Tuesday 05/27/2025
For the writers group the weekly cue was “Trees and me”. I wrote a little essay on the Douglas Fir. A dozen people had written about trees. Nice meeting.
Then off to FOPAL to process a few boxes of donations.
Back in time for a short nap and then the Common Areas Advisory committee. I am pleasantly surprised that staff, the CEO Rhonda and new COO Elvira, are paying very close attention to the opinions of this group of residents. Rhonda showed us tentative plans for the major upgrade she is planning in our public spaces. Basically all of the ground floor, second floor, and 11th floor would be remodeled, with the majority of the present rooms converted into other kinds of rooms. Very ambitious, I gotta say she’s not thinking small.
This is all because the Board and Rhonda agree that the only feasible way to increase revenue is to add units. There is no way to add units to the present building, ergo, they will be expanding to buildings elsewhere in Palo Alto. Where? Don’t know yet. But wherever, it means there would be a population of 20, 30, 50? new residents who would be coming in to the main building here for events and some meals. And spending time in between meals and events, maybe waiting for the shuttle to take them home? So all the common spaces need to be upgraded to “create a wow experience” is how she put it.
Today we saw some preliminary renderings and preliminary floor plans. Lots to comment on and comments were made. But we will meet again in two weeks for more comments.
Codgerville 