A’s Howard Terminal Plan Gets (Green) Thumbs Up
Helps ease unwanted sprawl. Check. Reduces automobile emissions. Check. Avoids development in areas threatened by wildfires. Check. Good connections to jobs and transit. Check. Prominent Bay Area environmental group Greenbelt Alliance this week put its conceptual stamp of approval on the Oakland A’s plans to transform the underutilized Howard Terminal at the Port of Oakland into a modern, new and privately financed ballpark surrounded by commercial offices, housing, walkable public spaces, retail shops, a performance venue and a hotel.
The endorsement gives the project a solid boost as a key decision looms next month by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission on whether to declare Howard Terminal unnecessary for the port’s future growth plans. The Port of Oakland has already released a report concluding that Howard Terminal isn’t part of the facility’s future growth and that it will languish for years under its current designation as a cargo terminal. The Bay Area Council is a strong supporter of the A’s plans, and is urging BCDC to change Howard Terminal’s designation.
