Looking to create a more consistent architectural look for a larger area near downtown, the Concord City Council on Tuesday approved expanding the boundaries within which its trademark Spanish-influenced architectural theme will predominate.
With Tuesday’s vote, the Concord Avenue corridor west from downtown to Market Street (“inner core”), as well as properties along and near Clayton Road west and south of the downtown BART station (“outer core”) will now fall within the zone where “early California” Spanish-themed architecture and design will be required.
The ultimate goal, Councilwoman Carlyn Obringer said, would be to ensure a consistent Concord look for people passing through city “gateways” – including the BART station, from state Highway 242 or along Clayton Road from the east.
“We’re trying to put forth a vision for the future Concord, and I think we’re making progress,” Obringer said Tuesday night.
Within the more southerly expansion of the “outer core” area is the Concord Terminal Shopping Center along Clayton Road just east of the elevated BART tracks. Council members said at least part of that 1963-built
strip mall could be redeveloped in the coming years, and that the new design standards would guide such work.
A total of 28 properties, most of them occupied by commercial businesses, will be affected by expansion of the design area.
The design area was created in 2014 as the Todos Santos Plaza Design Guidelines for Spanish-style designs near that downtown square. With the expansion farther from the plaza, those guidelines are now called Downtown Concord Design Guidelines.
When asked by council members Dominic Aliano and Edi Birsan whether the expansion will create financial burdens for property owners, Director of Community Development Andrea Ouse said it would depend largely on the size of a given project.
Owners of projects already in the city’s planning pipeline, she said, have been made aware of the potential changes and have acted accordingly.
The changes were approved unanimously by the council.
That’s all good.
When are some roads going to get fixed?
The City Council needs to concentrate on the basics.
Public Safety.
Public infrastucture.
All the rest of the superfluous.
I agree. Fix the roads. I’m living near a sunken part of a road with an exposed pipe that has been there so long that the city sign is falling apart. I figure somebody will need to fall in the hole and seriously cut their ankle in the exposed pipe before anything is done. As long as buildings are kept clean and maintained with decent landscape and paint, that is enough for now. Fix the infrastructure!
So when are they going to expand Italian-Influenced Architectural Areas-we are a minority also and Italians were put into camps during the war and under served for years?
Italian Lives Matter!
Agree with Cellophane-when is the Council going to stop pandering to all of these other causes so they can keep rifling our pockets for more taxes and liens to support the socialist and entitlement crowd. We will be voting you members out as your terms expire.
Sam, you do realize that Concord was founded by Spanish colonizers and explorers, most famously Salvio Pacheco, right? and that’s why Spanish-Influenced are is being put around to represent Concord’s roots or are you not educated? What’s next? You want them to change the name of Todos Santos Plaza? Get out of here with your nonsense!
@ b- Don Salvio Pacheco was not Spanish, he was Mexican.
AnimanLover –
Great comment. I like your style. Come sta?
Buona sera, Signore.
So who will be making $$ on the kickbacks for this?
A “consistent Concord look”. In 2020, people will certainly consider that a racist statement!
Whatever you say in a public forum will always default to the worst possible interpretation of your words, regardless of intent.
What a waste of money. Fix the streets first! It doesn’t matter how “pretty” the city looks when the roads look like crap and are destroying our cars.
Agreed
Waste of money, how? When businesses within that zone build or upgrade in the future, they will use Spanish-style design. This has nothing to do with road maintenance etc in the rest of the city. They’re not calling for a huge city-sponsored remodel lol
This is a good idea! The homeless issue, the terrible roads, and
the closing of local businesses can wait while the council takes
time to address the critical issues of our city. . Keep patting yourselves on the back while the city crumbles around you., and lets charge already cash
strapped business with paying for your mis-guided vision of the future.
Oh goody does this mean more metal arches that look like the gates at Auschwitz
OMG, they do! Never registered with me until your comment.
California is really not part of this Re imagination movement. This state never had slavery has always supported legal migration, and has by far the most Mexican restaurants per capita then any place on earth possibly even Mexico. The idea that the city would force existing building owners to “convert” to a different style is uncalled for.
Directive to the council: Just fix the streets and coordinate activities for our city. You know, like you’re supposed to do. Fly 2 flags at town hall the American flag and the California flag. Grow up and act like adults and work for the people or step down.
@ Sam~
Had read a book awhile back, The Benicia State Capitol by James E. Lessenger. There was slavery in California at one point. It is a interesting read about California History too.
Unfortunately, the native population in many areas was basically enslaved by the Spanish in their missions.
I can rephrase that. At no point was slavery the law in California.
The California constitution banned slavery and the state entered the Union as a “free state” under the Compromise of 1850. I understand that human trafficking is the oldest game in town and people still make money on people today. But legally, we are not a state that kept slaves.
