Title
PLN24-0145 - 2151 Ferry Point - Applicant: Little Opera House, LLC. - Public Workshop on Radium Theatre Performing Arts Center Development Plan. Public workshop to discuss the proposed Radium Theatre Performing Arts Center. The project location is comprised of Blocks 12 & 13 in the Site A Development Plan, an approximately 2.13-acre site on the west side of Pan Am Way near the intersection of West Atlantic Avenue. CEQA Determination: The draft Development Plan is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act. No final action on the environmental review or the Development Plan will take place at this meeting.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Historical Advisory Board
From: Steven Buckley, Historical Advisory Board Secretary
BACKGROUND
In 2014 the City Council adopted the Alameda Point Town Center and Waterfront Precise Plan (Town Center Plan). [The plan can be found at: <https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/departments/alameda/base-reuse/site-a/town-center-and-waterfront-precise-plan-final.pdf>] The Precise Plan is a specific plan for transit-oriented development of the waterfront lands that surround the Seaplane Lagoon and the property along West Atlantic Avenue which is now part of the 68-acre Site A development. The Site A Development Plan was originally approved in 2015 and amended in 2022. Blocks 12 & 13 are located between the Waterfront Park and Naval Air Museum and are designated for commercial, entertainment, and performing arts space, including an approximately 53,000 square foot theater.
After soliciting proposals for a performing arts center, on December 19, 2023, City Council approved an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) and license (lease) with Little Opera House, Inc. for the approximately 2.13-acre site made up by Blocks 12 and 13. The ENA established a 12-month period during which time the City of Alameda (City) and Little Opera House will make a good faith effort to prepare a mutually acceptable long-term ground lease with purchase option for the development of a performing arts center at Alameda Point. The ENA also granted a license allowing Little Opera House to continue their existing temporary outdoor performance and exhibition space, known as Radium Runway, for performing arts and special events during the ENA period.
The ENA specifies opportunities for the public and others to inform the negotiations, including meetings with the Historical Advisory Board and Planning Board where a proposed Development Plan and architectural concepts can be presented and discussed. On March 28, 2024, Little Opera House applied for Development Plan approval. The plans are attached as Exhibit 1. The plans show a Development Plan and conceptual drawings for a performing arts center with an approximately 500 seat main theater, 200 seat studio theater, various support and amenity spaces and outdoor public plaza.
DISCUSSION
The Historical Advisory Board reviewed the Town Center Precise Plan in 2013 and 2014. The plan includes specific guidance for how to achieve transit-oriented development of the waterfront lands that surround the Seaplane Lagoon and the property along West Atlantic Avenue. In addition to the Site A development to date, the plan anticipates significant infill construction along the Seaplane Lagoon Taxiway between the existing airplane hangars along West Tower Avenue and the northern edge of the Seaplane Lagoon.
A few questions arise when considering the proper siting of the theater building. (1) Is it more important to preserve the view from the museum toward the water (which is also demarcated with a new sculpture in the recently completed waterfront park) or the view along the face of the hanger building? (2) Is it possible to achieve the goals of the precise plan and historic district with an alternative view corridor that passes through the space between the hangers in a new location? (3) Does the project provide overriding benefits that warrant obscuring views or creating new views that were not previously contemplated, such as elevated views of the bay from the theater building itself?
View Corridors
The Precise Plan includes Historic District Infill and Cultural Landscape Guidelines which build on the numerous historical reports done in the years leading up to the first conveyance of property from the Navy to the City of Alameda in 2013. A key concept in the Precise Plan is respecting the original layout of buildings and streets of the base. The Precise Plan establishes preferred street alignments and character defining view corridors. These view corridors are based on the final Cultural Landscape Report and the Navy’s Nomination for the NAS Alameda Historic District. In the north-south direction, the character defining views line up with Lexington and Saratoga streets. In the east-west direction, character defining views are located along West Atlantic Avenue continuing along the northern edge of the Seaplane Lagoon, and along West Tower Avenue.
The Town Center Precise Plan also discusses other views to take into consideration when evaluating infill development. Those secondary views include two that relate directly to the proposed Radium Theatre Performing Arts Center project (Radium Theatre). Building 77 is currently serving as the Naval Air Museum on the north side of the Radium Theatre site and was the historic seaplane passenger terminal. While heavily modified, the historic location, orientation, and character are intact, and the architectural modifications could be reversed. The Precise Plan suggests maintaining a view corridor along the centerline of Building 77 of at least 40 feet, and preferably 120 feet wide if possible. It is also notable that the building’s symmetrical façade is currently framed by the new waterfront park, implying a symmetrical plaza or development pad between them. Previous iterations of the Site A Development Plan indicated a greenway could be provided perpendicular to the waterfront park between two building pads in front of Building 77 as a means of preserving this view corridor and symmetry.
