Oakland Projects and Business Development (San Jose, San Francisco: real estate, apartment, city hall)

[18Montclair]

Well, here goes.

I saw this on GlobeStreet and thought it was interesting:

The new community will include 264 class-A apartment homes in four six-story buildings, as well as a street-level retail component. Construction could be completed as early as mid-2011, according to a prepared statement.

Located two blocks from Oakland’s City Hall at 1307 Jefferson St., the site is one of the most visible in downtown, according to the prepared statement. Local officials have long had high hopes that the urban infill project would be a key part of the city’s ongoing revitalization.

The City of Oakland played a pivotal role in bringing the financing package together, agreeing in April to Wood Partners’ request for a $5-million loan. At that point, Wood Partners had approximately 85% of the necessary funding in place. The city loan improved the project’s debt-to-equity ratio, according to a release, which in turn allowed Wood Partners to secure the balance of funding.

“In this economic climate, assembling the right financial package can be difficult,” says Wood Partners’ Brian Pianca, who is overseeing the project. “The City of Oakland understands what City Walk means to downtown, and stepped in at a critical juncture to help us get it across the finish line.”

GlobeSt.com - City Walk Project On Track - Daily News Article

City Walk Rendering:

http://portalimageworks.com/Projects...erior_3_sm.jpg

Glad its going to be completed.

[18Montclair]

Here's a very cool trend:

And then there are self-taught, successful winemakers, like Bob Lynch. He's been monkeying around with the fruit of the vine since 1996 and now produces nearly 2,000 cases of wine a year at his Oakland-based Irish Monkey Cellars.

"I like the fact that we're connecting to people in our very, very specific community," said Lynch.
Many customers who come to Irish Monkey's tasting room are local. Some like the eco-friendly concept of not spending as much gas and drive time as it would take to visit the traditional Napa/Sonoma wineries further north. As for quality, plenty of awards speak for themselves. And the grapes, well, Bob believes they don't really care where they're crushed, fermented and aged into wine.

"I think it knows who's making it, but it doesn't know where it's being made, so it's perfectly reasonable for there to be wineries in the middle of Oakland, or any place else for that matter," said Lynch.

Urban wine industry gains popularity in the East Bay | abc7news.com

[18Montclair]

CB Richard Ellis buys Oakland City Center for $360 Million-that's a pretty penny.

Friday, June 4, 2010

[LEFT]Shorenstein Properties has tentatively agreed to sell the 1.5 million-square-foot Oakland City Center to CB Richard Ellis Investors for just under $360 million, according to real estate industry sources.
The sale, which is expected to be under contract in the next week, would immediately put CBRE Investors on the map in downtown Oakland as owner of the city’s most prominent business complex.


Read more: Shorenstein to sell Oakland City Center for $360M - San Francisco Business Times

http://wabdev.com/images/Clorox%20Building/Site%20Plan.jpg (broken link)
http://wabdev.com/images/Clorox%20Building/Site%20Plan.jpg (broken link)


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[18Montclair]

Review: Uptown's Hibiscus in full bloom

A meal last week at Oakland's Hibiscus restored my appreciation for the East Bay's thriving food culture. Just previewing its compact "Caribbean Creole" menu left me jigging around the house, giddy to sample the new-to-me flavor combinations.

Once there, the dishes surpassed their descriptions. Executive chef Sarah Kirnon artfully mixes the foods of her Barbados upbringing with California flourishes and an emphasis on exceptional seasonal produce. (Look for kumquats, favas and green garlic on the menu now.)

Right out of the gate, the starters showcase vibrant flavor combinations and spices that don't pop up enough around here. The phoulourie ($7.50), for instance, is a must-order. These split-pea fritters — traditional Caribbean street food — reminded me of South Indian fare, but Kirnon gives them a local finish with tart kumquats, flat leaf parsley and a zippy tamarind sauce.

Spicy crab and grits ($10) grabbed my attention with the creaminess of the grits and the freshness of the hand-picked Dungeness crab. Sweet carrots, spring onions and chives bring color to the all-white dish. MOD CUT

Review: Uptown's Hibiscus in full bloom - San Jose Mercury News

Hibiscus
http://www.ccdsf.com/images/trendwatch/blog/03-10/hibiscus2.jpg (broken link)
http://www.ccdsf.com/images/trendwatch/blog/03-10/hibiscus2.jpg (broken link)

Hibiscus xx Oakland

Looks like another feather in our cap.

