San Leandro residents gathered at City Hall on Sept. 27 to learn the plans for the City of San Leandro’s newly proposed Village Marketplace that seeks to bring new activity to the city’s downtown area.
Nearly 40 residents were introduced to the preliminary design concepts of the project and were invited to communicate their personal visions for the site to the lead developers and architects for the project.
Among those in attendance were San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy and City Council Members Joyce Starosciak and Diana Sousa who were there to welcome community input.
“It’s amazing how many good ideas come out of the very community we want to develop in,” said Innisfree Ventures President David Irmer.  “It’s up to us to bring [the community] the vision and [they] pick it apart.”
The proposed marketplace will fill the site located at 1550 East 14th St., the previous site of the original Lucky supermarket in 1947, most recently occupied by Albertsons that closed in 2005.
The San Leandro Redevelopment Agency acquired the 1.7 acre property in 2009, receiving a grant to study the transit-oriented development.
“We wanted to create a development that would have greater publicity, more pedestrian type amenities and a place to shop and hang out, so we went forward,” said Cynthia Battenberg, business development manager.
Developers said “Preliminary design concepts for the Village Marketplace envision a high-quality, Mediterranean-style neighborhood retail center of roughly 28,000 square feet, anchored by a specialty grocery store.”
MCG architect Kevin James said the initial design concepts were primarily based on Creekside Plaza in San Leandro, which he previously designed.
“Some of the things we learned from Creekside was the community’s desire to reinforce a Mediterranean, Portuguese sort of history that exists in a lot of the special facilities around the community,” he said.
The design focuses a great deal on the outdoor plaza, as the developers believe the marketplace will also be a mechanism to unite the community.
“We want to generate an enthusiasm for being outside,” said Irmer.  “We want outdoor plazas and gathering spaces for the community that encouragepeople to come over and be a part of the marketplace.”
Despite the desire to produce a resident-friendly shopping center, the small lot presented a challenge during the design process which resulted in limited tenant interest and little space to work with.
Currently, the potential tenant mix includes Peets Coffee & Tea, Fresh & Easy, Chipotle and AT&, who have all formally signed letters of intent.
Several community members were not satisfied with the current mix of tenants that will occupy the storefronts in the future.  The majority believed the preliminary designs were overly commercialized and lacked uniqueness.
“It looks like a strip mall,” said San Leandro resident and former Planning Commissioner Susuan Kleebauer.  “We need something that has individual charm.  AT&T and Chipotle are not going to get you there.”
The topic of a fresh produce grocery store was a popular crowd interest.  Several members in attendance voiced their dire need for an abundance of fresh produce options.
Suprisingly, the Fresh & Easy grocery store that will anchor the marketplace received mixed reviews from the community.
Members in attendance requested a community meeting with Fresh & Easy staff in hopes that the supermarket would tailor the store to the needs of San Leandro residents.
Others suggestions included public art displays in the plaza area, retail boutiques, an establishment that would accommodate local musicians and a family YMCA.
Despite the mixed reviews, Irmer said he was pleased to hear the feedback from the community.
Plans for the project were initiated in 2009 with hopes to break ground in 2012.  Battenberg says the estimated cost on completion is $10 million.