REPORT SEPTEMBER 2015 A DOWNTOWN Shaping the future of FOR downtown Oakland EVERYONE Contents Acknowledgements 4 Executive Summary SPUR staff Egon Terplan, Project lead 6 Introduction Mohit Shewaramani, Oakland Fellow 9 How We Got Here Sarah Jo Szambelan, Research Manager Robert Ogilvie, Oakland Director 12 Today’s Opportunities and Challenges SPUR Oakland City Board 20 Our Vision: A Downtown for Everyone Robert A. Wilkins (project co-chair) Bill Stotler (project co-chair) 24 BIG IDEA 1 Tomiquia Moss (board chair) Grow 50,000 more jobs in downtown and create pathways to get A DOWNTOWN Fred Blackwell people into them. Deborah Boyer 33 BIG IDEA 2 Anagha Dandekar Clifford Bring 25,000 more residents to downtown at a range of incomes, and Jose Corona Shaping the future of Charmaine Curtis enable existing residents to remain. Paul Figueroa 37 BIG IDEA 3 downtown Oakland Mike Ghielmetti FOR Set clear and consistent rules for growth to make downtown a better Spencer Gillette place for everyone. Chris Iglesias Robert Joseph 44 BIG IDEA 4 Ken Lowney Create inviting public spaces and streets as part of an active public Christopher Lytle realm. Olis Simmons Joshua Simon 54 BIG IDEA 5 EVERYONE Resources and reviewers Make it easy to get to and around downtown through an expanded Anyka Barber, Alex Boyd, Anthony Bruzzone, Clarissa transportation network. Cabansagan, Dave Campbell, Jim Cunradi, John Dolby, 63 Big Ideas for the Future Margo Dunlap, Karen Engel, Sarah Filley, Rachel Flynn, Erin Ferguson, Sarah Fine, Aliza Gallo, Jennie Gerard, June 66 Plan of Action Grant, Savlan Hauser, Linda Hausrath, Zakiya Harris, Barrie Hathaway, Ryan Hattersley, Morten Jensen, Andrew Jones, Kelley Kahn, Vivian Kahn, Nathan Landau, Barbara Leslie, Leslie Littleton, Hannah Lindelof, Greg McConnell, Ken Meyersieck, Jesse Nelson, Matt Nichols, Jamie Parks, Jay Primus, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Jeanne Myerson, Alicia Parker, Antony Prokopiou, Darin Raniletti, Marisa Raya, Mark Sawicki, Robert Selna, Steve Snider, Iris Starr, Brian Stokle, Cathleen Sullivan, Jeff Tumlin, Kara Vuicich, Steve Wolmark, Zac Wald, Junious Williams, Chris Wornum Special thanks Thanks to the generous support of the Walter and Elise Hass Fund, the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Magda Maaoui, Fabrizio Prati Foundation, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. Special acknowledgements to Perkins & Will for pro bono support throughout this project Sarah Ahmadzai, Kristen Hall, Laura Shifley, Gerry Tierney, Jeffrey Till SPUR Edited by Karen Steen 654 Mission Street 76 South First Street 1544 Broadway Copy edited by Valerie Sinzdak San Francisco, CA 94105 San Jose, CA 95113 Oakland CA, 94612 Cover photo by Sergio Ruiz tel. 415.781.8726 tel. 408.638.0083 tel. 510.250.8210 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] The SPUR Oakland City Board adopted this report as official policy on May 26, 2015. Executive Summary After years of struggling to attract investment, for buses, bicycles and pedestrians. There are also See pages 66–69 downtown Oakland is enjoying a renaissance. many acres of vacant land and surface parking for a plan of action Organic, bottom-up growth and targeted public lots right in the middle of downtown. This means identifying the investment are resulting in new cultural events, art downtown could add thousands of new jobs and parties responsible galleries, restaurants, bars and retail stores. The residents without displacing any current homes for implementing our population and job base are growing, companies are or businesses. Add to these opportunities the recommendations. relocating or expanding downtown and commercial creativity and energy of Oakland’s residents, and vacancies are declining. there is an opening for downtown Oakland to Sergio Ruiz Oakland’s urban center is poised to take on a demonstrate a new path forward for cities. Big Idea 1: Grow 50,000 more jobs in downtown and financial realities of development. We recommend that the city set more important role in the region — but the future create pathways to get people into them. financially feasible impact fees in order to maximize revenue while is not guaranteed. An economic boom could stall enabling new investment to take place. We think the city should before it really gets going. Jobs and housing could Our Vision: A Downtown for There are many ways Oakland can make its downtown a better take a market-oriented approach toward land use decisions in most expand elsewhere, leaving downtown Oakland place to form and grow businesses, including providing support Everyone of downtown, but hold out for office uses near BART and maintain underutilized. Or the economy could really take to start-ups, establishing a “jobs squad” to help with hiring and industrial uses in Jack London. We also recommend that the city off — but in a way that harms Oakland’s character, bringing on a chief economist to analyze the economic impact of Oakland’s downtown should reflect what is great set performance targets and standards for downtown