Cal Skate Sale to Housing Developer Pending
After 34 years in business, the family that owns Cal Skate of Milpitas is in the process of striking a deal with developer Robson Homes.
Roller-skating rinks are going the way of the dinosaurs, and the Bay Area could soon lose one of its last. Cal Skate of Milpitas is in the process of selling its family-owned roller rink and vacating 2-acre site for a housing development that will total five acres.
Plans for the project have been OK'd by the Milpitas Planning Commission and will go before the City Council for approval on Mar. 15.
But until there is a closing date, it’s still business as usual at the rink, said co-owner Chris St. Germain. "Yes, we are in contract. No, we are not closed."
St. Germain's father started the business more than three decades ago, and when he retired, she and her brother, Trace, took over. After keeping the roller rink open every day of the year, except July 4 and Thanksgiving, they decided selling was in the best interest of the family.
But for the St. Germains, it is not easy to leave Milpitas after 34 years. "We are working closely with family to make sure we handle it with grace," she said.
The housing project, according to the city staff report, would add 83 new, three-story, detached townhomes on the 5-acre site that includes Cal Skate and a lumber yard. It's next to the Calaveras Boulevard on-ramp to Interstate 680.
At the planning commission meeting on Feb. 23, developer Mark Robson of Robson Homes said, “We are new to Milpitas and are excited about this project. We have been building homes in Silicon Valley for 21 years.”
The timeline will ultimately depend on the developer, once the project clears the council and passes a 30-day period in which the public can try to get the decision appealed. St. Germain estimates it could be six months to a year.
But until the deal is done, things haven't changed at Cal Skate of Milpitas.
“We have lots of local school fundraisers and class skating parties," co-owner Trace St. Germain said. "We're so busy now, we're booked through June.”
Some skating enthusiasts are already planning ahead.
At the planning meeting, they brought up salvaging the flooring and moving the rink elsewhere in Milpitas under new ownership.
Chris St. Germain said she is supportive of helping others open new skating rinks and can consult based on her experience in the family entertainment business.
"They are never competitors," she said of other skating rinks. "There are enough customers to go around."
David
8:37 am on Friday, March 4, 2011
I've lived here in Milpitas for almost 40 years and have spent so much time at Cal Skate. Seeing it face its demise reminds me of the lyrics from a song by The Kinks - Come Dancing.
"The day they knocked down the palais
Part of my childhood died, just died."
David Kowalzik (Milpitas High; Class of 86)
Norm
8:48 am on Friday, March 4, 2011
This is too bad - Cal Skate is kind of a Milpitas institution. I wonder if the owners considered selling to someone who would continue the business? Perhaps the developers made them "an offer they couldn't refuse".
Caroline
11:28 am on Friday, March 4, 2011
It breaks my heart to see this rink go!
Ryan Tubongbanua
11:38 am on Friday, March 4, 2011
Its unfortunate to see Cal Skate go! I remember all the field trips in elementary school that we took to go there.
Hopefully someone would salvage the floor and open up another rink with a different angle on the business. Let's make skating the hip thing to do again.
Frank De Smidt
2:25 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011
Your thoughts and sentiments are most helpful. If more skaters and their supporters worked together with business community for a new Milpitas rink it would be simply terrific!
Suzan Hagen
4:30 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011
I have many foud memories of Cal Skate. I was a patron first then an employee. All night skates were the best,
Mark Wong
4:39 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011
It's sad to see CalSkate go, but I know the developer Mark Robson and his company. They built my parents home and they have an extremely high standard of workmanship. It will be a nice development.
Norm
10:30 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011
You're joking, right? These 83 "high quality" townhouses will replace a recreational facility that is increasingly hard-to-find and gives pleasure to thousands of customers.
Mark Wong
3:35 pm on Sunday, March 6, 2011
I wish I had the money to buy CalSkate and keep it going, but alas I don't. The family that owns it did a great job for the community all these years. If they have to sell it then they have to do what they have to do. I like to look on the bright side, it could be worse...
xiaolin
7:59 am on Sunday, March 6, 2011
Milpitas kids will be very sad, they have to say BYE BYE to Cal Skate.
Rick Taylor
10:20 am on Monday, March 7, 2011
I learned how to skate in Detroit and I brought my style here to Cal Skate in 1985. I've been skating there, faithfully, ever since. Trace and Chris and the rest of the employees have been great over the years and I am very happy for them.
I guess that my rollerskating Sundays are just about done now. Citrus Heights, once a month, is all that will be left to fill my need for speed!
WOOD FLOORS RULE!
Slick
Norm
10:43 am on Monday, March 7, 2011
That would be cool if they could reopen the facility somewhere else in town. There seems to be plenty of vacant space in Milpitas. Plus a wooden skating rink could bring people from far away to Milpitas and continue this unique venue.
