Oakland folk will enjoy easy access to Safeway's brand of grocery after all, despite seven years of fierce NIMBY-ism. The Oakland City Council has unanimously green-lighted a new Safeway at College and Claremont Avenues. Berkeleyside reports that the College Avenue Safeway project has won consensus from all parties—including stridently opposed and law-suit threatening neighbors—via "intensive mediation sessions?.. between Safeway and neighborhood reps." Architect Ken Lowney called the process of redesigning the store (multiple times) to meet approval "enthralling." The resulting Safeway plaza (rather lovely, per render porn) will include outdoor seating, open space, and bike parking. The store itself shall be only of the "right" materials with the "right" entrance, "appropriate" for the neighborhood. Oh, and they shall offer food for sale as well. If the tenuous consensus holds, construction will begin this June.
· New Safeway on College green-lighted, designs revealed [Berkeleyside]
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