Upland council favors five‑story, packing‑house design for downtown parking structure and directs staff to finalize plans

Upland’s City Council on Thursday reviewed final schematic options for a proposed downtown parking structure and gave staff direction to move the project into final design, favoring a five‑story, mixed‑use structure with a packing‑house façade and ground‑floor retail.

The council heard from WATRI Design and Development Services Director Robert Dahlquist at the special workshop. WATRI principal Michael Pendergrass presented two layouts: an all‑parking facility and a mixed‑use option that includes about 10,000 square feet of commercial space along 1st Avenue. Pendergrass said a four‑level garage would provide roughly 300 parking spaces while a five‑level option would provide about 400 — a difference of about 100 spaces. “The 4‑level structure we’re just under $20,000,000,” he said, “and the 5‑level is a little bit more at $22,000,000,” noting cost per stall falls from about $62,000 to $54,000 with the additional level.

Why it matters: Council members framed the workshop as a vision and entitlement step toward downtown revitalization. Councilmembers and staff said the garage could enable denser, mixed‑use development by consolidating surface lots and freeing up land for housing or retail. Staff also noted the site sits within the 1st Avenue Overlay District (55‑foot maximum) across an alleyway from Old Town (30‑foot maximum), and that the fifth floor would be roughly even with the adjacent office building’s parapet.

Design and operations: Designers walked the council through circulation, accessibility and safety features. The structure’s primary vehicle entry and exit would be on 1st Avenue; stair and elevator cores are placed to funnel pedestrians to downtown retail and to the alley. Designers said EV charging locations have not yet been finalized and that there are multiple strategies for siting chargers; one resident urged robust rooftop solar and more chargers than the state minimum. “Why do the minimum? Isn’t the minimum for losers?” resident Bridal Taylor asked during public comment, urging the council to cover the top of the garage with solar panels and to seek public and private funding partners.

Aesthetic choices: The planning commission and several councilmembers signaled a preference for a "packing‑house" façade that uses brick cladding and corrugated metal rather than an Art Deco or Spanish style. WATRI’s assistant project manager Meghana Probune said the packing‑house option is simpler, uses fewer decorative elements and is less expensive than the Spanish option while providing material variation and storefront rhythm at the street edge.

Funding and timeline: Staff emphasized the project remains an unfunded vision beyond a $1.6 million SBCTA allocation. Dahlquist said staff will ask SBCTA for a one‑year extension on the allocation and seek roughly $500,000 to produce construction documents so the project will be shovel‑ready when additional capital funding is identified. He said the transit committee meets in October and will make a recommendation to the SBCTA board. Staff also noted entitlements and environmental review steps remain; depending on tiering and the downtown specific plan, the city may be able to use an addendum rather than a standalone CEQA document.

Council direction and next steps: After questions about massing, lighting, bicycle parking and storefront security, the council indicated it did not require a formal motion and provided direction to proceed with final design emphasizing packing‑house materials, a five‑story massing, ground‑floor retail, added bicycle racks and careful lighting and bench design to reduce potential homelessness impacts. “Just direction. We’ve all agreed,” the mayor said, and staff confirmed they will proceed to the next phase of design and prepare entitlement exhibits for forthcoming council review.

The council adjourned the special meeting to the next regularly scheduled meeting at 5:00 p.m.