Frank De Smidt
5:08 pm on Monday, March 7, 2011
Are there any entrepreneurs and investors out there, who would be interested in helping relocate Cal Skate's facilities to a new Milpitas site? There are lots and lots of eager customers to support such a venture! Go for it!
Robert Jung
9:15 am on Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Sure, I'm willing to listen if someone can come up with a proposal... send me an email: rob@rjlcpartners.com.
Denise Delgado
10:46 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011
Uh aren't there enough people in Milpitas as it is. Building these 83 Townhouse will only add to more chaos, more people, more traffic for all the Milpitians that have lived there for over 40 years. What a tragedy to lose Cal Skate a place where kids are able to be kids and be able to stay off the streets and even the adults can still live as they are teen agers.
Tata Cal Skate
Denise Delgado Milpitian's for 35 plus year.
Norm
11:54 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011
Unfortunately in this case, money talks. Hopefully they can relocate Cal Skate elsewhere in town w/new owners.
Suzan Hagen
2:10 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
What about the old Mervyn's site. That would make a nice skating facility with more than enough parking.
Frank De Smidt
4:20 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
A skating rink needs a wide open area for the floor absent of any structural pillars to block the
skaters. There are some large buildings in Milpitas that can accommodate this type of use. The old Mervyn's building is more than twice as large as Cal Skate and might not be suitable.
Agathian
8:36 pm on Sunday, March 13, 2011
It is heart breaking and this will kill hundreds of kids and parents skating aspiration. Milpitas will loose this pride of having skating hereafter. Milpitas City council, please provide community with this facility.
Agathian
E Chan
10:49 pm on Sunday, March 13, 2011
Hearing @ City Hall March 15, 7 pm. I plan to go.
One of the many skaters' mom
Mahesh
12:39 am on Monday, March 14, 2011
This is really bad news for the kids. My both son's go to Calskate and they were disappointed when they heard about this development. During the weekends & vacation time, I have seen 100's of kids coming to Cal-skate and everyone enjoy skating there. With this facility going away the kids from Milpitas and surrounding areas like Fremont, Sunnyvale, San Jose will have no place for the indoor skating.
Request to the Milpitas City Council to please do something to retain this facility.
Rodney
9:16 pm on Tuesday, March 15, 2011
WOW!!!!!! This is a very sad day for milpitas when cal skate closes. It is a great outlet for kids as well as ,adults to get some great exercise especially the kids who sit for hours in front of the tv playing video games.
Frank De Smidt
3:59 pm on Wednesday, March 16, 2011
There were lots of good comments at the March 15 City Council Public Hearing for the Robson Homes project and for the potential of having a new skating rink in Milpitas. The St. Germain's are willing to help. And others are too. Investors and entrepreneurs are are wanted. What are you willing to do?
sk8r from way back
2:43 pm on Monday, March 28, 2011
I"ve been going to Cal-Skate for over 20 years, Sunday night adult skate. Yes, we need another rink in Milpitas to keep so many of us on the nice wood floor! Great Adult skaters out there, we need a place to go. I hope somebody opens a new place up in Milpitas. I'll be there!
Michelle R.
4:44 pm on Sunday, April 10, 2011
My family and I are relatively new to skating, a bit over a year now. And our hearts are truly broken over this devastating news. San Ramon and san jose just can't hold a candle to Calskate milpitas! We have been skating 2-3 night a week there and the reality is starting to set in that it won't be there anymore. We have made so many good friends, and it is a place to get a great workout as well! With all of the push for our children to get up and get active, I really hope there is way to open a new rink in the area. I think that skating can come alive again with all it has to offer!!!! Get rolling everybody!!!
smantha
9:46 pm on Monday, April 11, 2011
With the housing crisis there is plenty of properties to live in without building yet another eye sore development. What is our new mayor thinking - we need places for our kids to exercise and socialize; not yet another under water housing development to bring down home values in the area and lead to more traffic accidents in an already congested area. What happened to a reasonable city council?
Ganesh Rama
9:30 pm on Thursday, April 21, 2011
It is really sad to see Cal Skate go. I hope an entrepreneur will step-in and relocate it. There is such a ready customer base. What new businesses have this luxury? We will be there for sure!!
McMasser
7:46 pm on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Why? Developers? Why vote yes to those developers? The city of Milpitas must have “old" community members who do not know how to skate or never have SKATED before. @ Cal Skate there is so much diversity; young/old, disable, friendliness, kind, caring, safe and clean environment. This travesty will also affect the wild life in the area. Good luck Milpitas and SKATERs keep rolling!