Posted on 02/19/2014 5:02:07 PM PST by nickcarraway
We've had several reports that Silicon Valley is moving north to San Francisco, but one report asks, "Why not Oakland?"
Oakland is cheaper than San Francisco and easy to commute to and from, argues GigaOm editor Tom Krazit, and despite its problems boasts a central location and a "vibrant" community. Krazit doesn't oversell Oakland, in fact, he mentions it "isn't exactly paradise." However he does tout the culture, restaurants, weather and plenty of vacant commercial real estate.
The main commercial district of Oakland — which for the sake of this discussion we’ll consider the area roughly bordered by Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, I-980, and Grand Avenue — is already home to a few tech companies, including Pandora and whatever is left of Ask.com. But there are an awful lot of spaces that could accommodate a rapidly growing tech company, and a few places — like the old Sears store at Broadway and 20th right above BART — that used creatively could house much larger enterprises.
Krazit offers Oakland as a way to stop the tech sector polarization of San Francisco -- mainly by moving it to Oakland.
While it is true that Oakland would benefit from more businesses, jobs and a bigger tax base, steeper real estate prices and rents may not benefit Oakland residents. At least one article, which appeared in the Guardian (U.K.) told about Oakland residents disliking techies setting up shop. In it, Oakland's Mayor Jean Quan said the city would absorb the new residents to the city even if they were "white people from the Midwest."
The reality, and Krazit only touches on it, is that most tech workers are young and want to be with other young, driven people. San Francisco provides city living and geeky young things, but Oakland also has youth -- and if Oakland isn't enough, Berkeley certainly is close enough, too.
Oakland has become a beacon to younger artists and professionals that live there because San Francisco is too expensive, and they have created a youthful culture and vibrant nightlife across the Bay.
Well, if they can redevelop Oakland, which has a lot of blight, it woulf be a good thing.
No. Ever been to Oakland?
This will get real interesting.
Land is cheaper in Oakland...so is life.
It sounds crazy but this area of Oakland has some very good restaurants and a few tech companies. The issue is that you never feel totally safe, but with a few more companies I believe that could change.
Oakland is more like the next Detroit
But this year, Kopff became a scorned symbol of the angst over Oakland gentrification. He wrote an online essay describing his diverse, working-class neighborhood east of Lake Merritt as "mostly undiscovered" and a "virtual food desert" in need of an organic supermarket, better restaurants and "a coffee kiosk with patisserie bites."
I thought about posting this article, and I probably will.
I was in Oakland a few months ago. They are crazy if they want to move there.
Oakland residents are highly in favor of bringing in moneyed professionals on a daily basis, considering California’s strict gun and carry prohibitions.
You’ve gotta have a lot of courage to go to Oakland these days. A lot.
The more companies, the more money earned, the more the criminals will have a field day (and move into the upper class in the criminal world).
Oakland - a good target for a Neutron bomb.
With all the talk about nanotubes it should be called Carbon-Town.
What part of “Mexifornia” do those dolts not understand?
It’s either immigration, progressives, the Bug One...or combinations of the three that doom the future third world nation.
Get out.
Now.
Sorry, Dilbert, but you're wrong on this one, Redevelopment is a scam to loot taxpayers.
The best plan would be to sterilize Oakland.
Oakland has every thug who can’t afford San Francisco and every communist islamoNazi community organizer pinko lesboqueer street person and academician who can’t afford Berkeley. Plus a horrible heavy drug gang problem and they kill and maim to protect their turf. Town can’t afford even minimal police either. Just a perfect place for the next busload of computer game metrosexual nerds. Like tossjng Christians in the coliseum with hungry lions. Might be fun to watch on the local NSA spy drone camera channel , however. Let’s do it!
Done:
I stayed in Piedmont Hills for a couple of weeks in 2004, where the back yard was filled with lemon and fruit trees and you could see the lights around Merritt Lake from the windows at night and would have to rest half way up, walking up the hills, after shopping in the shops/bookstore (radical leftist one) at the bottom of the hill. (You wouldn’t walk at night, though.)
Oakland has pockets of really neat Victorian houses (with maid quarters) and is very artsy. I actually was thinking of moving there at that time. I have close relatives in Alameda-—the island right off of Oakland there. Alameda is a really cool area, but more expensive than Oakland.
You got that right, I keep a nine mile moat between me and Oakland.
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