REIMAGINING OAKLAND’S

CENTRAL WATERFRONT

A rare opportunity to transform an underutilized shoreline into a vibrant,

mixed-use waterfront district serving Oakland for generations.

History

Oakland's central waterfront — roughly the stretch around the estuary near Jack London Square and the industrial flats and south to Brooklyn Basin and Embarcadero Cove— has a history rooted in maritime commerce and industry.

Through the early-to-mid 20th century, the waterfront housed shipyards, canneries, warehouses, and manufacturing — it became one of the busiest working ports on the Pacific coast, especially during WWII when Oakland's shipyards built vessels for the war effort.

As shipping containerized and consolidated at the Port of Oakland's modern terminals, much of the old central waterfront's industrial activity declined, leading to decades of redevelopment efforts turning former industrial and rail land into mixed-use, residential, and entertainment districts.

Today

Within Embarcadero Cove, there is a mix of aging office buildings, underutilized warehouses, infill housing, commercial uses, and interesting adaptive reuse of historic buildings along with live/work artist studios.

However, infrastructure is failing and needs upgrading. Underutilized parking lots need to be right-sized. Streets need to be made pedestrian/bike friendly and safe. Neighborhoods need to be reconnected. These improvements, along with creating housing (affordable and market rate) paired with employment opportunities would address Oakland’s long term housing and economic goals.

Vision

Embarcadero Business Park LLC (EBP) is proposing to transform a portion of Embarcadero Cove into a vibrant mixed-use, mixed-income waterfront district with new public open spaces and amenities. EBP has undertaken substantial technical, market, and feasibility studies to determine the best path forward. Today we are working with stakeholders, including adjacent property owners and the City of Oakland and Port of Oakland, to establish a framework for the revitalization and reinvestment of the property.