Saratoga News
News
City likes gym idea; neighbors aren't quite sure
By Michele Tjin
Several Saratoga city leaders like the idea of transforming part of the North Campus property into a gym and a childcare center, but neighbors have serious questions about the noise and traffic such uses would generate.
In June, the Saratoga City Council received nine conceptual proposals from residents and businesses on how to develop two of the four buildings on the North Campus property. Residents Lisa and Alan Beck are the front- runners, with their idea for a community gym and a childcare center.
"It's a great plan. It provides services that we need," said Vice Mayor Ann Waltonsmith at the Aug. 27 study session.
At that meeting, which was also attended by the Saratoga Planning Commission, the Becks reiterated their idea. They plan to demolish two buildings to make room for a childcare center that can accommodate 100 preschoolers and a gym with a regulation high school size basketball court. The structures would be prefabricated steel with stucco exteriors.
According to the agreement, the city would obtain ownership of the gym as soon as it is constructed. The Becks, who would front the cost of construction, are proposing a 10-year lease with the city. Through a leaseback credit, they would be reimbursed 100 percent of the cost of the gym and 50 percent of the cost of the childcare center. The Becks estimate the total cost of the project would be $1.2 million.
"This is not something we are taking lightly," Alan Beck said. "This is a great way to improve North Campus."
Councilman Chuck Page was in favor of pursuing a public-private relationship, such as the one proposed by the Becks.
"Small communities like us are engaging in [these] partnerships," he said. "This is the way projects are getting funded these days. The public-private partnerships seem to work."
The council asked the Becks and the city staff to come back with more concrete details, including architectural drawings and development costs.
But before the council gave direction to the city staff, it first heard the concerns of community members. Noise and traffic topped the complaints. It is estimated that there would be 200 cars visiting the center to drop off and pick up children each day, neighbors said.
"This is a residential area," neighbor Roger Piazza said. "It's not set up as a business situation."
Another neighbor, Sujatha Bodapati, said she would prefer a senior center, and would like the city to take measures to lessen the noise that would be generated.
"A sound wall is a minimum," she said.
However, other residents said they would welcome a gym in Saratoga, which could double as a multi-use facility for seniors and youth sports teams. Saratoga resident Marc Hoffman, who has coached 20 youth teams over the years, said there are 750 children in Saratoga playing basketball in organized leagues each season and teams are always scrounging for space at Saratoga High School and West Valley College, among other schools.
"We really do need a local gym," Hoffman said.
Several planning commissioners agreed that a gym and a childcare center would be a good fit at the North Campus property, but they had concerns, particularly the aesthetics of the building and whether the $1.2 million price tag was too conservative.
"[It] is unimaginably low," Commissioner Robert Kundtz said. "You need a dose of reality in those numbers."
The council agreed that more negotiation is needed, with a majority of members wanting to move forward. Councilwoman Kathleen King said she would hate to see a scenario in which 20 years from now the property remained undeveloped.
"Keep it moving forward," King said. "More people will come out with input as it goes forward."
Councilwoman Jill Hunter was the lone dissenting voice.
"There is no harm in slowing down," she said. "You need to take your time and do it well. I don't want to drive by North Campus and think, 'Why didn't we take the time to put in a nice building instead of a pre-manufactured building?' "
Page said doing more research now is not the same as giving a green light to the project.
"Moving forward doesn't get anything built," he said. "The Becks have to invest money in architectural drawings. This is a litmus test to see how much we can do and how fast. The benefit is to see if the relationship can be sustained or falls apart."
