West Oakland Walk

Home , Donna Hanover, Oakland Tribune

Appendix C: West Oakland Walk by Philip Banta, AIA with Norman Hooks, AIA particular combinations of public park space, 1 WEST OAKLAND WALK public service structures and historical legacies as those enjoyed by the city of Oakland, and fewer The West Oakland Walk is an urban design still have them arranged in patterns that can be concept intended to leverage existing city assets so easily linked. The parks have been long into a “social circuit” for walking, biking, organic established; the civic and institutional buildings gardening, exercising and socializing, all have been serving the city for decades; and the activities that build sustainable communities. streets that connect these assets exist now. In The West Oakland Walk would knit together the other words, no significant capital investment or parks and public places of Central and West private property condemnation and Oakland by improving a 4.5 mile loop of existing compensation is required for the idea of the West city streets and sidewalks into an urban Oakland Walk to take shape. Along its pathway greenway, running East – West from Lake Merritt all the elements that make a city great are in at the center of the city to Central Station (16th place waiting to be laced together through a Street Train Station area) at its western edge (see simple process of giving identity to the route. Figure D-1). The West Oakland Walk would bring inter-related Along this greenway loop are 23 parks, the benefits to the city by: downtown, many of the city’s most significant  Reuniting West and Central Oakland across historic buildings, four BART stops and seven the 980 Freeway divide, freeway entrances and exits. The parks, the  Reinforcing the Community with an urban building and the streets exist now, so there is no design event that celebrates the history and significant capital investment needed for this place of each neighborhood it passes idea to take shape. The West Oakland Walk through, (W.O.W.) is a “found” design that is intended to help transform the way people see and use  Redefining Oakland to itself and to the rest of Oakland by capitalizing on the unification of the world as a coherent network of Parks, substantial in-place public and private Places and People. infrastructure with a single large-scale geometric stroke. Parks Starting at the western perimeter of the city, the The Parks Map of the West Oakland Walk (see West Oakland Walk travels eastward along 14th Figure D-2) identifies the most visible public Street, across Freeway 980 until it reaches open spaces that touch the Walk or are within its Lakeside Drive, then a short leg up to 19th St. orbit. These spaces include: where it continues westward, jogging down to  improved multi-sport athletic fields at the 10- 18th St., back across 980 and onto the final short acre Ernie Raimondi Park, leg of Wood St. where it reconnects with 14th. Few downtown cores are endowed with the  the swimming pool and tennis courts of the 9.5-acre DeFremery Park,  the baseball diamonds of the 8.75-acre Lowell Park, 1 Project description and graphic information for

The West Oakland Walk provided by Philip Banta, AIA with Norman Hooks, AIA, copyright BETA, Inc.

West Oakland Specific Plan  C-1

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• the connection to the Bay Trail along the • the Alameda County Superior Court Building richly landscaped Mandela Parkway linear • the Chinese Presbyterian Church, park, • the Oakland Museum of California, • the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza at the heart of • the Scottish Temple, Oakland’s civic center, • the Camron-Stanford House, • the numerous recreational and botanical options of the 75-acre Lakeside Park • the Cathedral of Christ the Light, encompassing the historic Lake Merritt and its • the Fox Theatre, wildlife sanctuary, • the Oakland Ice Center, • the children’s Fairyland, Splash Park and the • the Paramount Theatre, and Bonsai and garden center Japanese gardens, and • the Grand Lake Theatre. • the majestic trees and putting green of the In addition, there is a host of private structures of 4.2-acre Snow Park. significant historical interest, both commercial and residential, that can be found throughout Within the vicinity of the West Oakland Walk are the entire circuit of the West Oakland Walk, along the original five squares of Oakland - Lafayette, with numerous modern structures of Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, and Harrison (the architectural note. These “places” serve a full Chinese Garden Park) - in addition to Peralta Park gamut of political, cultural, educational, business, that connects to the Oakland Estuary Park. This entertainment and spiritual interests for the extraordinary collection of open spaces, community. providing both passive and active recreational activities represent the “green living rooms” of the city of Oakland. People One dimension not normally accounted for in the Places establishment of any urban design improvement is the history of the people who come from the Equally impressive as the list of parks is the contiguous communities. The recognition of registry of public and private buildings (see notable individuals and groups originating Figure D-3), many of them designated as among the communities which the circuit passes historical landmarks including: would be an integral part of establishing the • Central Station Terminal, identity of the West Oakland Walk. Oakland has been the place of origin, education and practice • the DeFremery House, for numerous well-known contributors to all • The West Oakland Senior Center, walks of life, and the West Oakland Walk presents • Lafayette, Lincoln and Prescott Elementary an opportunity to celebrate their lives as a record Schools, for current and future residents and visitors to • West Oakland Middle School, Oakland, a record of the human potential of the community. • Preservation Park, The maps flag special persons recognizable to • Oak Center, both immediate and wider communities, state- • the First Unitarian Church, wide, national and, in some cases, even global • the African American Museum and Library, (see Figure D-4 and -5). The method of • Oakland City Hall, recognition can vary from traditional brass plaques to GPS triggered biographies delivered • the State and Federal Buildings, on the spot to smart phones. • the Rotunda Building,

