Alliant Communities, Presidio Bay Ventures, and Related Companies / Alta Housing,
Thank you for your willingness to present your proposals to the people of Menlo Park.
I have the following questions regarding your plans:
The development sites are relatively small and irregularly configured. What inefficiencies does this create in design and construction of the residential buildings and parking garages? Specifically what is the percentage of occupiable space to total gross building area for the residential areas of each of the residential buildings? What is the gross building area per space (GBA/no. of parking spaces) for each of the garage components? To construct in a quasi-urban area, will you have to close and surrounding roads for any longer than intermittent times (i.e. a day or so here 7 there)? Lastly, because Council is requesting a large number of units on small sites, the buildings are likely Type 1. If this is the case, what is the approximate premium (cost per unit) of Type 1 versus Type 5 construction?
How many construction workers do you expect to have on site during peak construction periods and where do you plan to park the construction workers’ vehicles?
What plans do you have to satisfy downtown customer and employee parking and construction worker parking demand while the project is being constructed?
What is the duration of the project starting from the time the first parking lot is taken off-line until 100% of the replacement parking is completed (CO issued)?
If you’re planning that the parking garages will be mixed use (residential and commercial), do you plan to “nest” the residential spaces, how have you determined peak demand for spaces and what do those studies show in terms of days/times garages are at peak usage, and how do you plan to provide security in the parking garages, particularly if they will be mixed use?
Have you discussed with the City financial support for downtown businesses during the time parking spaces are off-line and the downtown businesses are otherwise impacted by construction activities? If so, how have you estimated this cost and who will pay these costs?
Once the buildings are opened and occupied, how do you plan to enforce that residents park in the project’s parking garages and not on surrounding streets? Will you charge residents to park in the garages? How much have you planned to spend annually on security in your operating budgets?
I appreciate your consideration in responding to my questions.
Jeff Berkes
650-269-6838
