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Uploaded: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 7:58 AM                                            
Updated: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8:52 AM

Chase gets OK to demolish Santa Rita shopping center for new bank
Work could start late this spring, forcing retailers, others in center to move

by Jeb Bing
Pleasanton Weekly Staff

Posted by Muirwood, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 8:17 am

Do we really need another physical bank in Pleasanton? Dont most of us do our banking on line? How long until the new bank is robbed? Seems short sighted, and hope the current business owners find a new place to do business and thrive.

Posted by Kottinger, a member of the Valley View Elementary School community, on Feb 20, 2013 at 8:45 am

I would think that banks would try to keep their physical footprint to a minimum these days. I obviously see the need for ATM's, but having multiple brick and mortar banks in a relatively small town doesn't make much sense to me.

Posted by bank on this, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 8:53 am

This is awful. Yet another brick and mortar full sized (oversized!) bank in this town. On the rare occasion I do go inside either of the banks I deal with, there are only a few people at best. The line is at the ATM machines!!

Posted by Michael, a resident of the Vineyard Avenue neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 8:59 am

Wow, banking must be good business. I guess the hedge fund investing with taxpayer money is subsidizing this. We really don't need another bank building. I do all of my banking online and use the ATMs to get cash.

Posted by Roger, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:01 am

The old Pardners Inn bar, yes?

Posted by Common Sense, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:05 am

Quit whining people! It's A BUSINESS. Business is why you live in Pleasanton, don't forget that. Without business we will be like a ghost town. FREE ENTERPRISE is what our nation was built on, GEEZ! Move to Sunol or the middle of nowhere if you want - NIMBYS.

Posted by Perplexed, a resident of the Pleasanton Meadows neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:18 am

Thanks for your opinion, but I actually live over here and am happy to see any sort of development. This shopping center is a run-down eyesore. The deli sold beer to kids all day long and many units are vacant. After dumping the planned high density housing projects up here in North(east) P'town (with no plans to add an elementary school, a library branch, or any food shopping), I wasn't sure what the long term plan might be. With the loss of Nob Hill and the addition of TWO dollar stores (one next to Gold Chopstick the other between an Ethan Allen and Golfsmith), I figured our neighborhood would just continue to degrade until we were annexed by Livermore (just kidding Livermore-ites...Livermore-ians?). Hopefully some new development might help attract other businesses to our sad little corner of paradise.

Posted by Sad, a resident of the Castlewood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:20 am

I feel like that shopping center is one of the last "old pleasanton" landmarks (if you will). It's like an old comfort from the high school days when I bought my date's boutonnière from the flower shop. I'm sad.

Posted by Jeff, a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:27 am

Another Bank?? Im all for it if you pull all of them from downtown and give us a Nightlife.

Posted by Suzie, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:30 am

once again-more small businesses being pushed out by a giant.

Posted by artlover1, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:34 am

Chase is promoting on-line banking, banking with your phone etc.

So they need a new RETAIL building because?

Pleasanton City Council- what say you? do you have the power to change this?

Posted by Ptown native, a resident of the Stoneridge neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:36 am

Be careful Sad. These new people hate when we reminisce

about our childhoods here. They think we should move along.

They have no respect for history.

Posted by mooseturd, a resident of the Pleasanton Valley neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:37 am
mooseturd is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Bank robbers of the Valley must be celebrating!! Yet another bank with easy freeway access.

Posted by Mel, a resident of the Ironwood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:38 am

Good. That place is an eyesore, and is easily passed over because of how the roads are laid out. I'm not sure we need another bank, but at least it won't be an eyesore, and it's always nice to have an ATM nearby.

Posted by Rob, a resident of the Mohr Park neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:43 am

Shopping center was old. I remember KK Komics and Kollectibles. There are better retail centers for those businesses to move to if they can afford the move.

Posted by Gloria Ramirez, a resident of the Stoneridge neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 9:55 am

GREAT IDEA, NEAR THE HOSPITAL, NEAR THE COURTHOUSE, RIGHT OFF FREEWAY.

Posted by jvillar, a resident of the Charter Oaks neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 10:20 am

I agree, this corner doesn't need a bank or brickhouse.....so sad....need small business owners...

Posted by ice cream, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 10:21 am

I would have like to see an updated smal cute shopping center where little business can thrive. It's too bad Pleasanton doesn't support the little people like we used to. Isn't it the small business that make Pleasanton who we are.? No more small town feel. Livermore is looking better and better these days.

Posted by Sam, a resident of the Oak Hill neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 10:22 am

Well, I guess we can at least be thankful that this new bank isn't going to be on Main Street.

