Alameda Point and Measure A

The city hosted Measure A forum today. I’ll leave it to the experts (Lauren and JKW) for a commentary on the proceedings. While the (seemingly endless) Measure A debate rages on, today’s NYT had an article that is somewhat relevant to the issue at hand: low vs. high density at Alameda Point.

Titled “Suburbia’s March to Oblivion”:

“Signs of physical and social disorder are spreading” thro’gh cul-de-sac suburbia, he writes in the March issue of The Atlantic. And it is not just because of the mortgage mess. A “structural change” is occurring in the housing market — a “major shift in the way many Americans want to live and work,” moving social problems out of the city and into the suburban fringe.

Mr. Leinberger cites the work of Arthur C. Nelson, the director of Virginia Tech’s Metropolitan Institute, who has predicted that, by 2025, there will be a surplus of 22 million large-lot homes (those built on at least one-sixth of an acre). This, Mr. Leinberger writes, is a result of “the pendulum swinging back toward urban living,” thanks to a set of economic, social, and demographic trends.

The result, he says, could be that low-density suburbs “may become what inner cities became in the 1960’s and 1970’s — slums characterized by poverty, crime, and decay.”

Meanwhile, he writes, demand for “urban living” will continue apace. Although the mortgage squeeze may slow development of lofts and condominiums in the central cities and “walkable” towns and suburbs, “it will surely continue.”

Alameda NAS Slideshow

Ben Peoples (a photographer from Alameda) has a collection of photographs depicting the architecture of Alameda NAS, in preparation for a documentary. He is soliciting feedback and comments on his portfolio.

Alameda Point Trail

Construction is to begin in the Fall on the Alameda Point trail. As the Chronicle reports:

The trail - with its spectacular views of the bay - also will begin what officials hope will be a 7-mile loop around Alameda Point, the mostly shuttered and rundown old base that the Navy closed in 1997. The loop in turn would complete a missing part of the San Francisco Bay Trail, a grand network of trails along shorelines around the entire bay.

Can Lennar be trusted?

As is well known by now, the city has selected Lennar and Catellus as joint developers for Alameda Point. However, two recent reports in the local press do not inspire confidence in Lennar’s capabilities.

In March, the Chronicle reported a lawsuit against Lennar:

A development firm building 1,600 new homes at the old Hunters Point Naval Shipyard has allowed clouds of toxic construction dust to escape from the site, exposing neighbors and schoolchildren to potentially harmful, airborne asbestos, two company executives say.

The allegations are particularly troubling, given that Alameda Point has its own share of toxic materials that need cleaning up before any construction activitiy can commence.

Solar Panels

With the decision of the city council to have Catellus and Lennar work in tandem on developing Alameda Point, the developers have a great opportunity to incorporate some green building techniques. As the Chronicle points out, Lennar already includes solar power as a standard feature in some of their new subdivisions.

The largest developer of residential properties in the East Bay, Lennar Bay Area Homebuilding, recently completed the first community of new homes in the Bay Area built with a roof-integrated solar electric system. Located in Danville, the 77 homes range in size from 3,673 to 4,243 square feet and are priced at about $1.3 million. The company is building an additional 250 homes equipped with solar power systems, priced at $900,000, in San Ramon.

Lust, libation and laughter!

Fear not, this blog is still kosher

Turns out that Alameda just nixed plans to hold “Spring Shwing” — which would’ve been the island’s own version of San Francisco’s Exotic Erotic ball.

“The event you have proposed would involve adult entertainment, last until 3 a.m., include serving alcohol and be open to the members of the general public through ticket sales over the Internet,” wrote City Manager Debra Kurita, who also serves as executive director of the Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority.

Inevitably, this has set off an exchange of words between the producer and the site license holder. At a first glance, it appears the city was well within its rights to deny the license given that information on security, parking and ticket sales were lacking. There’s also the impact on local police resources given that the organizers expect nearly 3,000 people to show up. And if all this weren’t enough, there’s the minor detail of an existing city policy that mandates quiet hours on the base between 12:30-5:00 AM. The only exception to this policy is the Hornet, which offers several options to host such large events.

Perhaps the organizers can reschedule their event to be held on the the flight deck: the view is stunning and it can accomodate 5,000!

Mythbusters: The Alameda Connection

Nah, this isn’t about naming those who are in the developer’s pockets or debunking any such conspiracy theory. That discussion effectively ended with the elections and we know what Alamedans thought about the prophets of doom … ’nuff said.

Did you know that some of the episodes in the “Mythbusters” program (on the Discovery Channel) were actually filmed right in our backyard? That’s right … they were filmed at Alameda Point. Additional details in a recent NYT article  that featured a Mythbusters episode on recreating the Hindenburg disaster.

Alameda Point: Update

Nearly 20 development firms have indicated an interest in developing Alameda Point. They have until December 4th to submit a non-refundable $20,000 deposit and other references to prove their qualifcations. Among the development firms are: Catellus/Prologis, Lennar Urban, Standard Pacific Homes and Warmington Homes. The above link has the complete list.

Alameda Point receives 20-30 inquiries

Alameda Journal is reporting that the city has embarked on a four-month effort to recruit another master developer for Alameda Point and has received 20-30 inquiries from interested developers.

The city has already received 20 to 30 inquiries from developers for the land following the recent withdrawal of the partners, said Debbie Potter, the base reuse manager.

“Depending on the profile of the company, there may be other developers out there who are interested in the project,” she said.

It was interesting to read that under the land was valued at no cost under the rules of the Clinton administration. But the Bush administration passed new regulations that require the Navy to estimate the cost at approx $109m (perhaps to pay for the ongoing mess in Messopotamia, but I digress). There is still the possibility that the Navy might auction the land to the highest bidder!

Blue Angels in Alameda (1995)

I thought this might be appropriate, given the Fleet Week events this weekend. Fleet Week 1995 was the last such event at NAS Alameda. I recall driving over there to watch the Blue Angels in action.

The last Fleet Week celebration for Naval Air Station Alameda was a roaring success. The roar came from stunning shows by the Blue Angels, the Navy’s precision flying team.

From the runway at NAS Alameda, the Blue Angels took off in formation before an appreciative crowd, ending a two-week self-imposed stand down. In addition to the Blue Angels, an Explosive Ordinance Disposal team made parachute jumps into the lagoon, located between the ship’s piers and the air terminal building.

Here are two photographs from that year, from Wade Meyers Studios.

Those were the days! I used to look forward to reading Herb Caen in the Chronicle.

“Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: You find the present tense and the past perfect”