Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1930, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1624

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The coming of these new concerns to Oakland has created positions for 2,500 new employees and added somewhat over $4,000,000 to Oakland's industrial payrolls.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

Expansion of Old Established Plants

It is also gratifying to note that there has been considerable expansion in indns- trial East Bay's older and already established plants. Chamber of Commerce repre sentatives interviewed 25 of the larger of the mannfacturers to determine how their 1929 volume of production compared with that of 1928, and in only one instance was there any decrease in volume, and that a very slight one. In the balance of cases noted the range in gain over the preceding years was from 10 to 100 per cent, with an average of more than 25 per cent.

In addition to the industrial plants locating here during the past year there were 941 new business honses. This indicates a 25 per cent greater increase in the establish- ment of new business institutions over the preceding year.

Oakland's Supreme Industrial Advantages

Again I wish to emphasize the superlative advantages Oakland has to offer industry.

Oakland's central location is, of course, outstanding; and onr city's nearness to raw materials, plentiful supply of high-class labor, exceptionally adequate transportation facilities, bring our reasonably priced, well-located industrial sites into increasing recognition. Onr central location is such that in terms of freight rates Oakland has an advantage of 15 per cent over any competitors south of the Bay region and nearly 50 per cent over Northern Pacific Coast points, thus allowing the city to serve an ever- increasing market in the eleven Western States at less cost than can any other Pacific Coast community. The local market within a radius of 40 miles includes more than 1,700,000 population; and contact with the great foreign markets, not only of the Pacific Coast but of the Atlantic, via Panama Canal, is increasing daily through the rapidly developing Port of Oakland.

THE BUSINESS DISTRICT

General Construction

As stated before, building operations in the central business district, dne to many reasons, were not great. Ontstanding among such constructions, however, is the new Financial Center Building rising to a sixteen story height at Fonrteenth and Franklin Streets. This structure is another expression of the faith of Oakland citizens in their city. It will honse, as its name implies, many business institutions in the realm of finance. Bnt of particular interest to the people in general is the fact that it will bring to a more central location the office and facilities of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, which has taken the entire second floor. It is distinctly an architectural triumph and a most pleasing addition to Oakland's skyline.

Another construction, which, though not of the skyscraper type, displaces an old wooden structure built forty years ago, is the three story steel and concrete building of the Pacific States Savings and Loan Company. This building is on the west side of Broadway between Thirteenth and Fourteenth, and a distinct advance over the antiquated wooden structure that it displaces.

Another splendid addition to Oakland's commercial section is the new Sears, Roebuck structure on Telegraph Avenue, near Twenty-sixth Street. This building will house the western branch of this world famous mail order and retail company. With both Sears, Roebuck Company and Montgomery Ward & Company having western plants in Oakland, this is again proof that our city is looked upon with the greatest respect throughout the business world.

New Federal Building and Post Office

After many years of endeavor on the part of myself and other officials, Congress and the Post Office Department have at last definitely agreed to give Oakland a Federal Building worthy of our city's prestige. The structure will cost in the neighborhood of a Million and a Half Dollars and will house not only the post office facilities but other Federal Government branches. The location chosen is in my estimation a perfect one, it being the block bounded on the north by Thirteenth Street, on the west by Alice, on the sonth by Twelfth and on the east by Jackson. With an entire block at its

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

disposal, the four sides of entrance and exit will make the post office operation a most facile one. Street car lines on the north side and the south side make the building easily available to all. Slightly apart from the main central business section, the post office activities will not be hampered by congested traffic. At the same time the downtown business section, at night in particular, will not be deadened by having what is known as a "dark building" in its midst. The new site has already heen purchased by the government and the old buildings thereon are being razed.

It is expected that building operation will start within the next twelve months and that upon completion of the structure the old post office building at Seventeenth and Broadway will be taken down. Removal of the old structure will give the city the opportunity of widening Seventeenth Street between Broadway and Franklin, and will have a distinct effect upon relieving traffic congestion in that section of the city.

Height of Buildings

At this point I would again urge passage of an ordinance limiting the height of buildings in the downtown business district. I realize the pride our citizens have in our rapidly developing skyline, yet at the same time I realize that tall buildings in the husiness area result inevitably in congested traffic conditions. It has been and is today the experience of such cities as New York and Chicago that downtown traffic is almost at a standstill during at least three hours of the business day-when the multitudes of shoppers and workers are entering the section in the morning, on the streets at noou time and leaving the business section in the evening. Oakland now has the opportunity while in this first period of her growth toward metropolitanism to avoid such future disaster.

I would advocate limiting the height of future downtown buildings to a maximum of 150 feet. This will spread the business district, create more land values and there- fore more assessable wealth, make individual business houses more easy of access and thus facilitate professional practice and commercial enterprise, and would bring to all citizens a more facile use of downtown streets.

