Received: from zonker.hpl.hp.com by jr.hpl.hp.com with ESMTP (1.37.109.24/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA140022723; Fri, 30 Apr 1999 10:18:43 -0700 Return-Path: <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Received: (from poulton@localhost) by zonker.hpl.hp.com (8.8.6/8.7.1) id KAA18323 for wind_talk; Fri, 30 Apr 1999 10:18:42 -0700 (PDT) Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 10:18:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <199904301718.KAA18323@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> To: wind_talk@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: Berkeley Waterfront Master Plan Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
From: Paul Kamen <pk@well.com-DeleteThis>
To: info@sfba.org-DeleteThis, webmaster@sfba.org-DeleteThis, karinaoc@earthlink.net-DeleteThis,
hodges@stanford.edu-DeleteThis, poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis, sstamblyn@aol.com-DeleteThis,
wolfemason@earthlink.net-DeleteThis, pjeff85233@aol.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Berkeley Waterfront Master Plan
Forgive the multiple destinations of this email, but I want to make sure
this gets into the right hands quickly, and I don't know anyone at SFBA
these days.
I'm a new member of the Berkeley Waterfront Commission, and am also on the
Master Planning Subcommittee of that group. (I've also been windsurfing
since 1970!)
At last night's subcommittee meeting, the City's landscape architect for
the master planning project indicated that in the next seven days - by
next Thursday - preliminary drawings will be produced showing a possible
new hotel development in the Berkeley Marina, probably just to the north
of His Lordships restaurant.
One of the things about this proposal that makes it palatable - maybe even
desirable - is the significant amount of money available for sailboard
launching improvements right at the tip of "His Lordships Peninsula."
Also showers, bathrooms and changing rooms, some dedicated parking,
possibly even onsite equipment storage (like at Cal Sailing Club). I'm
thinking tidal steps of some sort, or a concrete ramp/breakwater
combination, for civilized launching of short boards right into the strong
wind.
One of the ideas behind coupling the sailboarding improvements to the
hotel is to see how much of the ski resort model can transfer to a
"sailboard resort." Berkeley seems to be uniquely suited to this kind of
use, because the South Sailing Basin has a combination of beginner,
intermediate, and expert "slopes" that serve a wider range of skill
levels than at most other popular venues.
Not that we really expect a majority of the hotel's customers to check in
because of the sailboarding - but it's a nice theme that gives the project
some identity.
I'd like the sailboard orientation to be more real and less symbolic. What
we need to do is send immediate graphical input to the landscape
architect, sketching out how the improved launch site and shoreside
support facilities might look. The last addresses in "to" field is Patti
Jeffery, from the planning department, and the two before that are for
Sarah Tamblyn, the landscape architect.
There's a potential here for some really first-class facilities if we get
it down on paper early in the game, and keep close tabs on how the project
evolves.
On another front, the marina and planning staff were amenable to
designating certain areas as "place holders" for projects that might
happen in the future. I brought up the idea of a sailboard club, not like
Cal Sailing Club but more like Berkeley Yacht Club, with a bar, dining
room, meeting room, nice showers, hot tub or sauna, and lots of storage
for private gear. This would probably end up where the boat storage area
is now, east of Cal Adventures and Cal Sailing Club. There would be a
public service component too, maybe in the form of a youth program, but
that would only enhance the organization (and funnel in more members).
Plenty of lead time on this one, but as the sailboard demographic
"matures" and becomes better able to capitalize private projects like
this, the Berkeley Sailboard Club seems to become more feasible.
A few of us had some meetings about something along these lines 10 or 15
years ago, and we could only speculate if the city would go for it. My
reading now is that the road is clear, when and if.
Last of all, take a look at my Berkeley Waterfront web site, and maybe
link to it from the SFBA page. www.well.com/user/pk/waterfront/
Paul Kamen
Berkeley Waterfront Commission
pk@well.com-DeleteThis
510-540-7968
fishmeal@netcom.com-DeleteThis
www.well.com/user/pk/fishmeal.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Dec 10 2001 - 02:35:21 PST