C O N N E C T I V I T Y, I N T E G R A T I O N A N D A D A P T A B I L I T Y Three Urban Design Strategies for the Urban TransformaƟon of Jack London Square neighborhoods in Oakland, CA
by Kushal Narendra Modi
A thesis submiƩed in the parƟal saƟsfacƟon of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF URBAN DESI G N in the GRADUATE DIVISION of the UNI VERSI TY OF CAL I FORNI A , BERK EL EY
COMMI T TEE I N-CHARG E: P rofe s s or Pete r C. Bos s e lmann, Chair Professor Renee Y. Chow P ro fe s s o r J o e R . M c B r i d e Fall 2013
Table of Contents
i
Acknowledgements
ii
One: Introduction
1
Migration to Urban Centers
2
Urban Growth in Oakland
5
Potential of Jack London Square Neighborhood
8
Two: Site History and Analysis
11
Historical Context
12
Policies and Precedent Studies
15
Local Context
18
Opportunities
26
Three: Case Studies
27
Four: Urban Design Strategy and Proposal
36
Connectivity
39
Integration
43
Adaptability
48
Five: Conclusion
51
Bibliography
54
ii
Acknowledgements First and foremost, I am grateful to the wonderful urban design faculty who have been a cornerstone to my growth as a designer and a person. I thank my adviser and committee chair Prof. Bosselmann for his continual guidance; he has been an incomparable source of inspiration and will continue to be so for all my future endeavors. My other thesis committee members Prof. Chow and Prof. McBride, along with Stefan Pellegrini have been extremely patient with me and have consistently worked with me throughout the development of my thesis, for that I am thankful.
My fellow MUDDIES have illed this program with myriad experiences that will be, forever, cherished by me. I am especially thankful to my two musketeers, Anne and Alana, who have made this journey truly memorable.
Lastly, I would like to dedicate this thesis and all my other small and big achievements at Berkeley to my parents who are my greatest source of strength. And I thank them for believing in me.
iii
1
ONE IN TRO DUCTI O N
2
Migration to Urban Centers
Since the challenge will be to accommodate
According to the World Health Organization
boundaries of urbanization (see ill. 1.1); it is
(WHO), the number of people living in cities
important to identify potential urban centers
is expected to almost double over the next
that can demonstrate a successful in lux of
few decades, from 3.4 billion in 2009, to 6.4
people hailing from diverse socio-economic
billion in 20501. And urban centers that are
backgrounds.
this surge of people within the existing
expected to accommodate this in lux will have to get a lot more ef icient - in terms of
The urban centers, here, should not be
land utilization, connectivity to other urban
mistaken for downtown areas in only bigger
centers, and support sustainable, mixed-used
cities. In fact, the resurgence of downtown
and mixed-income communities.
areas in West Coast cities like Seattle, Portland and San Francisco distract from the
By 2050, California’s population is expected
reality that many small and medium-sized
to surpass 50 million2. In less than half of that
cities continue to struggle in maintaining
time-frame, 2030, the San Francisco Bay Area
centrality of their downtown areas4.
is expected to add 2 million to its current population of 7 million3. These numbers
In addition, bigger cities like San Francisco
are in line with WHO’s prediction about
which are naturally expected to absorb a
urban centers getting denser and denser.
large amount of the aforementioned in lux are becoming more and more unaffordable
1
World Health Organization, Hidden Cities, 2010
2
Department of Finance, California, “New Population Projections”, 2013
3
ABAG, MTC, Plan Bay Area, 2013
for the lower and middle income groups.
4
Bosselmann, Urban Transformation, 2008
3
A model city like San Francisco, instead of demonstrating a way to absorb this growth in regional population, has been experiencing an acute shortage of housing supply1. This phenomenon is not only damaging to future growth but it is creating an exodus for the current residents that deem the city as unaffordable. Oakland
To understand how population growth can be accommodated by a region like the San
San Francisco
Francisco Bay Area, a comparison with the San Francisco Bay Pacific Ocean
New York metropolitan region would help. The contrast between neighborhoods of Bay Area and New York is that New York has so many walkable neighborhoods located on rail transit that even though Manhattan has become astoundingly expensive, along with its outer rim of ever-gentrifying
Protected Open and Farm lands Urbanized Areas Freeway Network
Illustration: 1.1 Map of San Francisco Bay Area showing extents of urbanization with respect to protected lands (Datasource: Bay Area Open Space Council; Map by author)
neighborhoods like Soho and the Village; there are still many places to go within the region’s extents that are on the rail network facilitating an affordable and urban way of life, 1
Metcalf, “The San Francisco Exodus”, 2013
4
i.e. dense settlements with low dependency on automobiles1. Downtown Oakland and Jack London District PDA
The takeaway from this comparison is that Oakland is increasingly becoming the Brooklyn of the Bay Area with, obviously, San Francisco being Manhattan (see ill. 1.3); and to absorb the inevitable population
San Francisco Bay
in lux Bay Area really needs to identify urban centers within walkable distances from its
Illustration: 1.2 2010 Bay area housing density and Priority Development Areas (PDAs) (Map by UC Berkeley Department of Geography)
own rail transit, i.e. BART. In addition, the Bay Area shares one regional economy and one regional labor market, which make the cities of Bay Area inter-dependent. And since BART has been extremely essential to the region’s development, one can see a tight relationship between San Francisco – the inancial capital of the region – and cities with good BART connections, such as Oakland.
Illustration: 1.3 The Bay Area, through a New Yorker’s eyes (Map by SFist.com)
1
Metcalf, “The San Francisco Exodus”, 2013
5
Urban Growth in Oakland
logical side, since natural advantages like
Oakland has been in the shadows of San
mainland made it an extremely favorable
Francisco for a long time. For instance,
site for the convergence of shipping and
historically, before railroad was introduced
railroad infrastructure. But San Francisco
to the state of California in 1867 all the cargo
had already established itself as a center for
vessels that were bound for the San Francisco
commercial redistribution by developing its
Bay stopped at San Francisco. Much of the
shipping infrastructure which partly lead
cargo had to be transshipped to Oakland
to slower development of seaports on the
by ferries. This was the norm even though
East Bay cities, and by extension, postponed
Oakland had a natural deep harbor and the
the economic and demographic growth of
city was located on the mainland which made
cities like Oakland, Berkeley and Richmond1.
it easier for transportation of goods. But the
San Francisco continued to dominate the
early settlers of San Francisco (then, Yerba
shipping industry in Bay Area until 1960s
Buena) used, to their advantage, the idea of
when container ports became necessary and
founding the great city on the West Coast,
required ef icient land connectivity by means
Francisca – the “New York of the Paciϔic” by
of roadways and railroads for transshipping.
