By Tanya Dennis

Uncle Willie’s Bar-be-cue, located on 14th Street in Downtown Oakland, continues to struggle to survive the Marriott Hotel construction literally occurring in their backyard. Craig Jones, the son of owners William and Beverly Thomas, says it is a clear example of white power/privilege suppressing Black power and building of generational wealth.

“My parents bought this building in 2005 and have operated Uncle Willie’s for 16 years,” Jones said. “We have four rental units on the top of our store and, in 2017, contracted with The Kingdom Development Group to do a complete teardown and rebuild 24 units of housing, a $10 million project.

“This was my parents’ plan to pass generational wealth to me. Then, in 2018, Marriott started construction next door. We could no longer cook outside in the back because of the dust, danger and filth created by Marriott, and we lost half our tenants,” Jones said.

The Thomases went to the mayor’s office and the Oakland Planning Department seeking help, but nothing worked in their favor. The Planning Department told them to seek legal counsel.

“We’ve lost $2 million in business since Marriott encroached on our property, and all they want to offer us is $58,000, and that’s for future use of our backyard so they can finish the back side of their building. They said if we accept the money, we can’t sue them for any damages, so we didn’t sign and counter-offered for $250,000. We haven’t heard from them since, and that was in January,” said Beverly Thomas.

After Marriott completes the back side of the hotel, their last phase of construction is a four-story parking garage that will be constructed behind the Thomases’ property.

“Our backyard was where we cooked and smoked our food, and, after the pandemic, served our clients,” Jones said. “That’s impossible now, and will remain so, as the Marriott’s 18-story structure has created a wind-tunnel, which makes our property perpetually cold and has blocked out the sun.”

The Thomases have lost their tenants because of the noise and dust. The Thomases’ last remaining tenant, who asked not to be named, says her quality of life has diminished drastically, “I can’t open my windows. The shadow of their building has taken our sunlight and all my plants have died,” she said.

Further, going outside in the backyard can be dangerous. “I fear going into the backyard to perform simple daily tasks like taking out the garbage or doing laundry,” she said. “A metal bit is wedged in my window screen. If not for the screen, that metal piece would’ve broken my window,” she said. (During Jones’ interview with the Post outside his restaurant, a nail hit his shoulder.)

The Post contacted Joshua Bird, Marriott’s legal representative for comment but he declined stating he would get in touch with the Thomases directly, as “Marriott strives to be a good neighbor.” Two weeks have passed and the Thomases have not been contacted.

The Thomases’ attorney Edward Lai sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bird on May 12th and received no response. On Tuesday of this week Lai filed a formal complaint against Marriott.

William Thomas, who passed away in May 2021, died fearing Marriott was going to squeeze his family out of their property. Craig and Beverly Thomas now fear the same.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post