is a huge problem with letting a handful of players like Amazon completely monopolize the distribution of media.

Cal88;842089839 said:

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Couldn't disagree more, the bricks-and-mortar browsing experience for bookstores and record stores (especially used books and independent stores) is not something that can be completely (or even mostly) replaced online. As well, there is a huge problem with letting a handful of players like Amazon completely monopolize the distribution of media.

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I think Bates is trying to get Telegraph to make more money, right?
The # of books stores that have closed in the last 10 years in Berkeley alone tell you all you need to know. If you're a student looking to spend as little as possible on books, you're buying online.

Translation: Bates wants to find new ways to fleece students and keep them corralled so that the 'true' Berkeleyans don't have to deal with them. The university has taken most student's money via tuition/fees and they obviously can't do it with textbooks/music now.

So, what else do students want:

- food / coffee
- beer / alcohol
- recreational pharmaceuticals
- places to hookup

and to a lesser extent:

- clothes / shoes
- movies
- haircuts

So any other southside business that isn't offering the above is probably doomed.

Is there a business category that I'm missing that caters to students that also happens to be missing from southside? If so, then that is a business Bates wants to attract to Telegraph.

To improve the economic vitality of Telegraph, Bates needs to do the following:

- Remove the homeless & panhandlers
- Rehab People's Park...its overrun by the homeless...no students or residents frequent this 'park'...unless they're there to get high or deal drugs
- Build on that vacant corner property at Haste & Telegraph. Its been empty for 10+ years.
- Convert Telegraph from Haste to Bancroft into a transit & pedestrian zone only
- Fix the homeless problem in Berkeley overall...

Elmwood/Rockridge, 4th Street Mall, Solano Ave, and the Gourmet Ghetto are thriving with business & ppl b/c --> it doesn't have the dirty and unsafe feeling.

GoCalBears;842089870 said:

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- Build on that vacant corner property at Haste & Telegraph. Its been empty for 10+ years.
.

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More like 23 to 27 years.

I remember asking the owner of that site, Ken Sarachan, in 1997 if he was finally going to build something there.

The site was occupied by the Berkeley Inn (pictured below) for about 70 years when it was ravaged by fire in 1986. It sat abandoned, if I recall correctly, until 1990 when another fire forced it to be demolished.

GoCalBears;842089870 said:

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To improve the economic vitality of Telegraph, Bates needs to do the following:

- Remove the homeless & panhandlers
- Rehab People's Park...its overrun by the homeless...no students or residents frequent this 'park'...unless they're there to get high or deal drugs
- Build on that vacant corner property at Haste & Telegraph. Its been empty for 10+ years.
- Convert Telegraph from Haste to Bancroft into a transit & pedestrian zone only
- Fix the homeless problem in Berkeley overall...

Elmwood/Rockridge, 4th Street Mall, Solano Ave, and the Gourmet Ghetto are thriving with business & ppl b/c --> it doesn't have the dirty and unsafe feeling.

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Aren't College Ave, 4th Street and Solano all 2 way streets?

If 2 way, then they need no left turns.

Definitely need to fix the homeless and People's Park issues.

Some buiding updates from Berkeleyside:
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/02/27/new-building-proposed-for-sequoia-site-on-telegraph-ave/

Quote:

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Renderings of Mad Monk, a live entertainment and dining spot proposed for the old Cody’s space on Telegraph. Source: Avila Design

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Sarachan and the other slumlord own the whole southside commercial strip, they've done their best to keep competitors out and monopolize nearly all the southside student business, he would rather keep the lot empty than make it easier for competing businesses to come in. As much as telegraph is degraded, their businesses (rasputin/amoeba, blondies/fat slice) are thriving.

Cal88;842089903 said:

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Sarachan and the other slumlord own the whole southside commercial strip, they've done their best to keep competitors out and monopolize nearly all the southside student business, he would rather keep the lot empty than make it easier for competing businesses to come in. As much as telegraph is degraded, their businesses (rasputin/amoeba, blondies/fat slice) are thriving.