and adjust particularly its cultural dynamism, racial and new legislation. One important opportunity is the large amount about the city. We believe it should be an economic policies to keep Oakland on track to meet them over time. ethnic diversity, political activism and identity as a of publicly owned property downtown. The city and other public engine that serves all of Oakland. It should be a place welcoming community. sector landowners should develop a strategic vision for how to best where people from all over the city — and all over the Big Idea 4: Create inviting public spaces and streets as We believe that the best path forward is to use public land to meet goals like creating new jobs and raising Bay Area — come to spend time. It should be a center part of an active public realm. plan for growth — and to shape that growth to make revenue for city services. Of equal importance to job growth is for many of the city’s jobs, institutions, governmental downtown Oakland a great place that provides job access and making sure new jobs are broadly available. As Great downtowns are comfortable, clean and safe. The ground agencies and cultural resources. benefits to all. Downtown Oakland is an opportunity companies and jobs grow, we recommend that the city and its floors of buildings are inviting, the parks and public spaces are To achieve this vision of a downtown for to demonstrate that equity and economic growth partners work to create strong alignment between the education beautiful, and visitors can easily understand how to get around. To everyone, we have articulated a set of principles can go hand in hand. and workforce systems, so that students and workers can get on achieve great downtown status on these measures, we recommend to guide new growth and change as they come to Downtown faces key challenges today. While pathways to these opportunities. that the city strengthen its urban design guidelines for buildings, downtown over time: the number of jobs is growing, the economy remains especially ground floors, and redesign its streets to be more fragile. Institutional lenders have been hesitant to • Downtown should welcome everyone. Big Idea 2: Bring 25,000 more residents to downtown at a functional and welcoming for pedestrians, cyclists and transit invest in downtown projects, large anchor tenants range of incomes, and enable existing residents to remain. riders. The city should invest in new and existing public spaces, • Downtown should encourage a wide mix are scarce and commercial rents are rarely high improve wayfinding signage and adopt Vision Zero policies to of jobs, residents, nightlife and cultural Adding more housing and more residents downtown will make it enough to cover the cost of new office construction. reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries. activities. more active, particularly during evenings and on weekends. This Many in downtown, and Oakland generally, struggle will increase local amenities and public safety. Over time it will to secure affordable housing and high quality • Downtown should strengthen its history, Big Idea 5: Make it easy to get to and around downtown also help lead to the growth of retail, a critical gap. To meet the employment. Downtown’s parks, plazas and streets culture and character as it grows. through an expanded transportation network. goal of 25,000 new residents, the city should update its zoning need upgrading and maintenance. Its centers of • Downtown should generate taxes and to allow more housing and improve amenities to attract new Downtown Oakland is one of the most transit-accessible places activity — such as City Center and Jack London — are investment that allow everyone to benefit residents. To make sure that downtown remains accessible, the in the region. Yet only 24 percent of downtown employees take spread out and density is uneven, contributing to a from economic growth downtown. city should experiment with new housing models and secure more transit to and from work. Over time, downtown should strive to final challenge: Public safety concerns deter some funding from a wide variety of sources to preserve and expand increase the share of commuters who take transit, walk or bike from spending time and investing in downtown. • Downtown should prioritize getting around affordable housing downtown. The city must also do a better job to more than 50 percent. To achieve this, we recommend the city This report looks at solutions to these by walking, biking or taking transit for enforcing current rent protections, so that existing residents can and transit operators redesign the local bus system, build out the challenges, as well as ways to take advantage of everyone, regardless of income. stay in downtown as it evolves. East Bay bus and bus rapid transit network, create a world-class unique opportunities. Unlike many urban centers, • Downtown should embrace its role as an biking network, and close or remove some freeway off-ramps to downtown Oakland has the infrastructure in place increasingly important regional center.