Emeryville: The Little City That
Did!
By Evalee Harrison
and Craig Harrison
On most maps it's the size
of a postage stamp, wedged between Berkeley on the east, the Bay Bridge and
Oakland to its south, and the San Francisco Bay to its west. Yet Emeryville has emerged from its
neighbors' shadows to be a shining city in its own right, a bustling commerce
center with an identity and image all its own. It's time you learn about the
Bay Area's central city.
Incorporated a little over a
hundred years ago, Emerville took its name from Industrialist John Emery.
Traditionally Emeryville was a town of heavy industry and gaming. While Berkeley boasted the first
University of California, and Oakland was known for the mystique of Jack
London’s haunts, the 1.8 square miles that make up Emeryville were a well-kept
secret.
But now, in 2001, all that
has changed. Emeryville represents
a new type of city, not beholden to any one company or industry, combining high
tech and biotech with retail, service and residential interests, a culturally
rich community in the epicenter of the booming San Francisco Bay Area.
Traditionally an industrial
town with steel, machinery and mechanized equipment companies, Emeryville now
boasts biotechnology companies such as Chiron, Internet start-ups such as
SendMail, newer technology tigers like Siebel Systems and established companies
like Pixar Animation Studios and even Berkeley Farms. While the longtime database resident Sybase is moving
eastward, other tech companies are hot to fill its spaces.
Lofty Intentions
Emeryville appeals to high
tech companies on several levels.Its proximity to the University of California (at Berkeley) insures a
steady stream of educated talent, while its distance from traditional Silicon Valley
translates into less expensive housing costs.While thousands of workers come to Emeryville each day, some
7,000 actually reside in Emeryville by night. Part of the appeal for
professionals: the lofts and industrial style space available for living and
work-space sites. Artists too are
attracted to this mix of warehouses and space. Those intent on a bayfront views
prefer condominiums on the west side of the Freeway.
Catching Business by the
Retail
Emeryville has gradually
become a thriving retail mecca. In 2000 the first IKEA, a 200,000 square foot
furniture superstore in Northern California, opened to a tremendous reception.
With several shopping complexes and name chains such as The Good Guys, Circuit
City, The Men’s Wearhouse, CompUSA, Tower Records, Borders, Home Depot,
OfficeMax, K-Mart, Toys R Us and Trader Joe’s, shoppers come from all
directions to buy. Plans are
underway to bring higher-end retailers of the caliber of Nordstrom to town.
Emeryville’s entertainment
attractions are growing too. Whether you seek live music at Kimball’s East Jazz
Club, choose from one of the United Artists 10 movies at Emery Bay, prefer
ballroom dancing or classes at Allegro Ballroom or the San Francisco Ballroom
Dance Theatre School, a batting cage or slam dunk hoops at Triple Play USA or
indoor rock climbing, Emeryville’s got it!
For such a small city
Emeryville residents and visitors have ample choices for traversing its flat
terrain. A new Amtrak station brings many San Francisco bound travelers from
across the United States. Emeryville is served by Alameda County (AC) Transit
buses, and also boasts a free shuttle, the Emery-Go-Round, which takes riders
from MacArthur BART in Oakland to Emeryville’s various employers and retailers. With its own marina, visitors and
residents even arrive by the Bay.
Emeryville’s recent
popularity is actually straining its city streets: and despite some parking and
traffic enhancements gridlock occurs regularly. Pedestrians, in particular, need to develop a quick step and
walking skills to negotiate intersections.
For a time, commuters saw
all too much of Emeryville as their trips westbound on I-580 ground to a
standstill approaching the infamous 580-880 split at the East Bay Bridge. Although the adding of a new lane to
southbound I-880 at Emeryville’s Powell Street exit has helped, it’s still a
problematic stretch of roadway.
Work on the Ashby Avenue exit at the North end of town will facilitate
increased throughput in the coming years.
For those intent on staying
in Emeryville, the options are growing by the month. Already served by a Holiday Inn, and Four Points Sheraton,
brand new hotels which opened in 2000 include the Courtyard by Marriott and
plush Woodfin Suites. A Hilton
Hotel is also coming soon.
It’s been said Emeryville never met a development it
didn’t like. With the lowest tax rates in northern Alameda County it sees
itself as the most practical of choices for businesses. According to Mayor Dick
Kassis, himself a 27-year resident of Emeryville: “Synergy, atmosphere and
environment are easier to create in a small city. Just getting on the agenda
with a city council in some towns can be a challenge. Emeryville is able to
move much quicker.”
In contrasting the process with other larger cities,
Kassis notes “one bonus of dealing with Emeryville: you can deal with city
council members, not staff members. Our attitude and atmosphere are aligned in
Emeryville. Here you can roll up your sleeves and work with the community. Our message is "Businesses
welcomed."
With Emeryville’s business
booming, more attention will rightly be paid to investing in improving its
school system’s performance. The
city’s infrastructure also requires attention. With growth come job
opportunities. The police department, in particular, seeks law enforcement
candidates as their duties have expanded with increased numbers of visitors,
residents and growth.
The future is bright for
Emeryville, for employers, employees and commerce. The Bay Area’s central city
will surely benefit from the overall growth of the region, while also
spearheading its own expansion. Emeryville is no longer the little city that
could, but the little town that IS.
Evalee Harrison is a consumer health journalist
specializing in onsite health promotion. She can be reached at (510) 654-6722
or via e-mail: HMI_Evalee@politicslight.com.
Craig Harrison is a professional speaker and corporate trainer who makes communication and customer service fun and easy. He can be reached at (510) 547-0664 or through his website: www.ExpressionsofExcellence.com.