Fourth Street Lofts Web Log

Thanks for the many constructive comments. Most people who commented on my proposal did so via e-mail, so I'll respond here so that you can all get a feel for what we're talking about.

First, thanks for the positive comments about the mock-up itself. It's easy to do this sort of thing. A digital camera and PhotoShop are about all that's needed. If you'd like a copy of the 14.4 megabyte PhotoShop file, just click here. Open it in PhotoShop, select the wall layer and adjust its color and hue. Fun!

Responses so far have been unanimously positive. That's good. Maybe we'll finally make at least some of this happen.

Most of you seem to agree that we do not necessarily need to adhere to a specific theme - that is to say one floor may have historic photos of the area - another contemporary work by building residents, etc. The idea of giving artists in the building a chance to display their work on a 6 month rotating sechedule seems popular. I support the idea, but there would need to be some rather strict guidelines, and if artwork was not anchored to walls in some "permanent" way, I have a feeling that it would walk off. I hope I'm wrong about this, but...

Someone mentioned frames. Framing these images would be nice, but would add significantly to the cost of the project. In my mock-ups, I depict images mounted on masonite with a "floater" frame behind, and a protective coating sprayed on. I have dozens of images mounted this way at home and in my office here at work. Some are more than 10 years old, and they still look great. No warping or discoloration. It's worth noting that the images, as shown, are quite large - approximately four feet wide. Framing and matting a large-ish image always costs much more than the image itself.

One of you suggested that we may need to take the color of the stained loft doors into consideration. I'm not sure I agree, but I did have the bright orange elevator door in mind when I put the bright orange tulip shot on the wall of the 2nd floor mock-up. :-)

Most agree that a dramatic color scheme is best. I agree! If I'm going to go to all the trouble of applying three coats of paint, I want people to notice. Also, I seem to recall hearing or reading Ansel Adams suggestion that images should be displayed against walls with 18% reflectivity. (I can't seem to find verification of this anywhere.) That's pretty dark.

Some of you prefer bright, lively color artwork, others prefer strictly black and white images. I go either way, although I give color a slight edge. One of you noticed that the yellow tulips juxtaposed with the picture of our multi-colored staircase makes an interesting composition. This does not work without color. On the other hand, black and white is easier in many respects, and possibly easier to pull off without offending anyone.

Nearly everyone (including me) would like to see the lighting upgraded. This could be done fairly inexpensively. Of course, the current lighting is high-efficiency fluorescent. I'd definitely like to see incandescent lights, but they will draw more power, and will need to be replaced more frequently. Things to consider.

Pretty much all of you have offered to help paint. That's great. I painted professionally many years ago, and can assure you that my work would be as good as it gets. If I were overseeing this project, I'd make sure that high standards were used throughout. I would ensure that the walls were cleaned and primed using the highest quality materials. I have in mind something like the Ralph Lauren textured paints. They're not cheap, but we do want this to look good, right?

I'm very happy to hear that other in our wonderful building feel the way I do. We have some momentum now - let's just do it!

Posted by Jim Pire at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

At last night's productive HOA meeting, the discussion led to ways to improve the building's esthetic appeal. We all agreed that the exterior needs paint - and a new color scheme. This idea is nothing new. We've been talking about painting the builiding for years. I even did some work on a 3D version of our building specifically to experiment with color schemes in the context of the rest of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I ran out of motivation to complete this complex project partly due to the realization that we will never agree on a color scheme. Another reason we still live in a dirty pink building is because the cost of painting the exterior is so high. Never mind that new paint could drastically improve the resale value of our homes, this major undertaking probably will not happen soon enough.

I suggested that there is something we could do to improve the building without spending all of our reserves. I believe we could make a huge improvement to our building's interior for just a few dollars - by replacing the faded photographs on the top three floors, and by addding a little color.

The board asked me to put together a proposal. So, I have begun to explore possibilities. I visited Oakland's main library today, and found that we might be able to locate original negatives or prints of some of the images already on display. We could have prints made at a fairly reasonable fee.