favorable depth for a harbor and being a
renaming Yerba Buena as San Francisco in 1847. If the search to locate this great city
Today, Oakland is overshadowed in other
would have taken place after the introduction
ways. Geographically, being so close to San
of railroad, it probably would have been
Francisco, it is perceived as a city that facilitates
Benicia, on the eastern side of the bay – the
transit to this economic powerhouse of the
1
Hegemann, Report on a City Plan for the Municipalities of Oakland and Berkeley, 1915
6
Bay Area. It has become a transit city instead
two biggest cities in the Bay Area2. Depending
of a city of destinations. Few Bay Area cities
on the way this in lux is managed, Oakland
necessitate revitalization as much as Oakland.
has the opportunity to remake its greater
Over the past half century, Oakland’s suburbs
Downtown into a vibrant, one of a kind
have prospered as the city’s economy has
urban environment. Oakland has numerous
lost businesses, sales, and jobs. Oakland’s
assets which make it well-positioned to
low sales tax revenues, high unemployment,
demonstrate sustainable urban growth: a
and lack of economic investment are directly
central location, a temperate climate, a good
responsible for the city’s current education,
transit system, and a substantial amount
public safety, and budget crises . In addition,
of developable land within the city and
the city has been experiencing dif iculty in
next to the estuary. The biggest hindrance
terms of funding new public projects after the
toward achieving this vision is attracting
state of California eliminated redevelopment
the necessary developments, residents, and
funding in 2012.
businesses themselves.
By 2040, the city of Oakland is expected
In 1998, in an effort to revitalize Downtown
to accommodate close to sixty-thousand
Oakland, former Mayor of Oakland Jerry
households
Priority
Brown announced his goal of attracting ten
Development Areas (PDAs), ranking it third
thousand new residents to the downtown
in terms of expected population growth, only
areas of the city with the help of the
behind San Jose and San Francisco – the other
redevelopment agency. This mayoral promise
1
in
its
designated
2 1
Jacobson, Oakland Streetcar Plan, 2010
One Bay Area, “Alternative Land Use Scenarios”, 2011
7
was not simply a proposal to bring the
diverse fabric. As a result of this developer-
population back from the suburbs or mark
centric movement, it grossly missed out on
a return of the compact urban fabric that
improving elements of public realm such as
had been experiencing severe fragmentation
streets, squares, or a waterfront.
since the 1950s. What followed was implementation of the ‘eminent domain’
The City of Oakland needs to embrace the
policy which disowned landowners of
expected demographic growth as a blessing
“marginal” properties within the downtown
since it will create myriad possibilities for the
areas and consolidated smaller parcels to
city to repair past mistakes and demonstrate
make larger developable parcels . As a result,
an urban future that is both, integrative and
this procedure focused less on understanding
resilient in nature. This would be possible
the morphology of the city’s urban fabric
by devising a comprehensive strategy that
and encouraged individual development
mobilizes the underlying potentials of the
decisions in an ad hoc fashion. The entities
city and suggests the manner in which future
that gained the most from this movement
developments should occur.
1
were the developers and the city, and not its residents. One can say it was an opportunity missed since the new developments usually covered the entire block of the city with minimal access from the streets and dead street walls consisting of parking; creating monolithic chunks replacing the
1
Bosselmann, Urban Transformation, 2008
iner,
8
Potential of Jack London District
towards improving walkability. In order for
As discussed, the growth in households
as a seamless urban center, studies like
and workplaces has to be accommodated
adding a new BART station, I-880 underpass
within the urban centers of the city that
improvements, and a linear park over the
have a potential to develop into walkable
Webster tube, etc. have been undertaken to
neighborhoods and are close to rail transit.
establish better connectivity but none have
According to One Bay Area plan projections,
come to fruition. A comprehensive vision
the
(PDA)
plan for Jack London District will not only
comprising of Downtown Oakland and Jack
have to demonstrate a better connectivity
London District is expected to add close to ten
on a neighborhood scale but also propose
thousand households by 20401, the highest
a vision that improves the city of Oakland’s
amount of expected in lux within Oakland.
connectivity (read rail connectivity) on a
The former mayor’s plan that led to ad hoc
regional scale.
Priority
Development
Area
the neighborhoods of Jack London District and Downtown Oakland to be experienced
developments has done little to prepare
Illustration: 1.4 Oakland Downtown and Jack London District Priority Development Area; newer developments in red
this PDA for such an intensity of growth.
Despite Oakland being the third biggest city
There have been no improvements in the
in the Bay Area, it was denied a stop on the
public realm sector and a lot of small parcels
California High Speed Rail network (see ill.
have already been consolidated in to larger
1.5). In present con iguration, Oakland will
ones, resulting in monolithic residential
need to depend on spur service to San Jose
development that does not contribute
and Sacramento to connect with the high
1
One Bay Area, “Alternative Land Use Scenarios”, 2011
9
speed rail alignment to Los Angeles. The challenge, here, is to improve this aspect of connectivity and leverage it towards attracting major investments in terms of residential and commercial growth. Improvements to railroad infrastructure brings our attention to its existing adjacency to the shoreline. We live in the Bay Area and imminent sea level rise will force us to make some important and inancially Pacific Ocean
dif icult decisions as far as infrastructure on the shoreline is concerned (see ill. 1.6). The challenge, here, will be to ind investment opportunities that can directly appease the costs of improving these infrastructures. Jack London District can effectively guide
California High Speed Rail Alignment Northern California Unified Service (NCUS) Surfliner Alignment
Illustration: 1.5 California High Speed Rail network and other railroad alignments (Datasource: California High Speed Rail Authority; Map by author)
the city of Oakland to recreate a greater Downtown by addressing these challenges of population growth, connectivity and sea level rise. It has a substantial amount of
10
underutilized land that can be incentivized for development. It can represent Oakland by becoming its gateway, since it provides an inherent centrality with respect to the Bay and access to surrounding communities like Alameda and beyond via the ferry. And with a regional amenity like the waterfront, a comprehensive vision plan for the neighborhood can demonstrate a resilient approach to rising sea levels.
San Francisco Bay
55� Sea-level rise inundation by 2100 Railroad network along shoreline Freeway network BART alignment
Illustration: 1.6 Freeways and railroads on the East Bay at risk of inundation due to sea level rise
11
TWO S IT E HI STO RY A ND A NA LYSI S
12
Historical Context
a major port on the West Coast & the largest
Industrial Cityscape:
Oakland loads and discharges more than 99
Oakland has many identities but the strongest identity of it, arguably, is that it is
in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Port of percent of the containerized goods moving through Northern California, the nation’s fourth largest metropolitan area. Oakland’s cargo volume makes it the ifth busiest container port in the United States1. In terms of population, Oakland ranks third, below San Jose & San Francisco respectively. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and before the beginning of its container era in 1962; Oakland’s shoreline supported bustling maritime and commercial activities2. And Jack London Waterfront was an integral part of this scenario (see ill. 2.1). Jack London District comprises of different neighborhoods that occupy the region south of I-880 along the Embarcadero between Adeline Street & Lake Merritt Channel. Encompassing more
Illustration: 2.1 1882, Jack London waterfront: indicating bustling maritime & commercial activities (Estuary Policy Plan) 1
Port of Oakland, “Facts & Figures”
2
Rosenstein, The Rise of Maritime Containerization in the Port of Oakland, 2000
13
than 70 blocks along the estuary, it is the
warehouse land use.
