Title
Recommendation to Approve Phase Zero Year 1 Annual Update and Phase Zero Year 2 Activity Plan for Site A at Alameda Point. (Base Reuse 819099)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Approve Phase Zero Year 1 Annual Update and Phase Zero Year 2 Activity Plan for Site A at Alameda Point
BACKGROUND
On July 7, 2015, the City Council approved a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) with Alameda Point Partners (APP) for Site A at Alameda Point, a 68-acre mixed-use development, including approximately 150,000 square feet of retail space. As outlined in the DDA and as suggested and embraced in the Waterfront Town Center Plan planning process in 2014, Phase Zero is meant to create an inviting destination that will bring people together and begin to establish Alameda Point as a great place to visit, eat, shop and enjoy unique experiences in the time period between the approval of the DDA and the construction of permanent new retail amenities. Focused on temporary facilities, events and assets of existing buildings and tenants, Phase Zero is envisioned as both a prelude to and complement of early permanent development at Site A.
Per the DDA, the Year 1 Phase Zero Activities Plan included:
• A detailed annual budget broken down by category of expenditure and projected revenues;
• A first event that occurred no later than 60 days after Council approval of the Phase 0 Activities Plan;
• A calendar for the first year of Phase Zero activities that includes site plans and marketing plans for each event.
On September 15, 2015, the City Council approved APP’s Phase Zero Activities Plan that met all of the requirements of the DDA. The four main objectives of the Plan were to:
1. Create immediate activity and be an "interest generator" for the waterfront at the core of Site A. To draw Alamedans and regional visitors to Alameda Point, increase awareness of the project, maximize the potential for fostering a high-quality mixed-use community and create greater value for the other components of the development. By creating a calendar of events that appeals to various interest groups - families, animal lovers, active lifestyle enthusiasts, and those interested in maker arts, craft food and beverage -- APP will produce a place that will be widely inclusive over time.
2. Serve as an incubator for the retail development component of Site A by creating a low-cost environment for retail activity and entertainment uses, which allows them to occur concurrently with other development. Typically, new retail space construction occurs after other types of new development occurs. The Phase Zero Activities Plan allows retail space to develop more organically, resulting ultimately in the attraction of more authentic commercial uses and a high-quality and unique retail experience.
3. Create a low-cost platform for Alameda business to reach a wider customer base. APP’s Phase Zero Activities Plan specifically targets partnerships with local businesses. This ensures that the nascent retail environment has a distinctly Alameda flavor, extending the footprint and feel of existing Alameda into the future site. Additionally, since the Phase Zero Activities Plan does not include any permanent construction, the up-front costs are low and the barrier to entry is minimal for local businesses. As the events ramp up over time and begin to draw a regional audience, Alameda businesses will benefit from the increased exposure and already established customer base.
4. Provide waterfront amenities for the entire Alameda community to enjoy and experience, which galvanizes the much-anticipated process of integrating Alameda Point with the rest of the City.
DISCUSSION
Overall the Implementation of the Phase Zero Year 1 activity plans was a success with over 14 distinct events attracting over 11,600 visitors. The Phase Zero Year 1 Annual Update (Exhibit 1) describes all of the Year 1 activities and results. Some very well attended new events that were added to the original calendar of events were:
• Whimsy (April 2016) - a signature all-ages event featuring a creative arts street fair with live music, local beer and wine, crafts and a parade with clowns, and street performers. (1300 attendees)
• Clay Harding Skateboard Contest and After Party (June 2016) - In partnership with Patty Harding and Alameda Recreation and Parks Department, this 2nd annual skateboard tournament was followed by live music by local bands, live paintings by emerging artists and food trucks. (300 attendees)
• The Soiled Dove (July 2016) - an evening dinner theater and circus set in 1890’s Barbary Coast era San Francisco, featuring performances from over 30 world class acrobats, artists, and musicians in the Tortona tent. There were two sold out shows of 500 attendees each with guests travelling as far away as Nevada City and Santa Cruz. (1000 attendees)
• Vespertine Circus (July 2016) - An evening of aerialists and acrobats doing an interpretation of Midsummer Night’s Dream in the big-top Tortona tent.
• Point of Transition (July) - Twenty-seven (27) local professional photographers were invited to shoot the interior spaces of buildings that will be torn down with the Site A project. Other local photographers were invited to participate in an online photography contest with a gallery show likely in Q1 2017.
• Community Circus Event (August 2016) - a free community celebration of circus and creative fun with Vau de Vire Society providing variety acts with circus performers, DJ, midway games, face painters and balloon artists.
The first year of activities came with some challenges and lessons learned (Exhibit 1, page 4) from which to plan and grow the Year 2 activities. Some of the challenges and lessons learned included:
• The difficulty of prospective partners in obtaining appropriate insurance for off-site programming (Tinkering School Academy).
• Difficulty in partnering with existing events that were over a mile away from the Phase 0 site. (Antiques Faire After Party).
• Need for basic infrastructure to break the wind effects during the activity (Outdoor Movie Series).
• Difficulty programming in the winter months with unpredictable weather.
• Managing time to orchestrate smaller events while planning for major signature events.
• Lack of place-making infrastructure for small recurring events.
In spite of these challenges, the APP team was able to replace some of the original events with new local, community and signature events that created buzz around Site A and brought new audiences to Alameda Point.
The budget for Year 1 is included in Exhibit 1, page 5.
To address some of the challenges mentioned above, a key component of the Year 2 Phase Zero Activity Plan (Exhibit 2) is the construction of a temporary container village by APP. The container village will serve as the base for many of the Year 2 Phase Zero activities providing protection from the wind, but still offering visual access to the dramatic views of San Francisco and the Seaplane Lagoon. Two of the containers will serve as a beer garden and a café. After a grand opening planned for April 2017, the container village will have regular hours on weekends.
Other new activities in Year 2 include:
• American Armed Forces Cup (October 2016) - A sailing regatta competition with all five branches of the military. Viewing event with live music and military displays served as a fundraiser for Operation Dignity.
• Alameda Paddle Sports Show (March 2017) - Demonstrations from multiple standup paddle board and kayak vendors.
• Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch (May 2017) - Special menu from the café container with an afternoon of activities for the kids.
• Yappy Hour (June - September) - Monthly dog-friendly happy hour at the Container Project.
• HOT Yoga @ The Point (June - September) - Monthly series of free outdoor yoga during the summer at the Container Project.
• Outdoor Movies @ The Point - Evening outdoor movie with special menu from the café at the Container Project.
In addition to the events described above, APP is also working on a couple of larger events that could be added to the calendar - more Vau de Vire Society Tent Events and possibly Burning Man Decompression, a highly popular event based in San Francisco that may be looking for a new home. These events require significantly larger investments in planning and resources and are not guaranteed to happen at this time.
The Budget for the Year 2 Phase Zero Activity Plan is attached in Exhibit 2, page 8.
All events included in the Year 2 Activities Calendar will be subject to the existing license agreement between the City and APP, and, when appropriate, events will be required to obtain a special event permit, ensuring that all City agencies are kept informed.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
All Phase Zero Activities are funded entirely by APP. There is no financial impact to the General Fund or the Base Reuse Fund budgets.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On February 4, 2014, the City Council certified a Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 2013012043) for the Alameda Point project (including the Main Street Neighborhood), in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
RECOMMENDATION
Approve Phase Zero year 1 annual update and year 2 Phase Zero activity plan for Site A at Alameda Point
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, Director, Base Reuse and Transportation Planning
By,
Michelle Giles, Redevelopment Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Year 1 Phase Zero Annual Update
2. Year 2 Phase Zero Activities Calendar