Wondering about a "New" Old Oakland Address (houses, neighborhood)

[mightyj]

I am planning to look at a place in what I have been told is old Oakland. The address is: 8th Street at Martin Luther King Blvd. I am curious if anyone knows that area and can let me know how it is. I'm mainly looking for pluses and minuses. I have found some links related to the area: http://oldoaklandneighbors.blogspot.com and http://www.yelp.com/biz/old-oakland-oakland?dfp_ex=1 Anyhow any info or suggestions will be of great help. Thanks!

[mayorhaggar]

It's a decent area but I dunno if I'd want to live around there. It's near Preservation Park which is really cool, and it's near the Trappist bar which is on 8th, and there's some other cool bars and restaurants right around the Trappist, mainly on Washington--lots of really cool architecture, and Ratto's is a decent old-school deli. But there's other blocks around there that are just really seedy looking and look like they must have homeless shelters or halfway houses on them because there's a bunch of homeless-looking people lounging around.

[jade408]

MLK is definitely the last block you'd like to live on for sure. That particular section is a little odd. There isn't much happening on that block. Quiet, limited foot traffic since the adjacent items are day time only. It is also right on the freeway. There is a random new complex and older victorians.

I know loads of people who live at 9th and Clay which is a few blocks from there. They love it. That block is also far more lively than 8th in that portion. Not sure if I'd live at 8th and MLK, but the area is generally pretty good. Ninth is hopping most evenings, and more and more businesses are starting to open 7 days a week. It isn't quite a 7-day a week neighborhood yet. I haven't heard about any long term plans for that block, so you'd be in a bit of a dead zone.