Font ResizeBut the boom went bust and, years later, the plans are very different.
At a meeting today, Catellus will ask the City Council to give the green light to an ambitious project that would convert 77 acres of unused land, concrete wharf and old warehouses into what Catellus says would be a vibrant waterfront residential area and shopping district. The project would include, among other things, a boat launch, an eight-acre park and, possibly, a water taxi to Jack London Square.
Council approval of the so-called Alameda Landing project would mark a major step for the conversion of Alameda's West End, once dominated by the now-closed U.S. Naval Air Station. But the proposal comes as residents and city politicians continue debating what the city should do about a number of large-scale development possibilities. At this point, not all are on board.
The community action group that backed three unsuccessful slow-growth candidates in the city's recent election is urging that the vote be delayed. One city councilman said city officials have not yet done enough to consider what effects major retail projects will have on Alameda. Another said the project could be a "big plus" for the city's West End, but only after
Catellus bills the proposal as the culmination of a lengthy effort to find what residents think is best for the site. The project has been through more than 25 public meetings since the company presented its initial plans.
"This has been a long process," said Bruce Knopf, Catellus vice president. "And it has been rewarding to work with the community to this point. It takes time, but we believe that we have a much better product because of it."
The proposal includes up to
400,000 square feet of office space,
down from 1.3 million square feet in office and research and development space the city approved in 2000.
The new proposal also calls for up to 300,000 square feet of retail and as many as 300 new homes. It includes an eight-acre park and a waterfront plaza with walking and biking paths.
Catellus says the project is environmentally friendly: 90 percent of the materials collected from the demolition of existing structures would be reused in the new construction, Knopf said.
Among the groups heavily involved in offering input to Catellus was BikeAlameda, an organization founded to promote bicycling in the city.
"They were great," Lucy Gigli, president of BikeAlameda, said about working with Catellus. "They responded immediately when we asked if we could comment."
BikeAlameda played a key role in how the streets and bike paths in the proposal were designed, Gigli said. The organization also pushed for the water taxi to Oakland, she said.
The project's financing would include up to $40.5 million from the city's redevelopment agency for the estimated $103 million in infrastructure needs. The payment scheme is designed so the redevelopment funds wouldn't be paid until they become available. City officials say they have a better business deal now than they did with the original proposal.
Catellus would assume responsibility to clean up contamination of the former Navy site. Clean-up costs — minimal compared to those associated with Alameda Point, site of the old base itself — are wrapped into the $103 million, which also would go toward road extensions and the construction of new facilities.
The financial picture was altered somewhat in July when Clif Bar announced its intention to move its corporate headquarters to one of the two waterfront warehouses at Alameda Landing. The financing plan was tweaked in order to speed up the timetable for making waterfront improvements by the warehouses.
Action Alameda, the community group that backed the slow-growth candidates in November's elections, said in a press release Sunday that the group does not oppose the project outright. But the press release noted, "Council is being asked to approve a new financial proposal that has not had sufficient circulation to allow a full review by citizens."
City Councilwoman Marie Gilmore said she had not considered all the details, but the financial aspect represents a better deal for the city than what was formerly approved.
"We don't have to pay until the funds are available," she said of the new project. "That's not true under the (previous) deal."
The retail portion presents different questions.
Alamedans spend about $268.1 million shopping off-Island every year, said Leslie Little, city development services director. And the city has had a long-standing goal of addressing the so-called sales "leakage" to other cities. Such concerns are heightened by the pending departure of the city's top sales-tax generator, Ron Goode Toyota, in the next few years.
But City Councilman Doug deHaan said leakage can be addressed with a smaller amount of retail space than what the project would involve, particularly considering other retail possibilities at Alameda Point, the Alameda Towne Centre and elsewhere on the Island.
DeHaan also said it would be difficult for him to vote in favor when it is still unclear what tenants would occupy the retail space.
"They're not willing at this point to tell us what they're striking for," deHaan said.
Knopf said the retail area would be anchored by four tenants with somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000 to
55,000 square feet apiece. He said the project was not designed for giant retailers such as Wal-Mart.
For City Councilman Frank Matarrese, the project holds promise.
"It could be a big plus for the West End, but how we deal with the traffic mitigation and Webster Street is critical to making it a plus," he said.
Some shop owners along Webster Street, which cuts through the Island's West End, are worried about Alameda Landing, said Ed Clark, president of the West Alameda Business Association and owner of the Webster Pharmacy, which has been in Alameda for 80 years.
Clark said a co-marketing agreement between the business association and Catellus eases his concerns.
"There are some merchants who feel a big threat," he said. "Personally, I feel competition is one of the great ways to improve business and that the net result is usually a better, more vibrant business area with a better mix of shopping opportunities."
The Council is scheduled to consider the Catellus project at 7:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave.
