The City of Alameda is beginning the new year with a strong economic outlook. The most recent reported sales tax earnings demonstrate Alameda's robust consumer base with third quarter 2013 sales up 5.8%. Increase sales tax revenue is expected as the Alameda Landing shopping center celebrated the grand opening of its anchor tenant, the 140,000 square foot Target store in the fourth quarter of 2013. The balance of the shopping center will be completed in the fall of 2014. On the opposite side of the island, Harbor Bay Business Park’s VF Outdoor is expanding and looking at adding an additional 250 jobs over the next several years. In addition, the City Council this week unanimously approved major planning documents for Alameda Point, facilitating private investment and development opportunities.

The Alameda City Council recently approved an important package of planning documents to expedite private investment and redevelopment of the former Naval Air Station Alameda Point. On February 4th, the Council unanimously certified the Final Environmental Impact Report and approved the Master Infrastructure Plan and a Zoning Ordinance Amendment for Alameda Point. The new zoning provides large sites for built-to-suit commercial development projects and establishes adaptive reuse districts where historic buildings from the former naval base provide distinctive opportunities for office and retail space. Alameda Point is currently home to over 100 businesses, including clean tech industries, maker companies, and specialty beverage and food manufacturers. For information on doing business at Alameda Point contact John McManus.

Construction overall, and new construction in particular, is booming in Alameda. The building surge began in 2013, highlighted by the construction of the new 140,000 sq. ft. Target store, the first retailer at the Alameda Landing shopping center. In 2014, the West End will witness the build-out of Alameda Landing, including a Safeway concept store, a Michaels, an In-N-Out Burger, and over 65,000 sq. ft. of in-line restaurant and retail space. Alamedans will begin to see a new residential neighborhood emerge when Tri Pointe Homes starts construction on new single-family homes, and the first new multifamily buildings built in Alameda since the 1970's. In addition, 52 units of new senior housing will be become available with the building of Cardinal Point II at the former Chevy’s restaurant site. On the East End, Park Street will soon welcome a speakeasy named "Capone's" with the renovation of a historic former bank.

The City of Alameda is determined to continue building the mutually beneficial relationship between community and business, and has recently struck an expansion deal with VF Outdoor. VF Corporation, number 277 on the Fortune 500 list, owns a number of high profile outdoor brands as one of the world’s largest apparel companies. The North Face, JanSport, and lucy are all headquartered in VF’s 14 acre custom-built corporate campus in Alameda’s Harbor Bay Business Park. VF’s expansion plans include additional office space in excess of 100,000 sq. ft., which would be used for a variety of purposes, including rapid prototyping of new products, and is expected to bring in over 250 new high quality jobs.

The City of Alameda was named one of the 24 "best places to live at any age" by Sunset Magazine (February 2014 issue). In describing the best suburbs, Sunset wrote, "You want the house, the lawn, the schools, but you don't want to be bored out of your mind. Behold, suburbs that are anything but cookie-cutter." Of Alameda, the magazine said, "Its abiding charms include tidy Victorians and a main drag, Park Street, that has blossomed with restaurants like Burma Superstar." The appeal of Alameda is reflected in the census, where the ACS's most recent data shows a population that is younger and more highly educated than before, with an average income of over $90,000.