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West Oakland Specific Plan  Page C-5 Beta, Inc. places West Oakland Walk West by Philip Banta, AIA with Norman Hooks, ©

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SF Bay Pardee House Central Station Oakland Library West Lowell Middle School Frederick G. Cottrell Don Budge Ernie Raimondi Black Panther Party Julia Morgan Lionel Wilson Delilah L. Beasley Joseph R. Knowland Francis M. Smith Samuel Merritt Nathan Oliveira (1877-1948) (1915-2000) (1919-1945) An African American (1872-1957) (1915-1998) (1871-1934) (1873-1966) (1846-1931) (1822-1890) (1928-2010) An American physical An American tennis A World War II hero and revolutionary socialist An American architect An American political An American historian Served as a member of Kown as "Borax Smith" The 13th mayor of A painter, printmaker, chemist, inventor and champion and World No. baseball player for the organization active from and first female architect figure and first African and columnist for the the United States House and "The Borax King". Oakland from 1867-69. and sculptor born in philanthropist. Best 1 player from 1937- Minor Leagues. Played 1966-1982. Founded by licensed in California. American mayor of Oakland Tribune. The of Representatives from An American miner, Donated 155 acres of Oakland. Distinguished known for electrostatic 1942. Born and raised in for the San Francisco Huey newton and Bobby Born and raised in West Oakland. Also a profes- first African-American California. Owner, editor, business magnate and dammed tidal water professor at California precipitator invention. Oakland Seals and the Oakland Seale in Oakland on Oakland. sional baseball player woman published and pulbisher of the civic builder in Oakland. which later becomes College of the Arts and Native of Oakland. Oaks. October 15, 1966. for the Oakland Larks. regularly in a major Oakland Tribune. known as Lake Merritt. Stanford University. metropolitan newspaper.

