Pages

16 May 2009

Oakland hinting at Howard Terminal

True to form, Mayor Dellums' office is talking up Howard Terminal as a ballpark site. Only they're not. Sorta kinda.

A KRON report reveals that the Waterfront near Market Street and Embarcadero West is a preferred site.
While officials could not confirm the exact location, Mayor Dellums’ spokesperson David Chai says a recent meeting between city officials and representatives for Major League Baseball proved hopeful, “They left that meeting very impressed by our overall efforts and we’re going to be in a process over the next month, making sure that our presentation and all of the details that go into it are sound.”
Before you run off to your favorite mapping site, here's the pic (again) from the HOK study.

The thoroughfare between the convention center and the ballpark is Market Street extended to the waterfront.

Quick refresher (again): Howard Terminal (aerial view) was reopened in 2004, with shipping giant Matson signing a 25-year lease. A related deal, finalized only last year, has SSA Marine operating the terminal on behalf of Matson. You may also be interested in the photo overview (PDF).

The challenges? Let's start a list:
  • Relocating Matson
  • Lack of proximity to BART (requiring a new BART infill station? 12th St station is 3/4 mile away, West Oakland is 1 mile away)
  • Environmental cleanup at site
  • Making the deal worthwhile financially for the Port
  • Street circulation improvements (Embarcadero specifically)
Discuss.