Comments for A Better Oakland http://www.abetteroakland.com The Continuing Story of a City Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:32:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on What I learned on my Thanksgiving vacation by dbackman http://www.abetteroakland.com/what-i-learned-on-my-thanksgiving-vacation/2008-12-01#comment-34000 dbackman Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:25:05 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1391#comment-34000 Re: Traffic I would argue that traffic is what makes neighborhoods. Certainly, nobody wants traffic jams, truck routes, honking horns and smelly exhaust outside their door. But while too much is disruptive to a place's quality of life, a certain level of traffic is absolutely necessary to sustain life in urban space. If there is no traffic, a neighborhood feels uninhabited and empty. Traffic means people are shopping, going out to eat, interacting with one another, while moving through a series of urban spaces. Temescal sustains a vibrant commercial corridor precisely because of the heavy traffic that moves through it. Re: Traffic
I would argue that traffic is what makes neighborhoods. Certainly, nobody wants traffic jams, truck routes, honking horns and smelly exhaust outside their door. But while too much is disruptive to a place’s quality of life, a certain level of traffic is absolutely necessary to sustain life in urban space. If there is no traffic, a neighborhood feels uninhabited and empty. Traffic means people are shopping, going out to eat, interacting with one another, while moving through a series of urban spaces. Temescal sustains a vibrant commercial corridor precisely because of the heavy traffic that moves through it.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by das88 http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33997 das88 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:07:02 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33997 The OHA tours are good. They do charge a fee, though, and they are usually pretty crowded. I do highly recommend them. You might also consider joining the OHA as long as you agree with their lobbying on development issues. Members receive a discount on their tours and lectures and they also receive a very good newsletter. The City of Oakland also offers walking tours which are free http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/cmo/walkingTours/ The quality and attendance at the City tours varies greatly depending on guide and subject matter. The OHA tours are good. They do charge a fee, though, and they are usually pretty crowded. I do highly recommend them. You might also consider joining the OHA as long as you agree with their lobbying on development issues. Members receive a discount on their tours and lectures and they also receive a very good newsletter.

The City of Oakland also offers walking tours which are free
http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/cmo/walkingTours/

The quality and attendance at the City tours varies greatly depending on guide and subject matter.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by Joanna/OnTheGoJo http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33985 Joanna/OnTheGoJo Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:28:21 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33985 Yes, JLS does have a few signed deals which gives me hope for the coming years. I think it will be some time before these places open, but when they do it should be a good thing for Oakland. My point with the overheards is that people are relatively out of touch and don't realize that those places have been closed for some time. The Jack London District is still in flux, with the Ellington still empty. The sales office wasn't open yesterday, so I can't quite figure out what their status is. Last I heard a month or so ago was that they were on track to start moving people in "soon". On a brighter note, some serious blight was knocked down through last week (they were even working on Sunday, which is a no-no, but I'm not complaining). The buildings that used to be home of the Oak Tree, Mingles, and other assorted establishments, was demolished! Yeah, another step forward for the neighborhood! I'm betting that they're not going to start building anytime soon though. Speaking of walks, do you all know about the Oakland Heritage Alliance walks in the Spring and Summer? They haven't updated their site just yet for 2009 info, but here's the link for the 2008 tours so that you can see what they do. I've been on a few and they're quite enjoyable. http://www.oaklandheritage.org/walking_tours.htm Also, they have a lecture series at the Chapel of Chimes that I've always wanted to go to, but always seem to have a scheduling conflict. Here's a link: http://www.oaklandheritage.org/ Oh, and back to Jack London Square! The annual lighted yacht parade is Saturday, December 6th at 5:30pm. This is also a lot of fun! It's usually cold, so I'd suggest lots of layers, but it really gets you into the holiday spirit seeing people so merry. Cheers, Joanna Yes, JLS does have a few signed deals which gives me hope for the coming years. I think it will be some time before these places open, but when they do it should be a good thing for Oakland. My point with the overheards is that people are relatively out of touch and don’t realize that those places have been closed for some time.

The Jack London District is still in flux, with the Ellington still empty. The sales office wasn’t open yesterday, so I can’t quite figure out what their status is. Last I heard a month or so ago was that they were on track to start moving people in “soon”.