Don't know why there need to be so many banks around, though. Personally, I hardly ever step into a bank anymore - just use ATM's and electronic bill-paying for my normal banking needs. Seems like banks should be using the revolution in electronic banking to reduce their physical footprint and decrease the number of buildings they need to maintain, but for some reason the trend seems to be the opposite.

Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 11:20 am

No one appearing at a public hearing by the planning commission seems highly suspect when business owners about to be evicted are involved. I'm wondering if that's an out and out lie - or did they hold a meeting during business hours?

It's pretty interesting that a lot of city council members and candidates are coming from the Planning Commission - yet prettymuch all of Pleasanton's decay and degredation are being caused by land-use decisions.

Posted by Bernice, a resident of the Canyon Creek neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 12:29 pm

Can't we put a foundry or smelter there? It would draw more workers into the city, and we all care so very deeply about working people and reducing the high unemployment rate.

Posted by Map, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 2:47 pm

At least bank isn't downtown, too bad planning commission and city council don't have a little more vision for needs of the residents, go ahead and bulldoze it and forget about it!! At least it's not another "learning center" (roughly translated a day care)and another massage parlor. Hate to say it but I think Livermore is pulling ahead, they seem to have a little more focus with regards to their downtown. Still wondering how they kept the old vine theater(great place) and we had to give ours up, oh that's right, the regal bought ours and closed it!!!!

Posted by Yu Sok, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 2:57 pm

TWO dollar stores in that area. Is the Planning Commission completely asleep at the switch? They can nitpick the he** out of some things, and then they let in two dollar stores? Are you kidding me? I guess the dollar store outfits heard that low cost housing is going in to Hacienda and they want to be johnny on the spot. I expect this new Chase Bank will get robbed on a regular basis. We need another bank in this town like we need another wart on our butt. We need two dollar stores like we need liver cancer.

Posted by John, a resident of the Gatewood neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 3:11 pm

Chase is running some sort of swindle. They're buying up all the retail in cities across the country and opening these branch banks. I was in New York City last week and they had a location on 3 out of 4 corners - like Starbucks. All while, as someone pointed out, they don't want us to go to the bank anymore.

Small businesses are getting squeezed, and this may be how Chase takes advantage. When things recover and towns like Pleasanton want to have a shop local economy, they'll find Chase doesn't want to play along. Support your small local businesses now!

Posted by Ptown native, a resident of the Stoneridge neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 4:02 pm

They need a do-over meeting now that the people are aware.

Posted by Small Bank Customer, a resident of the Beratlis Place neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 4:37 pm

Many residents of Pleasanton bring home a very large income. They are attracted to banks that cater to them with personal touches and individual attention. We have seen this at First Republic Bank. Instead of going to a teller, you sit across from a professionally dressed person at a desk. The annual booklet from the bank makes it very obvious who they wish to cater to. We are not in that income category, but they still treat us nicely on the once or twice a year I need to do some banking in person. The rest of the time we prefer a secure, online banking experience for its efficiency.

Posted by Map, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 5:53 pm

Forgot about those (2) dollar stores, throw in the new Walmart at the old nob hill store that nobody on that end of town couldn't live without, add a bunch of affordable housing that's getting jammed down our throats and you can see where we are heading, all we need now is a few check cashing stores and a couple more fast food outlets!! I wonder if Danville and Alamo had a gun put to their head for affordable housing??

Posted by Ptown native, a resident of the Stoneridge neighborhood, on Feb 20, 2013 at 6:07 pm

YES! Danville is startingto feel the squeeze to comply

with socialist housing. They aren't even a city! There

was a gun pointed at a jeweler/gold store owner and the

owner shot the thugs and they died in the gutter.

Posted by Old Timer, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 21, 2013 at 12:11 am

I'm glad anything new is going in there. It's and embarrassment.

I will never do anything financial online.

I thought all the compainers said banks couldn't go in downtown any more, from now on had to be someplace else, now they're bitching about being someplace else!??

At least we'll have something new there...Getting in and out is the problem, banks mean many, many, quick in and outs, so expect more

accidents at that location.

Posted by Chased Away, a resident of the Kottinger Ranch neighborhood, on Feb 21, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Chase's strategy is clearly to place a branch on every corner to build their consumer network and bring in revenue through banking fees. Now try and get a loan through them...good luck! They are building huge cash reserves and waiting for rates to rise before they began lending again. I personally refuse to bank with Chase, regardless of how convenient they try to make it by placing a branch on every corner.