What's going on at the Army Base?

Tuesday, July 14th, 1:30pm in Hearing Room One at the City of Oakland CEDA Committee Meeting , the Committee members will hear a staff report regarding the Army Base Master Developer selection.

Staff is recommending an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement ("ENA") with AMB Property Corporation / California Capital Group ("AMB/CCG ") regarding a proposed development of a mixed-use project consisting of logistics, industrial, office, project-serving retail and other uses mandated by the Agency on up to 135 acres of the former Oakland Army Base (“OAB”).

Here are the two proposals for redeveloping the Oakland Army base:

CCG/AMB

Major elements: 506,000 square feet of industrial, loading and logistics space, 397,000 square feet of R&D space, 34,000 square feet of retail, 133,000 square feet for the Oakland Film Center, 205,000 square foot produce market, 1.15 million square feet of Class A office space, 16.5 acres of open space.Jobs created: 3,288.Cost: $572 million.

Federal Development/Em Johnson Interest

Major elements: 600,000 square feet of large format and outlet retail, 85,000 square foot entertainment facility, 700,000 square feet of R&D and office, 136,000 for the Oakland Film Center, 215,000-square-foot produce market, 25,000-square-foot art studio and gallery, 12,000-square-foot ferry landing, 30 acres of open space.Jobs created: 4,266.Cost: $687 million.

SOURCE: City of Oakland.

On Thursday, July 16th, 12:00 Noon in the Board Room the Maritime Committee will review a Exclusive Negotiating Agreement ("ENA") with AMB/CCG for the Purpose of Negotiating the Final Forms of an Option Agreement and a Master Lease Agreement for a portion of the former Oakland Army Base (“OAB”) and Other Lands that comprise approximately 168 Acres.

Crucible's 9th Annual Fire Arts Festival

Wednesday - Saturday, July 15-18, 2009
8:00PM - 11:59PM

NEW LOCATION THIS YEAR! (see where)

Each July The Crucible’s Fire Arts Festival celebrates creativity through fire and light with a spectacular open-air exhibition of interactive fire art, performance and the largest collection of outdoor fire sculpture on the West Coast.

This year we will be expanding the festival in a new, larger location. Our new Oakland location is three times larger than years past, giving attendees more elbow room and us the ability to bring you more of your favorite artists. We will have more fire and light sculptures, food and merchandise vendors.

In addition to our regular performances, we will feature the world premiere of Dan Cantrell's The Rootabaga Opera.

The 10-year-old nonprofit was founded in 1999 by a small group of artists seeking to combine the industrial arts with sculpture and multimedia techniques housed in a single location.

The Crucible is known for promoting the reuse of materials that results in creative expression and innovative design.

Through their rich offerings of hands-on classes, participants young and old can learn skills from blacksmithing and ceramics, to welding, woodworking, fire performance and more.

Thanks to A Better Oakland folks for pointing me to some pics from the event. There are more pics at the Flickr site.

Prescott Oakland Point Healthy Foods Co-op

West Oakland welcomes co-op's healthy foods

...Mandela Foods Cooperative, which opened June 6 across from the West Oakland BART Station in the Mandela Gateway affordable housing complex.

Mandela is stocked with bins of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and grains sold in bulk, snacks that eschew high-fructose corn syrup, organic dairy products, hormone-free meats and an array of grocery items. Canvas bags and T-shirts created by a local artist hang on the walls.

The owners earn a living wage and eventually will share in two-thirds of the store's profits. One-third of the profits will be returned to the community as matching funds to people who open accounts at the credit union next door.

Mayor Newsom visit model farm in POPNA area

Newsom's fresh idea: mandates on healthier food

Newsom made the announcement Wednesday (7.8.09) at a junkyard-turned-farm in West Oakland (Prescott - Oakland Point Neighborhood) that could serve as a model for how land could be converted in San Francisco. A stone's throw from BART, it used to be home to old cars and one angry dog, but now is run by the nonprofit City Slicker Farms.

With a handful of staff members and scores of volunteers from the neighborhood, the nonprofit operates six small farms in West Oakland and sells the produce, along with honey and eggs, on a sliding scale to local residents at a Saturday farm stand.

The 2,000-square-foot former junkyard now produces 2,000 pounds of food every year, including lettuce, squash, tomatoes, parsley, sage, collard greens, grapes, cherries and plums.

"This speaks to people's soul," said Barbara Finnin, director of City Slicker Farms. "It's a place people can relax, be outside, and nourish themselves and their families."

Newsom toured the farm, biting off a piece of kale to taste, munching on an apricot and admiring sunflowers taller than him.

Sand by the TON

GRAND OPENING
Saturday, July 11 4:00p - late;

Free BBQ 'til 7pm

at American Steel, Oakland, CA

BIG ART STUDIOS PRESENTS SAND by the TON Join us at Oakland's newest beach for a grand opening of epic proportions. Swimwear encouraged!

Four electronic music stages

Three live music stages

250,000 square feet of art studios

1000s of your closest friends

200 TONs of sand

One carnival midway

Five swimming pools