site of much of Oakland’s earliest history. The area has a long history of industrial and
The
district
prospered
in
maritime,
industrial & commercial activities because of its strategic location with respect to all modes of transportation. Being located next to the estuary made it convenient for trade and transportation through water to thrive, the Southern Paci ic (SP) railroad arrived in Oakland in 1869, the irst transcontinental railroad & in 1910 the Western Paci ic (WP) railroad chose Jack London as its irst depot in Oakland. The WP railroad was neither the irst nor the most important railroad to serve Oakland, however, the Western Paci ic’s arrival into Oakland was eagerly anticipated, both because of what it meant for the City’s control of the waterfront, and because of the additional competition for the SP railroad1. In early 20th century, Western Paci ic railroad Illustration: 2.2 The Jack London district welcomes the irst train to the Western Paci ic Railway station in 1910 (Oakland Public Library)
aided the relocation of warehouse businesses to the district to take advantage of the rail
1
Oakland Wiki, “Western Paciϔic Depot”
14
and port facilities; this would later come be
In 1852, Swiss engineer Kellersberger
known as the Waterfront Warehouse district.
surveyed the City of Oakland and proposed a three hundred by two hundred feet block grid and parcelization for 224 blocks2 (see
Illustration: 2.3 1852 Kellersberger Map (Oakland Wiki)
Forces of Transformation:
ill. 2.3). In 1884, the estuary was illed in
Jack London waterfront and the City
and more land was created for the City of
of Oakland as a whole have undergone
Oakland, the now land for the present Jack
remarkable transformation due to various
London Square was also created during this
aspects. Although tribes of the Ohlone people
process and a continuous street along the
had been established there for thousands
water was introduced by another surveyor
of years, Spanish explorers claimed the
W. Bordman. In the 1940s, extravagant plans
Oakland area, with the rest of the bay area,
were proposed for a “Southern Crossing” i.e.
for New Spain in 1772. In the early 19th
to connect Oakland with San Francisco3 (see
century, Oakland and the East Bay area were
ill. 2.4). In 1949, construction on Interstate
deeded to Luís María Peralta for his Rancho
880 (I-880), commonly known as Nimitz
San Antonio. In those days, the area was
Freeway,
forested with oak trees, thus its later name.
connect Oakland to San Jose, running along
Development continued after 1848, when
the waterfront throughout the East Bay. In
the land was ceded to the United States in the
1985, construction on the Interstate 980 (I-
was
commenced
that
would
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . 1
Illustration: 2.4 1949 Southern Crossing (State of California, Department of Public Works)
1
Oakland Wiki, “City of Oakland History”
2
Bosselmann, Urban Transformation, 2008
3
Martin, “A Proposed “Southern Crossing” for San Francisco Bay”, American Society of Civil Engineers
15
980) was completed which successfully, also unfortunately, separated the City of Oakland
Policies and Precedent Studies
in to Downtown Oakland & West Oakland. The Nimitz Freeway separated Jack London Square
neighborhood
from
Downtown
Oakland1 (see ill. 2.5). The rise of automobiles, by extension Illustration: 2.5 2005, Oakland’s historic center is divided by freeways (Bosselmann, 2008)
freeways & road transport, broke the monopoly of the ports for transportation. Also, globalization in general outsourced a number of manufacturing businesses to developing countries due to availability of cheap labor. The industrial cityscape was on a verge of transformation. Port lands rendered useless were either bought by the city or private developers who invested in housing and/or public spaces. In some cases, like the Jack London Square, the port developed the land into a public use waterfront, whereas the industries in rest of the neighborhood
Illustration: 2.6 Showcase Districts (General Plan, 1998)
started shutting down.
1
Bosselmann, Urban Transformation, 2008
General Plan for the City of Oakland: In 1998, the City of Oakland adopted a new Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE) for its General Plan. In 2004, the plan’s ‘Housing Element’ which dealt with housing issues was adopted by the city council. In the new LUTE report, the City designated ive showcase districts and Jack London District was one of them (see ill. 2.6). The plan de ined this area as a mixeduse waterfront neighborhood. It included a series of policies which implied development of higher density housing, single use housing, and live/work units that remain sensitive to the surrounding character and design of existing buildings; as well as the desire to have the shoreline fully accessible to the public. Also, depending on feasibility of
880
High S t.
continuance of the Produce Market, adequate
Oakland 29th Ave.
Ave. 5th A ve.
Oak St.
St. line Ade
ay Broadw
Intern ation al Blv d.
Ave. vale Fruit
t.
ket S
980
14th
Mar
Lake Merritt
14th St.
16th Ave.
16
International Blvd.
development was preferred to capitalize the
Coast Guard Island
adero Embarc
neighborhood’s proximity to the Downtown
Oak-9th Alameda
Illustration: 2.7 Planning areas along the Estuary (Estuary Policy Plan, 1999)
San AntonioFruitvale
area and its potential to contribute for a San Leandro
hA ve.
Park St.
Oakland Estuary
Jack London
measures were to be followed to preserve the character of the market. The high density
San Leandro St.
greater Downtown1.
Estuary Policy Plan: The basic premise of the plan is that the Estuary is a resource of citywide and regional signi icance. This area cannot be viewed as a single-purpose district isolated from the city, but rather as a diverse and multifaceted place that connects the city and the bay. The Estuary Policy Plan calls for a system of open spaces and shoreline access that provides recreational use opportunities, environmental enhancement, interpretive
Illustration: 2.8 Illustrative shoreline access and public space plan (Estuary Policy Plan, 1999)
1
City of Oakland General Plan, “Land Use and Transportation Element”, 1998
17
80 £ ¤
24 £ ¤
experiences, visual amenities, and signi icant
ART Project Boundary
Map 1
Major Roads and Highways
Emeryville
BART 1:150,000
580 £ ¤
Data Source: BCDC, MTC, AECOM, BART
0 0.5
1
Miles 2
Oakland
O
gathering places. A series of individual parks, open spaces and shoreline access points, connected by a continuous landscaped parkway with promenades, bikeways and shoreline trails, is recommended. Most importantly, the plan also emphasizes the
Map 2
Alameda
need for connection between waterfront uses and the inner neighborhood (see ill. 2.8).
£ ¤
880 £ ¤
580
In line with the General Plan for the City of San Leandro
Oakland, the Estuary Plan also advocates
£ ¤ 238
Map 3
San Francisco Bay
development that strengthens Oakland’s position as an urban center, accommodate
San Lorenzo
economic development Hayward
growth, that
and
encourage
complements
the
downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.
