List of proposed features:
- New park at Fleming
Point and new Shoreline Park, with restored beaches and public restrooms, for a total of 17 continuous acres of parkland
- Buildings nearest the shore are one-storey only and 300 ft from mean high-tide
- Buildings to qualify for Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification
- Bay Trail connection
- Restored fishing pier, with
kayak access
- Restored, and expanded, wetlands north of the race track
- Safe, level access to the waterfront
for the young and elderly
- Shuttle to Solano Avenue (and perhaps El Cerrito BART)
- New YMCA facility (subject
to YMCA approval)
- Open-air public meeting space and amphitheater
- Reduced size of race-track grandstand (1/3
to ¼ smaller)
- Approximately 150 residential units (lofts and 1-bedroom)
- Upscale shopping and dining opportunities
- Movie theater with stadium seating
- Restaurants and coffee shops with Bay view, protected from the frequent
winds
- Glassed-in farmers’ market with Bay view
Caruso proposal (July ’06) addresses these AWC
goals:
| 1. Reclaim the Waterfront for all residents, including the young
and the elderly. This must include a fully accessible and well-maintained expanse of park land along the shoreline. | Yes | 1 |
| 2. Complete the Bay Trail | Yes | 1 |
| 3. Preserve and protect
the wetlands as a valuable environmental resource. | Yes | 2 |
| 4. Encourage
thoughtful development of under-utilized portions of the Golden Gate Fields property that will: | |
|
| 4A. Provide an inviting and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. | Yes | 3 |
| 4B. Protect Solano Avenue. Any retail development must provide unique shopping opportunities that will complement
-- not compete with -- Solano Avenue businesses. | Unclear | 4 |
| 4C. Preserve
current tax revenues for the City and Schools. Any plan MUST preserve the present level of funding for the City and
Albany schools, without interruption. | Yes | 5 |
| 4D. Increase tax revenues
for the City and Schools.Our basic city infrastructure is deteriorating, due to insufficient funding. There are numerous
unfunded projects. In the face of increasing State and Federal requirements, our schools are struggling to restore lost
programs. | Yes | 6 |
| 4E. Not rely on state funding. Any realistic plan
must be self-funding. State and regional agencies indicate that they have no funds for new park projects. |
Yes | 7 |
| 4F. Conform to sustainable design principles, as set forth in the LEED
program of the US Green Building Council. | Yes | 8 |
| 4G. Recognize the probability
that the racetrack will stay in Albany, as the owners repeatedly confirm. | Yes | 9 |
| 4H. Not require new local taxes on Albany property owners and residents. | Yes | 10 |
| 4I. Not include casino gambling. No casino, racino, card room, or other expansion of gambling. | Yes | 11 |
Notes
1. Reclaim the waterfront for all residents;
complete the Bay Trail: Yes. The plan provides 17 acres of groomed, irrigated, and maintained lawns and shrubs,
plus a public restroom. The Bay Trail travels the length of the park.
2. Preserve the wetlands: Yes.
The plan restores and maintains the wetlands, adding approximately 1 additional acre in the process.
3.
Provide a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere: Yes. Paved and tiled walkways, seating areas, trees, amphitheater
with funicular, cafes, manicured lawns, no cars or other traffic, good lighting, shelter from the wind, and so on, will
encourage pedestrian strolling and provide an inviting atmosphere for all ages. This is a feature of all Caruso developments.
4. Protect Solano Avenue: Unclear. The high-end retail businesses and restaurants planned for
the development will not compete with most businesses and services on Solano Avenue, such as the budget restaurants, nail
salons, medical services, realtors, and apartment buildings. The few higher-price restaurants, plus the Albany Twin movie
theater, might have more competition. However, the proposed shuttle to and from Solano Avenue from the development may
bring more foot traffic to Solano Avenue; so the actual effect is unclear. Note that the developer proposes a cross-marketing
plan to jointly promote both the development and Solano Avenue.
5. Preserve current tax revenues:
Yes. The development does not impact the activities of the race track. Therefore, the revenue stream from the
racetrack will be unaffected.
6. Increase tax revenues: Yes. We will see increased tax
revenues to the City of approximately $2 million per year from the development. (Assumed gross of $500 / s.f. of
gross leasable area [GLA] per year, appropriate for high-end retail. At a GLA of 425,000 s.f., and sales tax to the City
of 1% of gross sales, the resulting revenue to the City from sales tax alone would be approximately $2,125,000 per
year.)
7. Not rely on State funding: Yes. All development, including the parks, wetlands,
beaches, and so on, will be financed by the developer. There is no requirement for State funding.
8.
Conform to sustainable design principles: Yes. The plan calls for any new development to conform to Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Caruso Affiliated has LEED-certified designers on staff.
9.
Recognize the probability that the racetrack will stay in Albany: Yes. The development assumes that
the racetrack will stay, and it provides greater sightlines and access to the track from the development.
10.
Not require new local taxes: Yes. The estimated increased tax revenues from the development should
reduce the need for the City to propose any more tax increases on residents to fund the recently-approved Five-Year Capital
Improvement Plan (CIP) or any other improvements.
The park will be maintained by the developer at no charge to the
City. They will also provide their own security services. The developers will remain on-site – as is their custom - as
managers of the property.
11. Not include casino gambling: Yes. The Caruso proposal
does not include gambling. Casino gambling is forbidden under the Constitution of the State of California.