On a brighter note, some serious blight was knocked down through last week (they were even working on Sunday, which is a no-no, but I’m not complaining). The buildings that used to be home of the Oak Tree, Mingles, and other assorted establishments, was demolished! Yeah, another step forward for the neighborhood! I’m betting that they’re not going to start building anytime soon though.

Speaking of walks, do you all know about the Oakland Heritage Alliance walks in the Spring and Summer? They haven’t updated their site just yet for 2009 info, but here’s the link for the 2008 tours so that you can see what they do. I’ve been on a few and they’re quite enjoyable.

http://www.oaklandheritage.org/walking_tours.htm

Also, they have a lecture series at the Chapel of Chimes that I’ve always wanted to go to, but always seem to have a scheduling conflict. Here’s a link:

http://www.oaklandheritage.org/

Oh, and back to Jack London Square! The annual lighted yacht parade is Saturday, December 6th at 5:30pm. This is also a lot of fun! It’s usually cold, so I’d suggest lots of layers, but it really gets you into the holiday spirit seeing people so merry.

Cheers,
Joanna

]]> Comment on What I learned on my Thanksgiving vacation by Mike Linksvayer http://www.abetteroakland.com/what-i-learned-on-my-thanksgiving-vacation/2008-12-01#comment-33979 Mike Linksvayer Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:10:03 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1391#comment-33979 Houston is underrated and hated by people who mostly must not have ever been there. But there's someplace much closer that Oakland should learn from rather than complain about -- Emeryville. Houston is underrated and hated by people who mostly must not have ever been there.

But there’s someplace much closer that Oakland should learn from rather than complain about — Emeryville.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by oaklandhappenings http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33824 oaklandhappenings Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:07:22 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33824 Thanks also, for the walk ideas, gang. I think I opened up a can of worms with that one, following Andrew's older post. Thanks also, for the walk ideas, gang. I think I opened up a can of worms with that one, following Andrew’s older post.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by oaklandhappenings http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33823 oaklandhappenings Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:06:37 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33823 Joanna and Nav, thanks for keeping the tree-lighting topic going. Yes, it was crowded, and much more so than last year, it seemed. The only annoyance was the guy kept asking ""are you ready to light the tree?!", got a loud response, and then kept introducing city council/Port members, to the point where the crowd didn't ghive a rat's a** and started booing. So, what does the so-called "master's of ceremony say??" he said "that type of attitude will NOT be tolerated". Well, sir, if you would quit keeping people in such suspence, while introducing people that hardly any of them (seem to) know, maybe they won't boo! Not a good move on his part. Dellums closed out the pre-lighting with a nice speech (which once again the impatients seemed to ignore), regarding his hopes for Oakland over the next year. He ended it humorously by saying "Obama" will get us there!", which at least drew some laughs. Despite any unnecessary suspense, the tree lighting itself, Oakland School of the Arts choir, and rock band to follow, all made the evening fun. It is too bad that so many left right after the lighting and didn't hang around for the music (some of which was great, consisting of covers of oldies and contemporary hits. Still, at that time of evening, I guess that I shouldn't be surprised, with people hungry for dinner. At least the restaurants did good biz, and some of the retail shops...or lack thereof! Ellis Partners really needs to get that square in a position to keep drawing loyal patrons and visitors. Joanna and Nav, thanks for keeping the tree-lighting topic going. Yes, it was crowded, and much more so than last year, it seemed. The only annoyance was the guy kept asking “”are you ready to light the tree?!”, got a loud response, and then kept introducing city council/Port members, to the point where the crowd didn’t ghive a rat’s a** and started booing. So, what does the so-called “master’s of ceremony say??” he said “that type of attitude will NOT be tolerated”. Well, sir, if you would quit keeping people in such suspence, while introducing people that hardly any of them (seem to) know, maybe they won’t boo! Not a good move on his part. Dellums closed out the pre-lighting with a nice speech (which once again the impatients seemed to ignore), regarding his hopes for Oakland over the next year. He ended it humorously by saying “Obama” will get us there!”, which at least drew some laughs. Despite any unnecessary suspense, the tree lighting itself, Oakland School of the Arts choir, and rock band to follow, all made the evening fun. It is too bad that so many left right after the lighting and didn’t hang around for the music (some of which was great, consisting of covers of oldies and contemporary hits. Still, at that time of evening, I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised, with people hungry for dinner. At least the restaurants did good biz, and some of the retail shops…or lack thereof! Ellis Partners really needs to get that square in a position to keep drawing loyal patrons and visitors.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by len raphael http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33783 len raphael Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:03:13 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33783 I assume that the recent mini spate of newspaper articles about west coast ports facing significant permanent and temporary declines in volume, aren't a conspiracy to overcome funding/envoirmental obstacles to expansion. eg. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports28-2008nov28,0,1371553.story could someone explain the basics of the port's financial relationship to the city's finances. eg. how much if any has the port directly contributed in the past to the city's general fund? what are the indirect financial benefits of the port for the city finances? is it mostly biz tax from the shippers? I assume that the recent mini spate of newspaper articles about west coast ports facing significant permanent and temporary declines in volume, aren’t a conspiracy to overcome funding/envoirmental obstacles to expansion.
eg. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports28-2008nov28,0,1371553.story

