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Tale of Two Cities

Burlingame can learn a lot from the parallel experience of the City of St. Helena in a lengthy dispute there over a new Safeway. That experience reveals Safeway’s distinctive “M.O.” (modus operandi) for dealing with communities like ours that resist having the character of their “small town” business districts forever changed by Big Box retailers like Safeway. Thus, we now know we can expect from Safeway.

Safeway in St. Helena
Safeway in Burlingame
In 1993 Safeway proposed to replace its 21,566 sq.ft. store with a new store of 55,000 sq. ft. in downtown St. Helena.
In 1996 Safeway proposed to replace its 24,700 sq. ft. (footprint) Burlingame store with a Safeway/Walgreens MegaStore of almost 70,000 sq. ft. The Safeway store footprint was to be 50,291 sq. ft.
Safeway’s proposal received negative reactions from St. Helena officials who believed it was incompatible with the small town character of its downtown.
Safeway’s proposal received negative reactions from Burlingame officials who believed it was incompatible with the small town character of its downtown.
Safeway repeatedly insisted to St. Helena officials that it could not accept anything significantly less than what it had proposed.
Safeway insisted that it could not accept anything significantly less than what it had proposed, but let it lapse for about 3 years when it became apparent that its proposal would not be approved. But in 2001 Safeway returned with essentially the same proposal.
Safeway wooed St. Helena City Council members to elicit their support. Effort failed.
Safeway wooed Burlingame City Council members to elicit their support. Result uncertain at this point.
Safeway conducted a biased telephone survey designed to get responses favorable to Safeway. But this backfired when the St. Helena community saw through it. Safeway also ran big ads in the local newspapers, but that didn't work either.
Safeway conducted a biased telephone survey designed to get responses favorable to Safeway. But it is backfiring because the Burlingame community is seeing through it. Safeway is now running big ads in the local newspapers, but that isn't working either.
Safeway allowed its St. Helena store to deteriorate into an outdated and rundown condition.
Safeway allowed its Burlingame store to deteriorate into an outdated and rundown condition.
Safeway threatened that, rather than agree to any more compromises, it would probably leave its St. Helena store in its present unsatisfactory rundown condition.
Safeway threatened that, rather than agree to any more compromises, it would probably leave its Burlingame store in its present unsatisfactory rundown condition.
But, after years of deliberation, intense meetings, and tough compromises, Safeway’s proposal steadily decreased in size and scope -- notwithstanding its bluff and bluster tactics.
After months of Planning Commission meetings, the City requested that Safeway participate in a mediation with Citizens For A Better Burlingame. Unfortunately, the mediation ended with most of the major issues unresolved, and Safeway's proposal remains essentially the same except for improvements to the exterior of the single large building on Primrose.
In 2001 Safeway and the City of St. Helena finally agreed on a compromise that would expand its existing store to only 31,100 sq. ft. (a 44% reduction from its initial proposal) The store is now under construction, and is expected to open in February 2003. Safeway’s spokesman “found the end-result favorable to all.”
At last count, Safeway's "final" proposal reduces the total square footage of its proposed Safeway/Walgreens store from 69,147 sq. ft. in 2001 to 68,500 sq. ft. (a 1% reduction).The Citizens For Better Burlingame gave Safeway 3 alternative proposals, each of which has a Safeway store of at least 40,000 sq. ft.  – bigger than the average of Safeway's 2 newer stores in San Mateo (El Camino Real and Crystal Springs), Millbrae and Belmont. But Safeway says it cannot, will not . . . . etc. (Well . . . you know how the rest goes.)
 
LESSON: When a community cares enough to be resolute and patient -- and NOT be intimidated or worn down by Safeway -- it can get a modern Safeway that is a “good fit” with the small town character it wants to preserve.

As Safeway's vice president, David Bowlby stated: "The city of St. Helena is a community that cares very deeply about the town, and they got involved and we reached the best possible solution for everybody." So its up to us in Burlingame to show that we too care very deeply about our town -- and get involved!