San Jose Mercury News
From the article:
ALAMEDA -- A $500 million project that calls for transforming 68 acres of waterfront property at Alameda Point with 800 homes and 600,000 square feet of commercial space won unanimous approval from the City Council on Tuesday.
The mixed-use project at the former U.S. Navy base will also feature 15 acres of parks, as well as possibly a new ferry terminal. It is expected to generate 2,570 construction jobs and 1,472 permanent jobs.
The homes will be a mix of flats, condominiums and townhouses. Each will be within a five-minute walk of the ferry terminal and within a two-minute walk of shops and shuttles that will offer service to downtown Oakland and BART, according to Alameda Point Partners, the developer team.
Led by Joe Ernst of SRMErnst, which specializes in light industrial projects, the team also includes Madison Marquette and Thompson Dorfman Partners.
"I care deeply about this community," said Ernst, a 14-year resident of Alameda. "I am very sensitive as to what the community wants, what the community needs."
About 530 housing units will be rentals and 200 will be designated affordable.
More than 50 people signed up to speak during Tuesday's meeting, all-but-one touting the project's benefits and noting that other redevelopment efforts have failed since the Navy base closed in 1997.
"It will jumpstart sorely-needed infrastructure," former Mayor Marie Gilmore said. "We are talking sewers. We are talking water. We are talking telecom."