From March 2015 until March 2018, I was a resident of Alameda. When my landlords decided to sell their house, I moved to San Leandro to avoid the massive rent increase that would have surely followed had I chosen to stay on the Island.
What follows is my personal opinion, not that of my employer, though it’s important to note that I lead a nonprofit called the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR). CCLR provides technical assistance to help communities sustainably and equitably reuse underused land. I share my professional affiliation because while my perspective is my own, my professional experience gives me a particular perspective on Alameda’s redevelopment situation.
I disagree with those who argue that Alameda has no room for expansion. The Island city doesn’t have to be an insular city — opportunities for redevelopment abound, and that’s why I’m writing to congratulate the Planning Board for its unanimous approval of the Alameda Marina redevelopment project.
The Alameda Marina represents a much-needed investment to rebuild a crumbling sea wall, increase the city’s housing stock and enhance the existing maritime economy while creating new jobs. In short, plans for the redevelopment of the marina accomplish what a good infill project should — they provide the city and the surrounding neighborhood with an opportunity to build for a vibrant, prosperous and sustainable future.
In addition, redevelopment of the marina will remove contamination left by past industrial activity, protecting the health of Alameda’s water, soil, air and people. This is particularly important in response to rising sea levels. Alameda is fortunate to have the opportunity to remediate the marina in anticipation of these developments and remediate it correctly.
Those who oppose new housing at Alameda Marina are looking backward, and that’s not an advisable position from which to shape public policy. At an event last month, one neighbor of the marina told me that the time to buy in Alameda was 25 years ago, and it was simply my misfortune that I had missed the opportunity.
Twenty-five years ago, I was 9 years old. This kind of thinking is the definition of backward-looking and is not the foundation on which a more resilient, sustainable Alameda is built. I want to thank the Planning Board for making a decision for the public good, which requires environmental cleanup, housing, jobs, waterfront access, solid infrastructure and protection against sea level rise.
Again, these views are my own, and after more than two years of public review and changes, as a land reuse professional and a former resident, I recommend the City Council now move this project forward.
— Sarah Sieloff, former Alameda resident
Marina development would provide needed new housing
I was extremely pleased to hear that the city Planning Board had approved the master plan for Alameda Marina. Alameda desperately needs more housing that is affordable and easily accessible. The marina is an excellent opportunity to not only increase housing but create an exciting new environment along the estuary and open up the property for all Alamedans.
If the City Council approves it, this project will create a significant amount of universally designed housing units with one, two or three bedrooms, built in accordance with Alameda’s Universal Design Ordinance. It would create more than 200 new housing units that are easily accessible to everyone, dramatically improving the chances of people with disabilities and senior citizens to obtain suitable housing on the Island. I urge City Council to give the project final approval.
— Beth Kenny, Alameda
Give marina back to maritime history, businesses in need
I am responding to the June 15 letter titled, “Plans will give marina back to residents to enjoy again.” The letter is right out of the developers’ handbook.
The letter’s claim that “getting paddle boats and kayaks into the estuary can be a struggle” is only partially true. Presently, people with kayaks can launch into the estuary at the Grand Street ramp, as many already do, and enjoy having fun in the estuary.
The Alameda Marina development will create a “graving dock” where kayaks and other small water craft can be launched into the estuary. This will provide Alameda with a special space on the waterfront that Alameda doesn’t presently have.
The shoreline at Alameda Marina has always been available for everyone to visit in the day time. There are open gates, so it’s not “walled off.” The developer did not have to listen to residents to provide the Bay Trail along the waterfront. The waterfront is Tide Land Trust land, and the Bay Trail has always been planned as a requirement by the BCDC, which manages the bay’s shorelines.
The letter stating that “the literal wall of buildings separating the marina from Clement Avenue will be cleared, giving full views of the estuary” is just more developer talk. True, all but one of the buildings along Clement will be removed, but there are no views of the estuary coming in their place. You can see the developers’ planned design in the Planning Board meeting video by logging in to alameda.granicus.com, then scrolling ahead to 1 hour 16 minutes and 35 seconds into the video.
