February 06, 2004

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Publication Date: Friday, February 06, 2004

City names consultant for Bernal design competition

The City Council on Tuesday authorized hiring William H. Liskamm of San Rafael to run the design competition for the Bernal property, which the council OK'd at its meeting Dec. 2. Liskamm has been a professional advisor for 50 competitions for large land areas and open space projects across the United States.

"I've been to the site and it's just amazing," said Liskamm. "You have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's so accessible, it's a contiguous piece of land ... right in the heart of town."

Professional and amateur designers will supplement the extensive public input that has already taken place, and they are directed to include the two baseball fields as developed in the park's master plan. After the design is chosen and approved by the council, it will go to a public vote.

Liskamm was chosen for his experience, his proximity and the cost of his proposed contract at $25,000. The other proposal being considered was $40,000-$45,000. Cash awards to design finalists are estimated at $42,500.

"I've done a lot of these and they're very exciting," said Liskamm.

Mayor Tom Pico pointed out to him that plans are to include part of the community sports park already planned on the site.

"That's not unusual," said Liskamm. "There are always constraints, (perhaps due to) ownership, or groundwater." He said that the five designers chosen will build models and receive comments for changes from those judging the competition. "Most want a relationship with the city, and when the exhibit opens, the buy-in is terrific," he said.

Councilwoman Jennifer Hosterman was the only vote against hiring the consultant, saying she would have supported the design competition three years ago, but feels at this point the process already has been done. She was absent from the Dec. 2 council meeting due to a family emergency so this was the first time she was able to address the issue of the design competition.

"We are holding up expanding fields in Pleasanton," she said. "I'd rather spend this money on those sports fields." Hosterman was the head of the Bernal Task Force that planned to accommodate 20 of the city's priority projects on the 318 city-owned acres, while another task force planned 45 of the acres for the sports fields.

"All the things these public workshops have produced are not mutually exclusive from what we're about to embark on," said Liskamm. "Now some designers are going to give physical form to them."

"We have two plans that went parallel," said Councilman Steve Brozosky, who also served on the task force. "This allows us to take them and merge them."

Cindy McGovern, a recently retired school board member, compared the project to replacing the Twin Towers in New York, a world famous design process now under way. "It makes me proud to be an American, proud to live in Pleasanton," she said noting her great emotions when she finally walked on the property after 20 years. She called for the community to "stop this animosity and move forward in a positive direction."

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