City Government

Tagami’s Company Seeks to Place High School Next to Parole Office

Published

11 years ago

March 13, 2014

Local business owners are raising concerns about negative impacts of a plan by developer Phil Tagami’s company CCIG to place a charter public high school with nearly 500 students at Oakland Airport Business Park. The proposed school on Edgewater Road is located directly across the street from an Oakland Parole office, which sees 40-50 clients a day.

Leadership Public Schools (LPS), a public charter school with four campuses in Hayward, Richmond, Oakland and San Jose, would use the site for 490 students who currently attend its schools in East Bay cities.

Spokesmen for the project are Soo Zee Park, COO of LPS, and Mark McClure, partner at CCIG, which bought the property with four buildings and plans to renovate one of the buildings for the school. The school would have a basketball court and a soccer field.

;The Oakland parole office is part of the State of California Parole and Community Services Division. The school property is at 7700 Edgewater Drive, and the parole office is at 7717 Edgewater.

< p>Under the development plan, which includes no student parking, students would have to be dropped off or take the bus to reach the school – on the same bus line that parolees would take to reach appointments at the parole office.

In addition, the proposed school site is located close to Interstate 880 (approximately 1200 feet) and under the approach flight paths of Oakland International Airport, according to a port report.

Leading opponents of placing the school at the business park are Robert Schwartz, owner of Key Source International (KSI), located next to the proposed school site, and Debbie Hauser, executive director of the Airport Area Business Association.

Schwartz is also an officer of the Oakland Commerce Association.

The proposed site is located in the city’s only business park – across the freeway from the Oakland Coliseum – which was designed for commerce and to attract growing technology and industrial businesses, say opponents.

The space is not appropriate for a school because it would place students in the “midst of properties designated for light industrial, custom manufacturing, logistics, distribution and business services,” according to a statement written by Schwartz and Hauser.

A school at an industrial park would have a “chilling effect on the types of businesses that could locate near an approved school in the Airport Business Park,” they wrote.

In addition, businesses already at the park would have difficulty in the future receiving port zoning permission to expand, especially those nearby existing companies that are engaged “in various forms of manufacturing of plastics, adhesives and polymers” that would potentially expose students to harmful chemicals.

“We’re not against the school. It just doesn’t belong in a business park,” said Schwartz, whose rapidly expanding computer keyboard company has occupied its 1.6 acres since the year 2000.

“It seems like the school is driving the whole process, not the port,” said Hauser.

“There are only intermittent sidewalks,” she said. “Where will young people walk? There’s no street parking. Where will parents park who want to visit the school? This isn’t a place for a school.”

The zoning changes at the business park would eliminate land use regulations that have stood for over 40 years, threatening the existence of the little remaining industrial use land that still exists within the city, Hauser said.

According to port documents, port staff decided to work with the developers on an expedited “alternative” review of the site “after LPS … objected to analyzing the full range of sites that could be used for General Education, and to the requirement that an EIR be prepared because an EIR will take longer than LPS’ proposed construction schedule would allow.”

“LPS has now proposed that the port adopt an alternative form of zoning.”

Although port staff, has expressed reservations about the school, staff agreed to create the “alternative” fast track, to examine whether the site is environmentally safe to use as a school site.

At the request of the school, the office of the port attorney retained special legal counsel to hasten the pace of environmental review, and the cost of this additional staff was paid by the school.

Hauser and Schwartz submitted a public requests on Feb. 22 for documents related to the environmental studies performed. The deadline for receiving the documents has past, and they are still waiting.

The ultimate decision on the school will be made by a vote of the Port Commission.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Activism

BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

Published

13 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”