By Robert Haugh
At the Tuesday City Council meeting, City Staff was directed to present cost estimates for a study of the financial implications of moving City Hall Downtown.
The vote was 5-0. Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Vice Mayor Suds Jain abstained because they have financial conflicts of interest.
An item will be placed on a future City Council agenda with a budget action to fund the contract amendment with WRT for up to approximately $334,000. WRT is a urban planning consultant who has worked on the planning for future downtown development.
Here’s the potential study scope:
- Land Use Layout Options
- City Hall floorplans, and floor plates are specific to that type of use (council chambers, permit center, etc.)
- Economic Analysis, which should include:
- Look at existing City Hall property and land value, as well as, the land value of the property downtown. What would be more beneficial to the city cost wise?
- Analyze other uses on the existing City Hall site.
- How to pay for the move? (bond, sell existing city hall property?)
- Possibility of a public/private partnership (selling city owned land)
- Consider prevailing wage and construction costs in the analysis
- Review the example sites mentioned by the DCTF, how did they move their city halls, how does Santa Clara compare to them, and what constraints Santa Clara may have that these cities in other states may not have had.
But according to Councilmember Park, having the city hall moved “downtown” would make for a great parade route in his comments before the vote. I couldn’t even understand what point Hardy was trying to make in her comments.
City Hall should be built on the existing property on which it sits. I don’t know why they think it will revitalize the downtown. Other than employees no one is really heading to city hall unless they have to go there for business.
I feel the whole “downtown” is nothing more than a pipe dream. There are several roadblocks to the project including the courthouse and 1050 Benton sitting right in the middle of the 8 Block grid. They want to have a trolley in the plans. For what? To go back and forth the short distance of the grid? Waste of money if the downtown ever gets rebuilt. As much as I’d like to see a revitalized downtown area, I don’t see it happening. It needs to be modeled like downtown campbell, LG, MV and Sunnyvale. Restaurants, shops and parking.
Glad folks are weighing in on this really bad concept.
Downtown folks need to just stay focused on original
Plan instead of piling on more and more.
Gees, it’s 2022. How is that promise of bringing DT
Working for you, Anthony Becker? Didn’t you make
Some campaign promises? Sounds like you’re still
At it promising new fire stations. Didn’t you say
Something about the Horse before the cart?
Listen to yourself sometime. The city has no money.
Don’t make false promises. Especially when you’re
running for Mayor.
One needs to actually look at the action that was taken by the council the other night in regard to funding a study to relocate the city hall to a future downtown location. The only action taken was to instruct staff to talk with WRT to come up with a contract amendment that includes total scope of work included in any future study of a relocation of the city hall to downtown and to bring that contract amendment proposition to a future council agenda for discussion. Becker made the motion seconded by Hardy with the full knowledge that this plan would most likely never be brought back to council, let alone approved. This action was simply to placate a few of the people of the Reclaim group. It was interesting that just prior to the vote a statement was read from the Old Quad group not supporting the downtown relocation study, this is the group that Becker’s mentor, Patty Mahan belongs to and the community group that has the real influence in the downtown area.
…that not one of the forty plus property owners within the downtown precise plan area has shown support for the move of city hall to a future downtown location. Infact, with the exception of SCU they haven’t even been included in the plan or the downtown taskforce.
Becker’s broken promises from 2020 campaign. SO WHERE IS MY DT, BECKER? Isn’t that what Mary’s t-shirt says? MORE OF YOUR MOTIONS AND VOTES HAVE BENEFITTED THE 49ers NOT THE RESIDENTS!
“I promise you that my votes won’t be determined by politics or allegiance to any faction, person or interest group,” he said. “The only side I will ever take is the people’s side, the side of the residents of Santa Clara.”
A renter in Santa Clara without a six-figure salary, Becker said he understands the pressure and uncertainty high rents can cause. Becker said he would bring a new voice to the council in conversations concerning affordable housing development, land use and property tax policies.
He said he’s open to looking into rent regulations, safe parking locations for cars and motorhomes, as well as transitional housing opportunities — especially as someone who came close to experiencing homelessness due to the tight housing market.
Becker said his other priorities include investing in AI solutions for traffic relief, improving recreation facilities through park upgrades and bringing the city’s downtown renovation plans to fruition.
“Right now, we have a rare opportunity with leases on city-owned property expiring and enthusiastic groups like Reclaiming our Downtown and Parade of Champions that has already brought awareness to this dream,” he said in his announcement. “We can make it a reality; we need to act now, and as a member of the planning commission I know how important it is to our future.”
Becker said his other priorities include investing in AI solutions for traffic relief, improving recreation facilities through park upgrades and bringing the city’s downtown renovation plans to fruition.
“Right now, we have a rare opportunity with leases on city-owned property expiring and enthusiastic groups like Reclaiming our Downtown and Parade of Champions that has already brought awareness to this dream,” he said in his announcement. “We can make it a reality; we need to act now, and as a member of the planning commission I know how important it is to our future.”
SHOW ME THE MONEY FOR ALL THE STUFF YOU HAVE PROMISED, BECKER!
HAVE YOU MADE ANY OF THIS A PRIORITY?
Don’t forget the parking and transportation study. “Downtown” is not in the middle of Santa Clara, and there’s no ready, efficient transportation to that area. Also remember some people cannot bike – Uber, BTW, is no more of a carbon solution than a regular car.
Why move? Build up or expand?
Stupidest idea! Hope analysis doesn’t pencil out and cost billions. Sell city land? Who is advising these bozos?