,AUTOMOBILE PARKING

The matter of street congestion aud commercial availability naturally is bound today with automobile parking. The situation in Oakland is daily becoming a more serious one. In my estimation it is not unlikely that some plan must be arrived at whereby parking will he prohibited entirely in certain present business sections. Not only, then, would I advocate au ordinance limiting the height of buildings but would urge our building public to incorporate in such new structures basement parking areas for their patrons. This should apply not only to commercial houses but to those huilt to house the professions. At the same time, too, I take this opportunity of urging upon downtown owners the profit that would lie iu the construction of more of the permanent type of downtown automobile storage structures.

In this connection I must state again that I believe open parking lots are a detri- ment rather than a benefit to the city. Some small income to the owner who is await- ing substantial development may come from them, but they are unsightly and militate at once against early development and against the legitimate business interests of those who have built permanent and taxable improvements in the way of garages and automobile storage buildings.

Experience aud observation have brought me to auother conclusion regarding downtown parking. As long as parking is to be allowed at all in this area I advocate reducing the red and yellow "no parking" and "unloading" zones to au absolute mini- mum. It is my belief that the present red "no parking" zones are twice the size necessary. Throughout the downtown section the opening of one-half the length of each of these zones would perhaps give shoppers space for five hundred more automo- biles. I believe, too, that the loading zones could be materially reduced and that loading and unloading of all merchandise except retail delivery packages should be limited to the early hours of the morning when trade is at its lightest. I am firmly convinced, also, that the gathering of refuse by the Scavenger Company should like- wise be limited to the hours before 8 a. m. and after 6 p. m.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

SUNDERLAND STUDIO

Oakland Municipal Airport is the focal point of transcontinental and coastal airways. At the upper right of the illustration is the 135-acre industrial tract bounded by rail and deep water.

ARTERIAL OPENINGS

The matter of traffic relief naturally brings one to the opening of arterials.

To begin with, the city can be grateful to the Federal Government that the new post office building is to be constructed away from the business heart of the city. This will result, as before stated, in the demolition of the present Federal Building at Seventeenth and Broadway and the consequent widening of Seventeenth Street between Broadway and Franklin, long a growing necessity.

General Needs

It is likewise vital that that section of the downtown district lying between Frank- lin and Lake Merritt should be made more available to east and west traffic. Fifteenth and Seventeenth Streets should be cut through to Oak at the earliest opportunity. This would open up the district to traffic and would result in the increase of prop- erty values. Without such openings there will continue to be an ever increasing fire menace to those structures lying on Alice, Jackson and Madison Streets, between Fourteenth and Nineteenth Streets.

Other openings and widenings that should be effected before business growth and construction make the cost exorbitant are as follows:

Webster Street up to Twentieth is 80 feet wide thence to Broadway it has a width of only 66 feet. For the relief of congestion on Broadway the latter section should be widened to the full 80-foot width.

Richmond Boulevard north and south from Moss Avenue should be opened as a main north and south arterial. Such opening would not only relieve traffic conges- tion on Piedmont Avenue and Broadway, but would open up sections now closed to home building and to business.

Perry Street, as a relief highway for the immense east and west traffic that flows over Excelsior Boulevard and Moss Avenue, should be opened westerly of Oakland Avenue to connect with Richmond Boulevard at Moss Avenue.

I am happy to be able to report to our public that this Council has finally and definitely taken action on the opening of Twenty-second Street westerly from Broad-

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

way to Telegraph, and on the widening of Grand Avenue westerly from Harrison Boulevard to Telegraph. This likewise will result in creation of new values and will materially aid traffic.

Clay Street Extension

I am convinced that Clay Street should be extended northward. My belief is based upon many premises, outstanding of which are as follows:

The opening would:

1. Create another north and south arterial for the relief of downtown traffic.

2. Open to business activity a section of the near downtown district long lying idle aud unremunerative to many taxpaying owners.

3. Create additional property values that will add to the city's assessable wealth.

4. Give a speedier and safer northward route for fire and police apparatus in event of fire or criminal emergency.

This opening eventually must be made and consummating the project at the present time, while land values in the district are comparatively low, would make such action less costly to the city. I advocate, therefore, an early solution of this problem.

STREET LIGHTING

Completed Projects

I am happy to report that since my last message the city has completed four major street lighting projects. These included the installation of 664 ornamental street lighting standards at a total cost of $235,000. The largest single project was carried out in what is known as Central Lighting District No. 2 of the downtown business section, as follows :

Clay Street-Eleventh Street to San Pablo Avenue.

Washington Street-Seventh Street to Tenth.

San Pablo Avenue-Fourteenth Street to Twenty-second.

Broadway-First Street to Seventh.

Franklin Street-Tenth Street to Broadway.

Webster Street-Twelfth Street to Nineteenth.

Eleventh Street-Franklin Street to Harrison Boulevard.

Fourteenth Street-Franklin Street to Oak.

Nineteenth Street-Telegraph Avenue to Harrison Boulevard.

The total number of light standards erected in the above district is 323, at a cost of $123,295. And the standards themselves, I am glad to state, were cast in Oakland foundries, employing Oakland men and women.

