Monterey Bay Waterfront Park –
Updates
Updated August, 2007
– The City of Monterey will
begin demolition of the former Mohr Imports building at
999 Del Monte Avenue
on Friday, August 17th at 11:45 a.m. A backhoe will be on site to start the
demolition. The demolition and ground-breaking will celebrate the latest
addition to Window-on-the-Bay, the beachside park at the eastern entrance to
the City.
Mayor Chuck Della Sala and Council members Libby Downey, Jeff
Haferman, Nancy Selfridge and Frank Sollecito will be on hand for the event,
along with former Mayors Council members, who have worked for decades to make
Window-on-the-Bay a reality.
Originally conceived in 1939, Window-on-the-Bay offers scenic
Monterey Bay views and public access to the beach, waterfront and
recreational activities. The building at 999 Del Monte is the second to last
property needed to complete the project.
Demolition of 999 Del Monte will take a week and then the property
will be landscaped to fit into the Window-on-the-Bay Park. Mohr Imports
relocated to another property just down the street on Del Monte.
View the
Resolution
Updated June, 2007 –
While in 2005 the City
announced it had authorized and funded the acquisition of the Roto-Rooter
Parcel in the Window-on-the-Bay West Project Area, the transaction was
ultimately put on hold by the City to accommodate the property owner. While
this could be considered a set-back, this situation beckons us to remember
the higher public purpose of the City of Monterey's "Opportunity Buying"
program. Unlike eminent domain or condemnation, where a public agency can
acquire property swiftly, without delay under certain criteria, in
Opportunity-Buying - the City works with property owners to acquire their
property under the best mutual terms and especially within the timing
parameters that works well for seller. Thus, Opportunity-Buying often calls
for greater flexibility, patience and diplomacy to accomplish public
acquisition goals. While the City has not as yet acquired Roto-Rooter, it
remains committed to Opportunity Buying and the Window-on-the-Bay Project.
In fact, just recently, the City did successfully acquire nearby 999 Del
Monte Avenue, commonly referred to as the Mohr Import Motors Parcel.
The Mohr Motors property is at the highly visible and
busy intersection of Del Monte Avenue and Camino Aquajito. It was purchased
from the Heide Probstel Trust. The City took ownership at close of escrow in
January 2007. Mohr Import Motors, a locally owned and operated business
tenant, was subsequently relocated under a new sublease to the City-owned
property at 1187 Del Monte Avenue, the former Color-Ad property. Permits are
being processed for the demolition of the building at 999 Del Monte, to make
way for more waterfront parkland recreational area. Demolition is scheduled
for mid-year 2007. Announcements will be issued as to the exact date of the
demolition, and further progress on Monterey's Opportunity-Buying Program
for Window-on-the-Bay."
Window on the Bay Expands - Next to Last
Parcel Acquired in Project A - summer 2005
On July 5, 2005, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution
approving the $2.3 million purchase of the Roto-Rooter property at the
intersection of Park and Del Monte avenues. Since 1992, property owner,
Jeannie McWorter, and the City have discussed the City’s interest in
purchasing the property. Rather than exercise our right to eminent domain,
the City has used what Community Development Director Bill Wojtkowski
describes as “opportunity buying,” a process which results in the owner
voluntarily selling the property. To quote Mrs. McWhorter, “it works for
everybody, it’s going to make a lovely park.”
The City, with completion of this purchase, will be one lot away from owning an uninterrupted 1,500-foot
stretch of the Monterey Bay Waterfront Park along Del Monte Avenue. The
open space project began as part of the 1939 General Plan, and now only
one property (Mohr Motors) remains to complete the entire Priority A phase
of the Window-on-the-Bay project, which begins near Wharf II and extends
to Park Avenue.
Changes Afoot for Beachfront Property Along
Del Monte -
Oct. 2003
You’ve probably been
wondering what has been happening with the Catellus properties. These
are the two parcels on the north side of Del Monte Avenue as you go onto
Wharf No. 2 that were purchased by the City and its funding partners in
2000 and 2002. The City has already demolished the Karaoke Café and a
small storage building on the east side to improve views to the Bay and
has granted short term leases to Adventures-by-the-Sea and Monterey Bay
Kayaks. Those facilities have now provided public restrooms for users of
the Coastal/Recreation Trail and the beach area.