The state did have slavery, the Catholics enslaved in the indigenous tribes. They killed many of them with diseases brought from europe and completely changed their life. That is why the missions are no long taught in most schools in Ca because it was the slave trade. just a different people. Educate your self!!!!!!!
Again California entered the USA a free state with slavery being against the law. Catholics are not the state. So what are we talking about here? You can’t say California had slavery if Catholics were illegally trafficking humans.
Viva Spain!
Are they serious?? Why the focus on a culture? What is going on with California?
Keep dividing us, no United States here…
Wrought iron Spirit Poles, think about it.
Officials wonder why there is no confidence in their leadership. During this time, when your local State officials want even more money to bail them out of years of their useless spending, Concord is spending money like they have a bundle. Oh yeah, they will, Measure Q. Or the businesses that are in this line of fire will have to pay for it or go out of business, more job losses. Great leadership.
@b
“The Chupcan tribe lived around what is now Concord. The tribe was one of several that comprised the Bay Miwok tribe, one of the three tribes that once populated Contra Costa county.”
Hopefully the above fits in nicely with your agenda. Or will you expound that their contribution does not meet your criteria of “education”.
Colonial architecture, outrageous. I actually like it, but just wanted to chime in on the hypocrisy.
Exactly. So backwards. Concord wants us to celebrate and highlight Spanish murderer conquistadors. Nice work guys👍🏼 Wokeness at is apex. Do your job idiots
@b
You say, “and that’s why Spanish-Influenced are is being put around to represent Concord’s roots or are you not educated? ”
So, just to educate:
“Indians who survived the initial Spanish invasion were required to work and to accept Christianity. If they refused, they could be forced to comply. Many did resist and a system was devised to deal with them. It was known as the encomienda. Under this system Indians were regarded as part of the land: When land grants were made to settlers, the native inhabitants became a part of the grant. As property of the landowners, they could be forced to work without being technically enslaved.”
So, under the current “liberal theory” its alright to highlight the culture that terrorized Native Americans as long as that culture fits into your narrative.
We need a lot more teepees. So we should put up some Indian themed hotels like on Route 66. That should do the trick.
That’s how these idiots think
That’s sounds nice and all. I like the Taco Bell look. Seriously. But nobody’s allowed to make buildings out of adobe or sandstone blocks anymore. The faux-mission look will be achieved with modern building methods, styrofoam panels and spray foam. Good for earthquake country, but highly perishable. Those buildings are constantly having to have their exteriors remodeled.
So… are we just going to ignore what the “Spanish” style of architecture represents in this particular part of the world? It is the architectural style of the Spanish barbarian hordes that invaded California to pillage, rape, enslave, and murder the residents. The genocide of native Californians was not some unfortunate historical blip. That is specifically what the Catholic Mission system was created to achieve, to kill or subjugate the people here.
If someone wants to build in that style, fine, but I don’t think the city should play the role of HOA Design Review Board, making sure everyone is the correct shade of beige and has the requisite bougainvilleas.
@Rolaids. Your comment about bougainvilleas made me think. Concord has a lot of gardeners and some nice parks. But some are overlooked–such as Markham Arboretum. It needs more appreciation. It is a hidden gem. Concord could also do more to identify and promote outdoor oriented enterprises and garden oriented businesses.
Re: the missions being aimed at genocide, that’s totally false historically, but you know, other than that you have a point! Genocide isn’t just a generic term for exploitation or conquest or invasion. And it doesn’t apply to the colonization of Native Californians until the Americans showed up. If you want to play the cancel game, take a look at the football team’s name from SF… Have a glance at Wikipedia on the California genocide, and then read about the mission system before it was secularized. Not to whitewash the evils of the Spanish colonization, but Native Californians were much, much better off under the Padres than the 49ers, to put it in terms of sports names!
For anyone who thinks Spanish- Influenced means Mexico themed…
Educate yourself please.
Spanish architecture refers to architecture in any area of what is now Spain, and by Spanish architects worldwide. The term includes buildings which were constructed within the current borders of Spain prior to its existence as a nation, when the land was called Iberia, Hispania, Al-Andalus or was divided between several Christian kingdoms. Drawing from many different sources, Spanish architecture demonstrates great historical and geographical diversity.[1] Spanish architecture tended to develop along similar lines as other architectural styles around the Mediterranean and from Northern Europe.
Amazing what a little google search can do.
Point taken. I am one of the idiots that knowingly tried to conflate Spanish with California Mission architecture. But still… is there a downtown in Israel somewhere that is trying to go all-German architecture?
Rolaids, that is an absurd comparison, especially since the mission system was much less destructive to Native Californians than the gold rush and the American takeover.
I would suggest that a unified architecture scheme tends to bring cohesion to a downtown area, and most of Downtown Concord, especially around Todos Santos Plaza, already is dominated by a Spanish-influenced theme. I definitely prefer that to the look of Downtown Walnut Creek, more particularly Broadway Plaza.