Additionally, the Precise Plan suggests retaining 80-foot-wide view corridors along the face of the large aircraft hangars such as Building 41 to the north of the project site. This would have provided large building pads between the hangers without impinging on the character defining retractable doors and circulation areas around the hangers. However, since then, some property lines have been established that may preclude this infill development, while also opening up opportunities for alternative schemes for view corridors. This is discussed further in the following section of this report.
Building Footprint Analysis
The conceptual site plans in the Radium Development Plan show a roughly square building, the back of which aligns on the western face with the edge of Building 41. Consequently, the view along the face of Building 41 contemplated in the Town Center Plan would be preserved and the view to and from the center of the historic seaplane passenger terminal would be obstructed. The character defining view along West Atlantic Ave and the northern edge of the Seaplane Lagoon would be preserved.
The applicant hired Architectural Resources Group (ARG) to prepare an analysis of the two potential view corridors discussed above with an alternative building location that would preserve the Building 77 view. The alternative footprint shifts the building to the west to preserve a 40-foot view corridor on the centerline of Building 77 and interrupts the proposed view along the western edge of Building 41. The diagrams in Exhibit 2 (View Corridor Diagrams) show how each building location would interact with the views and infill buildings considered in the Precise Plan.
The Precise Plan contemplates 80-foot view corridors running north-south along the face of each hangar building on West Tower Ave and 35-foot-tall infill buildings centered between those proposed views. The view along the face of Building 41 terminates across the street into Building 91 (Almanac/Rake). Both ARG’s analysis and city staff consider the view to the historic seaplane passenger terminal to be more distinctive than the view along the face of the hangar building, of which there are numerous similar views. The design of the waterfront park, including the “Beken” sculpture, highlights the alignment with Building 77.
Since adoption of the Precise Plan, a new property line bisecting the potential infill building between Building 41 and Building 40 (Bladium) was established in 2017 when the Bladium operator purchased the land. More recently, a significant portion of the parking area on the east side of Building 40 has been converted to pickleball courts. Staff does not currently anticipate an infill building in this location like what was conceived in the Precise Plan.
Also, as part of the project review and term sheet negotiations, staff is evaluating potential circulation needs in the short term for this project with an eye towards eventual build out of the taxiway and the Master Infrastructure Plan for Alameda Point. Given the access needs and view considerations, it may be preferable to establish an access road and view corridor along the property line between the two hangars rather than focus on the views along the face of each hangar in this location. The parcel line diagrams in Exhibit 3 show some of the areas being discussed. Inferences of future property lines, streets, and open areas can be made from these plats, though some property is still in Navy ownership and additional parcelization is contemplated when adequate infrastructure is available.
Historical Advisory Board Role
Under Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 13-21.5 the City of Alameda Historical Advisory Board (HAB) is responsible for the review and approval of any demolition, removal, or alteration of the City’s designated Historical Monuments (including districts), an entitlement referred to as a Certificate of Approval. Under AMC Section 30-37 the Planning Board is responsible for the review and approval of Design Review for all new buildings.
Staff is continuing its full review of the project application and determinations of which entitlements will be required at various stages. Staff anticipates returning to the HAB in the future for a Certificate of Approval to ensure consistency with the character defining features of the NAS Alameda Historic District. The building may also be subject to the pending Guidelines for Infill Development in the Alameda Point Historic District.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
This workshop is not a public hearing, in that no decisions are being made, and there are no statutory requirements for public notice. However, the item was posted on the agenda on the City’s website, and staff e-mailed a courtesy notice to the City’s most current list of Alameda Point tenants. Future public hearings on the project will include required mailings to property owners, newspaper ads and site postings.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The draft Radium Theatre Development Plan is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act. No final action on the environmental review or the Development Plan will take place at this meeting. It is anticipated that the project will be reviewed under the certified Final EIR for the Alameda Point Project, which includes certain mitigation measures that have been incorporated into the zoning ordinance.
CLIMATE IMPACT
This workshop to discuss the proposed Radium Theatre Performing Arts Center will not have an effect on climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public workshop to discuss the proposed Radium Theatre Performing Arts Center project and provide feedback on the considerations the Board will need to evaluate to determine consistency with the character defining features of the NAS Alameda Historic District.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steven Buckley, Secretary to the Historical Advisory Board
By,
Brian McGuire, Planner II
Exhibits:
1. Draft Development Plan
2. View Corridor Diagrams
3. Parcel Diagrams