Prepared for Landing

Trivia contest link updated 

I know this is belated, but this is the celebratory post for the final approval of Alameda Landing.

Yay!

*confetti*

From a press release I received a few days ago, highlights:

…Alameda Landing will be developed on an 81-acre waterfront site that formerly served as a U.S. Navy industrial supply depot. When completed, it will include up to 300,000 square feet of new retail development, 400,000 square feet of offices, and 300 single-family homes and townhomes. 

The Alameda City Council formally approved a new development agreement for the project on Tuesday, following years of planning and community input. Demolition work at the site is expected to begin this spring, with delivery of the first phase of office and retail buildings planned for the second half of 2008. 
…

Under the approved Alameda Landing development agreement, the company will receive title to the land from the city. The company, in turn, has agreed to fund approximately $103 million in planning, cleanup and public infrastructure costs at the site. The company expects to recoup up to $56 million through proceeds from tax-increment bonds, community facilities districts and other public funds over time. Catellus will manage the entire development process, undertaking certain components of the project on its own and conducting transactions with other developers as appropriate. 

Hmm…we know that Catellus doesn’t do homebuilding, smells like we have another Warmington Homes development underway for the Landing.    If Warmington is indeed going to be selected to build the Landing Homes, I don’t expect any of the homes to be built until Bayport and Grand Marina  (scroll past the tree stuff) are completely sold out. 

I assume that the first priority for Catellus will be rehabbing the warehouse the Clif Bar has been promised, since there are plans that the new Clif Bar site will be a model of green construction (eg. carbon neutral, platinum LEED certification, solar panels, etc…) they better get cracking. 

Catellus now has about a year and a half, according to the promised first phase of completed office and retail to be delivered in late 2008, to find a good solid retail mix for the Landing.   I hope that they will go back to the community to solicit feedback on what residents want for the Landing.  I know I have a vision for what I want, retail-wise, and I would bet that every citizen in Alameda  (whether or not they wanted the Landing in the first place) has a list of stores they would like to see populate the Landing.

In other news, ACLO will be hosting a trivia contest on April 28 at 6:00 p.m.   Very neat.  I love trivia.  Anyone want to form a team with me?