£ ¤ 880
£ ¤ 92
Union City Map 4
Illustration: 2.9 Initial study areas for ART project (BCDC)
BCDC’s Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) Project: Adapting to Rising Tides — the ART Project
18
— is a collaborative planning effort to help San Francisco Bay Area communities adapt to sea level rise and storm event looding. The goal of the project is to improve Bay Area’s preparedness and resilience to sea level rise and storm events while protecting essential infrastructure. The study recognizes critical infrastructure along the shoreline that is prone to vulnerability and risk of sea level rise and storm events1. With reference to the General Plan and the Estuary Policy Plan, the ART project adds another dimension of urban strategy by emphasizing on the much needed element of “adaptability” to work towards a resilient shoreline.
Local Context Connectivity and Accessibility Port of Oakland: Oakland’s waterfront igures prominently in the history and life of the city. It is both the birthplace and birthright of what is now a modern city and national transportation hub. The settlement which became Oakland was irst established on the Estuary, at a transshipment point where water-borne goods were off-loaded and transferred to transport and land networks. Over the years, the waterfront has been dominated by the development of the Port of Oakland. Arguably, the ef icient rail connections and road connectivity have given the Port a competitive edge needed to become the third largest container port on the West Coast
Illustration: 2.10 Aerial view of Port of Oakland (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Visual Library)
1
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development (BCDC) Commission, “ART Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report”, 2012
19
and the ifth busiest port in North America1. This need for land intensive connectivity has created physical barriers that make it dif icult for pedestrians to access the neighborhood and take advantage of the waterfront. Illustration: 2.11 Barriers - UP Railroad, I-880
Barriers to Accessibility: The two major barriers with respect to access to the district and the waterfront are the I-880 freeway and the Union Paci ic railroad. The entrance and exit ramps of the freeway, along with BART’s right-of-way create multiple instances where the streets do not go through. Union Paci ic’s (UP) rightof-way does not allow streets east of Webster Street to go through which has encouraged introverted housing developments on the waterfront that do not contribute to its public realm. The streets that do go through Ramps to be taken down Ramps to stay Union Pacific railroad BART alignment
Illustration: 2.12 Barriers to accessibility in the existing condition
are frequently blocked due to commuter 1
City of Oakland, “Key Industries - International Trade and Logistics”
20
trains and sometimes long freight trains that
volumes from Oakland to Midwest, by
bring the pedestrian and vehicular traf ic
2030, the increase in the number of trains
to an absolute standstill (see ill. 2.12). The
operating through Jack London Square area
railroad tracks are used by UP and BNSF
is expected to rise to 72 trains per day - 28
freight trains as well as Amtrak passenger
freight trains and 44 passenger trains2. This
trains. Amtrak trains include the Capitol, San
increase in frequency will only add to the
Joaquin, and Coast Starlight trains totaling
accessibility woes of the Jack London district
42 trains per weekday. Freight trains average
which anticipates becoming more dense than
approximately 19 per day. In all, there are
what it is, due to rise in population.
61 trains per weekday running through the Jack London Square area today. Maximum
In addition, the warehouse cluster east of
allowable speeds are 15 mph for freight trains
Oak Street limits any possible access to the
and 25 mph for passenger trains . Apart
Lake Merritt channel (see ill. 2.12).
1
from the frequent commuter trains, the slow moving freight trains which are usually 1-1.5
Regional Connectivity:
miles long with 75-100 cars are a formidable
On the level of regional connectivity, at
barrier in movement of pedestrian traf ic
present Jack London District holds a number
between the neighborhood and waterfront.
of transit options like the Amtrak train depot,
Even if the widening of Panama Canal leads
a ferry terminal, AC Transit bus stops and a
to diversion of some Transpaci ic container
free Broadway bus shuttle that connects the
1
2
City of Oakland, “Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study”, 2011
City of Oakland, “Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study”, 2011
21
neighborhood to Downtown Oakland. Yet the inter-connectedness of these modes of transit is severely fragmented and does not serve the neighborhood to act as a central transportation hub that can support a high density transit-oriented development.
Social and Physical Integration Illustration: 2.13 65-70% of the residential units are comprised of non-family households
Illustration: 2.14 75-95% of the households do not have children
Income Disparity and lack of Family Households: For Jack London District, understanding different socio-economic aspects will help in understanding the challenges faced by the resident community. Looking at the median income per household data, it is clear that people in the district are better off than people in the rest of the city of Oakland (see ill. 2.15). The neighborhood has become a niche market for expensive homes, which Illustration: 2.15 Median household income is relatively higher than other neighborhoods in the city
has led to the acute disparity in income levels
22
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
17 1819 20 21 22 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 23 2425 26 27 28 16
1
14
2 3 4 5
6 7 8
9
10 11 12
between residents of the neighborhood and
housing units have been constructed in the
the rest of the city. Most of the owned units
area, increasing from 265 units in 2000 to
cost between 300K-400K, and the rentals are
1,167 units in 2010 - more than four times
$1500 or higher.
the total in the year 20001. This housing boom, largely, due to former mayor Jerry
2 1
3
1
2
4 5
Illustration: 2.16 Transformation of a typical Kellersberger block in Jack London District from 1852 to present times (L to R)
Out of the 2500+ dwelling units that currently
Brown’s 10K Program has not contributed
exist today in the neighborhood; more 80%
towards the neighborhood’s quality of life
of them were built between early 2000s
or improvements in the public realm since
till 2010. In these 10 years, 900 additional
almost all of the housing built is introverted condominiums or lofts with minimal access from the street and covering the entirety of a
CHINATOWN
city block. This type of housing development has attracted single-person households or families that do not have any children (see ill. 2.13, 2.14). Built Form: Considering the parcelization pattern
in
Kellersberger map for the city; the existing
Illustration: 2.17 Existing parcelization showing stark contrast between Chinatown and Jack London District
1
City of Oakland, “Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study”, 2011
23
Illustration: 2.18 A condominium building (background) next to the Produce Market (foreground) illustrating a lack of convivial land-use (drawing by author)
Illustration: 2.19 Existing land-use (Estuary Policy Plan)
parcel map is very telling in terms of its
parcels in to larger ones to lure pro it-seeking
transformation from a ine grain, uniform
private developers. The series here attempts
layout to an unregulated disjointed parcel
at illustrating the different versions of
map. The parcelization sits in stark contrast
Kellersberger’s blocks that exist today in the
with the adjoining Chinatown neighborhood
district, the irst being the original one from
which, up to an extent, has managed to retain
1852 with 28 subdivisions (see ill. 2.16).
its original ine grain (see ill. 2.17). Much of this contrast is a result of the redevelopment
By extension of the parcelization map, one
agency’s strategy of consolidating smaller
can see the lack of cohesiveness in the built
24
form. The lofts and condos do not do any
has disturbed the naturally evolved inter-
justice to this built form since most of them
block conviviality. For example, a modern
occupy the whole length of the block.
loft building sits in close adjacency to the historic Produce Market which results in the
Lack of Convivial Land Uses:
residents seeing the market as a nuisance
Since the 10K program did not pursue a
because of its early morning delivery routine
comprehensive vision plan it resulted in
(see ill. 2.18).
individual ad hoc addition of residential developments in random locations that
Effect of Sea Level Rise At-risk Infrastructure: As mentioned earlier, the Bay Area is at the risk of losing infrastructure and properties along the shoreline due to sea level rise. With the projected 55� Sea Level Rise (SLR) by 2100, the at-grade portions of the Union Paci ic (UP) railroad and Interstate 880 (I880) freeway will be inundated (see ill. 2.20). The railroad along with the freeway carries, both, passengers and freight up and down Illustration: 2.20 At-risk infrastructure (railroad and freeway) with 55 inch sea-level rise by 2100 (BCDC)
the east bay and access the Port of Oakland.
