Two Visions for Pierce Street Park: Weigh In Here

Designers working with the city to develop plans for Pierce Street Park recently showcased two possible layouts for the space and are asking for public comment. 

(See both designs to the right, as well as the presentation, as a PDF, that officials and members of the public saw last week.)

John Hykes, senior associate and landscape architect with The Planning Center in Berkeley, described the two main alternatives currently under consideration. 

"Alternative A" includes a playground, restroom, half-court basketball facility, a fountain and a passive-use field, among other elements such as meditation and planting areas. 

"Alternative B" includes a skate park or dog park, as well as a playground, passive-use field and parcourse exercise facility, in addition to a demonstration garden and tree farm. 

Both alternatives will feature a newly-constructed city maintenance center as well as parking facilities and bicycle and jogging paths. 

The project will tie into recent improvements on Pierce Street, as well as a multi-use trail along the property's western edge. 

Hykes said the designs were developed in conjunction with 20-25 community advisory members who met with the project team twice over the summer. 

The project team—including The Planning Center, lead consultant Burks Toma Architects and city staff—presented the designs last week to Planning & Zoning and Parks & Recreation commissioners, along with roughly 50 members of the public. 

Hykes said there was a lot of enthusiasm about the playground and demonstration garden concepts. 

Key concerns, he said, included safety on Pierce Street, parking locations, bike and pedestrian access, water usage and maintenance. 

One of the designs includes a parking area that would be accessed from Calhoun Street, which Hykes said caused some degree of public concern during last week's meetings. 

Also on the table is the idea of potentially widening Pierce Street, he said, though details such as how that would work and what the cost implications would be have yet to be explored. 

The project team is scheduled to show both alternatives to the Traffic & Safety Commission on Sept. 27, and aims to present the project to the City Council on Oct. 15, said Hykes.

During that meeting, the team plans to provide "rough conceptual cost estimates" for both alternatives, said Hykes. 

After that presentation, the team will work to synthesize all the information that's been collected into a report that will aid in moving the project into its second phase. There will be opportunities for community input throughout the process, said Hykes. 

Architect Karen Burks, of Burks Toma Architects, added that, in addition to the public process, her firm has been meeting with members of Albany's Public Works Department to identify the needs for the city's new maintenance facility. 

Watch last week's Planning & Zoning Commission meeting here for all the details. Members of the public who would like to offer comments on the park designs can write to Assistant City Manager Penelope Leach at pleach@albanyca.org. 

What are your hopes for Pierce Street Park? Let us know in the comments and we'll pass them on to city staff.

Click the "Keep me posted" button below for an update when we publish future stories on this topic. Read more on Albany Patch about the Pierce Street Park. 

If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.