Alameda Point VA clinic design rolled out

On October 18, 2012, the residents of Alameda learned second-hand about the details of the Veterans Administration’s plans for a clinic and columbarium at Alameda Point.

According to an article published in the Oakland Tribune, the VA briefed the Alameda County Veterans Affairs Commission.  

“ ‘The clinic's design will feature a glass-fronted lobby that will face the skyline, plus an overhanging winglike roof that architect Greg Lehman said was inspired by the bird colony and the site's history as part of the Alameda Naval Air Station. People visiting the clinic will have views of San Francisco,’ Lehman said Monday, when the veterans commission was updated on the project. ‘We also wanted to capture as much of the natural light as possible.’"   

In addition, “The two-story clinic will measure 158,000 square feet on 30 acres and will replace the VA's current facility on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Oakland.”

Meanwhile, Alameda residents have yet to be briefed. 

A better option for VA clinic at Alameda Point: The Lab site

The US Department of Veterans Affairs’ original plan for outpatient facilities and a columbarium at Alameda Point ran into strong opposition over proximity to the nesting site of the CA Least Terns on the wildlife refuge.  

Now, a new set of concerns is emerging. The new proposed location on the Northwest Territories will impact wetlands and natural habitat, is isolated from the main mixed-use area where redevelopment planning is underway, and will generate a stream of traffic through land designated for open space. 

A better site is available and should be considered.

VA’s 2013 budget request – Alameda Point commitment still alive

The VA’s 2013 budget request to Congress contains no funding request for Alameda Point.  The project was first funded in 2011 for design and planning.  Concerns over the proximity to a nesting site for an endangered bird, the California Least Tern, have led to delays in moving the project forward.  FY 2012 also did not receive a funding request. 

The VA, however, still remains committed to the project.

East Bay Regional Park District Spearheads City/VA Parkland Deal

It seemed as though the plans for a veterans’ facility at Alameda Point were moving full steam ahead. But no. Last year the project almost died until the East Bay Regional Park District stepped in to help.