Potential New Redevelopment of Main Street Neighborhood North
On June 8, the Planning Board will hold a study session on what could become one of the next major redevelopment efforts at Alameda Point, Main Street Neighborhood North. This roughly 31-acre site, bounded by Main Street to the north and east, West Midway Avenue to the south, and Pan Am Way to the west, includes historic residential neighborhoods, the Officers’ Club, chapel, theater, and nearby properties owned by the Alameda Unified School District.
Staff are considering issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to developers in late 2026 or early 2027 and seek guidance on priorities related to housing, historic preservation, open space, density, and infrastructure.
Analysis suggests the area could accommodate between 600 and 1,000 housing units under various redevelopment scenarios. However, staff caution that redevelopment faces significant obstacles, including costly infrastructure upgrades, flood protection requirements, sea level rise adaptation, historic preservation obligations, financing challenges, and the relocation of existing tenants.
A key finding is that higher-density housing may not improve project feasibility. Unlike most developments in Alameda, projects at Alameda Point must comply with the 2001 Renewed Hope Settlement Agreement, which requires that 25% of new housing be affordable to lower-income households. In addition, future residential development may trigger substantial conveyance payments to the U.S. Navy, adding tens of thousands of dollars in costs per market-rate unit. Staff note that these requirements can make denser development less financially attractive than lower-density housing types such as townhomes.
The City is also reevaluating long-standing planning assumptions in the Main Street Neighborhood Specific Plan. Questions include whether a large central park remains practical, whether the area should be designed with stronger connections to the Main Street Ferry Terminal, and whether residential zoning should be expanded into areas currently reserved for adaptive reuse and community-serving uses.
No formal approvals are being requested. Instead, staff hope to use feedback from the Planning Board, Historic Advisory Board, and City Council to establish redevelopment priorities that can be incorporated into a future developer solicitation. Ultimately, redevelopment of the area will require balancing housing production, historic preservation, open space goals, infrastructure costs, and long-term financial feasibility.
How to Participate
The meeting will be held on Monday, June 8, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public may participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides an opportunity to address the Board regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Board has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is for routine items approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, during which each issue receives a presentation and time for Board discussion and public comment.
Submit requests for reasonable accommodation via an online form.
For Zoom registration, click here. Information to assist with Zoom participation is here. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128, and the Meeting ID is 815 3979 3319. Community members may also email Board Members before the meeting.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
