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OMVNA Newsletter July, 2001 Letter from the Chair: Neighborhood Preservation OMVNA Awarded Four Grants Totaling $7868 Performing Arts Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary Free Remodeling Guide for OMVNA Homeowners Tune in to Neighborhood News with OMVNAtalk Earthquake Supplies to be Kept in Trailer at Landels The Downtown Beat: Bryant Street's New Look History Corner: Post Office is Downtown Cornerstone Thanks to Our Ice Cream Makers and Topping Chefs Letter from the Chair: Neighborhood Preservation Search the Internet under "neighborhood preservation" and you'll be amazed to see what great work many cities have done to preserve their character and charm. Fullerton has successfully preserved many bungalows similar to those in Old Mountain View. Visit downtown Redwood City and notice the terrific job they've done designating many of their beautiful buildings as historic landmarks. There have been many articles in this newsletter about neighborhood preservation and our efforts to secure it for Old Mountain View. After hard deliberations, we have decided to discontinue efforts to obtain any changes to the building and zoning ordinances that would support neighborhood preservation. We've learned that it is critical to have strong political support and leadership to accomplish it. It takes a fair amount of effort and communication with residents to create zoning ordinances that protect the charm of the community. It is not a priority for the City at this time and as a result, it's not possible to get anything meaningful done in the short term. We want to thank those of you who have helped us in this effort, and those who participated in our test surveys and focus group on neighborhood protection. It's important for everyone to know that there is currently no real protection for the historic buildings and charm of the neighborhood. There are no building guidelines that protect us from monster houses or historic home demolition. The Steering Committee will work hard to provide the voluntary preservation guidelines - truly fine work created by former members of OMVNA - to homeowners, architects and contractors of Old Mountain View. To take action if you are concerned, please do the following:
OMVNA Awarded Four Grants Totaling $7868 Your neighborhood association has recently received generous financial support from two foundations and the City. Last year we received our first-ever grant of $1,500 from the City for CERT equipment. The Peninsula Community Foundation awarded us $2,000 to help prepare for a major earthquake, and specifically to purchase a disaster equipment trailer. The Community Foundation of Silicon Valley awarded us $3,928 to purchase a trailer to store emergency supplies and equipment, although we will request that some of the grant go towards equipping the trailer. The City of Mountain View's Neighborhood Grant Program awarded us $1,340 for a neighborhood potluck, a portable shade, and a PA system, and an additional $600 for holiday lighting at Mercy-Bush Park, contingent on the electricity supply situation this winter. We are very excited about the support that these organizations have shown for our activities. And OMVNA would also like to thank Aaron Grossman, our Treasurer, for his outstanding efforts in completing the grant applications in the face of tight deadlines. Performing Arts Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary In honor of the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts' first decade of bringing theater, music, dance and other cultural events to Mountain View and the Bay Area, the Center's Community Marketing Committee is hosting a very special Anniversary Event on August 11. Everyone is invited to a free afternoon of fun, festivities, food and of course, fantastic performances. More than 20 different performing arts organizations will participate, including Ad Parnassum, Asian Cultural Teaching Crystal Children's Choir, Chinese Performing Artists, Community School of Music and Arts, DanceVisions, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, Lyric Theatre, Peninsula Youth Theatre, Raices de Mexico, Palo Alto - Mountain View Chapter, SPEBSQSA, Renegades Drum & Bugle Corps, Renegades Taiko, San Francisco School of Circus Arts, San Jose Wind Symphony Woodwind Quintet, Schola Cantorum, The Shlepperellas, Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus, Solar Flair Productions, Theatre Flamenco, Theatreworks and Western Ballet. This not-to-be-missed, showcase event takes place from 11 am to 4 pm. Performances will take place on the Center's MainStage, SecondStage, ParkStage and Plaza. The Center is located at Castro and Mercy streets. For more details, visit their web site: www.mvcpa.com Free Remodeling Guide for OMVNA Homeowners Our neighborhood is a wonderful place to live, and many of us would rather live through the hassle of a remodel than move away. When you're planning to remodel, you'll naturally spend lots of time thinking about how your investment will improve the attractiveness and livability of your home -- but what about the neighborhood your home is part of? Not every remodeling effort makes Old Mountain View more attractive or preserves its charm -- but it's easy to find out how to make sure that your project is one that's as good for the neighborhood as it is for you. Just request a free copy of "Old Mountain View Design Guidelines for Single Family Homes" This 9-page booklet was produced by the City and neighborhood in 1992 as part of the Neighborhood Preservation process. It has been available from the Mtn. View Community Development Department since then -- but you had to go to City Hall to pick it up. To make it even easier for you to get one, just call our Secretary, Tim Johnson, at (962-8609) and he will mail one to you for free. The booklet contains 5 guidelines that apply to all homes and 5 more for small lots of 5000 square feet or less. In order to help get the word out, later this year OMVNA will mail copies to all architects in Northern Santa Clara County, Menlo Park, and Redwood City. Tune in to Neighborhood News with OMVNAtalk OMVNAtalk is a neighborhood e-mail list you can join if you would like to receive e-mail about issues of interest to Old Mountain View residents. It's really a great way to stay connected to neighborhood events and concerns. You'll find out about important neighborhood events that aren't covered in The Voice or the Mercury