The Town Triangle
[Part of the Reimagining the Vacant Triangular Lot at Claremont & College series]
by Laurie Williams
Our chance to create something wonderful at Claremont and College may be short-lived, so I’m hoping we take a moment to explore creating a small but transformative Rockridge town triangle. A leafy space adjacent to the busy intersection could encourage serendipitous meetings and community gatherings. It could also host a small community center and food kiosk. As we anticipate an inevitable increase in density, preserving public open space can help mitigate the harms and save the soul of our neighborhood.
Currently, Rockridge has limited public space. We have some sidewalk cafes, parklets for restaurants, and the small plaza between Safeway and Philz coffee, which is popular but a little spartan and lacking in greenery. We have Lake Temescal and Frog Park, which is adjacent to and underneath the freeway. We are a wealthy community that is, relatively speaking, poor in public parks. Urban ecologists suggest that with increased housing density we also need increased green oases. Maybe we can create this at the triangle?
Consider a small building at the rear of the triangle property, near adjacent structures, that could house a ground-level community center and food-and-drinks kiosk, with most of the property preserved as a public park. Above the community center, one, two or three stories of apartments could provide affordable housing for Oakland teachers, who could provide a watchful eye on the public space. A building that covers approximately 3,000 of the available 17,400 square feet (less than 20%) would still leave substantial room for a green, relaxing park.
Imagine a pocket park, similar to those in Brooklyn: fenced and closed at night, a welcoming intersection of people by day. Benches and chess tables, a small playground and raised flower beds (plus perhaps something else you suggest), are among the possibilities that could make this a place for neighbors to chat and enjoy outdoor time together.
The community center could host a volunteer hub connecting us with opportunities to tutor teens, read to children and elders, garden, paint and find other ways to provide TLC to areas of Oakland in need of helping hands. It could also be a place to sing, make art, collaborate and help those new to the neighborhood feel at home.
Money and ownership are the primary obstacles. Developers of the proposed 200-unit elder housing development at 6230 Claremont Ave., might get a waiver, but currently fail to meet the requirement for on-site open space. Maybe this failure can create an opportunity? Perhaps the developers could choose to invest in acquiring and transforming the triangle (currently privately owned by others) to meet open-space requirements and create a valuable neighborhood (and marketing) asset. The developer has agreed to consider this and saw potential for the triangle to serve as a staging area during construction. Current owners of the triangle property could seek a stake in the new elder housing in exchange for their property. I’m hoping we can organize to gather the support that could make this dream a reality.
Contact williams.zabel@gmail.com to be invited to a meeting on next steps and a way to help make the triangle a beautiful gathering place for generations to come.
