January 28, 2004

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by Don Kazak

Edgewood Plaza Shopping Center is being targeted for redevelopment by Menlo Park developer Tim Kelly, hopefully with a new Albertson's in the mix.

"The details haven't come together yet," Kelly said, about a redevelopment plan, But he is looking at the possibility of a 20,000-square-foot grocery store, 4,000-square-foot pharmacy and other retail, plus town homes.

Kelly, who has an option on one of the Edgewood Plaza parcels, said his current plan would be mixed-use retail plus housing. "The key is Albertson's," he said, since the supermarket anchors the small shopping center.

Albertson's officials are being cautious in their statements, probably because they've spent a great deal of time and effort gaining approval for an expanded store at Alma Plaza in south Palo Alto.

"We're continuing to work with the community and the city," said Stacia Hill Levenfeld, Albertson's director of public affairs for California and Nevada.

Palo Alto had attempted to take the lead in redeveloping the modest 50-year-old shopping center by establishing a redevelopment agency in 2001, but has since abandoned the effort -- in part because the project was too small to be a viable, city-initiated redevelopment effort.

That project also died because of the opposition of two of the four property owners, a problem Kelly now hopes to solve.

Now, the effort -- if it happens -- will be driven by the property owners.

There is also strong neighborhood interest in what happens with the shopping center.

"My interest is in a viable grocery store at Edgewood Plaza," said Karen White, president of the Duvenck-St. Francis Neighborhood Association. "That would be a wonderful opportunity to improve Edgewood Plaza. I think our neighborhood will support something scaled to our neighborhood."

To that end, White said she wants to hold a neighborhood meeting when Kelly's plans for Edgewood Plaza are firmed up. Steve Emslie, the city's planning director, said the staff would encourage such a meeting.

There is also a historical footnote to Edgewood Plaza. It is the only shopping center that was designed by Joseph Eichler, who built 2,700 homes in Palo Alto, including three nearby subdivisions. The historical significance of the buildings would be considered in any environmental review of a proposed redevelopment, Emslie said.

"I appreciate the Eichler buildings there," said Angelica Volterra, who lives near the shopping center. "We would love to see a revitalization of the center, although what that will be remains to be seen."

Kelly said his plans should be more complete by sometime in February or March.

Don Kazak can be e-mailed at dkazak@paweekly.com

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