Spring is a busy time and 2014 has thus far been a busy year. The economy is looking up, and several projects which have been in the works for a while are coming to fruition. Alameda is taking great care to help businesses – from retail to R&D – thrive in the City, as evidenced by our new At Your Service program, the Mayor’s packed ICSC schedule, and the very successful May Brokers’ Event. We look forward to working with the community during the second half of the year.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Alameda’s Second Annual Brokers’ Event such a success! Taking place at Rock Wall Wine Company, the event let over 100 participants learn about the latest in Alameda’s efforts to be At Your Service  while enjoying great food, wine, and views. The panel discussion, led by City Manager John Russo, featured established Alameda business owners, including Christopher Seiwald of Perforce Software, Rich Krinks of Harbor Bay Realty, and Sean Whiskeman of Catellus, discussing the benefits of doing business in Alameda. Interested parties also got a sneak peek into the RFQs for the upcoming development opportunities at Alameda Point. While the official program concluded with a raffle generously sponsored by the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, guests lingered, mingled, and conducted business for hours afterwards.

The upswing in the economy meant a particularly busy ICSC RECon Las Vegas for Alameda. Mayor Marie Gilmore met with several national retail developers, including Tanger, DeBartolo, Paragon, and Simon, about opportunities in the City in general and Alameda Point in particular. Executives of businesses with a local manufacturing or R&D presence, including the North Face and Peet’s, took the opportunity to discuss expanding their retail presence in Alameda with the Mayor. The mayor and her team also conferred with representatives from Alameda Landing, South Shore, and Marina Village, the island’s primary centers with available in-line retail spaces.

In response to the development community’s needs in a thriving economy, the City of Alameda is excited to introduce Alameda at Your Service. The new program offers three conveniently tailored ways for eligible construction projects to get expedited plan check and approvals. Projects that enhance the City’s economic base by generating sales tax revenue, creating jobs, or revitalizing historic storefronts, business districts, or Alameda Point may qualify for Full Service, Express Service, or Self-Service.

Brookfield Property Partners are the new owners of Marina Village, the 1.1 million square-foot multi-tenant business park on the Alameda-Oakland estuary. Brookfield’s plans for the site include long-term improvements for tenants, such as a fitness facility, a conference center, and a direct shuttle to BART. Steven Ganeless, head of Brookfield’s US Asset Management, told the San Francisco Business Times that the company is looking at the best cities in the Bay Area for investments. Ganeless is particularly excited about Marina Village, calling it “an irreplaceable, stunningly beautiful asset.” Marina Village’s existing tenants include biomedical R&D businesses like InSite Vision, Bioneer, Berkeley Heart Lab, and Telecare Corporation. For leasing information, please contact Mike Keeley of CBRE.