Oakland Projects and Business Development (San Francisco, Walnut Creek: camp, versus, warehouses)

[jsba]

very interesting, i saw that the area was removed from the valdez plan and was very interested to know what was in the work for that site. maybe this will give the area the shot in the arm i needs.

[18Montclair]

What an interesting project. Thanks for the info jade408

[jade408]

More details from the Transbay Blog:
A hole in the Broadway-Valdez plan? « Transbay Blog

I haven't had a chance to read the EIR, but it sounds like it is pretty disappointing:

The Broadway-Valdez specific plan may not yet be complete, but even this short, preliminary description betrays the possibility that the Shops at Broadway project will be in tension with (or just plain undermine) the plan’s goals that have already been articulated. Retail and restaurant space is well and good, but how would 171 parking spaces enhance the plan’s goal of promoting walking, transit, and cycling with complete streets and an attractive pedestrian realm? Would the building be constructed so as to create a continuous streetwall and retail frontage on Broadway, or would pedestrians (and bus riders waiting at the adjacent bus stop) be treated to a view of parking and forced to contend with vehicle queues entering and exiting the grocery store? And even if the building is not set back and curb cuts are confined to the rear and sides of the site, how can a single-story commercial building that occupies less than half of a large, prominent corner parcel be reconciled with the specific plan’s goal of creating a “high-density mixed use boulevard” in the northern portion of the plan area?

[jsba]

It is interesting to me because it seems the writer of that article never saw any of the renderings of the project. In my opinion to ask a company who isn't in the business of building housing to build housing into their project in this economic environment seems a bit disingenuous. if we wait for housing over retail we will be waiting a very VERY long time. There just isnt the demand to build it in that location. Forcing developers to do so will ultimately kill any plan for that area. I do like the idea, but let the developer decide if they want to take on that burden, don't force them to.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by jsba

It is interesting to me because it seems the writer of that article never saw any of the renderings of the project. In my opinion to ask a company who isn't in the business of building housing to build housing into their project in this economic environment seems a bit disingenuous. if we wait for housing over retail we will be waiting a very VERY long time. There just isnt the demand to build it in that location. Forcing developers to do so will ultimately kill any plan for that area. I do like the idea, but let the developer decide if they want to take on that burden, don't force them to.

I like the idea of housing. But even more important, I don't want development that takes the form/shape of the Grocery Outlet with a ginormous parking lot disconnecting the store from the street and creating a pedestrian unfriendly street scape.

I'd like to see something denser. Even offices on top of ground floor retail is good. But pedestrian oriented design is a must, and is what the Broadway-Valdez plan claims to advocate.

[jsba]

I agree with you jade, I would have preferred to see something larger and more ambitious. I absolutely hate that grocery outlet on Broadway i mean its just awful. Non the less i don't think this plan is horribly out of line with the valdez concept. Yes its far to short. No it doesn't have office or in my opinion even enough retail. But the whole thing is, it's a project in a project starved area that is going to have a hard time attracting the destination retail we so desperately need. A lot of the reason is because of the resurgence of the auto industry. Once empty car dealerships that would have made great store fronts are now, once again, car dealerships. the only abandon buildings are those on the eastern side of Broadway that were auto repair and paint shops. Mostly small plots that will be difficult at best to redevelop.

This isn't the optimal plan, but it is a plan. if Oakland continues to sit around and wait for the perfect plan everything will pass us by once again and we will be left with nothing. This plan, I see as an opportunity to garner interest in the area and in the project plan in the retail and development world. If that land was so great for retail and development it would have been built already, so we need something to show that the area can sustain, hold, and be a good investment to developers. This project is at least a good start.

[athleticsfan72737489]

Beauty's Bagel Shop opened at 3838 Telegraph in the Temescal. It sells Montreal-style wood-fired bagels and is very, very popular. I'm glad that it is located in lower Temescal near MacArthur Blvd.

Beauty's Bagel Shop - Oakland California - Wood Fired Bagels
Inside Scoop SF » Report from opening day at Beauty’s Bagel Shop in Oakland
Beauty's Bagel Shop, Sketch Ice Cream, Qi, More—OPEN - Monday Opening Report - Eater SF

[athleticsfan72737489]

Diesel Books will dress up as the fictional "Brokeland Records" from Michael Chabon's new book "Telegraph Avenue" this week. The book is set in North Oakland and has already been optioned by a film producer.

A Record Store Pops Up, Imitating Plot of a Book - WSJ.com

[ssmaster]

bakesale betty in uptown closed.what happened here?
there was always a line when they were open.
ike's is doing great. i even see lines at ikes while enjoying waffles and chicken at lukas on the weekends
Inside Scoop SF » Bakesale Betty closes its Uptown location

why didn't bettys work out?

[jade408]

Originally Posted by ssmaster

bakesale betty in uptown closed.what happened here?
there was always a line when they were open.
ike's is doing great. i even see lines at ikes while enjoying waffles and chicken at lukas on the weekends
Inside Scoop SF » Bakesale Betty closes its Uptown location

why didn't bettys work out?

Bakesale Betty is notoriously "lazy" for lack of a better word. They only want to do x volume and will reduce hours to hit the target. Temescal is now only open 90 minutes a day. I bet it was too much for them.