pages: CityCouncil/2005-08-16.pdf, 17
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CityCouncil | 2005-08-16 | 17 | problems need to be reviewed; the City has the opportunity to move forward with the project; the developer is willing; financing is available; there have been years of public study; that she has not come across one person in Alameda who has said do not bother saving the historic theater; saving the historic theater is not easy; no one has attempted to run the theater for 25 years; that she is trying to do what she believes is best for Alameda in the long term. Councilmember deHaan questioned whether adding a multiplex cinema to the historic theater makes the project economically viable stated that he is concerned about the movie marketplace. a minimum of 15 screens seems necessary to make money; seven screens definitely will not make money that he is emphatic about getting parking on Park Street; the theater should not overtake the benefit of having a parking structure; the [Cineplex] design is ugly; the trouble is placing the structure on a small parcel; there is not enough money for the project. Mayor Johnson stated the project would be easier to manage financially if one of the goals was not saving the historic theater. Councilmember Matarrese stated one reason for the [financial] shortfall is because the City is paying for assets that will be acquired, such as the parking structure and theater evidence supports the financial feasibility of the project; requested an explanation of the Planning Board action, including what approval meant and what changes were made; requested the architect to explain the basis of the design. Rob Henry, The Henry Architects, stated that he inherited the project after Michael Stanton Architectural firm designed the building, which gave direction as to the massing of the building ; that he tried to include scale, texture and materials that would be compatible and advantageous to the downtown atmosphere; the project was very difficult; the building's constraints cannot be ignored the building has to have certain proportions in order to be a successful theater design, which have led to difficult solution with the building overhangs; that he has tried to cooperate with the Design Review Board, the Planning Department, and the Planning Board to address all concerns; the Planning Board placed a couple of conditions on the design; one condition was to add some additional texture to the panels on the corner of the building; many options were studied; the decision was made to enhance the context of the design, rather than introducing something totally foreign to the basic design of the building; the established design for the panels around the corner of the building was carried into Regular Meeting Alameda City Council 17 August 16, 2005 | CityCouncil/2005-08-16.pdf |