[18Montclair]

Vessel Gallery Joins Oakland's Thriving Arts Scene

Lee is among the growing number of dealers providing exhibition venues for the city's exploding population of artists. Her gallery is just the latest among those dotting the area between 23rd and 26th streets at Telegraph Avenue and Broadway injecting life into a city that's had difficulty developing new businesses.

"I want art to be for everyone to experience," she says, pulling up pictures on her laptop showing what the 5,000-square-foot gallery looked like only a few months before.

In search of a larger home for Vessel, the Oakland resident stumbled upon the 100-plus-year-old A-frame building. Although its interior was covered in a thick layer of dust, the building had good bones and Lee immediately saw its potential.

So she decided to work with what was already there. After renting the space from owners Matt and Diane Iglehart, she enlisted friends to help renovate the building and retain some features from its days as a livery stable and then an auto glass factory. The floorboards remained. So did the stairwells, including one at the front of the gallery which leads upstairs. It's a bit like walking up to Granny's attic, Lee says. You have no idea what you'll encounter.

Vessel gallery joins downtown Oakland's thriving art scene - ContraCostaTimes.com

images from Vessel Gallery - Fine Art + Art Jewelry in Oakland

What a great looking space.

[Gentoo]

Good stuff. What are they going to do with OCC?

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Good stuff. What are they going to do with OCC?

Probably keep it as is.

Oakland has the second lowest Downtown office vacancy rate in California right now(Sac is 1st).
California Economic Indicators

But obviously the entire market is very fragile like the wider economy. I don't see CB doing much as far as development for the time being.

Shorenstein had to scrap a new office building because of the sour economy-maybe CB will build it when things improve and activity picks up.

I really see CB unloading OCC again when they can make a big enough profit-Im just hoping whomever winds up with it will build an iconic highrise or 2 in the future.

[18Montclair]

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The New Parish joins the Oakland music scene[/LEFT]

[LEFT]"It's about showing Oakland is its own market," says Namane Mohlabane, the general manager and a partner of the New Parish, "similar to the relationship between Manhattan and Brooklyn."

Mohlabane hopes to bring both mainstream independent artists and upcoming artists to East Bay audiences eager to see them without having to cross the bridge. "There's a population in the East Bay that would stay in the East Bay if given the opportunity," Mohlabane says. "That's a key factor in what we're trying to do here."


Read more: Local: In Oakland : The New Parish joins the Oakland music scene

The New Parish’s interior has a speak-easy feel, with exposed brick walls, a small stage and a bar that serves up specialty drinks like the Parish Punch—a mixture of ginger, lime juice and rum. The night Adam Stephens played, folding chairs were set up in front of the stage and the upstairs lounge was roped off to accommodate a smaller audience.

The New Parish’s owners have bought the small cluster of buildings on the same block and hope to establish reciprocity between nearby businesses. Next door, on the San Pablo side of the New Parish, is the restaurant Hibiscus, which serves up gourmet-style Caribbean Creole cuisine. Nearby, three retail spaces are soon to open. Mohlabane says that they will include a clothing store and a café. Even though Hibiscus is a separate business, “We have a close relationship and a similar partnership,” says Mohlabane.

The New Parish joins the Oakland music scene – Oakland North -- North Oakland News, Food, Art and Events.

Already attracting big names I see...

http://www.944.com/data/events/image...8/2/5/rsvp.jpg



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[ssmaster]

great news
city walk should cement the redevelopment of uptown
i hope there is more movement in the jack of london square area soon

[Oakland Uptown]

Originally Posted by ssmaster

great news
city walk should cement the redevelopment of uptown
i hope there is more movement in the jack of london square area soon

Uptown is well on it's way, I think JLS needs much more help. A baseball stadium there would have solidified the popularity and growth of JLS. It just feels empty and deserted there when it shouldn't be. The Farmers market is fun to go to, It's missing something.