Another, possibly simpler option, would be to photograph the existing photos and reprint them using today's best technologies. We could reprint the old black and white shots with vuirtually no loss of detail. In fact - we could probably improve them somewhat.

A third option would be to replace some or all of the images with entirely new ones. We happen to have some very talented neighbors who have expressed interest in contributing to such a project.

So, I need your opinions and your help.

I'd like to hear what you think of the sample designs for the second floor. (Please click on the thumbnails above and view the full-size versions.) Are the colors too dark? Is this too much of a change? Should we stick with with black and white images? Historical or contemporary? Do you have images to contibute? Should we upgrade the lighting too? (YES!) Would you like to help paint? Are you interested in proposing something foor your floor? Also, I wonder if you know how letters are applied directly to walls - a technique you may have seen in many in art museums. (Yes, I'd like to get rid of the horrible multi-colored plastic signage.)

Please leave a comment of e-mail me directly. I'll put together a more "formal" proposal for our next meeting.

Posted by Jim Pire at 7:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

A PDF may be downloaded here.

Posted by Jim Pire at 4:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WITH CITY OFFICIALS AND PROJECTS
TONIGHT - Thursday 9 June 2005 at 7pm in the Egghouse, 229 Harrison Street/Third & Harrison, a block away. The City of Oakland is holding the meeting with the neighborhood and representatives from the neighborhood construction projects. DON SMITH of CEDA and CLAUDIO CAPPIO and other City staff will be there. Among the agenda items are Parking, Dust, Noise, Signage, Saturday construction, Communication and whatever else you'd like to discuss.

The City plans on holding these meetings on a monthly basis.

RUBBER DUCKY
This Saturday at 4:30pm on Lake Merritt Duck Pond at Children's Fairyland is the launch of the annual Rubber Ducky Derby fundraiser put on the nationally renown Children's Hospital & Research Center based right here in North Oakland. The event started 14 years ago in the Oakland Estuary, and has since moved to Lake Merritt as the event grew. Some of the funds go for state-of-the-art equipment and treatments and such innovations as the school right inside the hospital for the long-term patients, and their siblings. The goal is $150,000 this weekend.

Duck adoptions start at $10 and go upward. Check out the website, www.rubberduckyderby.org. There are various prizes including a weekend for two at the Waterfront Inn in Jack London Square.

PRO ARTS EAST BAY OPEN STUDIOS
This weekend is the last Pro Arts Open Studios date. More than 100 artists are exhibiting this weekend at their studios.

Check out the website at http://www.mesart.com/ebos05.jsp. Pro Arts East Bay has its Studio in Jack London Square at 550 Second Street/Clay Street. Its hours are 11am-6pm this weekend.

LOCAL ARTIST
SQUEAK CARNWATH isn't part of the Pro Arts Studio Tour this weekend, but can be seen locally at the "Guilt Free Zone" exhibit through 16 July 2005 at the Paulson Press Gallery, 1318 Tenth Street, Berkeley 94710. Squeak lives and works at The Egghouse with husband GARY KNECHT. And if you're in the Seattle area in the next 30+ days, her work is also has the "Primary Research" Exhibit at the James Harris Gallery at 309A 3rd Avenue South, Seattle WA 98104. She also has work at the Oakland Museum of California, a few blocks up Oak Street, at the Berkeley Art Museum at the University of California, and at two museums in San Francisco - the San Francisco Arts Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

NEW DOOR
There is a new short door in the first floor hallway, connecting the hallway to the Cuckoo's Nest. It has a double lock on both sides, and the key is in the hands of MIKE BARTLETT, who owns Loft #100. The idea of the door is so that the resident/tenant of Loft #100 has access to a bathroom, which it does not have. The FSL HOA BoD thoroughly reviewed the project and plans, sought legal advice, and finally approved Bartlett's project.

