I have lived in Rockridge for 47 years. When my husband and I first moved here, the space now occupied by Market Hall was a pumpkin patch in October, and a Christmas tree lot in December. The only supermarket was Lucky’s, and restaurants such as Zachary’s, Barney’s, Cactus Taqueria, and Becky’s (just to name a few) had yet to come to this part of College Avenue.
I welcome the young families moving into the neighborhood. However, the possibility of a pair of 31-story towers looming over the homes and tree-lined streets of many of my neighbors is deeply dismaying. Many of us have lived here for more than 30 years, and some were born and raised here over 70 years ago. We have worked hard to make this a healthy, happy, and safe place to live.
The developer states that they want to make it possible for senior citizens to “age in place,” but that is already what many of us over 60 are doing. In addition, what types of units are being proposed? Will they be apartment rentals or condominiums? Will they be studios, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom units? How much will they cost? Will they truly be affordable, or is affordability simply being used as “bait” to satisfy public concern?
Before we lose access to a convenient neighborhood asset in the name of “density living,” I ask the developer to please consider allowing the neighborhood to keep Trader Joe’s and instead build at the College of Arts site or the Ridge. Both locations are on or near a transit hub and neither would be out of character for the neighborhood. Please give this thoughtful consideration.
I have also spoken with some current employees of Trader Joe’s and learned that approximately 200 people work there across different shifts. Trader Joe’s has not informed them whether they will keep their jobs and be transferred, be redistributed among its other local stores, or if they will lose their jobs altogether. Notably, 200 jobs is the same number Align, the developer, claims will be created by this project.
—Diana Mitchell-Chavez
