7 21-0723 Subject: Exclusive Negotiation Agreement For 73rd Avenue And Foothill Boulevard
From: Economic And Workforce Development Department
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Enter Into An Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) With The Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation (BCZ) In Partnership With Community Arts Stabilization Trust, Curtis Development, And/Or Their Affiliated Entities For Eighteen (18) Months, With One Additional Six (6) Month Administrative Extension, For The Future Disposition Of The City-Owned 73rd Avenue And Foothill Boulevard Property (APN 039-3291-020), Subject To The Completion Of A California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Determination
As a resident of the Coliseum Neighborhood, I would like to voice my support of the Black Cultural Zone's bid for Liberation Park. They have been a crucial contributor to the neighborhood's wellbeing, especially during the pandemic. Community ownership of property is key to displacement avoidance.
I support BCZ’s liberation park project in deep east Oakland and urge City Council to enter into negotiations for BCZ to purchase the property. It’s been amazing to see how much BCZ has done with the space and how much community impact it has had for east Oakland. Before BCZ undertook this project, the land was just an empty lot that was not being utilized like it is now. BCZ saw an opportunity to revitalize the space and provide something much-needed to local residents. There is no reason why the city should not enter negotiations so BCZ can continue its development of liberation park. Doing so is in the best interests of the City and its residents. Please support BCZ’s work and approve the negotiation agreement! Thank you!
As an Oakland resident, I am in full support of this. Every time I have visited the Black Cultural Zone, I am in awe of the space they have created. Different peoples of different ages gather to vend, eat, talk, play -- most importantly build community. The Black Cultural Zone Community Developmetn Corporation has done an amazing job at creating this space and have demonstrated their ability to create these important spaces that preserve Oakland culture while creating spaces for economic empowerment and connection to each other. This is an important opportunity for the City of Oakland to show its committment to the people of Oakland who are so deserving of this space and so much more. So much positive impact has been made already -- this is a well timed, strategic investment with enormous potential.
Community Vision strongly supports the Black Culture Zone’s (BCZ) project at 73rd Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. The proposed combination of affordable housing (including affordable live/work units filling ground floor retail spaces) coupled with a BCZ Hub (Swan’s Market style market hall, cultural performance space, and co-working, all supporting cultural entrepreneurs) is an important and catalytic community devolvement strategy. Not only will it provide 20 much needed affordable live/work apartments with space for both living and start-up of small businesses, it will be a new dynamic cultural hub for the community. This approach, combining affordable housing with workspace and community space on the ground, is worth considering across Oakland – particularly when rooted in communities of color where spaces like these can preserve and lift up the history, heritage and culture of the place and people.
Community Vision is currently providing real estate advisory services and technical assistance to BCZ through our Consulting Department and our staff has been working with the broader coalition since March 2020. Community Vision is a nonprofit community lender (CDFI) with the mission to promote economic justice and alleviate poverty by increasing the financial resilience and sustainability of community-based nonprofits and enterprises. We fulfill that mission by providing financing and strategic guidance and expertise to nonprofits that work in low-income communities.
The Black Cultural Zone at Liberation Park has been a Wonderful Necessity! It has been so positive and healthy for our community which is consistently shown discourse by the city. If this is not made a staple for districts 6&7 as well as supported as gentrified outdoor markets/ festivities. The creators of the Black Cultural Zone should be supported via economic means to promote and develop this site to its Full and Meaningful powers. I love shopping with and supporting our local district members. We have so many amazing and talented people/ organizations who are not given the opportunity for economic development and growth. We need this!
Thank you.
We look forward to the development of this site for the Community. Black Cultural Zone Hubs will anchor our community and our allies who support us to hold place in our beautiful City -- which has been discovered. We have always known about its beauty and we want to stay and enjoy it for centuries to come.
For the last several years I worked as the manager for Oakland musician Fantastic Negrito. During that time, I had the privilege of meeting Carolyn Johnson, and I have been following her movements ever since. Simply put, CJ is one of the few leaders/organizers with the vision to help Oakland build on its unrivaled cultural legacy - a legacy that is at risk given the economics of the marketplace and the shifting demographics of the city. This effort is an important step in carving out the kind of public space we need for Black and Brown communities of all ages to convene, connect, find their voice, and share their talents and experiences with the rest of the city.
The Gertrude Stein quote may be a bit overused, but it is my contention that our cultural legacy is the "there there" in Oakland. It gives our city its identity, and creates a shared understanding of who we are, and who we are trying to be. In my view it is imperative that we support efforts like this. Thank you.
