Hosted by Urban Habitat
El Cerrito to purchase furniture store site
Dateline:
08/21/2008After 72 years on San Pablo Avenue, the owner of Tradeway Furniture said the store will be closing its doors in about a year, after agreeing to sell its buildings to the City of El Cerrito.
"It's an emotional thing," said owner Joseph Conwill. "We'll certainly miss all of our friends and customers. But the time has come."
The sale of 10860 and 10848 San Pablo Ave. — at $4.05 million — was approved by the City Council earlier this week. The city used money from its low-moderate income housing fund for the purchase, and is obligated to use the property for low and moderate income housing. The details of the project have not been nailed down.
"We don't know yet what shape or form that will take," said Hilde Myall, the city's housing project manager. "We don't know if it will be a mixed-use project, how many units it will have, or whether they will be for sale or rentals."
Myall said a feasibility study for the property is now underway, and will take several months to complete. The results will be brought back to the city council.
Conwill said city staff has approached him several times in the last 30 years about buying the property. Myall said the site is desirable because of its size.
"It's strategic in its location. There aren't that many large-sized parcels in the city, which makes those desirable for redevelopment," she said. "We are hoping to capitalize on our new city hall being a catalyst for redevelopment around that mid-town area. It was just a great opportunity."
The project will also help the city meet a state housing requirement.
"We do have a significant need for very low, low and moderate income housing. This will definitely help," Myall said. "The last affordable housing development in El Cerrito was a rehabilitation project that was finished in 1999. There hasn't been any new affordable housing since then."
Tradeway Furniture has another location in Richmond that will stay open. Conwill has one tenant in the San Pablo Avenue location, the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce, which will have to move. City officials said they would assist the chamber with its relocation.
Conwill said it will be tough closing up the shop his father, Fred, opened years ago, but that it was the right thing to do.
"The city's probably got good uses for that land. I'm happy to see them do it," he said. "It will be a good thing for me and for the city."
Staff writer Shelly Meron covers Albany, El Cerrito and Kensington. Reach her at 510-243-3578 or smeron@bayareanewsgroup.com
Source:
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