City of Oakland set to decide on developers of port-area reuse project

City of Oakland set to decide on developers of port-area reuse project An Oakland City Council committee is to decide Tuesday if four developers will be asked to submit detailed proposals for transforming the 108-acres of the former Oakland Army Base into a major mixed-used industrial and logistics complex.
   The city also wants any development of the site, vacant since the Army picked up stakes in 1999, to include a film center and produce market.
   The four developers — AMB/California Capital Group, Federal Development, First Industrial Realty and ProLogis — were selected from a list of 13 firms that submitted responses to a city request for qualifications that went out in January. City staff, working with outside consultants, have spent the last several months reviewing the responses and narrowing the list down to what city officials feel are the four best firms.
   In March, the Hollywood Wayans brothers withdrew from the project after more than a year of developing plans to bring a film studio and shopping center to the site. The Wayans said that conflicts with parcel neighbor, the Port of Oakland, led to the brother's complete withdrawal from the project.
   The four developers, if asked to continue in the process, would further develop the plans they each submitted earlier this year.
   AMB/California Capital Group's proposal is estimated to create more than 3,800 new jobs by developing 1.5 million square feet of office space, more than 880,000 square feet of industrial, film production or logistics facilities, and 15,000 square feet for retail.
   The Federal Development proposal includes 700,000 square feet of office space, 1 million square feet of retail, and 275,000 feet for a conference and hotel center. Federal estimates that its development plan would create more than 4,000 new jobs.
   The First Industrial Realty proposal foresees the creation of 2,600 new jobs through the development of about 550,000 square feet of office space and nearly 760,000 square feet for industrial, film production or logistics facilities.
   The ProLogis proposal includes nearly 1.5 million square feet of industrial, film production or port-related development, more than 950,000 square feet of office space, 370,000 square feet for retail and 175,000 square feet for a conference and hotel center. ProLogis predicts its development would create more than 7,900 jobs.