Construction Updates
A few weeks ago, I was doing my morning read of the Alameda Post and was comparing my reports on all the construction going on with what the Post staff had reported. Adam and the crew did a great job of recapping the major street projects going on in the city.
As a canine roving reporter, I like to take a deeper dive into the details and nuances of a particular project, to bring readers a perspective they don’t often see because they are too busy with life’s distractions. Take the slurry seal project going on along Central Avenue from Grand Street to Broadway, for instance. Did you see the workers doing all the measurements or the amazing vehicle that paints the strip on the asphalt? No worries if you missed it, because the B-EV has put together a video of the process. Check it out.
Speaking of updating construction projects, I thought now would be a good time to check up on some of the other construction projects going on. The AUSD/COA Emma Hood Swim Center construction is well under way, and I was able to scoop this story (pun intended) by getting onto the construction site to see the big hole.
One of the projects that I am most interested in is the renovation of the AT&T building on Central Avenue, home to the California Radio Society. This is a painstaking—and very expensive—restoration of the building back to its original design after most of the architectural details had been removed. The folks working on the project are true artists. Just check out the staircase detail.
For those of you old-timers that never thought the dilapidated house on Central would never get updated, I can report that the crew is continuing to make progress. The other day, there was a huge truck with a trailer making a delivery. A few days later, on my noon walk, two of the workers were on the roof checking out the window detail.
Although I had previously reported that the Encinal Avenue update had been completed when I saw the final old signal being removed from the intersection, I learned there are still more street improvements in the works. The contractors from CalTrans are upgrading the curb sections at the street crossings to make it easier for residents who have mobility challenges to be able to navigate the streets by ramping the sidewalk at the major cross streets.
While there is lots of construction going on, there are other things to see in the city. My HC (human companion) once commented that I was the first dog of his that ever looked up. He discovered this when I started pulling him down the street as I was chasing a squirrel that was on a telephone wire forty feet in the air. Apparently, most of the others dogs he has cared for kept their noses to the ground, looking to catch a scent.
Have you ever stopped to notice how many very tall trees Alameda has? I found a few examples for you to enjoy. Check out redwood, pine, and majestic oak trees I discovered. Not only are these trees beautiful to behold, but they also help reduce greenhouse gasses—and make excellent territory marking posts. I will be heading to the liquidamabar trees along Gibbons later this year when those trees dress up in their fall colors.
I am not sure if this was just a freak coincidence, or there if there was a grey car event happening a few weeks back. How often do you see five cars all the same color parked one after the other on the street? Strange things are happening in Alameda.
Last Monday was National Dog Day and I convinced my HC to take me to Moxie’s (the new steak house) next to the Market Place. Unfortunately, they are closed on Mondays, and did not look like the outdoor seating was available. But, I got a raincheck on the Moxie dinner National Dog Day celebration, at least.
It’s September and time to start the countdown to Halloween. 60 days and counting!
Mouf, Roving Reporter
Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda
Mouf and his human companion can be reached via [email protected]. Their stories are collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jeff-Cambra/. All photos and videos by Jeff Cambra.