I am so impressed with everything Black Cultural Zone has achieved with Liberation Park in only one year. The leadership of Catherine is impressive and she has shown that she can be a responsible steward of this land. I am so excited to roller skate there often and learn about/support new black owned businesses in my backyard!!
As a resident of the Coliseum Neighborhood, I would like to voice my support of the Black Cultural Zone's bid for Liberation Park. They have been a crucial contributor to the neighborhood's wellbeing, especially during the pandemic. Community ownership of property is key to displacement avoidance.
I support BCZ’s liberation park project in deep east Oakland and urge City Council to enter into negotiations for BCZ to purchase the property. It’s been amazing to see how much BCZ has done with the space and how much community impact it has had for east Oakland. Before BCZ undertook this project, the land was just an empty lot that was not being utilized like it is now. BCZ saw an opportunity to revitalize the space and provide something much-needed to local residents. There is no reason why the city should not enter negotiations so BCZ can continue its development of liberation park. Doing so is in the best interests of the City and its residents. Please support BCZ’s work and approve the negotiation agreement! Thank you!
As an Oakland resident, I am in full support of this. Every time I have visited the Black Cultural Zone, I am in awe of the space they have created. Different peoples of different ages gather to vend, eat, talk, play -- most importantly build community. The Black Cultural Zone Community Developmetn Corporation has done an amazing job at creating this space and have demonstrated their ability to create these important spaces that preserve Oakland culture while creating spaces for economic empowerment and connection to each other. This is an important opportunity for the City of Oakland to show its committment to the people of Oakland who are so deserving of this space and so much more. So much positive impact has been made already -- this is a well timed, strategic investment with enormous potential.
Community Vision strongly supports the Black Culture Zone’s (BCZ) project at 73rd Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. The proposed combination of affordable housing (including affordable live/work units filling ground floor retail spaces) coupled with a BCZ Hub (Swan’s Market style market hall, cultural performance space, and co-working, all supporting cultural entrepreneurs) is an important and catalytic community devolvement strategy. Not only will it provide 20 much needed affordable live/work apartments with space for both living and start-up of small businesses, it will be a new dynamic cultural hub for the community. This approach, combining affordable housing with workspace and community space on the ground, is worth considering across Oakland – particularly when rooted in communities of color where spaces like these can preserve and lift up the history, heritage and culture of the place and people.
Community Vision is currently providing real estate advisory services and technical assistance to BCZ through our Consulting Department and our staff has been working with the broader coalition since March 2020. Community Vision is a nonprofit community lender (CDFI) with the mission to promote economic justice and alleviate poverty by increasing the financial resilience and sustainability of community-based nonprofits and enterprises. We fulfill that mission by providing financing and strategic guidance and expertise to nonprofits that work in low-income communities.
The Black Cultural Zone at Liberation Park has been a Wonderful Necessity! It has been so positive and healthy for our community which is consistently shown discourse by the city. If this is not made a staple for districts 6&7 as well as supported as gentrified outdoor markets/ festivities. The creators of the Black Cultural Zone should be supported via economic means to promote and develop this site to its Full and Meaningful powers. I love shopping with and supporting our local district members. We have so many amazing and talented people/ organizations who are not given the opportunity for economic development and growth. We need this!
Thank you.
We look forward to the development of this site for the Community. Black Cultural Zone Hubs will anchor our community and our allies who support us to hold place in our beautiful City -- which has been discovered. We have always known about its beauty and we want to stay and enjoy it for centuries to come.
For the last several years I worked as the manager for Oakland musician Fantastic Negrito. During that time, I had the privilege of meeting Carolyn Johnson, and I have been following her movements ever since. Simply put, CJ is one of the few leaders/organizers with the vision to help Oakland build on its unrivaled cultural legacy - a legacy that is at risk given the economics of the marketplace and the shifting demographics of the city. This effort is an important step in carving out the kind of public space we need for Black and Brown communities of all ages to convene, connect, find their voice, and share their talents and experiences with the rest of the city.
The Gertrude Stein quote may be a bit overused, but it is my contention that our cultural legacy is the "there there" in Oakland. It gives our city its identity, and creates a shared understanding of who we are, and who we are trying to be. In my view it is imperative that we support efforts like this. Thank you.
I am so impressed with everything Black Cultural Zone has achieved with Liberation Park in only one year. The leadership of Catherine is impressive and she has shown that she can be a responsible steward of this land. I am so excited to roller skate there often and learn about/support new black owned businesses in my backyard!!