Alameda’s Big Mistake

By | Encinal, News | No Comments

By Robert Gammon – Alameda Magazine

It’s not often that a developer offers to spend $30 million to build a new waterfront park for everyone to use – and agrees in writing to maintain that park for free. But that’s exactly what developer Tim Lewis Communities offered the city of Alameda in December: a new 8.5-acre public park and large plaza on what is now mostly a vacant parcel on the estuary. And yet the Alameda City Council declined to accept the proposal, saying it wasn’t good enough.

Huh?

In truth, the council declined to accept the park not because it wasn’t a good deal (because, of course, it was), but because the developer is also proposing to build 589 units of housing next to the new park. However, under new state laws that greatly restrict the ability of cities like Alameda to reject new housing, the council couldn’t legally turn down the 589 units. But it could decline to accept the park – so it did so.

Read the full article here.

Housing Providers Join New Alameda Transportation Management Association

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

The City of Alameda recently announced plans to improve transportation on and off the island by forming the Alameda Transportation Management Association (Alameda TMA). The organization, which includes representatives from Alameda businesses, non profits, homeowners associations and new housing providers, is charged with creating more transportation choices in Alameda and will coordinate transportation services along the Northern Waterfront and Alameda Point.

“We already are seeing the benefits to Alamedans with the reinstatement of AC Transit’s Line 19, taking residents from the Northern Waterfront to Webster Street and to BART in Oakland,” said Mike O’Hara, Director of Land for Tim Lewis Communities/Star Harbor Alameda, the developer of the Del Monte Warehouse 48 and Encinal Terminals. O’Hara joins the TMA as Chairman of the Board.

“We know that traffic is a top concern of Alameda residents. As we provide more housing for those who live and work on the island, we also are committed to providing real transit solutions. The Alameda TMA aims to provide a seamless, interconnected transit network that will link together Alameda’s unique neighborhoods with local and regional public transportation.”

The Alameda TMA plans to expand as more housing and mixed-use communities are added, creating an even more robust, streamlined transit network that includes both land and water shuttles.

For more information, visit the Alameda TMA website:
www.alamedatma.org

Groundbreaking at Historic Del Monte Warehouse

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

By Peter Hegarty – East Bay Times

ALAMEDA — City officials joined the developer that will transform the former Del Monte warehouse into housing and retail on Monday for a groundbreaking at the landmark site.

Mayor Trish Spencer and others sank shovels into the earth to mark the beginning of the project’s first phase — the construction of 31 affordable units.

The units, which will include senior housing, will be built on what was once a parking lot for the warehouse at Sherman Street and Buena Vista Avenue. They are expected to be available next year.

Read More

Construction Begins on Revitalization of Historic Del Monte Warehouse

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Local Officials, Community Leaders Gather for Senior Affordable Housing Groundbreaking Ceremony

ALAMEDA, CA, November 16, 2016 — On Monday (November 14th), local officials and community members joined real estate developer, Tim Lewis Communities, and the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda to celebrate the groundbreaking of Star Harbor’s Warehouse 48 (formerly the Del Monte Warehouse) and the adjacent Senior Affordable Housing Building at the corner of Sherman Street and Buena Vista Avenue.

Warehouse 48 at Star Harbor is a mixed-used redevelopment project that will repurpose the 240,000 square foot landmark Del Monte Warehouse and adjoining land.  Consisting of approximately 380 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail/commercial space, Warehouse 48 will revitalize an underused historical site into a vibrant community asset.

Mike O’Hara, Director of Forward Planning at Tim Lewis Communities, presided over the event, and thanked the many individuals and organizations in Alameda who have played a role in this project.

“Today is a great day for the City of Alameda, and for all of the advocates of senior housing and affordable housing in Alameda,” O’Hara said.  “We are here to celebrate a great milestone in the many years of collaborative work with our neighbors, the City of Alameda and the untold number of stakeholders that supported us in making this project a reality, and of course, the Housing Authority, who has been a wonderful partner in this endeavor.”

Site improvements for the senior affordable project are underway, and construction will start in early December.  The new building will contain 31 Low- and Very-Low Income Units available to seniors under the management of the Alameda Housing Authority. This is the first project in 25 years that the Housing Authority is developing on its own.

“This was the best practice of a public and private partnership,” stated Vanessa Cooper, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda.  “A great model in making sure this becomes a vibrant community.”

The anticipated completion date for the Senior Affordable Housing Building is Spring of 2018. Construction on Warehouse 48 is expected to start in early 2017, with first occupancies in late 2018, and project completion in 2019.

Alameda Mayor Trish Spencer concluded the ceremony speaking about the importance of teamwork in such a significant revitalization project. “It takes a community to bring a historic site like this back to life,”   Spencer said.

Visit us for the 10/9 Encinal Terminals Open House

By | News | No Comments

As the Encinal Terminals prepares to transform from an isolated and blighted industrial property into a vibrant new community of homes and shops, we are pleased to offer you this rare opportunity to see firsthand the waterfront treasure that is Encinal Terminals. Join us for boat tours, food, and live music!

Date: October 9th, 2016

Address: 1521 Buena Vista Avenue, Alameda

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Boat Tours: All Boat Tours are Now Full

Join us June 22: Encinal Terminals Planning Meeting

By | Encinal, News | No Comments

All of your feedback throughout the planning stages of the Encinal Terminals redevelopment has been invaluable in the positive progression of the project. We invite you to continue to participate!

Join us for our upcoming Encinal Terminals Planning Meeting on Wednesday, June 22nd at 7pm at Alameda City Hall located at 2263 Santa Clara Ave #320.

We look forward to hearing your ideas!

Get additional details about the meeting here.

Join us January 25: Encinal Terminals Planning Board Workshop

By | Encinal, News | No Comments

Over the past several months, we have hosted a series of community meetings to gather feedback to inform our plans for Encinal Terminals, along Alameda’s Northern Waterfront.

Now, with your input in mind, we are in the early stages of creating a master plan for Encinal Terminals to submit to the City of Alameda, beginning with a Planning Board Workshop.

We hope that you will join us to continue to provide your ideas about this unique waterfront opportunity for Alameda.

City of Alameda’s Encinal Terminals Planning Board Workshop
Monday, January 25, 7:00 p.m.
Alameda City Hall

Please review additional details for the meeting, along with the City staff report for the item here.

Join Us December 10: Encinal Terminals Planning Meeting #4

By | Encinal | No Comments

Dear Neighbor:

You are invited to a neighborhood planning workshop regarding development of the Encinal Terminals site, located on the Northern Waterfront of Alameda.

This workshop is a follow up to the meetings held on October 10th, October 22nd and November 16th, and will allow attendees another opportunity to provide input on the development of the waterfront site.

Please join us on Thursday, December 10th from 6:45 PM until 9:00 PM at the Mastick Senior Center Social Hall located at 1155 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda.

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you on the 10th.

Tim Lewis Communities