25
I-880 serves a key interregional role as the
the average daily traf ic (ADT) that goes as
primary route serving the Port of Oakland.
high as 275,000. The corridor carries the
It serves as both an access route for major
highest volume of truck traf ic in the region
interregional and international shippers, and
and is among the highest of any highway in
a primary intraregional goods-movement
the State of California1.
corridor. The connection with the Port of Oakland generates signi icant truck volumes,
Historical Tidal Marshes:
representing approximately 10 percent of
Since 1884, the City of Oakland has extended its land to make room for the port by illing in the Bay. Prior to that, the shoreline could boast of a diverse ecosystem and interconnected tidal marshes (see ill. 2.21). Lake Merritt, originally a tidal lagoon with marshlined wildlife haven, boldly met the estuary making a broad mouth instead of a narrow channel at present.
Illustration: 2.21 Historical tidal marshes superimposed over present land form extent
1
U.S. Department of Transportation
26
Opportunities In terms of developable area, the district has a substantial amount of underutilized land that can be incentivized for high density developments. There are multiple modes of Illustration: 2.22 Map illustrating underutilized land in Jack London district Oakland Streetcar Proposal Oakland Streetcar BART Station Capitol Corridor/Amtrak Station Ferry Terminal
transit available in the neighborhood. And after the re-introduction of Streetcar, which is currently undergoing a feasibility study; there is an underlying possibility of making Jack London Square neighborhood a central transportation hub for the City of Oakland. In absence of a stop on the high speed rail network, Oakland can still develop in to a
Lakeside id Park
major rail destination by facilitating better Lake Merritt
connectivity to Sacramento and San Jose. The imminent sea-level rise will pressure
Laney College
the authorities to prioritize infrastructural improvements which can be used as a
JJack k London Lon Lo Lond o d don Sq Square quare q
Illustration: 2.23 One of the proposals for re-introducing the streetcar in Oakland (Jacobson, The Oakland Streetcar Plan)
leverage to attract major investments and housing growth including family households.
27
THREE C ASE STUDI E S
28
After an in-depth study of the site with
the inherent parallels between Jack London
respect to the challenges it is bound to face,
district and the transformation of the
it would only help the cause by studying how
historic Pearl District in Portland. Portland
other neighborhoods have overcome these
is well known for its successful development
challenges by facilitating a sustainable urban
strategies; light rail lines connect downtown
transformation. What comes to mind, are
to outer neighborhoods, streetcars navigate through the urban core and link walkable neighborhoods
illed
with
mixed
use
buildings. One area that has bene ited immensely from these strategies is the Pearl District. The district is an example of a former industrial district that has been transformed into a vital residential and retail/commercial district. Like Jack London district, much of the Pearl District was partial marshland that was illed in to make space for the expanding rail yards. By the early 1900s this district was the city’s transportation hub but as commercial rail began vacating the area, the district entered Illustration: 3.1 The Pearl District was originally platted as part of Captain J. Couch’s Addition in 1869 (Pearl District Business Association)
29
an era of decline1.
Connectivity:
The Pearl District has not had a substantial
One of the key objectives for transformation
residential population since the early years of
of the Pearl District focused on strengthening
the twentieth century. Yet, its redevelopment
the district’s connectivity to the Portland’s
represents a conscious attempt to re-create
Downtown core by extending the streetcar line
a very speci ic conception of neighborhood
to the largely underutilized neighborhood.
and urban place, i.e. a dense mixed-
To offset the cost of this investment, the land
use
transit
along the corridors of the new streetcar line
connections to Portland’s downtown and
was up-zoned to a high-density residential
outer neighborhoods; and including a
neighborhood of 125du/acre from a mere
carefully planned dosage of its remaining
15du/acre. And in less than 15 years, this
working-class, industrial heritage. As a result,
corridor experienced an estimated $3.5
it exempli ies a successful reintegration into
billion worth of development, including
the physical, social and economic structure of
10,000 housing units and 5.4 million square
Portland’s urban center .
feet of retail and commercial3. The streetcar
neighborhood
with
strong
2
has been seamlessly integrated into TriMet - the regional transit system providing bus, light rail and commuter rail transit services
Illustration: 3.2 Portland streetcar route map (portlandstreetcar.org)
1
Portland City Council, “Pearl District Development Plan”, 2001
2
Jones, “Re-presenting the Post-industrial neighborhood: Planning and redevelopment in Portland’s Pearl District, 1999
in the Portland Metropolitan area, further
3
Jacobson, “The Oakland Streetcar Plan”, 2010
30
enhancing the quality of the Pearl District’s
of a streetcar which is usually 10-30 feet
connectivity. The streetcar system has proven
shorter than a typical light rail car, allows
to be an essential element, both socially and
it to follow regular traf ic patterns, without
economically, that has aided in the district’s
being given priority over vehicle traf ic or
transformation.
forcing an adjustment to traf ic signals. This minimizes costs and limits disruption to the
Jack London district is at a similar stage
current traf ic or parking set-up. The small
where the Pearl District was in the early
size also helps reduce construction costs by
2000s. Jack London district’s proximity to
allowing stations and stops to be smaller
Oakland Downtown area, the absence of a
than light rail stations1.
BART station and the presence of substantial developable land make it easy to comprehend
Integration:
the need to introduce a commuting service,
Illustration: 3.3 Pearl District before (above) and after (below) introduction of the streetcar
possibly by means of a streetcar, which can
After recognizing the lack of households
seamlessly integrate the district into the
with children in the residential demographic
Bay Area Regional Transit system (BART)
of Jack London district, one of the major
and connect with Oakland’s Downtown.
