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higher tower element with storefront essentially on all four sides and that visibility is not <br /> necessarily a factor with the design as it is a stand-alone retail. <br /> Mr. Inderbitzen offered one specific comment regarding the retail plaza area. He <br /> indicated that he hears Commissioner Blank's concern about somebody going to sit out <br /> there and drink coffee, and his response to that is to drive by Peet's Coffee at the corner <br /> of Hopyard Road and Valley Avenue where people are not loathed to sit out and drink <br /> coffee while cars are going by. He noted that this could not be any worse as it is a <br /> much bigger plaza and much more protected, even though it is on the corner. He <br /> added that there is a right-turn opportunity there which opens up the plaza area, and <br /> they have separated the retail buildings so people can pass through there, making it <br /> much more useful and much more of an opportunity to activate that retail area and <br /> make it much more inviting. <br /> Commissioner Blank stated that he was not suggesting eliminating it bL.t finding some <br /> way to make it more curvy and envelop it more without losing the plaza. <br /> Mr. Inderbitzen replied that Hacienda Business Park is very proprietary about corner <br /> treatments. He stated that they spent a lot of time with James Paxson discussing <br /> eliminating that wall to make the plaza bigger, and the answer was no. He added that <br /> had to spend a lot of time with the landscape architect and the architec; designing that <br /> wall into the plaza so that it was more integrated. <br /> Commissioner Blank inquired if there is any way to integrate the plaza better with the <br /> retail buildings such as making it more curvy around the corner. He noted that people <br /> will naturally drift in and out of the retail. <br /> Mr. Inderbitzen replied that they can work on that as there is quite a bit of room there. <br /> He pointed out that even though it is roughly only 7,400 square feet of retail, it is very <br /> important to the project and they are committed to it. He added that it is real retail, <br /> legitimate retail that they want to be successful, attract really good tenants, make it as <br /> open and attractive as possible for people to come in there and use it. He noted that <br /> most of the retail around Hacienda Business Park turns its back on the street, and it is <br /> kind of offensive for someone driving by and not being able to see the stores in there; <br /> people will need to get into that plaza to know who the retailers are, and they do not <br /> want that scenario here. <br /> James Paxson, General Manager of Hacienda Business Park, stated that they are <br /> incredibly pleased to be working on this project with Sares Regis, and they are very <br /> excited with the high level of design and architecture for this site. He reiterated what <br /> was said earlier about how this has been integrated not only within the existing project <br /> but within the Park. He indicated that this is an outstanding project and is about <br /> three-fourths of the way through the review process, with just a couple more things that <br /> need to be done to wrap up. He added that they anticipate providing their approval to <br /> the City within the next couple of weeks. <br /> EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, October 10, 2012 Page 7 of 11 <br />