City Government

OP-ED: New Oakland Business Ventures Mean New Opportunities

Published

10 years ago

July 16, 2014

Some new and diverse businesses are coming to Oakland to create jobs and strengthen our economy. First up Sears sold the former Capwell building at 20^th & Broadway to Lane partners, a Menlo Park real estate development company for $25 million.

The 85-year-old building will close by the end of the summer and will reopen with offices and retail to attract high-tech tenants.

This is a great transformation for a department store that has struggled since the 1989 earthquake. Even though it means losing the last major retail in downtown, a higher and better use of the building is for office, retail and to attract new businesses.

Historic Sears Building in Downtown Oakland

Gov. Jerry Brown abolished redevelopment agencies in California. The state law required all cities to liquidate their real estate holdings as they close their agencies.

The state gave the city permission to sell many real estate holdings. Some of the first will be right in the downtown area with the parking garage at 21st and Telegraph, the undeveloped park across from the Fox in the uptown apartments, and the parking lot at 20th and Telegraph.

Look for spirited bidding for these prime properties, transforming from underused city properties to businesses and jobs in the uptown area.

The world-famous San Francisco Fairmont hotel chain purchased the Claremont Hotel. The Fairmont parent, FRHI Hotels, based in Toronto, specializes in worldwide hotels. The primary investor is a Saudi Arabian prince and the country of QATAR. The other 50 percent owner is SF mega-investor and husband of Sen. Feinstein Richard Blum.

The Claremont sold for $155 million and includes the 279-room hotel, 22 acres of Oakland/Berkeley hills, a 1,500-member tennis club, along with a spa. The price of $550,000 per room is a premium sale for hotels in this area.

Many speculate the owners will develop some of the 22 acres on the property for housing/resort uses. This will mean more jobs, increase property taxes, property and sales taxes more visitors through the Oakland airport and literally the revitalization of an economic engine for Oakland.

Councilwoman Lynette McElhaney is on a mission to recruit more tech companies to Oakland. She is attempting to lure startups from the Silicon Valley and San Francisco to relocate and prosper in Oakland.

She points out Oakland can offer lower commercial rents, more available housing, more open spaces, public transportation, and a ready, willing and able workforce with and great diversity and neighborhoods.

With the councilwoman pushing the city to become more aggressive in recruiting new businesses, the benefits become quickly apparent with new jobs, residents, higher property values, taxes, all for better service.

Meanwhile, in Jack London Square, Ellis Partners proposed to build two new residential buildings, consisting of 17 stories at the base of Broadway and Embarcadero on the surface parking lot across from the old Barnes & Noble building and 26 stories at the corner of Harrison and Alice, for a combined total of 665 units.

Each building will also have ground-floor retail to add to the neighborhood amenities in Jack London Square.

Ellis partners have been entitled to develop Jack London Square since 2008. Their initial ideas of creating a retail farmers produce market and other ideas have fallen by the wayside.

They have now want to build housing and increase the density in Jack London Square.

Finally, the owners of Bocanova, the wildly successful South American Jack London Square hotspot, is opening a new venture called Jack’s Oyster Bar and Fish House located at 336 Water St.,

Team Bocanova bought to life the southern end of Jack London Square, they will do the same at the northern end.

More jobs, economic activity, and resident vibrancy will bring JL Square alive, create more revenues and make it a destination area that all Oakland citizens can enjoy.

Clinton Killian

Clinton Killian is an attorney at downtown Oakland law firm Fried & Williams LLP and is former public official. He can be reached at ckillian@postnewsgroup.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.