tasks for a successful transformation of
The relatively affordable yet permanent
the district would be to attract family
nature of the streetcar infrastructure should
households with children. For reasons of
assist the city government’s anticipation of
security and convenience, families tend to
major investments in terms of housing and businesses at Jack London District. The size
1
Institute of Sustainable Communities, “The Portland Streetcar: Transforming Urban Growth”
31
value proximity to amenities like groceries, parks and day-care and are inclined to move into a neighborhood that allows the parents to walk their children to the park or day-care. Looking at the Pearl District’s transformation from a light industrial neighborhood into a dense residential neighborhood can provide us with basic guiding principles about attracting families with children. The planning of the Pearl District realized this necessity of integrating high-density housing for families with children and has advocated design guidelines such as providing easy access to essential community services and amenities, designing for a sizeable number of family units in a project in order to give children peers to play with, to encourage a sense of community; and to support provision of adequate outdoor and indoor amenities for families with children, etc1. As
Illustration: 3.4 Parks in Pearl District (photos by author)
Illustration: 3.5 Ground loor units in Pearl District (photos by author)
1
City of Portland, “North Pearl District Plan�, 2008
32
a result, the Pearl District has a network of
a comprehensive and explicit example of
green spaces that are surrounded by a dense
illustrated urban resiliency that can keep
residential fabric consisting of new high-
evolving in response to ever changing sea
density residential units and re-purposed
levels. The basic approach toward sea level
warehouses
scaled
rise is either a hard one whereby constructing
multi-family residential typologies. Both the
multi-purpose levees/bunds such as the
typologies demonstrate the idea of having
one in Shanghai become an option or a soft
units on the ground loor that instill a sense
approach whereby a large portion of the land
of activity and security on the streets. This
is retreated from to make room for water
strategic implementation of family-oriented
such as the proposal for the city of Nijmegen
dwellings around parks has played its part in
in Netherlands by creating an additional
contributing towards the “urban baby boom”
channel to accommodate essential spillway
that the district has witnessed since the early
in times of high water in the River Waal.
into
appropriately
2000s . 1
Shanghai Bund (Hard approach): Adaptability:
The Bund is an iconic 1 mile-long promenade along the western bank of Huangpu River
Illustration: 3.6 The Bund in 1933 (above) and present times (below) (NBBJ)
The effect of sea level rise on urban
in Shanghai. For much of its history, the
environments is widely speculated in a
Bund has been Shanghai’s economic heart, a
number of studies but we are yet to see
thriving port lined by lavish banks and trading houses built by the foreign powers that ruled
1
City of Portland, “North Pearl District Plan”, 2008
the city until 1949. After a series of loods in
33
the 1980s, the local government built a tall
the rest of Shanghai. Built atop a loodwall
levee along the riverfront which stands some
with integrated parking, the promenade
7 metres above sea level. In the 1990s, the
doubles as both recreation space and vital
road adjacent to the riverfront was widened
infrastructure3.
to ten lanes, cutting off pedestrian access to the promenade, except through dingy tunnels
In conclusion, hard-engineered dikes and
and narrow footbridges . The bund which is
seawalls have been built to counter the danger
designed to withstand a one-in-1000 year
of looding, but existing infrastructures may
tidal surge has been raised three times, by
become less effective as sea levels rise and
nearly 2 meters, over the past four decades .
climate patterns shift.
Recently, in order to improve and integrate
Making Room for River Waal (Soft approach):
the bund with the urban fabric, its
The city of Nijmegen in Netherlands sits at
redevelopment resulted in burying six lanes
a lood-prone bend of River Waal that is one
of traf ic in an underground tunnel, creating a
of the narrowest in the country. For instance,
safer pedestrian environment and widening
in 1995 tens of thousands of residents were
the existing waterfront promenade. The
forced to evacuate due to looding of the
public space connects back to the city along
river. The government of Netherlands has
side streets, to integrate the waterfront with
devised a plan which allows the narrow River
1
2
Waal to have more room for spillover in the 1
Surface Asia magazine, 2013
2
Seavitt, Landscape Urbanism, “Rethinking Infrastructure�, 2013
3
NBBJ
34
times of high water. As per the proposal, an existing dike will be demolished and a side channel for the river (2.5 miles long and 650 feet wide) is being dug and a new island will be created, most of which will be parklands and nature reserve. The side channel will accommodate substantial spillover from the River Waal. The proposal also indicates relocation of about half of the 100 families from the zone due to removal of houses1. The proposal suggests a retreat in land to make room for the river but due to lack of adequate population density, the retreat is not damaging to the housing requirement. But in the case of dense urban environments neither approach is adequate or feasible. Due to lack of an appropriate project to look at as a precedent, I look towards the graduate thesis Illustration: 3.7 River Waal in 2012 (above) and in 2015 with side channel and island (below) (Bryan Christie Design)
1
Chu, Fast Company magazine, “A river runs through it�, 2013
35
of another urban design student, Brenda Snyder (2010), on sea level rise and its relationship with the urban edge. The thesis looks at how resiliency can be introduced to the city of Olympia’s built fabric at the edge of Puget Sound in the wake of the imminent Typical natural shoreline
sea level rise. The author looks at a number of independent case studies to form a design tool kit. She uses this tool kit to develop a synthesis of soft and hard approach towards sea level rise which is adequate and feasible
Natural shoreline with sea-level rise accommodation
for relatively dense urban environments. The author suggests a “RAP” strategy whereby a certain gradient of land is demarcated for Retreat, while some land is delineated for Adaptability and some land is Protected, thus
Urban edge: conventional approach to sea-level rise
Urban edge: alternate approach to sea-level rise Illustration: 3.8 Approach to sea-level rise (Snyder)
R-A-P. The RAP strategy strives to provide the Illustration: 3.9 Olympia’s existing condition (above) and proposed master plan (below) showing gradation of retreat, adapt and protect strategy (R-A-P) (Snyder)
best of both worlds and has the lexibility to be shaped for speci ic site contexts.
36
FOUR U RBA N DE SI GN ST R ATEGY A ND PRO PO SA L
37
The greater Downtown area of Oakland has
[i] Connectivity – the physical state and
already experienced an “urban renewal”
quality of being connected with immediate
movement of sorts during the 10K program
and distant context.
whereby
marginal
properties
were
consolidated to make larger parcels, and in
[ii] Integration – thriving of different yet
the process leading to damaging the ine fabric
cohesive
of city and relocation of many residents and
contribute towards a diverse and dynamic
businesses out of this urban center. The city
neighborhood.
human-centric
activities
that
does not need another renewal movement. The transformation strategies for the Jack
[iii] Adaptability – a sustainable approach
London District should address the gamut of
towards sea level rise for the coming century.
challenges that the region is poised to face in the near future and ensure that existing
Preparing the urban framework proposal
remnants of vitality in the neighborhood,
that addresses the above three strategies in
remarkable or marginal in nature, are not
a comprehensive manner would allow the
lost in the wake of a new future.
City of Oakland to demonstrate a successful model of urban-living.
