Title
Staff Report for the Name Change of a Portion of 150th Avenue from Portofino Circle to the City Border to Bayfair Center
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to support the growth and continued success of Bayfair Shopping Center in San Leandro, the City, Alameda County and Madison Marquette have developed a plan to rename a portion of 150th Avenue to Bayfair Center. The proposed street name change enables the City to fulfill Caltrans' requirement for placement of directional signage on I-580. Staff recommends adoption of the resolution to change the name of a portion of 150th Avenue from Portofino Circle to the City Border to Bayfair Center.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro, the County of Alameda and the owners of Bayfair Shopping Center have been interested in providing greater visibility for Bayfair via directional signs on Interstate 580 for more than 14 years now. In 2000, both the City and the County adopted resolutions to consider changing the name of Fairmont Drive to Bayfair Mall Drive in order to accomplish that goal.
City Resolution No. 2000-83, adopted in June 2000, supported the concept of the name change and directed staff to work with the County of Alameda, the owners of Bayfair and the community around Fairmont Drive to accomplish the name change. It was envisioned at the time that the City, through the Redevelopment Agency, would fund a portion of the costs. The owners of Bayfair pledged funds to defray the costs.
A County Resolution adopted later that year approved the name change and included numerous conditions for the City, the most costly being providing funding to develop a streetscape improvement plan and implement landscaping improvements on Fairmont Drive. The estimated cost for the name change, including implementation of all the County provisions, was approximately $1 million to be shared equally between the Redevelopment Agency and Bayfair.
In 2001, Bayfair Mall was purchased by M&J Wilcow. In 2003, Madison Marquette purchased the mall and changed the name to Bayfair Center shortly thereafter. With the changes in mall ownership and the lack of available redevelopment funds, the name change of Fairmont Drive as envisioned was never effectuated.
In November 2012, with the mall refinancing and Macy's lease extension completed, Madison Marquette approached both the City and the County to discuss placement of directional signs on I-580. A new, less expensive strategy to obtain directional signage on I-580 was agreed upon and that proposal is before the Council tonight for consideration.
Analysis
Based on the successful strategy the City used to obtain directional signage on I-880 for the Marina Boulevard Automall, the City is proposing to change the name of a small portion of 150th Avenue to Bayfair Center. Alameda County will similarly rename a portion of 150th Avenue from the City border to the Foothill Boulevard intersection, including the I-580 overpass and the of 150th Avenue and Freedom Avenue intersection. The street name change will not impact any San Leandro addresses and there are no plans for adding signage on the streets. See attached drawing titled "Name Change for a Portion of 150th Avenue to Bayfair Center" for details.
Once the City and County adopt resolutions to allow for the name change, City staff will prepare drawings of the proposed signage and submit them to Caltrans for approval. This process is projected to take approximately three months. Once approval is received, the City will release a bid for the work and award the contract. Construction could start as early as late Summer 2013, however, as this project involves working with Caltrans, delays may occur.
The approximate cost of drawings, approvals and implementation of the I-580 freeway signage project, which includes one northbound and one southbound sign, is $20,000. Half this expense will be incurred by the City and the other half is to be paid by Madison Marquette.
Madison Marquette has indicated that they will be working on a separate plan for a Bayfair Center directional sign for vehicles once they exit I-580.
Previous Actions
On June 5, 2000, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2000-83 to Consider Changing the Name of Fairmont Drive to Bayfair Mall Drive.
Fiscal Impacts
This project to change the name of a portion of 150th Avenue to Bayfair Center will cost an estimated $20,000, of which the City is to pay half and Madison Marquette to pay the other half. Funding for the project will come from the City Manager's Contingency Fund.
ATTACHMENTS
ยท Name Change for a Portion of 150th Avenue to Bayfair Center
PREPARED BY: Cynthia Battenberg, Business Development Manager, City Manager's Office