Albany Residents Split Over Proposed Safeway Expansion

When Joseph Pieri bought a three-bedroom house next to Safeway on Solano Avenue in 2004, he thought he'd found his dream home.

"My wife said, 'I could die in this house.' She didn't have to drive anywhere," said 61-year-old Pieri, of their tidy Neilson Street property.

Now, with Safeway's massive expansion plan looming, what seemed to be a great convenience has turned into a major headache.

"I didn't know Safeway had a plan to tear down the existing store and build a new one," said Pieri, a former developer. "If I had known, I would have had second thoughts about purchasing the house."

Since 2005, Safeway has been asking Albany officials for approval to demolish its Solano store to build a 54,000-square-foot structure – more than twice the size of the current one. In the past five years, Safeway met with immediate neighbors of the store, held three community-wide meeting and had three study sessions with the city to discuss the plan.

According to Susan Houghton, director of public and government affairs for Safeway's 271-store Northern California division, Safeway's expansion plan on Solano is a part of its regional strategy to achieve a "lifestyle" remodel to offer wider variety and more organic produce.

In the last meeting with the city June 3, city commissioners directed Safeway to work on buffer zones near the residential areas; the store's size; and the logistics of the loading trucks. Houghton said Safeway hopes to have one more official meeting at the Planning and Zoning Commission before the August break. Safeway has to have Design Review approval, but Jeff Bond, the city's Planning and Building manager said it is unclear how long that will take.

Many neighbors said they see this plan as another example of a big-box corporation with a vision out of line with the small-town ambience Albany cherishes.

In the latest plan, according to documents filed with the city on June 3, 2008, the current single-story building will gain a floor and an underground parking garage. The store would expand to cover the current parking lot, which faces Solano. As a result, shoppers and loading trucks would be forced to drive through narrow Curtis or Neilson streets to reach the loading dock and entrance, which would face the residential area to the south.

Many residents said they support Safeway but were puzzled about why it needs to expand.

"We aren't against Safeway. I actually shop there, "said Albany native Peter Hsu, 27, who launched a website in May, called "Stop Safeway on Solano," to give neighbors information on building plans. Hsu grew up in his parents' house by Safeway on Neilson.

"But the scale of the construction is not fitting with the small town feel of Albany, and that is what you come to Albany for," said Hsu, who works as a lieutenant for the U.S. Coast Guard. "It would be nice if they refurbish it to make it look nicer."

Betty Lee, an Albany resident, agreed.

"We are supporting Safeway on Solano to upgrade," said the manager at Matsu Fine Natural Bedding and Gifts, an Asian antique shop across from the grocery store. "But the size would not match with the scenery. It is like wearing a huge belt over a nice suit."

Safeway tried to justify the size of the proposed store June 3 before the Planning and Zoning Commission. According to a letter the company sent to the commission, "the proposed Solano Avenue store would be approximately 7,974 square feet larger than a typical 43,000-square-foot Safeway, but many of its retail areas would be substantially smaller in size."

At the same time, Safeway submitted a chart comparing the size of many grocery stores in the Bay Area, including Lucky, Berkeley Bowl and Whole Foods, to underscore that the proposed store would be smaller than many others nearby.

During the June meeting, Commissioner Andrea Gardner, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, questioned why Safeway did not include Andronico's, just east on Solano, which could have served as a more relevant comparison. (The 13,000-square-foot Andronico's is less than one-quarter the size of Safeway's proposed store.) She said the study failed to prove why the massive upgrade would be appropriate for Albany's 17,000 residents.

"There still is a question of whether the store size is appropriate for the site. What if it is too large for the economy of Albany is a question," said Gardner.

For many local business owners, Safeway's expansion is unwelcome news. Safeway plans to expand its flower shop, bakery and deli, which could put the crunch on small businesses that already provide those services. There are already more than 10 commercial vacancies on Solano.

"It's going to take away my customers," said John Fealy, who owns Zarri's, a grocery store and deli several blocks west of Safeway. When Trader Joe's opened in El Cerrito Plaza, he added, his wine sales dropped by half.

"Albany is a small, business-oriented town," said the 49-year old Walnut Creek resident, who has seven children ages 4 to 16 to support. "What Safeway is doing is stealing something from the soul of Albany."

Some business owners insist the corporate giant would only make Solano less attractive to shoppers.

"Bigger is not better," said Pennie Opal Plan, owner of Gathering Tribes, which sells Native American crafts and art. "People come to Solano Avenue for the small town feel. If they proceed with the plan, some shoppers will simply choose to go to Fourth Street, College Avenue or Elmwood to shop at small boutique stores,"

Plan said, if Safeway proceeds, she might boycott the company,  though she has shopped there for 19 years.

Residents who live next to Safeway also said they are concerned about traffic. According to the current plan, 18-wheel trucks, the standard model for the company, will drive down Neilson Street to unload. Then they will return on Nielson and exit Albany via Solano. The trucks weigh about 40 tons, so Marin Avenue will be off limits because it has a five-ton weight limit.

"It will increase a lot of traffic on my street during the 18 months of construction, and even after that," said Kyle Kosup, 55, a web developer who has lived next to Safeway on Curtis for 20 years. "Besides, it doesn't feel good to live behind a tall building. The say they'll plant trees, but this is not what I signed up for."

However, some neighbors think the expansion plan will be a boon.

"I appreciate the neighbors' concern, but it is nice to have something we can be proud of," said Peggy McQuaid, an Albany resident who lives three blocks from Safeway. McQuaid, who regularly shops at Safeway, said the current building looks too "shabby" and that she expects the store will carry more variety in the new building.

The Solano Avenue Association said Safeway's expansion will boost Solano's economy.

"Safeway plays a vital role on Solano Avenue, acting as an 'anchor' for the independently owned businesses that satellite it. And it plays a significant role in drawing traffic, the good kind, to Solano Avenue," said Allen Cain, director of the association. 

Cain said, in an e-mail interview with Patch, when visitors come to Safeway, surrounding merchants gain free exposure at the very least and, at best, new customers.

He also said 250 of the entire association's members have not expressed any opposition to the plan, although some have shared concerns over Safeway's "mega store."