News. Only members of the list can send messages to OMVNAtalk, so you don't have to worry about being spammed. OMVNAtalk has been in operation for over a year, and has proven to be a very valuable tool for staying informed about Old Mountain View. To read the usage guidelines and learn how to join, see: www.omvna.org/omvnatalk.html Earthquake Supplies to be Kept in Trailer at Landels OMVNA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is proud to announce it has received grants to purchase and stock an emergency equipment trailer (see article). The School District has given permission to locate it at Landels elementary school. The trailer will be 14' long, 6' wide, and 7' high. Three Trauma Kits, four Backboards, and other items purchased with a grant from the City last year will be kept in the trailer, but much more is still needed to prepare for a major earthquake. Three CERT members have already completed the City of Mountain View's CERT training. We are following up with the dozen or so individuals who expressed an interest in joining CERT at the Ice Cream Social. If you'd like to get involved in our emergency preparedness efforts, please call Tim Johnson (962-8609) or Aaron Grossman (969-4031). The Downtown Beat: Bryant Street's New Look Craters-becoming-buildings is the downtown theme for this summer. 300,000 square feet of office and retail space and 92 residential units are under construction within just a few blocks, mostly along Bryant Street. Half of the commercial space will be at 400 Castro. The police department is now giving warning citations to construction personnel not parked in specific less-congested areas, and will be doing active enforcement starting July 23. "The Cube Site" will soon be part of Centennial Plaza, a pleasant place to meet or have as a travel endpoint. Near the tracks, a modern replica of the historic Mountain View train station will be built to meet 21st century transit needs. Among the crop of new downtown businesses are Books Inc. (replacing Printers Inc.) and, coming soon, some interesting new eateries: Malaysian, Mediterranean and more. To add to the retail mix, the Economic Development branch of the Downtown Committee is hard at work on a retail recruitment plan that focuses on the "basic goods and services" that we would like to see more of. Finally, in the continuing saga of the Main Post Office at 211 Hope Street, the Postmaster has announced that the new building will be open and ready for business on Monday, July 30. History Corner: Post Office Is Downtown Cornerstone Mountain View's first Post Office opened 18 January 1854, in Jacob Shumway's general merchandise store on the present corner of El Camino Real and Highway 237. After the new town of Mountain View was built near the Southern Pacific railroad right of way, the Post Office moved there in 1871. Mail delivery for rural families began in 1900. John Barney, Mountain View's first mail carrier, served a 25-mile route. The Postal Service required him to exhibit daily weather signals on his horse-drawn wagon. By 1907, there were two delivery routes. RFD 17 was the original 25-mile route, with John Barney serving 150 families. The second route, RFD 18, was 24 miles and served 160 families. The Postal Service ordered the two routes combined into a single automobile route in 1916. The carrier to be chosen based on the highest score on the Civil Service Exam. During the ensuing furor John Barney resigned. Maurice Moore became the first automobile mail carrier. He was expected to maintain the vehicle and pay for additional carriers with his salary of $1,608 per year. In 1920 the Postal Service approved two 36-mile routes after Mountain View's Postmaster and residents complained of poor mail service to a visiting Congressman. The Postmaster's request for delivery to residents of downtown Mountain View was denied because of a lack of sidewalks, street signs, and mail receptacles in the city. Mountain View Post Office was traditionally an important hub in this area. Over the years the Post Office has served not only the residents of Mountain View, but also Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mayfield (now part of Palo Alto), and Los Altos. In 1905 Mountain View and Palo Alto had the only second-class post offices between San Francisco and San Jose. Mountain View's postal receipts grew to an extent that by 1921 the postal clerk, a Miss Frances Neuroth, had to buckle on a Postal Service regulation Smith and Wesson revolver, complete with belt and holster, to deliver bank deposits. In 1937 our post office was third largest in the county. The downtown Post Office has frequently moved to keep up with the growth of the city. Early locations of the Post Office include the first floor of the Olympic Building (presently the small park at Castro and Evelyn) in 1891, and the Rogers and Rogers Building at 158 Castro Street from 1903 to 1927 (the Post Office shared space with the library in 1906 during repairs to the Rogers building after the great quake) In 1949 the Post Office moved from 102 Castro Street (now Hunan Gourmet restaurant) to 736 Dana Street (Alberto's nightclub). The Post Office building opened in 1960. It was demolished and rebuilt this year. (This article was first printed in the Oct. 1999 OMVNA Newsletter and is being reprinted in honor of the new Post Office.) Thanks to Our Ice Cream Makers and Topping Chefs OMVNA offers a 3-scoop salute to the wonderful neighbors who provided several gallons of home-made ice cream and lots of tasty toppings for last month's Ice Cream Social. Russ Parman brought his incomparable peach ice-cream, and Anita Grossman whipped up a strawberry batch. Tim Johnson brought two kinds: vanilla and berry. All flavors tasted even more delicious when covered with Amy Beare's chocolate fudge sauce or Dorothy Callahan's strawberry sauce. We'd also like to thank those who brought berries, chopped nuts, and other toppings. OMVNA is looking for new members for its 2001-02 Steering Committee. If you would like to work on neighborhood issues, please call Nominating Committee Chair Ronit Bryant at 964-1966 to toss your hat in the ring. Wanted: your extra homegrown fruits and vegetables for Community Services Agency's Food and Nutrition Center. Call 968-0836 for more info. Can't stop staring at it?? Personal tower crane, artwork by neighbor Tim Dobbins, only $7 (mug), $15 (T-shirt). 961-0487 dobbinsm@pacbell.net
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Last updated: 7/13/01