COVENANT HOUSE APPROVAL
The Oakland City Planning Commission approved (with some conditions) the request for a Major Conditional Use Permit for the Covenant House Residence project on the corner of Second and Harrison Streets - Mayor Brown's building. One condition is that a barrier be added to its rooftop, to prevent access to Tower Lofts. One Commission member also request (but couldn't require) that Covenant House meet with the Neighborhood on a regular basis.

FARMERS MARKET CLARIFICATIONS
We have one in Jack London Square twice weekly, one Sunday mornings 10am-2pm year round, and seasonally on a new day and time - Wednesday mornings 10am-2pm, through 26 October 2005.

FOURTH OF JULY
Plan now to come watch the Jack London Square fireworks from our rooftop starting at 9:15pm. Park your car in the garage or stake out your parking place early in the day to avoid street closures. We have a great view from our rooftop, with visibility extending to fireworks in San Francisco, Berkeley, Alameda, Estuary, San Leandro, Redwood City and points beyond.

TALL SHIPS
Not many details are known yet, but if you're interested in seeing the Tall Ships sail under the Golden Gate Bridge into the bay, mark your calendar for Thursday 28 July 2005.

WITHER WEATHER
We have sunny weather predicted throughout the weekend. Enjoy!

Lynne Huntting
Loft #103

Posted by at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEIGHBOR NEWS
Our Fourth Street Lofts Home Owners' Association President, CHASE MILBRANDT and AMY got married this weekend and they are now honeymooning.

ANDY, BARBARA and URSULA JOHNSTONE are moving from the third floor where they have lived for the past seven years, to their new house nestled in the shadow of Dunsmuir House in the East Oakland hills. This will be a labor of love for them and they are looking forward to the challenge. Their new address is 2952 107th Avenue, Oakland CA 94605.

THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN
Bumping Big Top will be in the Jack London Square Parking lot on the water, Thursday 2 June through Sunday 5 June 2005. It's already set up, with a purple and yellow Big Top.

It was just out by Hegenberger Road this past week. It will have traditional circus acts and animals. Thursday the show is at 8:30pm, Friday two shows, at 6pm and 8:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 3pm, 6pm and 8:30pm. The admission ranges from $15-25 for general seating and $35 for ringside seating.

FARMERS MARKETS GALORE
The Pacific Farmer's Market Association, which runs our Sunday Farmer's Market right in Jack London Square from 10am-2pm also runs three others. The Jack London Farmer's Market is also held on Tuesdays in the summer months, from 4-8pm. Tuesday mornings it is located on the corner of Webster and Taylor Streets in Alameda, from 9am-1pm, and at that same location during the summer on Thursdays 4-8pm. Wednesdays it's held on Water Street from 10am-2pm also is found in front of the Kaiser Fabiola Building at 3801 Howe Street from 9am-2pm Fridays. Another organization holds a Saturday market in the little park across the street from the Grand Lake Theater.

FOOD FARMACY
The Food Mill health food store which just opened on MacArthur across from Kaiser Hospital is now open on Saturdays. Parking is conveniently located right up stairs or around the corner, and is free on Saturdays and validated free during the week. It closes at 6pm.

NEIGHBORHOOD NOISE
If anyone has a complaint about before or after hours noise from any of the nearby construction sites, complaints can be emailed to Donald Smith with the City of Oakland. It has happened twice in the past week that I've heard of. dsmith at oaklandnet.com

COVENANT HOUSE
I'll let WENDY TINSLEY tell it, as she covers the subject thoroughly. She's the president of the new Jack London District, and lives on the fourth floor. See below.

Another neighbor, DAVE CABRAL on the second floor also chimes in on the subject with a referral to a recent article on the subject. The article gives a history of JERRY BROWN's loft, across the street from Amtrak. The author, CHIP JOHNSON, said one thing with which I took issue - I'm not sure it's true. He quoted Mayor Brown on the occupancy rate in our neighborhood - "There have been four market-rate condos built in this neighborhood in the last 20 months, and they've all sold out,'' Brown said.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/05/13/BAG2UCNTMH1.DTL

If you can't attend the Oakland Planning Commission meeting, you can watch it on Channel 10 on Comcast Cable.