Many communities are adopting core downtown architectural standards. Most of the costs of the development will be borne by developers regardless of the style used. I believe design review is currently required anyway, so it should not increase the cost to Concord citizens to specify the style developers should use.
Just my two cents.
I agree 🙂 It’s a good idea and will beautify the city over time. There’s something so charming about the classic Spanish style .. and the beautiful plants and trees that go along with it. This is a good move for the city
If we assume the Spanishfication of Concord and highlighting the contributions of the Spaniards is appropriate, and the Spaniards are the ones that
hired, financed, and supported Columbus, logic would say that honoring Columbus would indeed be appropriate.
Opps!!! Looks like those statutes were already taken down.
Once again The Double Standard is the exemplification of Liberal Lunacy.
.
Zebra-striped donkeys will be permitted?
What about Donkey shows?
Since the Spanish invaded California, killed and enslaved indigenous peoples, damaged the environment, etc… shouldn’t we be abandoning these relics and symbols of oppression and embrace a more WOKE Architecture? (said with tongue-in-cheek).
Exactly! Board up the windows and doors with plywood. Spray paint it with woke slogans. Add temporary chain link fences. Erect statues to junkies and bums. Place litter and char marks on the sidewalks.
About as woke as I can think of.
Are the going to put corrugated tin roofs on the buildings like T.J.
Just back from a brain jarring drive on Willow Pass to Hwy 4. FIX OUR ROADS!!!
Will each of the buildings end up with a bronze plaque with all names of those on city council ? ?
Bingo. I still get a little bile welling up every time I walk past that plaque in Todos Santos under Salvio Pacheco’s statue with their names on it. Like in a hundred years kids on school field trips are going to go there and make crayon rubbings? Who do these people think they are?
So, more 3′-4′ thick plastered adobe brick walls, then?
So, Sprit Poles and a statue of Columbus!!! At least should be able to find some used statues cheep.
Will there be walls with pretty, colorful bottles embedded into the top of the walls & then broken so that jagged glass is left pointing upwards to keep thieves from climbing over?
That is so cool!
Scares me just to look at it!
Designs developed in 2014. I believe 2014 was a very different time, no epidemic back then. Time for government to be AGILE and understand what it means. Just because the guidelines were developed in 2014, don’t you think it would be better to change direction and get your citizens through COVID-19, ensure the money you currently have is used for the improvement of all citizens of Concord, i.e. roads and other infrastructure, COVID-19 testing, assistance to schools in getting kids back safely?
Learn to be AGILE and change direction when the economy and issues of the day do not warrant this kind of spending nonsense.
No wonder people do not trust government leaders. Concord City Council is definitely daft at making decisions.
Do you understand what design guidelines are? It’s so that businesses within that zone have a guideline for how they are to build. Or would you like it if the whole downtown looked gaudy and out of place like Gessinee’s bridal? There needs to be standards so there is a nice cohesive look as things go forward. The city is not remodeling the downtown area.
Actually I like the theme of Spanish/Mission architecture idea, for the downtown.
Has anybody seen the Salvio Pacheco adobe on Pacheco St? I’m not sure it fits the desired theme, but it’s gorgeous inside and out and it’s real. I remember it as a restaurant which was the perfect tenant for the bldg. The City leased it for a while and the last I saw, it was occupied by a credit union. It’s owned by a firm in S. CA.
I hope the City learned its lesson with the B of A complex. The City was so anxious it agreed with everything B of A wanted even fast-tracked the project. The City condemned 4 blocks of downtown, moved everybody out, and the complex was built in record time. There were a lot of complaints from the citizenry over the plain, nondescript architecture. Then B of A moved out, leaving us with those hideous structures.
Mexican architecture is Spanish influenced. Concord was founded decades after Mexico gained independence from Spain, and broke up the Mission system. There are unquestionably various cultural cues from the Roman Empire, the Muslim Conquest of Spain, as well as Mesoamerican influences, which are present in Californian “Spanish influenced” architecture. Furthermore, the style guide allows for modern interpretations of Spanish-influenced, early-California architecture. This means that Spanish-influenced architecture can be filtered and updated through the lens of other cultures, to a certain extent.
Those “themed” towns look like Disneyland escapees.
Maybe Lennar should have had designs with Spanish tiles and we’d have some jobs and construction and tax revenue out there instead of trash and tumbleweeds.
How about they do something that will benefit the people of Concord now and show some courage and let businesses open up. It would be nice if people’s businesses weren’t failing because they can’t open up. Let’s get people back to work and back to our lives. All fluff stuff can be done later, let’s do something important.
When did Concord turn into some kind of HOA that dictates architectural style? I, for one, detest the look of these housing developments that have sprawled all over California that all have red tile roofs and beige stucco exteriors. It’s ugly and boring. Dictating things like this impedes progress and creativity and will look out dated in a few years. This city council seems thoughtless.