By Bruce Barton

Monique Wood of Anderson Brulé Architects interacts with residents Saturday at the master plan brainstorming session for a new civic/community center.

The first public brainstorming session to create a master plan for rebuilding Los Altos’ civic and community centers got off to a rousing start Saturday when approximately 120 residents offered a range of ideas for what should be built and how the 18-acre site should look.

Ideas included: an auditorium that could serve Bus Barn Stage Company productions among a host of performing arts events and public meetings; a rebuilt senior center that would allow for expanded programs and attract more residents; and outlets for youth activities, such as playing fields and a pool. Others included housing for seniors, a pedestrian overpass connecting to the downtown and, “since dreaming is free,” according to one resident, a clock tower.

The site, located at Hillview Avenue and San Antonio Road, currently houses city hall, the police station, the library, the senior center, playing fields and a small theater among its elements. The city’s civic/community center is marked by old, dilapidated buildings dating back to the early 1950s. As Assistant City Manager James Walgren told the group at the outset, “We’re beyond the point of not doing anything with these facilities.”

The meeting was the latest in a months-long effort to revitalize the center. A grassroots task force got the ball rolling, which has since evolved into a city-sponsored advisory committee with Walgren serving as project manager. The Los Altos City Council recently appointed Anderson Brulé Architects (ABA) of San Jose to head the master plan effort.

Residents attending Saturday’s session seemed to favor low-key structures and a “campus setting” as opposed to large, block-like structures. Pamela Anderson-Brulé of ABA asked residents indicate the architectural styles they preferred. Most sided with options titled “light-filled,” “informal courtyard” and “wood and stone” under “interior spaces” and “agrarian” under “landscape.”

Anderson-Brulé started the three-hour meeting at the Hillview Community Center multipurpose room by urging residents to think conceptually.

“We’re not defining an architectural style,” she said. “We’re defining (the center’s) character.” Later, she added, “I’d like you to stretch a little bit and think ahead – think about others as you respond to questions today.”

ABA officials noted the goal is designing a community center that will be vital for 50 years and beyond.

Anderson-Brulé and other ABA associates described the process ahead, which includes identifying general needs, establishing a “plan of service,” defining space needs, looking at facility scenarios and researching funding mechanisms.

“There are multiple ways these projects can be funded,” said ABA representative Monique Wood.

Audience feedback included some skepticism. Resident Jim Jolly noted that the population of Los Altos has stayed flat at 28,000 for more than 10 years.

“If we’re not getting a lot bigger, why are we going through this exercise?” he asked.

Resident Gerry Madea said economics is a big factor to consider in this project, and that many residents, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, may not want to pay for it. He said Los Altos residents have traditionally shunned big-budget city projects.

But another resident, a mother of young twins, noted that more and more families are moving into Los Altos and would support an improved community center.

Some residents mentioned traffic as a concern and wondered whether the new campus could minimize aboveground parking.

“My vision is to walk on to this facility and not see a car,” said Dick Thomas.

Although not discussed much at the meeting, city officials would like to see expanded city hall and police station facilities. Walgren noted that employees have crowded into every available space, and the city is not even up to full staffing levels.

Anderson-Brulé said the Saturday gathering was the first of several public meetings to solicit public input for the master plan. She encouraged residents to fill out an online survey, now available on both the city of Los Altos Web site (www.ci.los-altos.ca.us) and the Los Altos Community Center Advisory Committee Web site (www.losaltoscommunitycenter.org).

Contact Bruce Barton at bruceb@latc.com.