The image in the video shows the present historical buildings that are mostly two stories high being replaced with two very large five-story buildings and the rest being replaced with three-story buildings. The one historical building between Schiller and Lafayette streets that is not being torn down is two stories high and will still block views as it does today. There will be no views of the estuary or even the Oakland hills from Clement Avenue, plus driving into the marina will be like driving into a dense apartment building neighborhood. Any “open space” will be just along the shore line, like you can see in the image.
Now to the last bit of developer handbook comments. The northern waterfront has always been, for as long as anyone here today can remember, marine-related businesses that are normally found on a large inhabited island. Giving our island’s history back to the residents would be giving back the very important, middle class jobs that we enjoyed here for many, many decades. Such jobs are now being forced out pending the development. Restoring our history would give back building 19 to DOER, a world-famous maker of small submarines used in ocean scientific research all over the world.
Bringing history back would mean returning the very successful Svendsen’s Boat Works that has provided boating services to the entire Bay Area marine industry and provided many jobs. Bringing history back would mean not tearing down historical buildings that tell the story of Alameda’s maritime industry and how Alameda helped win World War II. Bringing back history would return about 60 businesses and 280 jobs — that paid taxes into Alameda’s city coffers — to the Alameda Marina.
To the statement that “Alameda Marina is an important part of the Island’s history and deserves to be given back for residents to enjoy” — it can’t be given back because it’s something that never existed in the way the letter implies.
Tearing down history is not giving history back. It’s simply destroying history so it can no longer be “enjoyed” as a maritime industry providing jobs to a town that badly needs them, providing services for our boating community and providing tax dollars our city needs. Once it’s gone, there will be no “giving back” the great maritime community that inhabited a very important past that is Alameda’s history.
— Dorothy Freeman, Alameda
Marina underused for decades, it’s time to develop it
As an Alameda local and avid boater, I want to thank the city Planning Board for endorsing the Alameda Marina development project. Personally, I have spent many days at Alameda Marina, mostly tinkering with my own boating hobby but also admiring the space and all of its potential.
Although historically the marina has been home to maritime and other businesses, the fact is the property has been grossly underused for decades. The time has come to make full use of the acreage. Our housing needs are growing on the Island, and the commercial component of the marina needs to use the space more efficiently. Coupled with the infrastructure improvements and sea wall repairs, the marina redevelopment will improve a very large chunk of our waterfront for the benefit of residents, businesses and boaters.
At the end of the day, Alamedans have to come to grips with reality that population growth will only continue exponentially, forcing new housing. Along with new housing there may be some additional traffic that just might slow down commutes. However, please do not underestimate the new generation of public transportation and the “ride share”-obsessed citizens.
More and more of our population is shying away from driving, instead using the many transport services available at our fingertips. Once the dust settles, I truly believe the traffic will be a much smaller concern. City Council should follow the Planning Board’s lead and approve the project.
— Marcel Sengul, Alameda
Disabled sailors group in favor of marina’s development
As the veterans director of the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS), I want to lend my support to the owner/operators of Alameda Marina and all they are doing for the marina area and its residents. I have moored my boat at the marina for the past 15 years, and I can tell you honestly that BAADS has never received better support.
The estuary is one of the best places in the area for “newbies,” beginner and disabled sailors, to safely learn how to sail. The swells are small, and there are lots of places to pull over if someone has difficulty. In the past, slips were hard to come by in the estuary and terribly maintained.
But these marina owners have not only donated slips for BAADS’s boats, they have offered to donate additional boats to BAADS if we need them for our disabled sailing program. There’s talk now of allowing BAADS to use classroom space for sailing classes at the marina, and we’re in discussions over how to make the marina even more accessible for wheelchairs. They are even looking at a crane to assist the disabled into their boats.
The marina has already thrown three “get to know your neighbor” events where BAADS could reach out and find additional volunteers to help our organization encourage and enable disabled people to sail.
The Alameda Marina has made BAADS feel encouraged and welcomed. We’re in total support of their plans to improve the marina, and we look forward to working with them in the years ahead on ways to expand our program to benefit other disabled sailors.
— Jeff Breen, BAADS Vet Director
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