The good ship El Dorado 55 is no more, having been dismantled this week as tables, chairs, barrels and fake grass were removed from Post Street in downtown San Jose to prepare for the return of cars. How’s that for a bummer way to start 2022?
The “ship” — complete with plank siding, masts and strung lights — provided outdoor seating for the cocktail lounge 55 South and was the most visible example of how Post’s narrow one-way section between First Street and Lightston Alley had been transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The section was closed in summer 2020, providing outdoor space for restaurants like Don Pedro’s and the Cream ice cream and cookies shop, but it really took off after Post Street bars like 55 South, Mac’s Club and Splash were allowed to reopen.
Michael Lomio, a senior policy aide for City Council member Pam Foley, set off a Twitter firestorm when he posted Monday about the reopening. A couple of dozen people replied decrying the city’s move, calling it “embarrassing,” “horrible,” and a “huge mistake.” Some considered it an affront to the city’s LGBTQ community because the stretch was rebranded as the QMunity District in 2020 as a gay-friendly downtown area.
Eric Nielsen, an owner of 55 South, told me he was “disappointed, but hopeful for the future.” The El Dorado patio, which was originally built in September 2020 and then extended and improved in February 2021, was broken down and the wood was hauled away Monday.
Assemblyman Ash Kalra, a former San Jose City Council member, also questioned the move in his own tweet, saying “Why?! This is probably the most logical place to make car free forever.”
And he’s right, so what happened?
Last month, the City Council approved extending the “Al Fresco” street closings for both San Pedro Street downtown and Coronado Avenue in South San Jose, but Post Street was removed from that list. In addition to bars and eateries, Post Street is home to a few other merchants like jewelry stores and a dry cleaners that operate during daytime hours and some objected to keeping the street closed.
Blage Zelalich, the city’s acting deputy director for business development, economic development and cultural affairs, explained that there was not “general agreement among the stakeholders” on Post Street to the city council at the Dec. 7 meeting when it approved the other extensions to the Al Fresco program.
“But everybody is committed to a conversation about potentially a hybrid street closure on Post Street,” she said. “Maybe something on the weekends.”
The city shouldn’t ignore merchants whose business may be hurt by the street being closed to cars, but this is a scenario where a solution needs to be found. Post Street flourished as a pedestrian mall in ways it hadn’t in decades, and that’s saying something for a block that was known as the city’s “red light” district when it was El Dorado Street.
The city needs to work with the merchants who aren’t on board and figure out how to accommodate their needs in order to get cars off Post Street and bring the El Dorado back from the scrap heap.
NEW YEAR, NEW MUSIC: The Christmas season might be over, but Blinky’s Illuminated Holiday at Lake Cunningham Park is still ringing in the New Year with a final weekend Jan. 7-9. The music-synchronized light show, operated by Christmas in the Park, has switched up the soundtrack from Christmas tunes to one featuring artists like AC/DC, Metallica, TobyMac and more. Tickets are available at www.christmasinthepark.com.
HELP IN SIGHT: Lions Clubs are well known for their work to help the visually impaired, and some Lions from the San Jose region need help this weekend to do just that. The clubs receive thousands of donated eyeglasses and will be sorting them for shipment on Jan. 8 at the Vista Center for the Blind on Bascom Avenue.
Only about 40 of the 70 people needed to complete the task have signed up, so the public is being asked for its help. If you’re interested, there are two shifts available from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Of course, everyone will be masked up and doing what they need to for protection from COVID-19 transmission. If you can help out, email Gayle Kludt at kludtgayle1@outlook.com.
Source: www.mercurynews.com