Development

Video rental, antiques, shoe repair: Old-fashioned shops struggle to hang on

A big red house stands in the middle of Telegraph Avenue, two blocks from the Berkeley border with Oakland. It resembles Santa’s workshop: fun, colorful and packed with a massive amount of “stuff.” The building is two stories high and even on a normal day, found objects hang all over the property. From giant drive-thru Jack in the Box signs, to headless mannequins, vintage Victorian furniture or small quirky ceramic figurines, James Cross, the owner of the Antique Centre has it all—hidden somewhere in a corner of his store.

Some Bay Area workers commute for hours for the sake of affordable rent

Cindy Wood spends her weeknights in a vacant apartment at the Pacifica Senior Living facility in Oakland Heights, a long commute away from her husband and children in Santa Rosa. She works as the executive director of the gated senior living community, and recently had to move into an apartment on the property after being hospitalized for diverticulosis, a condition that develops when small pouches form within the wall of the colon. Before the move, she was commuting more than…

Tales of Two Cities Podcast: Spaces

For our final episode of 2016, we bring you stories all about different spaces and the creatures that inhabit them. Tune in to hear stories about: an East Oakland mural transforming the space around a community center, a heated governmental debate about the best way to stop illegal dumping in the East Bay, and a trip up to Bodega Bay to explore the legacy of the classic film, The Birds.

Oakland Ghost Ship fire death toll rises to 33; city prepares to release names

Speaking at a late afternoon press conference near the site of Friday’s Oakland Ghost Ship fire, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced that the death toll has officially reached 33, and that city officials have positively identified seven of the victims. Their names will be released via the city’s website and social media feeds later on Sunday. “At this time we have delivered the unacceptable and horrific news of losing a loved one to seven of our families. We will be releasing…

As Oakland Ghost Ship death toll rises, search continues inside building

As the official death toll in the Oakland Ghost Ship warehouse fire rose to 30 on Sunday afternoon, crowds gathered outside to set up small memorials and watch as authorities continued their search process inside the building. Several workers in yellow vests and hard hats could be seen carrying shovels around the building’s perimeter, and authorities had blocked off a roughly two-block area with yellow crime scene tape, stopping traffic in the area between International Boulevard, Fruitvale Avenue, Derby and 12th…

The future of tech in Oakland, as seen in 11 new spaces

Oakland’s technology scene is in flux. Like other cities, its government, its residents, and its businesses are trying to evolve with new technologies. Schools are trying to incorporate them into their curriculums, the owners of parking lots are figuring out how best to accommodate the fast growing numbers of electric cars. Longtime residents and businesses are navigating their place in the new economy even as tech startups seeking cheaper rent move in. Eleven Bay Area Bandwidth reporters hit the streets…

Voters approve $9 billion for public school construction, repairs

This week, California voters approved Proposition 51, a $9 billion bond for public school construction and improvement across the state. By noon on Wednesday, the proposition led 54 percent to 46 percent and the Associated Press had declared the victory. “If you’ve been in some of our most antiquated schools, then you’ve seen, firsthand, how difficult it is to learn in that environment,” said Justine Fischer, president of the California State PTA, a nonpartisan organization that supported the measure. “We…