Car-Free Development Proposal Seeks Supporters

At Quarry Village, there will only be 70 parking spaces for the 1,000 homes. The development will be centered around a 2.1-mile bus transit link that connects the village to the Hayward BART (a six-minute ride) and California State University, Hayward.

The Hayward city manager is skeptical of the plan: "There's no way the public is going to endorse 1,000 units in that area," Armas said. "But the biggest thing is that there's no evidence that the market will support it."

The proposal comes from CSUEB political science professor Sherman Lewis. In 2002, he led a successful effort to eliminate a plan for a highway through the land on which the proposed development would be built.

Lewis' organization, The Hayward Area Planning Association, is currently attempting to demonstrate enough of a market to arrange the purchase of the site land from Caltrans when it becomes available in 2008 or 2009.

"Without developer support, Lewis is banking on getting enough people committed to his project so he can build up a purchasing power that gives the plans leverage.

His proposed homes would average 1,250 square feet, with 48 studios, 108 one bedrooms, 198 two bedrooms, 294 three bedrooms, 204 four bedrooms and 148 six bedrooms -- enough units to justify frequent transit, a small grocery store and other services."

Thanks to Colin Leath