Estuary Park

Pros & Cons | Location | Pictures

My dream spot for a new ballpark for the Oakland A's is in Alameda, right across from Jack London Square along the Oakland Estuary. The land served as a supply depot for the Alameda Naval Air Station, which closed in 1997. There is nothing there now but an empty lot and a bunch of unused warehouses.

It is currently in the process of being transferred to the city of Alameda for civilian use. The land has been assigned a developer, Catellus, who originally wanted to put office buildings there. However, the demand for office space in the Bay Area has plummeted recently, so those plans were scrapped. Catellus suggested putting a shopping center there, instead. However, the city did not like that idea, as Alameda is focused on developing the South Shore Shopping Center, and don't want more competition. What to do with this land?

The A's need somewhere to build a ballpark. Alameda needs a revenue-generating development to occupy that land. Estuary Park, anyone?

Pros: It would be right on the water. It would make the experience of an A's game competitive again with the Giants. You could revive the old ferry doubleheaders between the Oaks and the Seals.   It would be facing the right direction. If you build the stadium on the Oakland side of the estuary, the fans (and the batter) will have the sun in their eyes during day games. Either that, or you would have to face away from the water; so why build on the water?   The views would be great. You'd be able to see the estuary, Jack London Square, the Oakland skyline and the Oakland Hills. From the upper decks, probably Lake Merritt. It would be an advertisement for everything that's great about Oakland, all from one spot that would be regularly broadcast nightly.   The land is more or less free.   Oakland mayor Jerry Brown doesn't have to like it.   It doesn't conflict with Giants territorial rights in the South Bay.   A matching of needs. Alameda needs something to put there. The A's need a place to build.

Cons: Traffic. Alamedans won't want all those people coming through the Webster and Posey Tubes. Neither will the merchants in Chinatown in Oakland. You'd have to make people park in Oakland, and walk across...   A bridge. You'd need another bridge to Alameda on the west end of the island. I'd suggest a pedestrian drawbridge across the estuary, so that people could park in Oakland, and walk to the ballpark. Either way, it would add to the cost of the ballpark.   Public transit. It's not particularly close to BART, although it would be about as far from BART as Pac Bell, er, SBC Park is. But with Oakland's reputation being what it is, I imagine many people wouldn't feel comfortable walking in downtown Oakland at night, even if it is straight up Broadway. BART has considered a BART line into Alameda at this location, but it's not on any front burners. It is close to the Amtrak station, for what it's worth.   Politics. But that's true no matter where you build, isn't it?

Location