Topic: Urban Planning & Process
Between 1940 and 1944, the Bay Area experienced a huge surge in population. Wartime industry jobs attracted over half a million new residents, including many people of color, who settled in different neighborhoods throughout a rapidly suburbanizing Oakland.
Once known as the “Harlem of the West,” West Oakland’s Seventh Street harbored a vibrant Black music and commercial scene. While the neighborhood is still recovering from the impacts of post-war urbanization, it has begun to bounce back, turning to local blues and jazz artists to revive the sounds of a long-forgotten era.
Oakland is known for hosting many vibrant festivals, but few can match the continued popularity of Oakland First Fridays, which celebrate the city's vibrant community and culture.
There are an estimated 700 unhoused, “transition-aged youth” between the ages of 18–24 who live in Alameda County. Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) is a Berkeley-based non-profit organization that has taken groundbreaking steps to help these individuals as they enter adulthood.
While they may not be as fast or convenient as BART or the Bay Bridge, ferries are a key part of the Bay Area’s public infrastructure. EcoBlock’s Amit Cohen explores the history of this maritime mode of transportation.
While neighborhoods are not static, maintaining an area’s historical and cultural character can help create a sense of place. Such is the case with the California Hotel in West Oakland–recent renovations have maintained the building’s historic exterior while giving it a new role in its community.
Oakland has one of the most interesting architectural legacies in the Bay Area: Art Deco, Beaux-Arts, and Victorian buildings are scattered throughout the city, and famous architects such as Julia Morgan and Frederick Law Olmstead have left their imprint on the urban landscape. Even though new developments have put this history in danger, a local group in Old Oakland is making sure it is preserved.
Situated across the Bay from the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Oakland’s Jack London Square is an entertaining district for tourists and residents alike. EcoBlock’s Amit Cohen explores the constant redevelopment of this historic waterfront as it navigates a long-standing, cross-bay rivalry.
Oakland has taken strides to improve sustainability and resilience within the city, implementing a variety of plans and programs in recent years (including the Oakland EcoBlock)! Yet it can be difficult to measure progress on climate change issues due to the complexity of these problems.
The Oakland EcoBlock team recently participated in a panel discussion at the 2022 Diversity in Tech Symposium. EcoBlock's Eunice Chung provides a recap of the discussion, which considered decarbonization in the built environment through the lenses of business, policy, and research.