Willow Glen Resident
News
Soccer field included in new study of SJ ballpark
By Monica Heger
Whether a downtown ballpark will be a boon for San Jose's economy, bringing jobs and attracting new business, or drive existing businesses out of the neighborhood is a lingering question many community members have, and one that the city's environmental impact report does not address.
In response, San Jose has hired consulting firm Bay Area Economics to conduct an economic impact study of the neighborhoods near the area bordered by Park Avenue and Autumn and San Fernando streets--the site of the proposed ballpark.
"We wouldn't want to see the uses [of the proposed businesses] change," said Joe Bentley, president of the Shasta Hanchett Neighborhood Preservation Association. "We don't want a sports-bar alley."
On May 31, the redevelopment agency hosted a public meeting with Janet Smith-Heimer from Bay Area Economics to discuss concerns neighbors had about the economic impact of the proposed ballpark. One big concern was the effect the ballpark would have on businesses. For instance, there is the possibility a ballpark would drive up property values, making rent too expensive for existing businesses.
Residents were also concerned that much of the surrounding neighborhood is part of a redevelopment area that just underwent major planning efforts to revitalize, and they didn't want to see their plans change once a ballpark was brought in.
Aside from the economic impact on businesses, residents wanted to compare the effects of a ballpark with the economic effects of other uses. As a result, Smith-Heimer will study not only the ballpark, but also a soccer stadium and the Midtown Specific Plan--a proposed plan for a mix of high-density housing, retail space and a park.
"The area where you're putting the parking garage is supposed to be a park," said Helen Chapman, chairwoman of the Parks and Recreation Commission. "You have to consider other uses that [the ballpark] is taking away from."
Chapman said under the ballpark plan, the larger displaced park would be broken up into smaller parks throughout the neighborhood. She said neighbors would prefer one larger park.
"There are studies that show parks promote economic development," she added.
Finally, residents took issue with the study itself, frustrated because it looked at the effect on just one portion of the city, not the city as a whole.
"The economic impact on this area is meaningless," said Marc Morris. "You still have to study the impact on the whole city."
He also wanted to know how much the city would be spending on the ballpark, so that cost could be weighed against the benefits a ballpark would provide, as well as the alternatives the city could use the money for.
Residents said they wanted to see the economic impact of the ballpark compared to the other plans for the area. They were concerned there are lots of individual plans for the area, such as the Diridon Plan, the Midtown Specific Plan and the Downtown Strategy Plan, but not a single, citywide plan.
"We really need to tie this all together," said Harvey Darnell of the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association. "We've looked at all the pieces individually, but we haven't looked at the synergy between them all."
