December 20, 1999

Summary
Town Hall Meeting on the Lower Sproul Revitalization Project
December 2, 1999

Overview

Heather Hood, Associate Planner for Physical and Environmental Planning (PEP) gave a brief overview of the Lower Sproul Revitalization Project and history of the area. A list of what works and what doesn't work about the Lower Sproul area that was generated in the November 19 town hall meeting was distributed to participants and Heather summarized the results.

Ben Parco, consultant with HLW, summarized the results of the first two town hall meetings (see summaries on http://uga.berkeley.edu/lowersproul/).

Kelley Kahn, Associate Planner for PEP, gave an update on the Southside Plan. The Southside area is bounded by Bancroft, Dwight, Prospect, and Fulton; one of the goals of the plan that relates to Lower Sproul is to make the Bancroft/campus seam more transparent.

Discussion

Tom Cordi, Director of the ASUC Auxiliary, gave an overview of forthcoming changes to the Student Union: General Books is moving to the upper plaza level as part of a $3 million renovation that will include renovation of the first and second floors. The Auxiliary is negotiating with a new food vendor for the Bear's Lair. The current leaseholder for the ASUC Store, Follett's, has a ten-year commitment and any changes to the Lower Sproul area need to take into account current lease agreements.

Visions for Lower Sproul

Participants briefly shared their "visions" for Lower Sproul: the area should

• be a world class front door to match Berkeley's reputation
• be a splendid open space that is attractive at all hours of the day, dignified and lively
• be a pedestrian magnet for the area
• be cleaned up
• have a more modern feel, especially the retail
• be a central gathering area, with a different feel from Upper Sproul
• provide student services
• not have a corporate feel
• attach to the area the idea of student success
• be a hub for campus
• be helpful, including maps
• be a center for evening activities
• be a community center/village; "living room" for the campus
• be safer
• have a facility for films such as SUPERB's
• be a neighborhood
• provide a comprehensive variety of services, like the entry to Disneyland: transportation, retail, visitors' services

Programming Exercise

The group brainstormed a list of programs and services they'd like to see in the Lower Sproul area as follows:

Existing

Zellerbach
Transportation stops
Ballroom
Parking
Alumni House
Food vendors
ASUC offices
Student group offices
Meeting space
Student group lounges
Student services:

APEX

Student Life Advising Services
Student Learning Center
Re-entry Students' Program
Disabled Students' Program
Athletic Study Center

Academic Student Development
Gender and Equity Resource Center
Multicultural Center
Transfer Student Center
Student Parent Project
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resources
Other

Faculty Athletic Representative
Credit union
Dining Services
Other

Possible

Career Center
Human conveniences:

Rest rooms
Bike locks
Lockers

Visitors' Center

Retail additions:

Expanded bookstore
Dry cleaners
Shoe repair
Copy service
Multi-ticket center

Restaurants
Additional arts and entertainment:
More indoor performance space
Rehearsal space for ballet folklorico
PFA/other film space
Wheelchair repair facility
Childcare
Computer labs
Study rooms

Storage for student groups

Additional student services satellite operations:

Health/counseling
L&S Advising

KALX satellite
Additional satellite posts:

Housing
Parking and Transportation
Arts
Community policing
TRIPS
CARS
University Mail Services

Other ideas:

Consider using the balcony space in MLK

Next Steps

Heather outlined the next steps for the project: a programming study which will include individual and group interviews; developing financing options; and outlining design alternatives in conjunction with the campus' New Century Plan. There will be three town hall meetings in the spring.

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