New Obelisk Goes Up In Oakland's Temescal Neighborhood Despite Mixed Reviews
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- For months, it was nothing more than a drawing, a mockup of a 20-foot tall bright blue obelisk. Oakland's Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District planned to put up the obelisk to welcome people to the neighborhood.
Over the summer, KPIX 5 asked people what they thought of it and got mixed reviews.
The obelisk's biggest critic: neighborhood activist Karen Hester. "Honestly, it's tacky," Hester said.
After our story ran, the district agreed to put the project on hold. A few months later, the obelisk is here.
"It is a pleasant, welcoming beacon and that's what we want it to be," said Don Lowrey of the Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District.
Hester collected more than 200 signatures for a change.org petition opposing the obelisk. That forced the district to hold a public meeting in August. After the hullabaloo that was raised online, seven people showed up. The obelisk went up about a month ago.
"I think the public had a chance to see it and say, that's really attractive," Lowrey said.
"It almost made me cry. I was like, oh, wow. This is worse than I thought," Hester said.
But Hester said there is one silver lining. She believes the uproar that the obelisk caused will force the district to seek more public input next time.