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News & Events
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East Bay Neighborhoods: Downtown Oakland Post in the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday, February 02, 2004 Written by Chronicle Staff Writer Amenities and Treasures of Oakland Oakland ~ The attraction of Oakland's downtown lies in its layers of history. It's full of bits and pieces of the past, mixed together with the energy of the present: converted hotels from the 1870s; the remains of an elegant 1930s shopping district; the huge 1980s federal building; the city's proud African-American heritage; the generations of Oakland's immigrants. It's a great downtown waiting to happen: While many of the ingredients, such as glorious architecture, historic businesses (many have been around a century or so) great hole-in-the-wall restaurants, pleasant public spaces, easy transit access, cultural resources and a lively and diverse population are already there, it doesn't have the bustle and hubbub it should. Lots of energy is going into revitalizing the downtown area, however, and with projects like the huge new ice rink and Mayor Jerry Brown's plans to add 10,000 residents, it shouldn't be long before it's as busy as a beehive. For now, enjoy the peace, quiet and parking, and the feeling of being in on a secret the dot-com masses haven't discovered yet. Downtown is strategically located adjacent to the busy Chinatown and Jack London Square areas. Lake Merritt, with the Oakland Museum, parks, Children's Fairyland and a rowing club is to the east. The area surrounding the City Center complex, with new office buildings, the convention center and the federal building, is packed with pin-striped go-getters on cell phones during working hours. Most of the good stuff, however, is far -- spiritually if not geographically -- from this bland, chain-store area. The restored Old Oakland area around Ninth Street and Washington has food shopping, places to eat and drink and some art galleries, strangely mixed in with bail bond suppliers (being quite close to the jail). The other downtown amenities are scattered. Most of the truly gorgeous Art Deco is near 19th Street BART. While some of these beauties have been converted to other uses, and the Paramount Theater is as lively as ever, many of the most beautiful Deco buildings -- such as the Islamic-esque Fox Theater, the green marble I. Magnin building, and the gorgeous cobalt and silver-tiled shell at 19th and Telegraph -- are empty. We can still look, however, and walking tours are a great way to get acquainted. The City of Oakland offers eight, which explore areas from the restored City Hall and Frank Ogawa Plaza to the area's churches to Chinatown. The San Francisco Chronicle
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Related links: - City of Oakland - Convention Center - SF Chronicle - SF Chronicle Article |
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