The City Council’s direction was to demolish the large
yellow railroad freight building that is located on the east side. This
building is a potentially historic building and demolition can not be
considered until an Environmental Impact Report has been prepared. That
report is now completed and the City Council is scheduled to make a
decision on the freight building and the rest of the proposed Catellus
improvements on Oct. 21. Another major issue is whether the Coastal/Rec
Trail should be relocated on the west side of Wharf No. 2 to be closer
to the water. We expect the Council to give direction on that matter on
Oct. 21 as well.
After the Council direction, the City intends to
improve the Del Monte Avenue frontage of these two parcels by adding
landscaping and repaving the parking lots.
If you're interested in more details of
the planning efforts for these two important parcels, please contact
Rick Marvin at
646.3885.
Monterey’s Coastal View Grows
- winter 2002
On Oct. 25, 2002, the City celebrated
the continued expansion of the view shed area on Window on the Bay, along
Del Monte Avenue. The latest addition is
"Catellus East," at the foot of Municipal Wharf No. 2.
This celebration marked another milestone in our ongoing
quest for open space and view shed areas. The City's Master Plan of 1939
had the vision of acquiring open space and providing public access to
our waterfront. During the past 10 years, the City's concerted focus has
been on purchasing these properties for a waterfront park and to
facilitate roadway safety improvements on Del Monte Avenue. The City has
spent a total of $16 million in purchasing property, of which almost
$7 million came through grants from the State Department of Parks,
State Coastal Conservancy, State Park Bond Act, Packard Foundation,
County Transportation Agency and private donations.
The former Karaoke Kafe and Bookstore were acquired in January 2002.
Two of the buildings were slated for demolition to open up the view shed
area. The celebration on Oct. 25 unveiled the area for the first time.
For more info on Window on the Bay, visit
www.monterey.org/parks/window_on_the_bay
Beachfront Land Use
Under Construction -
fall 2002
Plans for seven acres of
City-owned beachfront property at the foot of Wharf II are moving
through the approval process. Also known as the Catellus property, the
land was purchased to create additional public access to Monterey’s
coast. It will also provide a seamless interface with Monterey Bay
Waterfront Park, the harbor and the beach.
A design plan is moving through the public
review process and is scheduled to come before the City Council
in winter 2002. Plans call for increasing open
space and making it easier to get to the beach and coastline. Site
drawings propose areas where buildings would be removed for recreational
use. For more details, call or email
Senior Planner Rick Marvin
at 646.3885.
More
Waterfront Property in Community Hands
- January 2002
Prime waterfront parcels along Del Monte Avenue are no longer
available for private development. The City purchased the remaining
half of the “Catellus” commercial coastal property adjacent to
Window on the Bay Waterfront Park and Wharf 2. More than seven acres
of prime waterfront real estate is now permanently secured for
recreational and public use.
In late 2000, the City bought the adjacent commercial parcel (Catellus
west) and has been working with the community on a plan that makes the
property available for public use.
The purchase of the final piece is a great example of partnership
funding at its best. Of the $7 million spent for the seven acres (both
parcels combined), $3 million came from State grants, $1 million from
a Packard Foundation grant and more than $125,000 from private
citizens. Enjoy your waterfront and work with us on its
transformation... you earned it!
Look for community meetings where you can come and give your input or
call the Planning Division at 646.3885 (suggest@ci.monterey.ca.us).
Window on the Bay/Monterey Bay
Gets Bigger,
Better - winter 2002
The popular Window on the Bay/Monterey Bay just got much bigger and better.
This spring the City of Monterey successfully completed negotiations for the purchase of
the privately-owned, 7.5-acre "Catellus properties" adjacent to both sides of
Municipal Wharf II, on the west end of Window on the Bay.
Click
here to see a map of the Catellus properties in the Window-on-the-Bay project area.
These properties, site of the former Sante Fe and later Southern Pacific Railroad depots,
will be a valuable addition to this public project. The parcels more than triple the size
of open space available for Window on the Bay. A lengthy planning process will determine
how best to use the property to meet community needs for recreation opportunities and
public access. Keep an eye out for the public meeting schedule so that you can give your
input to the City on what you'd like to see happen there!
Another
Parcel Added to Monterey Bay Park
Another parcel is being added to Monterey Bay Park - 851 Del Monte, site
of Vapor Sudden Service Cleaners. This long-standing (since 1926), locally owned and operated family business worked closely
with the City to relocate out of the Window-on-the-Bay project area.
The business has been approved by the City for relocation to 1193 10th Street, Monterey.
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