Facelift coming for long-time landmark Facelift coming for long-time landmark (January 06, 2006)

New paint, new signs first step in "retro-'50s" revamp
by Carol Bogart

For the first time in 43 years, Pleasant Plaza Shopping Center at First and Spring Streets is getting a facelift. Buildings will be painted brick red. Some of the color-coordinated signs will have exposed neon, to give the plaza a retro-'50s feel.

In front of stores, a new canopy will top the sidewalk, beneath which will hang individual signs for every store. The new look will replace what is now a mismatched hodgepodge, reminiscent of a faded era. City planners say the facelift has the unanimous support of shop owners. The Pleasanton Downtown Association likes it, too.

A woman standing at the bus stop by the Plaza said she's lived in Pleasanton since 1961 and remarked to her husband just that morning she didn't know the name of the shopping center where they take their drycleaning. With the snazzy renovation, maybe 'Pleasant Plaza' will be easier to remember.

Four years ago, the city spoke with the Plaza's owner about the possibility of tearing down the existing buildings and putting the parking in the back to provide joint parking with the Alameda Transportation Corridor which runs behind the shopping center. City Planner Jerry Iserson said the idea was scrapped when costs of the plan exceeded the plaza owners' budget. Also, he said, concerns were raised about the impact to the plaza's existing businesses like Cosmo's Barber Shop and Bob's Big Burger during the tear down/construction period.

The facelift and coordinated "retro-'50s" signs got a unanimous stamp of approval from the Planning Commission. Iserson said he is unsure when the transformation will begin.

Today, no new freestanding signs like the Pleasant Plaza sign are allowed in Pleasanton, although, by ordinance, existing "heritage" signs (those older than 50 years) can be refurbished. The Pleasant Plaza sign got a reprieve, city planners said, because its use has been "longstanding."

A sidenote: If you've ever noticed that the word 'MARKETS' is inside a football on the Cole's Markets sign, it's because the grocery was once owned by Hugh McElhenny who played football for the 49ers.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.