After an intensive site study, it would only be coherent to pursue the urban transformation of Jack London Square neighborhood on the basis of three comprehensive strategies:
38
1
2
2
1
Illustration: 4.1 Illustrative Master Plan
3
3
39
Connectivity
in a tunnel following the existing alignment which would only add to the expense of
In order to avoid inundation of the Union
improving the infrastructure and encourage
Paci ic railroad, three possibilities lie in front
little investment within the neighborhood.
of us (see ill. 4.2). The existing alignment can
Shifting the tracks to a more central location
be elevated on a higher level which would
to the north along the historic Western
further create accessibility issues with the
Paci ic alignment will have a larger impact
shoreline; or it can be placed underground
zone and will open up substantial amount
Illustration: 4.2 Railroad intervention possibilities
of underutilized land for development speculation (see ill. 4.3). The former Western Paci ic depot can provide surface access to an underground station in this location (see ill. 4.4A). Such a tunnel could accommodate both, electri ied ACE and Amtrak lines, providing high speed connections to Sacramento, Stockton and LA, and allowing Oakland to function as a head station. The new “old depot� will have strong connections to the BART network and Oakland neighborhoods via a Streetcar
Illustration: 4.3 Under-utilized land open for development speculation due to relocation of train station
system that been proposed by the city linking
40
Jack London District to the Broadway-Valdez district in North Oakland. This streetcar will link the train station with both 12th and 19th Street BART stations and can be phased to link West Oakland BART to the West and San Antonio to the East in the future creating strong East-West links for Jack London. It could, possibly, also connect to Alameda via a third tube or since Webster Tube was constructed only to accommodate the increasing automobile traf ic, in theory, it can make room for a streetcar and bicycle rightof-way expecting all automobile traf ic to move through Posey Tube only (see ill .4.7). Illustration: 4.4A Re-purposed Western Paci ic Depot acting as a surface access to an underground train station on 3rd St.
underground train station
Illustration: 4.4 Section 1-1
streetcar maintenance
41
Since the freeway mostly caters to regional
pedestrian-only street. Raising the at-grade
and port traf ic, it is possible to explore taking
portion of the freeway will allow Fallon Street
down a pair of entrance and exit ramps on
to go through as well. The district will still
Broadway and Jackson streets which allow
have one entrance and exit ramp at Oak Street
Franklin, Alice and Harrison streets to go
(see ill. 4.8). Taking down the ramps liberate
through, the underpass on Harrison being a
narrow parcels that can be used to develop
Illustration: 4.5 The new “old depot� contributing towards an active urban environment
42
retail/exhibition spaces; a youth center with skate-park, streetcar maintenance facility, and warehouse buildings. To improve pedestrian linkage, a network of paths and open spaces like the linear park allow for a pleasant walk within the neighborhood (see ill. 4.9). During special events like the Oakland First Friday, one can envision the exhibition spaces being used by Ramps to be taken down Ramps to stay Union Pacific railroad BART alignment
New accessibility Ramps to stay Union Pacific railroad BART alignment
Illustration: 4.6 Existing condition for accessibility
Illustration: 4.8 Proposed new streets
artists to exhibit their work and the linear park being used by food trucks, generating an active zone within the heart of the
To Broadway-Valdez District
neighborhood. This pedestrian network also To San Antonio
includes developing 1st Street with wider sidewalks and integrated retail at street level.
To West Oakland BART
To Alameda
Water Street will have a better legibility and actually act as a “street by the water” when
Streetcar route
Illustration: 4.7 Proposed streetcar route
Open Space Pedestrian network
Illustration: 4.9 Proposed open-space network
it’s transformed in to elevated boardwalks on its way to the tidal wetlands and the channel.
43
Integration
neighborhood. Looking at the Pearl District as a precedent where a number of parks
Inter-linked open spaces and pedestrian
are surrounded by residential development
paths do much more than just allow for
which conveniently brings so many families
lexibility to a pedestrian. A neighborhood
with kids out of their homes. The residential
with quality open and green spaces can
neighborhoods in Jack London District will
also attract family households to the
have parks, day-care and local markets within
Illustration: 4.10A Residential neighborhood with a park and day-care within walking distance
wetland park
Illustration: 4.10 Section 2-2
day-care
neighborhood market
linear park
44
walking distance (see ill. 4.10A).
the use of two-underutilized ive storied parking structures. Outsourcing parking
Affordability can be achieved through set-
allows residential units to be designed for
aside regulations as well as the costs the
ground loor to activate the streets and add
developer can extend to future buyers through
an element of security to the neighborhood.
Illustration: 4.11 The Day-Care facilitates integration of important structures on site within the new urban fabric
45
The history and character of the Produce
of this of produce market in the US1. Since
Market
contributed
the market has previously relocated from its
towards the identity of Jack London District.
original place due to development pressure of
The market buildings designed by architect
Downtown Oakland, it is most likely to move
have
immensrely
McCall are among the best surviving examples 1
Illustration: 4.10B A transformed Produce Market, and proposed linear park adjacent to units on ground loor
Mailman, Oakland’s neighborhoods, 2005
46
out again from its current location due to
located food market, with stores and
similar land development pressure. Knowing
eateries (see ill. 4.12). This transformation
the importance of the character of the market
can maintain the physical essence of the
buildings and the activity it generated, the
produce market that has been identi iable
market in its current form will be phased and
with the neighborhood, while activating it
re-purposed to accommodate a centrally-
throughout the day as a central destination
Illustration: 4.12 Transformation of the Produce Market in to a neighborhood mart with groceries and eateries
47
for local residents. The linear park and the
that out-of-scale, bulky developments like
transformed Produce Market will, most likely,
the existing ones do not continue to occur in
become a social heart for the neighborhood.
the future.
In the absence of a redevelopment agency, the newer developments can be implemented utilizing the existing parcelization ensuring
Illustration: 4.13 Linear Park introduces public open space that is activated by units on the ground level
48
Adaptability
level rise seems most logical (see ill. 4.14). This approach will delineate a gradient of land
After mapping the historical tidal wetlands
for the purpose of retreating to reconstruct
and at-risk zones for inundation on the
historical tidal wetlands; a portion of land
site, and understanding the strategy used
shall be delineated for adaptability where
for Olympia, Washington as a precedent; a
low-rise waterfront residential development
mixture of soft and hard approach to the sea
will be built on piles or basement parking. This
Illustration: 4.14 Retreat, Adapt and Protect (RAP) strategy
Illustration: 4.15A Re-aligned and raised Embarcardero West acts as a line of defense
Illustration: 4.15 Section 3-3
49
development will be market-rate considering
Phasing
the expensive nature of the construction method. Some portion of the land shall be
Since the proposal undertakes some big
delineated for protection by raising the land
infrastructural improvements, it is necessary
to a higher level. For this purpose, a line of
to develop a phasing strategy that gives
defense will be established at the right-of-
a chronological idea about the bigger
way along Embarcadero West (see ill. 4.15A).
moves required to complete the urban
This street and the land liberated from the
transformation of Jack London District.
existing warehouses will be raised to a higher
Illustration: 4.16 Urban water run-off collection
level (approximately twenty- ive feet above
Firstly, a feasibility and environmental
sea level) and re-aligned to meet 8th Street,
impact study for the big investments
which is a collector street. The residents
in infrastructure should be completed.
from the proposed Oak and 9th development
Construction of streetcar infrastructure and
will be able to walk to Jack London Square
underground tunnel can begin immediately
through a pedestrian bridge over the channel.
thereafter. In all likelihood, the current
The streets east of Webster Street will also be
occupants of the waterfront residences east
able to collect urban run-off from streets and
of Webster Street should be noti ied that
terraces of newer developments and send it
by 2035, their property, being at-risk of
to the wetlands for treatment before reaching
inundation, will possibly be condemned due
the estuary (see ill. 4.16). The wetland park
to safety reasons. Due to this, a plan should be
near the train station will perform a similar
put in place to provide subsidy to the owners
function for the surrounding developments.
