Corporate Yard site

There will be a public meeting where development teams will be presenting their Corporation Yard proposals to the developer selection panel.

Each team will have 90 minutes to make a presentation and answer questions from the community and the panel. Please attend if you can. Although this is a huge time commitment, it's a great to chance to hear directly from each of the developers as well as to get some sense of what concerns the selection panel might have.

Date: Saturday, February 3, 2007
Time: 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: SJ City Hall, Council Wing, Rooms 118-120
200 E. Santa Clara St. (Free parking is available at the 4th St. Garage)
More information: Bob Staedler, 408.795.1838 (SJ Redevelopment Agency)

Background
On January 31 2006 the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board approved and Exclusive Negotiations Agreement with Olson Urban Housing, LLC and First Community Housing, for the development of the Japantown Corporation Yard.

In March 2006, a 22 member Community Focus Group was formed by the Japantown Community Congress (under the auspices of SB 307) to work with the City, Agency and Developer to provide a clear list of priority community amenities on the Corporation Yard Site. The framework assumptions for this group included the understanding that all costs of the amenities must be covered by funds available from the developer or guaranteed funds brought in from outside sources. An additional assumption was that the operations and maintenance of all amenities must be assured from non-City resources.

Membership

Japantown Community Congress (JCC)- President Jerry Hiura
JCC - Vice President John Ristow
JCC - ENA Panelist Helen Hayashi
JCC - JFACT Tamon Norimoto
Japantown Neighborhood Association (JNA) Chair, William Lambson
Japantown Neighborhood Association (JNA) - Victoria Taketa
Hensley Neighborhood Association Jonathan Miller
Vendome Neighborhood Association Mark Gephardt
Japanese American Museum of San Jose Joe Yasutake
San Jose Taiko Roy Hirabayashi
Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene Neil Kozuma
Nikkei Matsuri Warren Hayashi
Fuji Towers Jimi Yamaichi
Yu-Ai Kai Wes Mukoyama
C.A.S.L. Stan Satake
Community Youth Services Stu Nakashima / Elvia Hashimoto
Japantown Business Association Kathy Sakamoto
Japanese American Citizens League Leon Kimura
Prayer Garden Church Pastor Bates San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin Gail Sueki / Tom Nishikawa
Wesley Methodist Church Roy Takeuchi
Chinese Historical and Cultural Project Dr. Rodney Lum

Meeting Summary
Since their formation the Community Focus Group has conducted three meetings and two special workshops. In addition various groups have been meeting and working to refine ideas and concepts to bring back to the larger group. The key topics addressed at each meeting are outlined below.

Meeting #1 - 5 April 2006
Presentation of roles and responsibilities of development team and focus group
Description of the proposed mixed us project including retail and senior housing
Examination of development parameters to consider for amenities (e.g. footprint, parking, compatibility, sustainability)

Meeting #2 - 26 April 2006
Overview of the planning framework for the site
Retail primer
Exploration and initial evaluation of potential amenities

Special Workshop on Development Process- 3 May 2006
Overview of and discussion of the development process for projects, from the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) through Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) and construction.

Meeting #3 - 9 May 2006
Presentation of Site Plan Concepts
Community Facilities Overview and presentation of general concepts.

Special Workshop on Parking - 17 May 2006
Framing the Parking "Problem"
Review and Discussion of Ongoing Initiatives (Off Street Parking, Changing Parking requirements, the Buddhist Church Betsuin planned expansion, and grant opportunities for Japantown)

Current Status of Amenities Concepts
The current discussion in the focus group and around the community amenities is framed around the following:

The amenities are likely to be located on the south end of the site
The amenities need to reflect the history and culture of Japantown and Chinatown
An Urban Plaza on the southern end would be important both to the retail and the larger community
Retail is an important part of the south end of the site and needs to be done well

A concept being discussed for the Corporation Yard is to have some combination of performance space operated by Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene (CATS) and museum space operated by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj). The size, scope, and location of these elements are yet to be determined.

In addition to the Corporation Yard there has also been community organization interest in the Boys and Girls Club Site, centered around a Senior Wellness Center operated by Yu Ai Kai, and a recreation facility/gym operated by CYS.

San Jose Taiko has also expressed interest in both locations but is currently focusing on the possibility of staying in their present location.

A key consideration for all these concepts is developing them enough to understand the feasibility and sustainability of each given site constraints, organizational capacity, and funding available.

Next Steps
The final two meetings of the Community Focus Group and the next Town Hall will focus on vetting these ideas and determining their feasibility. The final result of this phase of the process is a prioritized set of recommendations for the community amenities. These priorities will be documented in a memorandum brought to the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board for their consideration in August. This memorandum will coincide with the starting point of the entitlement process led by the City's Planning Department.

The entitlement process will consist of a comprehensive review of the development plan, environmental review, and development permit approval, in parallel with finalization of a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA). It will include broad community participation throughout.

For Further information, please contact Ed Shikada ) or Kip Harkness (408-535-8501).

· Read the Mercury News article regarding the development of the City Yard (9/22/05)
· City Yard RFP

Contacts: