Public Comments on 3445 Altura Ave. Sale

At the community meeting regarding the potential sale of 3445 Altura Ave. (a former GWP electrical substation), everyone who spoke with Patch was for the sale, claiming new residences on the lot would be an improvement from its dormant status. However, there were some reservations about the lot being overbuilt and sold with a hazardous lead-containing wall.

City planner Laura Stotler said the presence of protected oak trees on the property would likely hinder plans by future owners to alter the property.

"If [the city is] selling that as-is, then you're leaving the residents behind on their own and now they have to fight the new owners," said Lyndon Ong Yiu who lives on nearby Prospect Avenue. He noted industrial features such as barbed wire that will have to be removed to comply with residential zoning regulations. "They need to clear up all the hazards that are there and then sell it.

"We don't want the city to just sell it and sell the hazards that go with it," said Ong Yiu. He and other meeting attendees mentioned a wall surrounding the property containing lead paint.

"It's not a problem if it sits on the wall, but it is a problem when you disburse it in the air because now you're endangering the people around you," Ong Yiu said.

"It's going to look better and if they put two houses on the property, it's going to bring properties up in value and make the whole neighborhood much better," said neighbor Jana Dusek.

"I'm for it because [the property] is just sitting empty right now," said Ong Yiu. "I'm all for selling it, building it, developing it—at least get that vacant lot occupied."

Bill Mahoney had "no problem with [the property sale] the way they described it.

"I'm greatly relieved that it's not going to become 10 condos on the lot," said Mahoney.

"We need to make sure it's not overbuilt, not over-subdivided, which they already said it's not going to be," Ong Yiu noted the need to prevent "huge mansions, tall buildings" that would look out of place in the neighborhood.

"The property doesn't look really good right now, and I'm happy that the electric plant is gone," said Dusek.

"I'm pleased it's not going to be more than two, maybe three residences," said Mahoney.

"[The sale] will help the property value because you no longer have the vacant lot there," said Ong Yiu. "It's nice to see it add more housing to the neighborhood."

"While they're working on it will be a little noisy, but that will be the only negative I can see there," said Dusek.