Office of Economic Development - Berkeleyside

Office of Economic Development

Work Session Presentation to the Berkeley City Council

June 28, 2016

Agenda

■ What’s Happening on Telegraph:

OED’s Key Findings

■ Persistent Challenges

■ Opportunities & Recommendations

■ Q & A

City of Berkeley | Office of Economic Development | 510.981.7530

Research Methodology


OED’s Approach to developing Findings

■ Analyses of economic, demographic and local

datasets

■ Direct collection of an inventory of ground-floor

commercial spaces

■ Review of historic surveys conducted by UC

and Telegraph Business Improvement District

■ Interviews of key neighborhood stakeholders

Commercial vacancy rates have declined significantly.


Source: City of Berkeley, Office of Economic Development

The outlook for real estate and commercial development has improved.


■ 7 projects in the

development pipeline,

representing 500+

units of housing

■ Demand high for

housing in walkable,

transit-accessible

commercial districts -

inventory low

■ Increasing pressure on

housing market from

student population

The student population in the district has increased.


■ Student-Age

population increased

by approximately 46%

in Telegraph-adjacent

census tracts

■ Expected increase of

an additional 4,000

students at UC

Berkeley in the next 4

years

- 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000

60 and older

40 to 59

25 to 39

20 to 24

15 to 19

0 to 14

Population by Age Group in the Telegraph Area,

2005-2014

2005-2009 2010-2014Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Rolling Averages

Development Pipeline, Telegraph District

Stiles Hall

Entitled, Construction Pending

783 Dorm Beds

12,300 SF Commercial

Sequoia Apartments

Under Construction

42 Units

5,800 SF Commercial

2556 Telegraph

Entitlement Pending

~70 Units

~4,000 SF Commercial

2480-2580 Bancroft

Proposal Pending

~175 Units

2526 Durant

Under Construction

44 Units

5,210 SF Commercial

2501 Haste “El Jardin”

Entitlement Pending

~79 Units

~20,000 SF Commercial

2539 Telegraph “The Nexus”

Entitled, Construction Pending

70 Units

5,219 SF Commercial


Longtime Champion

Doris Moskowitz @

Moe’s Books

Telegraph Small Businesses


Jai Chung’s SoDoI Coffee in the

Telegraph/Channing Mall



Lila Owens at Cupcakin’

on Durant Avenue



Tacos Sinaloa: the Bueno

family (Lupe and daughter

Marlem) go from truck to

storefront



Coming Soon

~Games of

Berkeley

~Mezzo

~Raleigh’s

Newly Opened

~The Tap Haus

~Huckleberry

Bicycles

~Mad Monk


Sales are up. Increased restaurant sales have been the primary driver of the recovery.


Source: MuniServices

Telegraph Business Improvement District (TBID) has increased its capacity and undertaken new activities and projects.


University of California, Berkeley has expanded its investments and participation in the adjacent Telegraph District.


■ New Sproul Plaza Student Center

■ Aquatic Center Construction

■ Future Projects: Stiles Hall, Adaptive Reuse of

Berkeley Art Museum Site

The Telegraph Avenue Public Art Plan and Telegraph Public Realm Plan identify opportunities for investment in the district.


■ Collaborative planning

process with multiple

stakeholders

■ Effective implementation

partnerships established

■ Proposed improvements

address functional

needs and perception-

changing enhancements

Persistent Challenges


■ Public realm conditions

■ Safety & sidewalk behavior

■ Competition with online outlets and other retail districts

■ Evolving student tastes and preferences

■ Inadequate tenant mix

Opportunities & Recommendations


Implement the Telegraph Public Art and & Public Realm Plans.


■ Pursue grant funding for comprehensive overhaul

■ Partner w/ private sector, UC, others to implement smaller scale projects in near term

■ Leverage regular general fund expenditures

Mural celebrating Chiura Obata to be installed in June 2016

Enhance the district’s relevance to students.


■ Targeted Branding

■ Relevant Events/Activities

■ Attract diverse, high-impact retail

tenants

Support TBID campaign for renewal and expansion.


Telegraph Business

Improvement

District, Proposed

Expansion

■ Renewal

campaign

commenced in

spring 2016;

ballot phase

expected in fall

Leverage annual events to enhance the neighborhood’s reputation and support existing merchants and vendors.


Continue to activate underutilized sites in the district.


■ Build on existing

momentum by

supporting

businesses and

property owners

■ UC positioned to

lead a community

dialogue regarding

People’s Park

Develop a comprehensive retail strategy that focuses on soft goods and experiential retail.


Modify land use regulations to encourage the development of additional housing.


■ Increased population

density around the district

and adjacent to campus

can produce positive

outcomes

■ Modifications to land use

controls in the Southside

neighborhood could build

on those recently

implemented for the C-T

district

Q & A


Michael Caplan

[email protected]

(510) 981-7530

Jordan Klein

[email protected]

(510) 981-7534

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Office of Economic Development - Berkeleyside