Letters to the Editor: Point poised for development
Letters to the Editor: Point poised for development
Since the former Naval Air Station closed in 1997 and the Alameda community lost over 15,000 jobs, developers have come and gone with their ideas of what Alameda Point should become. Recently, the city took control over the planning process and worked closely with the community to document and adopt the community’s vision of what it wants to see at the former base: a mixed-use transit-oriented community that replaces lost jobs and creates world-class waterfront park amenities.
Over the last two years, the Alameda community, City Council, Planning Board, and city staff worked together to prepare the necessary planning documents for Alameda Point (i.e., zoning amendment, master infrastructure plan, environmental impact report, transportation demand management plan, and waterfront town center plan) through an extensive community process, including:
On February 4, the council approved the zoning amendment, master infrastructure plan and environmental impact report for Alameda Point at a public hearing with over 20 public speakers, none of whom spoke against the project; and on May 20, the council approved the transportation demand management plan for Alameda Point after thorough review by the Planning Board and Transportation Commission. On July 1, the council approved the waterfront town center plan, after an in-depth review by the Planning Board.
Once these documents were approved and set the community’s vision for Alameda Point in place, the city issued a request for qualifications from developers interested in implementing that vision for a 68-acre mixed-use development site within the waterfront town center area, also known as Site A.
In September, the council narrowed the field of qualified developers for Site A down to two finalists, and the city held an open house for the community to meet the developer finalists. Over 100 people attended the open house.
On Tuesday, city staff is recommending that the council take the first step in implementing the community’s vision by entering into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the highly qualified Alameda Point Partners as a potential development partner for Site A. The selection of Alameda Point Partners for Site A will not be finalized until the Planning Board approves a development plan after numerous public meetings and a thorough community process and the council approves an agreement that outlines all of the terms of development. This will not happen until late spring 2015 at the earliest.
The terms in the exclusive negotiating agreement already agreed to by Alameda Point Partners focus on Site A development bringing upfront transit infrastructure, such as dedicated bus rapid transit lanes and a new ferry terminal, to Alameda Point before any new development occurs; constructing utilities that serve the entire Alameda Point property that will catalyze employment uses in the adjacent adaptive reuse and enterprise areas; and funding near-term sports fields and waterfront park amenities for the entire Alameda community.
While important final steps still need to be vetted by the community before they can be taken, after more than 15 years since the former base closed, Alameda Point is finally poised to deliver on its promise to start fulfilling the community’s vision.
Jennifer Ott
Chief Operating Officer, Alameda Point
City of Alameda
Comments