Bay Area

Mom and Pop Business Destroyed by Marriott Project

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.

Published

2 years ago

May 23, 2022

Oakland Post

Scaffolding at a Marriott structure in Downtown Oakland broke loose March 28, threatening the safety of pedestrians below. Photo by Craig Jones.

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.”

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.

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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

9 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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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

4 days 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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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

6 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”