Dear Mayor and City Council of Menlo Park.
In regards to the upcoming City Council Meeting being held on January 26, 2021 Giannotti Incorporated offers the following comments in regards to agenda item: Adopt Urgency Ordinance No. 1075 reopening northbound travel lane on Santa Cruz Avenue.
This email is a re-submittal of our email of 12/7/20, requesting Santa Cruz Avenue be re-opened for vehicle traffic
1. 683 Santa Cruz Avenue (former Unamas) has been vacant now for 14 months. Prospective tenants cite there lack of interest due to the Pandemic and the closing of Santa Cruz Avenue to thru traffic.
2. 693 Santa Cruz Avenue (Starbucks) which has expressed to us the street closure has affected their sales.
3. 643 Santa Cruz Avenue (Walgreens). We are currently in lease negotiations with them for an extension of Lease and in the negotiations they cite a decrease in sales and foot traffic due to the Pandemic and the closure and restricted parking on Santa Cruz Avenue.
4. We also contacted the City months ago over a zoom call in which Staff would look into placing 10 minute parking stalls to the rear of Walgreens to help with drive a possible drive up service, but no one has followed up with us. With Santa Cruz Avenue closed lot 8 has filled up considerably because of the closure.
WE are asking the City open vehicle traffic up in both directions and return the city parking stalls back to the public for anticipation of the reopening of business.
Sincerely,
Frank S. Lico
President, Giannotti Inc.
