On Monday, the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce welcomed the public to a meeting on the future of Telegraph and about transforming the area into a prominent commercial Bay Area destination.
The meeting, led by the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee, served as a forum to discuss various plans to lure more businesses into the iconic Berkeley street. Attendees, among whom were members of the Chamber, city officials and Berkeley residents, remained optimistic about revitalizing Telegraph as a commercial space.
“Telegraph used to be a place where people would go 30 years ago, so it’s pretty exciting to talk about ways to turn the area into an actual destination,” said Polly Armstrong, CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce.
One of the focal points of the meeting was the discussion of Councilmember Kriss Worthington’s short-term, immediate proposals to be voted on Tuesday at the City Council meeting.
Worthington, who represents the Telegraph area, has put forth a “Telegraph ACTION Plan” for improvements slated for this year and the next. Costs from his office are estimated to be around $50,500 according to his agenda item.
Worthington’s proposed improvements include programs to permit retail tables, which would allow a few retail stores to put merchandise tables in front of their stores. Other ideas include drafting a design of a transit center on Dwight Way to bring in more people from around the Bay Area.
He also proposed to improve lighting, restore murals, enhance pedestrian safety, build more parking and make the street more accessible.
“With all of this construction going on, we don’t want businesses to suffer in the short term,” Worthington said. “It is essential to increase access to parking, since I see people driving around the place without actually going to the stores and restaurants all the time.”
Other long-term considerations were discussed at the meeting, like plans to build a museum that celebrates the unique history of People’s Park, to transform the district into a center for music and arts, and to create office spaces for student entrepreneurs.
Mayor Tom Bates, for instance, plans to overhaul an existing law that forbids the city from using the office space located above retail stores in the area.
“I’m sure there was a good reason for the law at the time, but this makes no sense today at all, since the area’s close proximity to the university makes it an ideal place for startups,” Bates said.
By the meeting’s end, many were optimistic that meaningful action would happen with regard to developing the area.
“This meeting was great because I could just sense the excitement and optimism among everyone, and I’m truly hopeful that Telegraph can become a great Bay Area destination,” said Armstrong.
Contact Jason Liu at [email protected]