Now that WETA actually has a lease with the City of Alameda they can begin presenting designs for public consideration even though some folks thought that WETA should have started the process of presenting designs for a parcel of land they had yet to have control of before they were actually given control of that property. Most people like to present real designs for consideration if they (1) own the land in questions or (2) have been given some indication, like a lease, by the current property owner — and apparently WETA has that same policy too even though they seem to be getting grief for not being more proactive about having a crap load of community meetings about land they neither owned nor had control over.
Anywho.
Renderings follow:
The building material is some sort of industrial metal that I really like the look of. It suits the industrial nature of the operations that’s happening there. Here’s what the staff report tells us the general day to day operations will look like and how it will be staffed:
The Central Bay Operations & Maintenance Facility will be staffed by seven to eight maintenance engineers and a supervisor, approximately seven dispatch and operations-related personnel, and up to 35 administrative staff. Additionally, two shifts of up to 24 captains and crew members each will access the facility at the start and end of their shifts. Overall, there could be up to 50 on-site employees and an additional 24 to 48 captains and crew, depending on the degree that shifts may overlap.
Oh and look, City Staff put together this timeline of how we got here and what’s to expect moving forward. For those opposed to the WETA project you may want to save this list for future reference:
· November 2010: WETA presents to City of Alameda Planning Board
· June 2011: Mitigated Negative Declaration adopted by WETA Board
· Oct 2012: NMFS issues Biological Opinion
· March 2013: USFWS issues Biological Opinion
· May 2013: FTA issues Determination of Categorical Exclusion; NEPA complete
· January 2014: WETA presents to BCDC Design Review Board
· February 2014: WETA initiates 30% Design Drawings
· March 2014: SFRWQB issues Water Quality Certification
· February 2015: NOAA issues IHA for MMPA (public comment period complete); WETA Board approves Lease Agreement
· March 3, 2015: Alameda City Council introduces ordinance approving lease agreement on first reading
· March 17, 2015: City Council to consider MOU and 2nd reading of ordinance approving lease agreement
· March 23, 2015: Planning Board acts on Design Review and Use Permit applications.
· May 2015: BCDC approves Major Permit; ACOE approves permit (public comment period complete)
· July 2015: WETA Board approves release of RFP for Design/Build Construction
· November 2015: WETA Board approves contract award for Design/Build Construction
· May 2016: Application for Site and Building Permits
· July 2016: Permits Issued and Notice to Proceed for Construction
· August 2016: In-Water Construction Start
· November 2016: In-Water Construction Complete
· November 2017: Facility Opens.
WETA will be seeking LEED Silver certification for the project if all goes to plan.
Next is an update on Alameda Point Site A. Alameda Point Partners has submitted a formal density bonus request in order to secure the waiver from Measure A for the site, but they haven’t requested any additional units as is allowed under the density bonus.
Also in exciting news is the Phase Zero implementation. One of the items APP is suggesting is a Night Market. They used First Fridays as an example, but a true Night Market in the Taiwanese style would be amazing. Southern California has super awesome Night Markets. They’re also considering a “drive in movie experience to be beamed on to the side of one of the hangars.
Anyway, you can read more at the link, I am trying to not to get too excited about anything at Alameda Point until it’s further down the pipeline because I’ve been burned before and I don’t want to invest emotionally into anything that’s going to fizzle out.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
Karen Bey loves it.
Comment by jack — March 23, 2015 @ 9:27 am
Not sure why you are comparing WETA to “most people”. WETA is not a Developer, like the “most people” you are really talking about. WETA is not flexible as to the number of homes or commercial properties it will put on a site, because it doesn’t build those. WETA has a single plan for this site-or any site. The question was, and properly put: where on Alameda Point does WETA’s physical plant belong? To appropriately decide that, the people who own the land-us Alamedans, needed to know what the physical plant is going to look like and involve, before leasing it. And 60 years is a very long lease = 2 generations of humans. But by then, no one who ever remembered there once were harbor seals there, will be around.
Comment by vigi — March 23, 2015 @ 9:27 am
vigi, the location was discussed and decided years ago. For someone who seems to know it all, where have you been for the past 5 years.
Comment by Jake. — March 23, 2015 @ 11:57 am
3. your right Jake, I don’t remember hearing any complaint from vigi until now. So it goes with any and all projects, ( we need more time for the public to discuss this project) that’s always at the end of the two or three years that projects like this go through the public process.
Comment by John P. — March 23, 2015 @ 12:16 pm
3 & 4 = I am not speaking on my own behalf. At recent public meetings, several long-time Alamedans known to me expressed discomfort at the lack of WETA outreach. They don’t read blogs. They don’t even know this one exists. But they made excellent points, which I previously covered.in earlier posts. Maybe you should actually read what I wrote before you criticize it.
Why doesn’t WETA call it the “Alameda Point Facility” ?
Comment by vigi — March 23, 2015 @ 12:38 pm
#5 it has been in the papers including the Sun, Journal, SF Business times and probably others. It is called WETA Facility because that is what is it silly.
Comment by Jake. — March 23, 2015 @ 1:53 pm
Jake: Old-time Alamedans (by virtue of living here a long time or, much better, having been born here to native Alamedans) are entitled to object to anything that involves change, and claim they didn’t know anything about it, regardless of how it’s publicized. Someone has to tell them personally so they can loudly bemoan it over an Ole’s waffle breakfast. Indeed, this perspective can even get one elected mayor.
Comment by BC — March 23, 2015 @ 2:21 pm
6 = It isn’t called WETA facility. It’s called the “Central Bay O & M etc.”. Learn to read.
Comment by barrie — March 23, 2015 @ 6:11 pm
Thank you for correcting me barrie with a small “b”, in the papers and on the news it has been called WETA facility…WETA Maintenance Facility…WETA Operation and Maintenance Facility silly barrie with a small “b”.
Comment by Jake. — March 23, 2015 @ 7:28 pm
Just a terrible eyesore blocking the view from the trail, limiting kayaking, fishing, and dragon boats, displacing sea life and introducing mass amounts of diesel fuel into the ecosystem. Other than that, it looks good. Is the only defense to this ugly project that “someone should have said something earlier?” Take a walk down the trail and imagine it with a totally unnecessary four story administrative building with beautiful views of SF for the highly paid executives on the top floors then tell me it is a ” good idea.”
Comment by Breathless — March 24, 2015 @ 6:50 am
post#7, BC, now I know why I’am so different, I was born and raised here but I have never eaten at Ole’s in my life. post#10 Breathless sounds like he or she eats all meals there everyday.
Comment by John P. — March 24, 2015 @ 9:40 am
#10 The “defense for this project are:
1 It will help with infrastructure development at the point
2 It will provide an emergency lifeline for Alameda in the event of an emergency
3 It will create additional jobs and revenue
4 it will energize an abandoned part of the base
5 It will create a permanent haul out for the seals
6 It wont impede other uses of the area
Facts, they are there to get in the way of your opinions
Comment by notadave — March 24, 2015 @ 10:13 am
#10, and its a good idea!!!.
Comment by John P. — March 24, 2015 @ 11:20 am
B.C. , I went back and re-read your post # 7, as someone who has lived here for 71 years, you have f—-ing nailed it.
Comment by John P. — March 24, 2015 @ 4:28 pm