In the ever-complicated saga of the Oak to Ninth project, a new factor has emerged.

On February 15, Ninth Avenue Terminal Partners, LLC submitted a proposal for reusing half the Ninth Avenue Terminal to the redevelopment agency.

The submission was a response to a Request for Proposals tha was included in the Oak to Ninth development agreement to see if there was interest in a project to reuse the historic waterfront building.

The proposal is to reuse the entire 1930 portion of the terminal building (about 90,000 square feet), to house a combination of a number of East Bay winemaking businesses, a restaurant, a tasting room, and some water-oriented businesses or nonprofit marine research groups.

The plan would allow a relatively modest reconstruction effort, since much of the building would remain in warehouse/industrial use. Previous studies had assumed a high level of finish and a high number of occupants, requiring an enormous investment in construction.

The proposal would allow public access through the building’s central area, and subdivide areas on either side of this 40-foot-wide path for the use of the tenant companies.

Stuart Rickard, one of the principals of Ninth Avenue Terminal Partners, expresses the hope that the wooden outer edge of the platform along the water could be retained, so that this seaward edge would be as wide as possible—a pleasant place to sit or to stroll along the Bay Trail.

The redevelopment department of the city is evaluating the proposal, and the timeline calls for bringing it to the city council by June 15.

In the meantime, you can hear and see the development team talk about their plans, “Re-Use Proposal for the Ninth Avenue Terminal in response to the City RFP,” at the meeting this Wednesday morning of Waterfront Action:
Wednesday, March 21st, 8:00 AM
Port of Oakland Exhibit Room
530 Water Street

The Ninth Avenue Terminal Partners presenters will be Stuart Rickard of Placeworks, LLC and Tom McCoy of BBI Construction.