The Covenant House Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application will be presented for approval at tonight's City of Oakland Planning Commission meeting. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., although the Covenant House is either #6 or #7 on the agenda, so arriving at 5:30 isn't necessary. If the CUP is approved, which is highly likely, than the Covenant House will relocate the organization's temporary facility, currently located at St. Andrews Church in Oakland, to the 200 Harrison Street warehouse.

In April 2005 the Covenant House held a community meeting at the 200 Harrison warehouse in order to introduce the organization and the specific program and use proposed for the 200 Harrison property to Jack London District residents, business and property owners, as well as other area stakeholders'. Council representative Nancy Nadel was present, along with a Mayoral representative, and the project planner for the City who authored the staff report by which the Planning Commission will receive recommendation to approve or deny the proposed CUP application.

For the 200 Harrison warehouse the organization is proposing a 30-bed emergency shelter for homeless youths between the ages of 18-23. Of those 30 beds, 24 are for short-term stays lasting no more than 30 days. The remaining 6 beds will be allocated to those youths staying on under the organization's Rites of Passage (ROP) program, which provides the young adult participants personalized job training, life counseling, educational access, etc. The ROP program participants may stay at the facility for up to 18 months, although according to the Covenant House representatives, most ROP participants stay for an average of 6 to 9 months.

At the meeting concerns regarding safety and security were raised and specific questions regarding how many youths are taken in annually at the Oakland facility; how many incidents there have been annually (both physical and verbal) that necessitated police or security action/involvement; and how many youths have been kicked out or removed from the program, or transferred to another shelter for misbehaving and not following the established shelter rules. The Covenant House representatives, Executive Director George Lozano, Oakland Development Director and Program Managers Sean Sullivan and Julie Maxson, were unable to provide those basic statistics for the existing Oakland facilities, the existing Los Angeles facilities, or California wide.

At the April meeting the organization's representatives explained how Covenant House creates a personalized schedule and work plan for every young adult staying in the shelter. Meeting attendees requested a copy of one of the work plans to gain understanding of the amount of time a typical youth would spend at the 200 Harrison warehouse, and how many hours he/she would be offsite. A work plan was not readily available and was not provided to attendees after the meeting via email, hard copy, etc. The meeting spiraled out of control. The Covenant House representatives were grossly unprepared for the meeting, were unable to complete their presentation, and not able to adequately respond to questions raised by meeting attendees.

The Covenant House has not indicated that the organization does screening for drugs or runs criminal background checks for the 18-23 year old young adults staying at the organization's approximate 21 facilities throughout the United States. The organization was not able to respond to the request for statistics on intake numbers, incidents per year, etc. for any of their facilities that are similar in size and program as that proposed for the 200 Harrison Street warehouse.

The newly formed Jack London District Association attempted to arrange and help facilitate a second community meeting in order to hear how the Covenant House has addressed concerns raised by area residents at the first meeting in April. The meeting did not happen. Given the outcome of the first meeting, it is understandable that the Covenant House wasn't that interested in holding a second meeting. Of course it helps when the Mayor owns the building, and the CUP has been railroaded through the City with complete disregard for the citizen participation process.

So that's the scoop. To read the staff report for tonight's CUP hearing go to this link:

http://jacklondondistrict.org/development/200HarrisonStaffReportV2.pdf

The Planning Commission meeting is held at the historic City Hall building, at 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Downtown Oakland.

I encourage you to attend and speak whether you oppose or support the Covenant House’s move into the neighborhood. This is your opportunity to publicly raise questions or concerns to our appointed officials on the Planning Commission, or conversely show support for the proposed use soon to be moving into the neighborhood.

Best Regards,

Wendy L. Tinsley, #405

Posted by at 6:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)