California Avenue Plan

By Nancy Shepherd

I like to call California Avenue the real "Main Street" or "Downtown" for Palo Altans. The University Downtown is wonderful, but "Cal Ave" is eclectic, a bit sleepy and a place where I can always find a friend for a chat. I like it just the way it is--and hope that with the street and sidewalk improvements it never loses its small town character or appeal.

This is why I want to secure its current merchant mix of small scale interesting chains, neighborhood services like dry cleaning and optometrist, and independent "mom & pop" retail shops. Even the North County Court House does not impose a large scale feel to the business center areas. Cal Ave works for Palo Alto.
Change has been in the finding its way to Cal Ave District for about a decade. Park Blvd and the end of Page Mill Road has become a job center, and if Fry's Electronics relocates there may be a massive residential complex built on the site. This will challenge our community with more change, and stress. We need a good plan.
I support calling a meeting with the merchants and neighbors to find a planning process. Together we can share the interests and concerns about possible over development for the area and what might be sustainable. Other communities have found a way to do this, and Palo Alto can too. Securing any of the former Mayfield downtown buildings would be my priority--it might mean that the City would have to offer incentives to update and keep these buildings from being torn down. This way Cal Ave would be vastly improved, and I would be proud.