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William T. Shorey Ida Louise Jackson Eddie Anderson Ansel F. Hall George C. Pardee Anthony Chabot Jack London Frank H. Ogawa Earl Warren William W. Camron George Stevens (1859-1919) (1902-1996) (1905-1977) (1894-1962) (1857-1941) (1813-1888) (1876-1916) (1917-1994) (1891-1974) (1843- (1904-1975) The first African Ameri- The first African Ameri- An American comedian Chief Naturalist and An American doctor of A businessman and An American author, Civil rights leader and A jurist and politician Real-estate dealer and An award-winning can whaling ship captain can public school and actor born in Forester of the US medicine and politician. entrepreneur known as journalist, and social the first Japanese who served as the 14th land-owner. VP of the American film director, of the west coast. teacher in California. Oakland. The first National Park Service. The 21st Governor of the Water King. Devel- activist. Lived in American to serve on Chief Justice of the Oakland Bank of producer, screenwriter, Served as Special Taught and lived in African American with a Established the Easy California and the 29th oped hydraulic water Oakland and gave the Oakland City United States and the Savings and appointed and cinematographer. Police Officer on the Oakland. regular role on nation- Bay Regional Park Mayor of Oakland. systems for Oakland and socialist speeches in the Council. Served from 30th Governor of to the Oakland City Born in Oakland. Oakland docks. wide radio. District in Oakland. the Bay Area. Oakland City Hall Park. 1966 until death in 1994. California. Council in 1877. Angela Davis Ellen Wyrick- Clint Eastwood Kamala Harris Ronald Dellums Elihu M. Harris John George Paul Cobb Donna Hanover Tom Hanks Barbara lee (1944- ) Parkinson (1930- ) (1964- ) (1935- ) (1947- ) A Californian politican and Publisher of The Oakland (1950- ) (1956- ) (1946- ) An american political A long-term An award winning The 32nd Attorney General 45th Mayor of Oakland 46th Mayor of Oakland, the first African-American Post, the largest African- An American journalist, An American actor, The US Representative for activist, feminist, scholar, West Oakland resident American film actor, of California. First female and member of the US member the California elected to the Alameda American weekly radio and television producer, writer, and California’s 13th congres- and author. A leader of the and community activist director, producer, and African-American and House of Representatives State Assemby, and County Board of Supervi- Newspaper in Norther personality, producer, director. His films have sional district; first woman Communist Party USA and who spearheaded the politician. Attended Indian American attorney from California. Born and Chancellor of Peralta sors. A long-time leader in California, founded in actress, and First Lady of grossed $8.5 billion. Lived to represent the 13th founder of Critical creation of the Oakland Oakland Technical High general in California. Born raised in Oakland. Community College the local Anti-Apartheid 1963. New York City. Born in in Oakland and attended district. A hero in the Resistance. Center Historic District. School. in Oakland. District. Movement. Oakland. Skyline High School. anti-war movement.

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Brotherhood of Amy Tan Mitchell Baker The Pointer Sisters Mc Hammer Sunshine Becker Keyshia Cole En Vogue Sonny Barger Jerry Brown Michale Franti Sleeping Car Porters (1952- ) (1857- ) An American R&B (1962- ) (1972- ) (1981- ) An American female R&B (1938- ) (1938- ) (1966- ) The first labor organiza- An award-winning Chairperson and former recording girl group from An American rapper, An award-winning Grammy-award vocal group assembled by A founding member of An American politician An American ppoet, tion led by blacks to American writer whose Chief Executive Officer of Oakland that achieved entrepreneur, spokesman, American singer who nominated American R&B producers Denzil Foster the Oakland Chapter of and 39th Governor of musician, and composer. receive a charter in the most well-known work is the Mozilla Foundation. mainstream success actor, and hip hop icon. performs backing vocals singer-songwriter, actress, and Thomas McElroy. the hells angels Motor- California since 2011 and An outspoken supporter American Federation of The Joy Luck Club. Born in One of the 100 most during the 1970s and considered a pioneer and for the band, Further. Born and record producer. Born Assembled in Oakland in cycle Club. A prominent Mayor of Oakland from of social justice issues. Labor. Launched in 1925. Oakland. influential people from 1980s. Inducted onto the innovator of pop rap. Born and raised in Oakland. in Oakland. 1989 and one of the most figure and author of four 1999-2007. Born and raised in Time magazine. Born in Hollywood Walk of Fame. and raised in East Oakland successful female groups. books. Oakland. Oakland Appendix C: West Oakland Walk

Events of the Walk The West Oakland Walk, once defined and improved to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, automobiles, and busses along its entire loop becomes, by definition, a natural circuit for an East-West bus line, for community races of all types (bicycle, electric car, footraces), for parades, for special and annual celebrations, for tours and for farmers’ markets. The connected open spaces offer the opportunity to create a sequence of specialized gardens including: vegetable gardens, flower gardens, exotic plant gardens, indigenous specimens gardens, etc. The various civic buildings along the circuit could become permanent or seasonal locations for high school mentoring, college fairs, job fairs and company recruitment events. In short the West Oakland Walk could become an opportunity event for the youth of the city of Oakland, a recognized multi-nodal meeting place for young people and those who could help them achieve their potential.

West Oakland Specific Plan  Page C-9