Home Oakley Oakley Not Telling Entire Story in Latest Downtown Revitalization Update

Oakley Not Telling Entire Story in Latest Downtown Revitalization Update

by ECT

Oakley

The City of Oakley sent out a so-called update on its downtown project Friday morning in its weekly update. Glancing over it, it appeared to be no big deal and a simple update. Upon further review, it was actually not very accurate nor did it provide the entire story to Oakley residents. Essentially, it was lip service which did a complete disservice to Oakley residents.

Typically I would let these things go, but enough is enough with the inaccurate and misleading information out of City Hall on something as simple as an update.

Let’s go through this shall we? Yes we shall.  The city’s commentary is in bold, my comments immediately following each paragraph.

Downtown Revitalization Update

Downtown renovations and construction continues in Oakley. While the construction of Carpaccio’s Italian Restaurant and new La Costa Taqueria Restaurant were completed early this year, other improvements have also progressed.

While Carpaccios may have been completed, the Press Release failed to mention any of its delays, fines, and recent loan due to poor design. In April, Carpaccio’s received a loan modification which increased the loan by $160k on top of the $1.2 the city originally loaned the business. This most recent modification was due to an architectural design flaw which should have been caught early on.

Oakley’s City Council abandoned the proposal to renovate the former Centromart building into an expanded and stand alone Library, which would have necessitated a parcel tax. Instead, the Council approved the bid of Cross Development which plans to expand the existing building to primarily sell groceries as well as other household products in opening a DG Market grocery store.

The City Council did not abandon anything; instead, it was the Friends of the Oakley Library who withdrew their proposal after failing to provide information requested by the council in regards to a marketing plan. This was a very inaccurate statement by city staff and a flat out lie–it also shows the lack of oversight in a press release.

Had the city moved forward, this process of putting a parcel tax on the ballot would have cost residents of Oakley $92,000 which was not guaranteed to be paid back by the Friends of the Oakley Library.

As for Cross Development, this will likely be rejected from the State at some point because the deal fell through and was dead—nearly a year passed by and they pick up where they left off after the library failure. The problem is the State issued new rules which make the original deal void. Essentially, it should be re-bid under the new State rules and this is a case of Oakley thinks it knows best. The other tangible is other parties were interested in the building and likely have legal ground to sue the City based off their actions to re-award the bid without a proper RFP process.

ACE Hardware store owners, Tony Rogelstadt and Jerry Thorpe, closed escrow this past May, becoming the new landlords to the Oakley Plaza business tenants. ACE Hardware intends to expand and relocate to the Oakley Plaza, becoming the anchor business within the to-be-renovated strip mall. The City Council has already approved the design review for the façade improvements and awaiting the submission of construction plans.

The Ace Hardware deal is probably the only thing that has gone right in the entire downtown plan.

The City, has completed the renovation of the parking lot to the Oakley Plaza to include landscaped medians, additional lighting, 130 new parking spots, and other improvements. Still to be completed is the landscaping within the parking lot, which will be completed soon.

Not mentioned was the multiple change orders and increased cost of the project.

Most importantly, a local business has sued the City of Oakley for the parking lot debacle. It would also be nice for the City of Oakley to define “soon” as the downtown project is behind schedule by many months.

The Downtown Plaza project commenced in May after the demolition of La Costa’s previous home. Goodland Landscape, who was awarded the bid, will construct the Plaza with a fountain centerpiece to stand between the new La Costa restaurant and the vacant retail space which will be home to a bakery, Republic of Cake.

I will give the council credit for rejecting the idea of spending nearly $500,000 on a fountain and cutting it in half, however, staff dropped the ball on the original design either by not knowing any better or being naïve to the project. Either way, prior to the new council taking over in November, the decision had been made on a fountain and it ended up having to come back for at least three additional meetings to discuss something that should have already been finalized—someone within City Hall dropped the ball.

Meanwhile, construction improvements continue along Main Street. The concrete on the north side of the restaurants is primarily complete and the median is installed. Now the focus has shifted to match the south side, closest to City Hall. The complete Main Street upgrade being performed by Bay Cities includes underground utility work, a complete re-work of the curb lines, including “pop outs” at the intersections, wider sidewalks and the installation of a roadway median.

A timeline would have been appreciated for this portion of the work.

In a statement posted on the City’s Facebook page the City assures the public that “every effort is being made to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are being spent effectively and efficiently in building a quality project that will be the hallmark of the downtown now and in the future, while also emphasizing the safety of Oakley residents and visitors.”

This statement is more lip service than anything else as every effort has not been made to ensure tax dollars are being spent effectively and efficiently because this has single handedly been one of Oakley’s biggest disasters in the short history of the city. The lack of oversight has been an embarrassment and its cost more than one could imagine or tally.

For example, if the project was supposed to be completed in 6-months, that is staff time allocated to the project—its nearly a year later so staff time has now doubled meaning the cost of the project has now doubled in terms of staff time. You also have change orders, flawed design plans, legal mambo-jumbo… it all adds up.

Not to be forgotten is the effect on downtown business has doubled which has hurt them more than anyone else.

Meanwhile, the architect, project manager, city staff, or city manager has not been held accountable for the multiple errors that have transpired on this project . The lack of urgency or willingness to hold folks accountable for errors, it highlights just how lackadaisical city staff have become under City Manager Bryan Montgomery.

