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Veterans Memorial Senior Center – YMCA Project <br />Meeting Highlights <br />There was much excitement to see output from the first two workshops. Comments were wide-ranging, <br />but there was palpable support for design renderings, new facilities, and appreciation for the parallel, <br />deliberate traffic planning process announced at the meeting (including a series of three upcoming <br />meetings that are specifically traffic related). <br />Parallel Traffic Study and Engagement <br />Neighbors felt heard and agreed the engagement of traffic and planning expert Dan Burton <br />of Blue Zones was a critical and positive step forward in the effort to manage traffic and <br />parking at the site. Neighbors and the project team are looking forward to the first of three <br />traffic-specific workshops on March 1. Additional workshops will be help on March 22 and <br />April 26. <br />Building Design and Materiality <br />The February 22 meeting showcased the most detailed building renderings to date. <br />Attendees appreciated the new aesthetic, which the project team is calling “Bay Region <br />Style,” as well as the permeability of the facilities and each building’s integration and flow <br />with the park. Lastly, there was universal agreement from the attendees for keeping height <br />and scale appropriate for the neighborhood. <br />Improved Intra-Park Circulation <br />Acknowledging it’s still an early concept, the idea of using electric trams to bolster park <br />circulation, especially for seniors, was very popular. Attendees agreed it would allow <br />for more parking flexibility and increased utilization of the nearby SamTrans stop while <br />providing a good alternative for those needing physical assistance. <br />Green space and trees <br />Attendees appreciated plans to maximize green space and maintain the large trees along <br />Madison Street, as was the modest footprint that eliminated encroachment on Red Morton <br />Park. <br /> <br />The pedestrian promenade <br />Separate from the reclaimed green space around the facilities, further programming detail <br />of the pedestrian promenade received approval by attendees. Another theme discussed <br />was the importance of proper lighting as necessary for safety and nighttime enjoyment. <br />The public process <br />As noted above, inclusion of a separate traffic study and engagement process was widely <br />appreciated, as were updates to the plans, program, and design that had been discussed <br />individually and at the preceding workshops. <br />7.A. - Page 16