who decide to move from these waterfront
50
residences for them to purchase/rent a new
shoreline should be taken down and the
unit of equal or less square-footage within
wetland
the neighborhood.
be
construction
completed.
developments Once the streetcar is functioning in full
process
Waterfront can
begin
should
residential construction
simultaneously.
capacity, it should be able to generate considerable
interest
due
to
better
In conclusion, there is a potential for more
connectivity with Downtown Oakland. This
than 3500 new dwelling units to be built at a
phenomenon would allow development
gross density of 135 du/acre. Out of the 3500
speculation of existing underutilized parcels
new units, approximately 1500 units will be
in the district to begin.
built in the high-density neighborhood West of Broadway, approximately 1345 units will
Part of the revenue generated from sales and
be built East of Broadway and about 700 units
property taxes from the new developments
will be built in the residential development
should be invested in the betterment of
along the waterfront.
public realm like underpass improvements, raising the land along Embarcadero West and wetland construction. Simultaneously, newer residential developments and amenities like parks and day-care should be completed. Finally, the at-risk properties along the
51
FIVE CONCLUSI O N
52
As it is right now, Jack London District stands
and local scales. This proposal has attempted
at the crossroads of what it was and what it
to address a collective problem and its intent is
could be. The city is moving forward with
de ined by the clear and imminent challenges
plans of improving connectivity between
in terms of connectivity, integration and
Downtown and Jack London Square, but
adaptability that the City will have to confront
they have not seemed to address how this
at some point. As suggested in the study,
neighborhood will gradually transform over
the relevant authorities will have to make
time. After all, the future of the district is
important decisions about the shoreline-
crucial to bring back the notion of centrality
adjacent infractructure and it would be highly
to Oakland downtown area. As the pressure
logical to use big infrastructural investments
to accommodate the projected population
as leverage towards attracting new housing
growth mounts, the city will undoubtedly
and business.
change but a clear vision is needed to ensure that growth and development happens
Such an urban design implementation would
in a way that understands the underlying
be quite costly and would take a number of
potentials of the neighborhood.
years to see such changes take place. While the cost of speci ic projects would be split
Although there may be a number of ways
between public realm and private entities,
that the future of this neighborhood can be
inancing and development encouragement
envisioned, the guidelines for this particular
would be spurred by introduction of streetcar
framework has risen from the strong issues
system and the promise of a centrally located
unearthed during the site study on regional
train station with spur service to Sacramento
53
and San Jose, and by extension to the high
in the potential in the neighborhoods of
speed rail network.
Jack London district to create the notion of centrality for the City of Oakland and in its
Improvements in the public realm will be a
ability to demonstrate a model for an urban
very important aspect of attracting future
way of life that is incremental and ever-
residents and businesses to the neighborhood.
evolving.
The linear park will be a necessary addition to the open space network which currently
The
is largely absent. Investments in disguise
integration and adaptability guides towards a
of streetcar infrastructure and open spaces
comprehensive vision for the transformation
will raise the intensity of pedestrian
of this neighborhood and yet are lexible
activities in the area. The rate at which new
enough to re-adjust with changing needs and
residential developments will occur is largely
resources for the considerable future.
indeterminable, but would likely follow the speculations created by the improvement in public realm infrastructure and investments in community amenities like a day-care or a market. Any new built form will follow the existing parcelization pattern which will allow for a steady and incremental growth. In conclusion, this proposal strongly believes
three
strategies
of
connectivity,
54
B I B LI O GRA P HY
55
Literature Bosselmann, Peter. Urban Transformation: Understanding City Design and Form. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2008. Hegemann, Werner. Report on a City Plan for the Municipalities of Oakland & Berkeley. Oakland: The Kelley-Davis Co., 1915. Kapp, P., Armstrong, P. SynergiCity: Reinventing the Postindustrial City. University of Illinois Press, 2012. Mailman, Erika. Oakland’s Neighborhoods. Mailman Press, 2005. Marshall, Richard. Waterfronts in Post-industrial Cities. Taylor & Francis, 2001. Neal, Peter. Urban Villages and the Making of Communities. Taylor & Francis, 2003.
56
Articles, Documents and Research Papers American Society of Civil Engineers. Martin, Jim. A Proposed “Southern Crossing” for San Francisco Bay. Association of Bay Area Governments, Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Plan Bay Area, 2013. City of Oakland, General Plan: Land Use and Transportation Element, 1998. City of Oakland, Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study, 2011. City of Portland, North Pearl District Plan, 2008. City of Portland, Pearl District Development Plan, 2001. Department of Finance, California. New Population Projections, 2013. Fast Company. Chu, Jeff. A River Runs Through It, 2013. Landscape Urbanism. Seavitt, Catherine. Yangtze River Delta Project, 2013. New York University. Rosenstein, Mark. The Rise of Maritime Containerization in the Port of Oakland: 1950 to 1970, 2000. One Bay Area. Alternative Land Use Scenarios, 2011. Portland State University. Jones, Robert Alan. Re-presenting the Post-industrial neighborhood: Planning and redevelopment in Portland’s Pearl District, 1999.
57
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, ART Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report, 2012. Stanford University. Jacobson, Daniel. The Oakland Streetcar Plan, 2010. University of California, Berkeley. Miller, Daniel. Giving New Life to an Aging Industrial Riverfront, 2010. University of California, Berkeley. Snyder, Brenda. Sea-Level Rise: Re-imagining the Urban Edge, 2010. World Health Organization, UN-Habitat. Hidden Cities, 2010.
58
Web Resources City of Oakland, Oakland. Key Industries: International Trade and Logistics. Accessed: 11/14/2013. http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/ EconomicDevelopment/s/WFD/DOWD008138 Institute of Sustainable Communities. The Portland Streetcar: Transforming Urban Growth. Accessed: 11/01/2013. http://www.iscvt.org/resources/documents/portland_streetcar.pdf NBBJ. The Bund, Rebounded. Accessed: 11/15/2013. http://www.nbbj.com/work/shanghai-bund/ Oakland Wiki, Oakland. Western Paciϔic Depot. Accessed: 05/19/2013. http://oaklandwiki.org/Western_Paci ic_Depot Port of Oakland, Oakland. Facts and Figures. Accessed: 05/19/2013. http://www.portofoakland.com/maritime/facts igures.aspx Surface Asia Magazine. DeWolf, Christopher. Public Purpose. Accessed: 11/15/2013. http://www.surfaceasiamag.com/read-news-3-0-791-public-purpose.surfaceasia.magz#. UoqP2cSkrOw The Atlantic Cities. Metcalf, Gabriel. The San Francisco Exodus. Accessed: 10/14/2013. http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2013/10/san-francisco-exodus/7205/#disqus_ thread U.S. Department of Transportation. Intelligent Transportation Systems. Accessed: 11/15/2013. http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/30000/30400/30406/14413_ iles/sect03.htm