In an historic vote on June 16, the City Council unanimously approved moving forward in partnership with Alameda resident and developer Joe Ernst, of SRMErnst Development Partners to develop a 68-acre portion of Alameda’s former Naval Air Station known as “Site A.” The vision of the project includes approximately $100 million in parks and infrastructure including water, sewer, electric, and gas lines, as well as streets, sidewalks and storm drains. By improving current infrastructure and drawing businesses and visitors, the development will provide long-awaited support for existing businesses and Alameda Point residents as well as a catalyst for future business investment and attraction at Alameda Point.
The project opens up 600,000 square feet of commercial space for development, which will create an estimated 1,472 permanent jobs. It contains a $2.5 million commitment to rehabilitate and lease an existing 100,000 square foot building for flex office, light industrial, and specialty manufacturing uses during Phase 1 of the project. The project also includes 800 units of mixed-income housing, including 200 below market rate units. In order to address the community’s concerns about traffic as a result of new housing, that same night the Council reduced the number of allowable housing units at the former Coast Guard Housing Site, also known as North Housing, by approximately the same number of units.
The Council’s decision gives the green light to begin the first major development at Alameda Point since the closure of the Base in 1997. There was overwhelming community support for the project, with many speakers, including State Assembly member Robert Bonta, three former mayors of Alameda, and five members of the Alameda Planning Board, urging the City Council to move the development forward.
|
According to Interim City Manager, Elizabeth Warmerdam, “This first phase of redevelopment will transform Alameda Point from an underutilized former military base into a vibrant mixed-use Transit Oriented Development. It will be enormously helpful in rebuilding the infrastructure at the base at no cost to the City and will support the existing business at Alameda Point who have faithfully invested in our community and patiently waited for much needed upgrades. The City Council acted unanimously in this unprecedented decision. They should be proud of the legacy they will leave the entire Alameda community.”
Mayor Trish Spencer added, “I believe that the community’s involvement was essential in shaping this project. Mr. Ernst and the Alameda Point Partners team’s responsiveness to the community’s questions and concerns was critical. There’s much more work to be done as the project unfolds. I look forward to and trust that we have a strong partnership to best serve Alamedans needs which will restore former NAS Alameda to once again be an integral part of our community.”
Site A is the first phase of the larger 878-acre Alameda Point development on the site of the former NAS Alameda, slated for a total of 1,425 housing units, 5.5 million square feet of commercial, a new ferry terminal, and over 300 acres of open space.
To stay current on Site A and Alameda Point in general, visit alamedaca.gov/alameda-point, follow us on Twitter, and like Alameda Point on Facebook. To be added to the Alameda Point informational mailing list, email your request to alamedapoint@alamedaca.gov.
