Reso 2001-020 RDA 2001-002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chapter II -Capital Improvement Projects overall. Ornamental lighting is recommended at median ends to illuminate pedestrian crossing areas. Street frontages should be improved as well, with broad-headed street trees and pedestrian-oriented lighting; Plane Tree (platanus) is the recommended street tree. West Estudillo Street West Estudillo Street links Downtown directly to the BART station, and some of San Leandro's most significant and historic buildings are located along the street frontage. The north side of the street includes Casa Peralta, and the Saint Leander church, rectory, and school administration buildings, and as- sociated ornamental gardens. The south side of the street includes the Best House and a mix of single family houses and small-scale apartment build- ings. The Casa Peralta and the Best House are both on the City's historic re- sources list. However, the streetscape character of West Estudillo does not reflect the quali- ties of the buildings along the frontage, nor does it reflect a role as an impor- tantpedestrian link and Downtown entrance. With the exception of the Best House frontage, there acre no street trees. The 2-hour angle parking along the north frontage -largely vacant during weekdays -makes the street seem overly wide, and overall the street has a barren and uninviting appearance. The streetscape improvements recommended in this section are intended to add landmark qualities to the street as well as provide the amenities that encourage pedestrian circulation to and from Downtown and the BART sta- tion. These include a consistent planting of distinctive shade trees in parking pockets along the street frontage, ornamental street lights, and corner "bulb- outs' at intersections to shorten crossing distances and reduce the extent of street paving; storm drainage will need to be accommodated in design of parking zone planters and corner bulb-outs. As shown in the attached illustration, trees are proposed to be located in curbed planters between parking stalls at approximately 50' on center. This approach makes the street seem narrower and walks wider without costly curb and sidewalk reconstruction; planters would be located between every three angled stalls on the north side of the street and between every two parallel stalls along the south side of the street. Pedestrian-oriented street lights are recommended at approximately 100' on center. The size of corner bulb-outs would depend on the configuration of adjacent curbside parking areas; i.e., bulb-outs could be larger adjacent to angle parking areas - up to an The Casa Peralta is one of a number of historic structures on West Estudillo Street. additional 14' -than adjacent to parallel parking areas, where they could extend up to 6'. The pedestrian walkway to and through the Downtown Plaza from Hays Street needs significant upgrading if the BART-to-Downtown connection is to be attractive to pedestrians. At present, flanked by dumpsters and refuse, it appears to be a service area rather than a pedestrian access way. 70's-era planters block views through the center. Upgrading this walkway was a key recommendation of the San Leandro Downtown Plan and Urban Design Guide- lines (Richman Associates, 1999). As noted by the Downtown Plan, improvements should include: a) architec- tural enclosures for dumpsters; b) an architectural gateway visible from San Leandro Boulevard and BART; c) renovation and additional entrances and display windows for commercial spaces that line the walkway, and; d) ulti- mately, connection through the existing parking area to a redeveloped open space modeled on the historic palm-framed plaza that used to exist at the corner of Davis and East 14th streets. - 21 -