I say maybe

I think that it's a good idea to keep the hardware store in this neighborhood, and that the proposed changes could improve the neighborhood's atmosphere.

It seems important that the plans include off-street parking for the apartments; I would also support the proposal more strongly if it required fewer variances--e.g., if the proposed height were reduced slightly, and/or the proposed number of floors reduced to 2.

I say maybe

The arguments against this got me thinking

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
Apartments should enhance the "streetscape"
Existing Commercial space should not be reduced.
Local residents must approve plans
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Local residents should approve

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
So long as there is off-street parking for the residential units.
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Because parking in the Elmwood area is such a problem both for residents and people who shop there, any new residential units should not materially contribute to the problem. Otherwise the project appears excellent, visually attractive and commercially sound. (Personal attacks? Obscenities? Omigosh!)

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
I prefer local small businesses over the large franchise operations. I support the expansion of the hardware store for more retail space and an office, but don't necessarily like the idea of the additional three housing units.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
Parking mitigation.

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Maintain neighborhood shopping options.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
Front views of buildings can be deceptive. A cross section showing the setbacks, the street, and what the sightlines would be like would go a long way to convincing me. To say a building is 27 feet tall says nothing. Gaia is 87 feet tall according to the building permit, yet measures 116 feet tall. If we were told that no part of the building is higher than 27 feet from the average height of the sidewalk in front of the building that would be meaningful. Also, the construction will have a major negative impact for the shops on the East side of the street. What can be done to help his neighbors out? Also, a case for special circumstances needs to be made. I wasn't convinced, but remain open. I probably should have voted no.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
I certainly support action to strengthen the hardware store, and I don't see residential space as a negative. However, the parking issue seems unaddressed. I realize it has become "usual" in Berkeley to assert that new residents will not have cars, but I would like to see SOME attention paid to the issue of parking for occupants of the residential space.
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The proposal looks okay to me overall, but parking in Berkeley commercial neighborhoods is a factor that needs to be recognized. Adding residential space without parking makes me vote "maybe" until that issue is addressed.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
I agree with mixed use for this property, for a little additional density along this low area of College Avenue, and for this being an appropriate location for more housing. But this is a crummy design and false hsitroricism -- they need a better designer. Design should be contemporary and respectful of building, not imitative. Also the set back is a token amount, should be larger.
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I live 2 blocks away. We need local service businesses like this, not more restaurants and not chains. This is an appropriate use of additional density and of a variance.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
The Hardware store show why it needs 1200 square feet more retail to be profitable, in addition to the residential units as a second story.
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Because the hardware store has been deeply involved in questioning other business on College Avenue (i.e. Jeremy's expansion). 1200 square feet more retail space seems to fall into a similar category. Let's make it fair for everyone and change the FAR if necessary.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
This is an exceptional request. One wonders why the ratios are set. To preserve the character of the shopping district? To prevent the spread of fire? Expanding to TWICE the lot area is significant. This is a beautiful building. It would be important to retain the character of the building whatever was done. I would support the owner's idea of making this building a 'landmark' which would go a long way towards reassuring those who do not want a massive structure in the middle of the block. My restrictions to the addition would be if it was made a historic structure in some way, that there was plenty of parking for additional living units and that the addition of three housing units had excellent fire safety access, and the height factor was disclosed with no excetions.
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I don't think this hardward store needs to 'compete with large modern hardware stores'. We go there because it is our neighborhood store. We don't want a 'large hardwarestore'. I don't know that the variance guarantees the store will stay forever. So variance or not the question is do we want a larger building there. If the building was made significant (landmarked?) it would go a long way towards retaining the character of the shopping district and still maybe allow the owner to pursue the idea of expansion. In point of fact the addition of housing units is what will probably keep the property viable, not the improvements to the store itself, and the beneficiaries will be the owners of the store. I would not want the expansion to be improved and the housing units built only to discover the owner thereafter had no need for a store.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
I don't see any attention to the parking issue--or did I miss it? Three new residential units means three more cars, at least, plus more customers looking for parking. Am I just imagining that these people won't all ride up on bikes? We have to look at the reality of College Avenue parking issues.

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
I'm a longtime Berkeley resident, and a neighbor to the Elmwood for more than 35 years. There is no question that a hardware store in the Elmwood is a huge bonus to the neighborhood. I would like to see any variance approved be limited to the use of the building as a hardware store and that the following three points be adequately dealt with.
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First, I have heard Tad's presentation asking for support of the variance. He is definite that the hardware store cannot exist in its current state. He has been less clear in showing exactly how building the additional housing units will alter the financial problems of the business. Second, I am concerned that giving a variance to increase the floor area ratio will open the door to other landlords to ask for a variance. There is no guarantee that other projects will maintain the street profile or even the very feel of the current Elwood. There is also no guarantee that the current commercial tennants would be able to stay if their buildings underwent serious rennovation. Finally, where will the additional cars park for the housing units? Will they displace the parking for the existing staff? Will the existing staff be increased with the additional warehouse space and also need more parking? Will there be a CCR that says no one who lives in those units can keep a car in the Elmwood?

I say maybe

If the following conditions are met:
the design is totally aesthetically consistent with the period of the 'hood and no height limitations are violated.
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Tad is a loyal Elmwood local and has kept the store alive. It would be worse to have more vacant stores or more cheesy dress shops than to allow a little carefuly considered leeway to select merchants.

I say maybe

I was 100% in favor, but some of the thoughtful "nays" are quite convincing, and so I vote "maybe" in the hope that there will be more dialog among well-informed people. Disclosure: I live in Gordon Wozniak's district and am a fan of his.

I say maybe