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What is proposed for the empty lot:

Quote:

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Sarachan's other outstanding application is to build at 2433 Haste a Moorish palace-like structure inspired by Italian hill towns and the rock-cut architecture of Petra in Jordan, designed by architect Kirk Peterson. The project, known as "La Fortaleza" (as in "fortress" or "stronghold"), was submitted to the city last year, but there are several hurdles to clear before the building could be either approved or built. The city issued a lawsuit against Sarachan in Jan. 2012 for outstanding debts. One existing building on the site the former Wicked Zone tattoo parlor needs to be demolished, which requires a Landmarks Preservation Commission review. Another property at the site, the landmarked Woolsey House, has to be relocated. Commercial realtor John Gordon has expressed an interest in taking on the Woolsey House move. (Read the application.) The vacant lot has been the scene of blight, including rats, for years.

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buster99;842089909 said:

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What is proposed for the empty lot:

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It has been an eyesore since I was a student (and I graduated in 1968).

buster99;842089909 said:

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What is proposed for the empty lot:

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Looks like this place that Julian Schnabel lost his shirt on.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Chupi

Can Bates really even say they should add more "night clubs" or comedy venues or whatever? The city government doesn't just magically add that stuff. They do other things to clean up the area so that said businesses actually choose to locate there.

"Turn it into a thriving area full of shops and people" is not an idea, it's the long-term goal. And people need to be realistic about how there won't be any waving of a magic wand that makes it happen overnight, any more than an obese 400-pound guy can become a star triathlete instantly.

Also, LOL at that one student's comment about how Target should open a store on Telegraph.

It's about damned time. Telegraph has charm but is a dump. Berkeley cares more the homeless and "activists" than it does about making the city safe for students, residents, and visitors, and gaining revenue.

I will forever think ill will towards tom Bates for taking the side of the tree sitters and the Hill billy people over the university during the fight to renovate the stadium and making it beautiful.

Upzone with a mixed use overlay (and yes, eliminate restrictions on retail types). You need to have investment interest to rehab those buildings and more residents will help with some of the homeless pockets.

And yes, they have to implode and build on people's park. Nothing else will mater unless Bates bites bullet and does that.

socaltownie;842089973 said:

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Upzone with a mixed use overlay (and yes, eliminate restrictions on retail types). You need to have investment interest to rehab those buildings and more residents will help with some of the homeless pockets.

And yes, they have to implode and build on people's park. Nothing else will mater unless Bates bites bullet and does that.

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Doesn't People's Park belong to UC? So UC needs to bite the bullet. Should have built SAHPC there. Or the new swim complex.

beelzebear;842089831 said:

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Two way streets do help retail but I'd argue that:

[LIST=1]

this is less of a factor in a heavy pedestrian area, peds to cars must be 1,000/1 in the area

on Brancroft one side of the street is the University so it's moot point


As to why, well the City of Berkeley did under go the downtown clean up project and it seems to have worked, or at least is moving.

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I don't ever want anyone to think I agreed with him on any subject. With the way traffic dead ends into Bankcroft and campus, I just don't see how 2 way traffic would work, but what do I know?

wifeisafurd;842090015 said:

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I don't ever want anyone to think I agreed with him on any subject. With the way traffic dead ends into Bankcroft and campus, I just don't see how 2 way traffic would work, but what do I know?

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No biggie. Bates is talking through his hat because any of his city planners could tell him the same thing - it makes no sense, a non-starter. BTW, you know common sense. Any way, just wait for the planning review and community input.

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/berkeley-at-100-20130228

People's Park. It starts and ends right there. That parcel could be utilized as a commercial/retail with, most importantly, lots of parking. Nothing worse than grabbing a great, expensive meal and coming out to find a $ 100.00 plus parking ticket on your windshield. That system kills repeat business. People with disposable income want to drive a car to shop or dine, and they will pay for parking. They don't want to pay outrageous parking fines or worry about homeless people breaking into their cars. It needs to be similar to the Bay Street mall in Emeryville, where a lot of Oakland and Berkeley residents spend their time and money right now.