Spotted on top of the parking garage in the back of Broadway Plaza across from Boudin Bakery.
Spotted on top of the parking garage in the back of Broadway Plaza across from Boudin Bakery.
Downtown Walnut Creek is home to the Northern California Family Center where, judging by the sign on the door, they also have a runaway hotline.
From their website:
The Northern California Family Center is a non-profit counseling center that has been serving the mental health needs of Contra Costa County since 1978. Our staff consists of dedicated professionals who provide experienced clinica care and assessment for a wide range of personal and family problems. Our Crsis Home Program serves the runaway youth population of Contra Costa County. Our Long Term Foster Care Program serves children who are foster children who are waiting for possible reunification with their parents, or maybe removed from their parents due to abuse or neglect. We serve children and adolescents, individual, parents, couples and families
Located at 1621 N. Broadway, across the street from the downtown Walnut Creek library, you need to go to the end of a side walkway to the very end to get there. It is not easy to find. They were closed when I went there, not sure whether it’s closed permanently or not. Their main office is in Martinez.
Fashion designer Erin Fetherston will be available for a Public Personal Appearance on March 28th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Walnut Creek Neiman Marcus to meet and greet and to show off her Spring 2012 Collection .
From an email:
Erin’s Inspiration for Spring:
2012, Erin Fetherston’s romantic aesthetic is infused with bold color and vivid print, expressing a cheerful and sprightly mood. Inspired by the clean and modern silhouettes of the sixties, Fetherston takes Mia Farrow as her muse, intensifying her signature mix of ivory, blush and black with sorbet-inspired shades and butterfly prints as the principle motif for the season. Fetherston ultimately creates a collection of easy to wear pieces that are fresh, poetic and playfully chic.
Back in January I noted that the Bonne Nuit Lingerie store was closing, and it looks like this is their last week open. They shared space with jeu.de.jupe, who are remaining. They are located at 1387 North Main St. in downtown Walnut Creek.
Broadway Plaza (after demolision)
Broadway Plaza (current)
The Walnut Creek City Council is considering selling the street that runs between Nordstrom and the fountain to Broadway Plaza. However, reading through the Draft Environmental Impact Report, what struck me was the other planned changes involved with turning the street into a pedestrian plaza.
It would involve the demolition of many parts of Broadway Plaza to, “encourage diverse housing options, including mixed-use, higher-density development”, presumably meaning apartments built over the retail stores.
The next photo shows what will happen to Stanford’s Restaurant, across the street from the soon to be opened Corners Tavern and Boulange Bakery, replaced by multi-level buildings, again presumably for apartments on the top floors.
Stanford’s Restaurant (after demolition)
Stanford’s Restaurant (current)
Note that the photos above only show height elements, not the actual design and other elements. To see a possible view including shrubbery, take a look at the following drawing which can be viewed in the Walnut Creek City Council agenda report:
So considering the possibility of large swaths of Broadway Plaza being demolished to make room for mixed-use, higher density development, along with the conversion of the street to a pedestrian usage, do you think this will be good for Walnut Creek?
Last month I noted that Studio Blue Digital Print and Copy was for lease, and now Mika Specialty Salon, located right next door on Locust St. has closed as well. According to their website, they had been in business there for 11 years.
Now that the entire building has vacated, I wonder what the owner has in store. It’s a prime location right in downtown Walnut Creek.
On Monday I noted that Walnut Creek police were searching for a man who approached a Walnut Creek Intermediate student twice while walking home from school. Now, a sketch has been released. Please contact the Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844 if you have seen this man, or a “faded red, older model compact sedan, blue disabled placard hanging from rear view mirror, unknown license plate.”
Interestingly, if you view the sketch at full size, it’s possible to read some more charcteristics written down by the artist that is not in the police report press release. The additional features are:
From a Walnut Creek press release:
MARCH 21, 2012 — Parking in Walnut Creek is about to get easier with new meters that accept credit cards. More than 1,000 of the meters will be installed throughout the downtown in early April. The easy-to-use meters will accept coins or credit cards, said Matt Huffaker, Assistant to the City Manager.
Parking in Walnut Creek is about to get easier with new meters that accept credit cards. More than 1,000 of the meters will be installed throughout the downtown in early April. The easy-to-use meters will accept coins or credit cards, said Matt Huffaker, Assistant to the City Manager.
The new meters communicate wirelessly, accept secure credit card payments and allow the City to monitor each meter’s status to ensure they are functioning properly.
There will be no paper receipts and no need to remember space numbers. Patrons will simply park, slide their card into the meter and be on their way.
“Installing state-of-the-art parking meters is just the first step towards making parking easier to find and easier to pay for in Walnut Creek,” said Huffaker.
In addition to the new meters, other plans in the works include clearer parking signage and using technology to provide real-time (on- and off-street) parking availability information via smart phones and the Internet.
Reading between the lines, I would be extra careful about being late in getting to your car as I imagine parking enforcement will have an easier time determining who is overstaying their time slot.
Maybe Yogurt Park will be next in accepting credit cards?
Yesterday I had a chance to check out the progress at Corners Tavern coming to 1342 Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek next to Macy’s and Boulange Bakery. Above you can see two massive 13×34 foot roll-up garage doors with space for outdoor seating.
From a press release:
Corners Tavern is named after the original designation of the area: in 1849, the town of Walnut Creek was originally named “The Corners.” In 1862, the first post office went in and it was renamed “Walnut Creek.” Corners Tavern is housed in what was a blacksmith warehouse that served the local community, at what is now the corner of South Main Street and Broadway Plaza.
Corners Tavern will be open seven days a week for dinner and will begin serving lunch a few weeks after opening. Reservations will be available via SeatMe.
Below you can see the main dining area:
There will be 16 beers on tap at the horseshoe-shaped bar that can handle up to 32 people.
The cuisine will be contemporary American, and will, “feature big, bold flavors modeled on the beloved classic English pub and a beverage program that respects the classics with a nod toward small production, local producers.”
From the press release:
Owner Mitchell Rosenthal and Chef Esteban Escobar are bringing big flavors to the menu, with a focus on local, organic & sustainable ingredients. Menu items will include snacks such as duck fat roasted potatoes and herb crème friache and pork cracklins with aleppo pepper and honey; small plates such as baked apples, gorgonzola and membrillo and pork belly with arbol chilies, pineapple, cabbage and radish salad; and larger plates that feature dishes like house made lamb sausages, soffrito and fava beans and grilled swordfish, braised artichokes, fennel, chorizo, watercress and lemon vinaigrette.
A preliminary menu, subject to change, can be viewed here. I can’t wait to try the pork belly and house made lamb sausages. Mmm! You can read an interview with the executive chef Esteban Escobar here.
Check out photos of the snake cages, private dining area & more after the jump
U Threads, the Cal related clothing store located on the back side of Broadway Plaza will be closed by next week, so if you’ve been waiting for some Cal gear now is your chance to pick something up at 40% off. The SFO store will also be closing with only the Stanford gear at the Palo Alto store remaining for now, although they plan on reopening elsewhere in the future.
It looks like some retailers are having a hard time on this side of Broadway Plaza. Last week I noted that Super Silver Jewelry, located right next to U Threads, recently closed as well.