While currently an inconvenience to travel through, residents are thanked for their patience and reminded to look forward to the value added by the completed project when it yields a safe vehicle and pedestrian-friendly route through town, a destination for many events, and increased support of our local Downtown businesses.

Travel inconvenience is the least of Oakley’s worries, it’s an oversight and money problem folks should care about. No one is saying the project won’t be worth it in the end, it will, it’s getting to the end that’s been a rough travel.

For the record, how does a construction project increase support for local business? City and Oakley Chamber of Commerce promotion of local business would increase support along with downtown business that have goods and services people want to purchase–that has yet to be determined or achieved.

Bay Cities, the contractor on site, continues to commit that the full Main Street project will be done by the end of June.

Bay Cities may commit to the end of June as a project completion date, but I will believe it when I see it.

Final thoughts:

Upon project completion, I would hope the City Council has a serious discussion about city staff and their handling of this fiasco of a project while finding ways to better communicate with the public from the start.

Removed from the rhetoric should be that “its a complex project” because it really is not. By using that phrase its degrading to many experts in Oakley who know just how simple the project truly compared to other development projects that are done daily.

I’ll say it again, Oakley deserves better in terms of communication and accurate information. If the council continues to allow this to occur without any accountability, shame on them!

Burk Byline

By Michael Burkholder
[email protected]

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11 comments

Monica Jun 8, 2013 - 7:14 am

The sad part for these businesses is that many drivers avoid this area as much as they can. Businesses have suffered. This stretch of road, taking this long to build —by the way, don’t blame he weather since we’ve had minimal rain since January– really has me shaking my head wondering what else is messed up in our town. If this is what is clearly visible, what lies in chaos where we cannot see….

Rob Saw Jun 8, 2013 - 7:42 am

thank you for giving us the unedited version and truthful version. Shame on the city for portraying the project the way they see it because its not reality. Oakley residents need to realize how the city is hurting a lot of local business downtown during this process.

And by the way, another thank you for raising questions instead of simply reprinting it like the Brentwood Press did. I am done with that paper.

Jill Thompson Jun 8, 2013 - 7:49 am

Burke is right, where is the acocuntability and oversight from the council? He makes a good point, if the project has doubled in time, that means staff time has also doubled and the effect on business has also doubled. Oakley residents alseep at the wheel. They should be askin questions every meeting.

ME Jun 8, 2013 - 8:40 am

The saddest thing was to centromart go. I have lived in Oakley 33 years and that store was the staple of Oakley. I remember going with my mom as a child and they knew us all by name. Even before it closed the regulars that still worked there would ask how my mom was when I would go in. To me that is how a city and store should be making you feel like a family. What a shame that they didn’t work with them to be able to afford to stay after it was redesigned. Now to read they are trying to make it another store. Shame on Oakley for that. Thank you for the “real” updates. This city sure isn’t what it use to be that’s for sure.

Julio-Antioch Jun 8, 2013 - 9:11 am

Time for council to understand “staff” is running the zoo and Montgomery has to go. He can dance around truth better than anyone I’ve seen recently. This city under Montgomery is draining straight to the sewer just like Antioch has.

Dianne Jun 9, 2013 - 4:24 pm

Thank You for the update. Really wish the”pop outs” were not there and the road was wider. Just another bottleneck to get through town.
I also miss CentroMart but like the cleaner updated look Oakley is getting.We are not Danville or Blackhawk and don’t need to look like every other downtown. We need everyday practical stores not more resturants.

Ellen Jun 10, 2013 - 11:06 am

That’s part of the problem, Oakley WANTS to be an upscale community, incorporation was a big mistake. JMHO

Barbara DuMont Jun 10, 2013 - 12:43 pm

Not everyone wants to be an upscale community. Its a small group of people on the council and in city hall that have that vision. Most people moved out here for the small town rural life style. In my opinion the whole downtown project is a mismanaged disaster that will continue to be a money pit for the city.

Oakley’s Downtown Project Delayed… Again | East County Today Jul 3, 2013 - 1:54 pm

[…] sends out a misleading Press Release via its “Oakley Outreach” email regarding the Downtown Revitalization Update which we explained in detail they were not telling the entire story. Note, they told the public Bay […]

Kim Weiss Jul 31, 2013 - 2:16 pm

I have lived in Oakley 12 years now and Laurel was supposed to have a Safeway built there. The city streets are so congested with bottle necks at every intersection. The downtown area is worst of all and I dont know whey they would make a one lane road on a major thurough fare with partking slots going right off the road causing more congestion for people waiting to back out or park. Is there a reroute of Hwy 4/Main street planned for those who just want to get to work without the hassle of waiting in traffic for all the folks taking kids to school. I have witnessed only 10 kids on a school bus to Delta Vista followed by dozens of cars with kids in them. Is the bus too expensive for kids to ride now?

Tim B Aug 6, 2013 - 2:10 pm

Choking any thoroughfare that has a huge increase in traffic (ie Main St) down to one lane is idiotic. Period. Whomever came up with this plan (and I am sure they don’t live in Oakley) should be forced to direct the daily traffic in the mornings and afternoons (or better yet…sit in this disaster every day). Lets start discussing when we can tear this crap out and put in a decent road so we can get out of our own neighborhoods and get to work. Happy with the new restaurants, but the streets….you bungled it big time.

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