The construction of the new bike lane and roundabouts on Central Avenue have made life inconvenient for many residents on the West End of Alameda. Traffic has been re-routed and “No Parking 24 Hours” signs line both sides of the street, eliminating most of the street parking.
But for 1400 Bar & Grill and Spritzers Cafe, both located at or near the corner of Webster and Central, the construction is more than just inconvenient—it has led to the loss of business. Yanni Placourakis, owner of 1400 Bar & Grill, told the Alameda Post that business at his place has taken a dive since construction started.
For Placourakis, the loss of street parking has resulted in a loss of customers and income. He said his customers call him and say, “I’ve wanted to come see you, but I circled three times and there’s just no parking.” It is a stressful time for Placourakis, who employs 31 people at his business.
“It’s not just us,” pointed out Placourakis. “The poor little coffee shop over there, they closed the sidewalk and the street.” Sure enough, across the street from 1400 Bar & Grill, there is a sign on Spritzers Cafe stating, “Because of Construction we are closed.” Attempts by the Post to contact the owners of Spritzers were unsuccessful and their phone number went to a recorded message.
Placourakis understands that sometimes cars can’t park on the street due to construction. But what mystifies and frustrates him is the presence of the No Parking signs when construction is not taking place. He would like parking to be available in the evenings and on weekends when construction is not happening. He is also upset that the No Parking signs have been in place for months before any construction has started. “Why close the road for 150 days before you start doing any work on it?” asked Placourakis.
Nearby, the “No Parking 24 Hours” signs continue to line the north side of Central between Fifth and Sixth Streets, even after construction in that area ended in June. Residents have largely ignored the signs and have continued to park on the street for months without any consequences of tickets, towing, or traffic blockage. The City of Alameda, however, sent an email on September 23 stating that paving of Central would be taking place between September 30 and October 3, and that “No Parking will be enforced.”
Placourakis tried to contact City Council, the City Manager, and the Mayor about the No Parking signs. “We’ve sent numerous emails to the City… we’re not getting a single response,” he said. “…There’s just no effort to look after us. There’s no effort.”
The Post reached out to Sarah Henry, Communications & Legislative Affairs Officer for the City of Alameda, who stated in an email that, “The no-parking signs near Webster are to facilitate the detour route and keep people and vehicles out of unfinished work areas for safety reasons. In general, construction does not need to be taking place at a location for signage to be necessary to make sure the entire detour route is safe.”
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When asked via email where customers of Webster Street and Central Avenue businesses can park, Henry stated, “We’ve been directing the public to use the public lot on Santa Clara when enjoying businesses in the WABA area.”
Elissa Glickman, Executive Director of the West Alameda Business Association (WABA), said that, initially, there was a lack of communication about the construction between the City of Alameda, residents, and the West End district. However, she explained, “Once that was identified, the City has really stepped up in terms of conveying information.”
Glickman’s main concern right now is the impact of the multiple construction projects that are coming up and slated to take place simultaneously. The Central Avenue Project, combined with the Oakland Alameda Access Project and the Willie Stargell Complete Streets Project, will leave roads in the West End of Alameda under construction for at least the next four years, through 2029.
In addition to bracing for multiple detours and traffic delays, Glickman and WABA are worried about how the years of construction will affect businesses in the West End district. “If people can’t get somewhere easily, especially in Alameda, they just don’t go,” she said.
When asked what can be done to mitigate the impact of the construction projects, Glickman said that two months of advance notice from the City of Alameda about parking and road closures would be ideal. That way, businesses “can communicate to the customers and come up with a plan.” According to Glickman, businesses would be able to “invest in promotion and work with the [West End] district and the City to identify alternate locations where people can park.”
In the meantime, WABA has been increasing their marketing and trying to support the small businesses in the West End. “We’re really investing a lot of our time and money in messaging and alternate ways to support our district.” She adds, “It’s going to be gruesome for a while. We hope you’ll stick with us.”
Jean Chen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jean-Chen.