could someone explain the basics of the port’s financial relationship to the city’s finances. eg. how much if any has the port directly contributed in the past to the city’s general fund?

what are the indirect financial benefits of the port for the city finances? is it mostly biz tax from the shippers?

]]> Comment on 2007 City Crime Rankings Released by Navigator http://www.abetteroakland.com/2007-city-crime-rankings-released/2008-11-24#comment-33735 Navigator Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:15:17 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1342#comment-33735 Robert, I believe you're right. This explains the discrepancy between the two sets of FBI crime statistics for 2007. Thanks for clarifying. Robert,

I believe you’re right. This explains the discrepancy between the two sets of FBI crime statistics for 2007. Thanks for clarifying.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by Navigator http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33700 Navigator Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:31:13 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33700 Joanna, Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear that the tree lighting ceremony was well attended. It sounds from the comments that you overheard that people want to come to Jack London Square. I also have great memories of the old restaurants at the Square. I understand that the spaces at 66 Franklin have been leased to restaurants along with space at the new building across from the Ferry Landing. The large Jack London Market Building still under construction, also has signed leases for two restaurants. In all, 15 additional restaurants are planned for Jack London Square. This should prove great news for the many people who want to come enjoy themselves at the waterfront. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and I know business will pick up for you soon. Hang in there. Joanna,

Thanks for the info. I’m glad to hear that the tree lighting ceremony was well attended. It sounds from the comments that you overheard that people want to come to Jack London Square. I also have great memories of the old restaurants at the Square. I understand that the spaces at 66 Franklin have been leased to restaurants along with space at the new building across from the Ferry Landing. The large Jack London Market Building still under construction, also has signed leases for two restaurants. In all, 15 additional restaurants are planned for Jack London Square. This should prove great news for the many people who want to come enjoy themselves at the waterfront.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and I know business will pick up for you soon. Hang in there.

]]> Comment on Open Thread by Navigator http://www.abetteroakland.com/open-thread-4/2008-11-19#comment-33699 Navigator Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:21:01 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/?p=1311#comment-33699 Becks, I know exactly what little park you're talking about. It IS an absolutely hidden gem as you wrote. We are very fortune to have so many wonderful places to walk here in Oakland. As a matter of fact, I walked around Lake Merritt this afternoon and I was very surprised to see so many people out walking even as the Necklace of Lights was already coming on at about 4:00 PM. I usually walk in the mornings and figured that's when most activity happens around the Lake. I was wrong. I've never seen so many young families with kids playing at the play structure near the bird sanctuary area. It was almost a festive atmosphere with many people out in the late afternoon as dusk approached. Becks, I know exactly what little park you’re talking about. It IS an absolutely hidden gem as you wrote.

We are very fortune to have so many wonderful places to walk here in Oakland. As a matter of fact, I walked around Lake Merritt this afternoon and I was very surprised to see so many people out walking even as the Necklace of Lights was already coming on at about 4:00 PM. I usually walk in the mornings and figured that’s when most activity happens around the Lake. I was wrong. I’ve never seen so many young families with kids playing at the play structure near the bird sanctuary area. It was almost a festive atmosphere with many people out in the late afternoon as dusk approached.

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