The next largest district included the following:

Grand Avenue-Webster Street to Mandana Boulevard.

Lake Park Avenue-Grand Avenue to Lakeshore Avenue.

Perry Street-Grand Avenue to Lake Park Avenue.

Lakehore Avenue-Lake Park Avenue to Mandana Boulevard.

The total number of light standards is 159, costing $55,382. Here also the standards were made in Oakland foundries, as were those in the following projects.

The installation of 125 standards on Telegraph Avenue from Twentieth Street to Fortieth, at a cost of $43,083, was the third large project; and the lighting of Piedmont Avenue, Moss Avenue to John Street, with 57 standards costing $13,255, was the fourth.

In addition to the above district lighting the Electrical Department installed 300 utilitarian overhead street lamps in various parts of the city.

Anticipated Lighting Projects

Petitions are under way for the lighting of San Pablo Avenue in its entire length. With the City of Emeryville and the City of Berkeley likewise contemplating lighting such sections of San Pablo as lie within their borders within the very near future, this project extended through Oakland will he a most valuable one. The lighting of San Pablo should benefit a section which during recent years has not participated as fully as it might in the city's general prosperity.

I wish again to urge the lighting of Fourteenth Street from Broadway to the west-

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

ern waterfront, the system to continue down to the ferry slips at the end of West Seventh Street.

Boulevard "Stops" Vital

In this connection, too, I would advocate the protection of the entire length of Fourteenth Street westerly from and including Grove Street by boulevard stops. West Fourteenth is now used as a route to the auto ferry by a far greater percentage of vehicular traffic than is West Seventh Street. The traffic is and, I am convinced, should be fast, and boulevard stops will give the protection desired.

MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY

In the past year the East Bay Municipal Utility District, of which the City of Oakland comprises the largest and most populous area, has practically completed its object-namely, that of bringing to the various communities of the district water from the High Sierras. Not only are Oakland and her neighboring cities to be con- gratulated upon now having an unfailing source of pure water, but the officials, under the active and inspiring leadership of Doctor Geo. C. Pardee, ex-Governor of the State of California and ex-Mayor of the city, are likewise to be congratulated upon the completion of this project. The work was done in record time.

During the year also, the Municipal Utility District purchased and took over the entire holdings and distribution system of the East Bay Water Company. This means that now Oakland owns her own water supply and distributes it through city owned facilities.

To meet the cost of interest and redemption of the bonds voted by the people when the district was created, the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County fixed, in accordance with request from the district heads, an annual amount on the tax levy. For the present fiscal year 50 cents has been added to the county tax rate for this purpose. As time goes on and the profits of the water district return to the people, this item on the annual tax levy will probably find gradual reduction. In time, therefore, the taxpayers of Oakland will own their own water supply and distribution system, and the profits instead of going into private fortunes will be used to reduce individual water charges. This will mean much to householders, manufacturing con- cerns and great industries of our city.

I must add here, however, my oft expressed regrets that the East Bay Municipal Utility District did not include in its plans hydro-electric power. With cheap water rates and cheap power rates, the City of Oakland, which is increasingly becoming a pre-eminently industrial community, would have been able to offer likewise increasing advantages to manufacturing concerns and industrial plants. I hope and would recom- ment that in the future the district take up this matter of power development. Mu- nicipal power plants have proven in many sections of this country, and in Canada, to result in cutting power rates in half.

Castlemont High School, Foothill Boulevard and Eighty-fifth Avenue; constructed in 1929 at a cost of $516,000. Capacity: 70 teachers and 1,680 pupils.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

The Mayor's Departments

CIVIL SERVICE

I am very happy to report that the Civil Service Department of the city govern- ment has again become a fully co-operative unit of the administration. For some years past this department has been under severe criticism on the part of citizens and city employes. A new spirit, however, has been brought about through change in personnel.

Colonel Chas. I. Anderson (now Commissioner of Streets), who for some years had been a member of the Park Board, and Mr. James C. Walsh, prominent Oakland attorney, were the new members I appointed during the past year. As there are but three members on the Civil Service Board these appointments return my administra- tion a majority favoring my policies. This new majority appointed as Chief Examiner and Executive Secretary Colonel Custer P. Mader, well known Oakland businessman and prominent in veteran circles. A full investigation and examination of the civil service situation up to the time the administration regained control, has been made hy Colonel Mader and his staff. This effort developed that many eligible lists had lapsed, and work was at once started to bring matters up to date. Colonel Mader already has given some seventy examinations covering the situation, and with more in the near future it is expected that by July 1st of 1930 all of the employes of the city will be on a permanent status.

To aid the Civil Service Board in developing its new program in alignment with administrative policies I have had Haskins & Sells, certified public accountants reg- ularly employed to audit the city's books, make a special investigation of the pay scale of all civil service employes. This report is now in the hands of the board. Using it and the material developed through its own investigation, the Civil Service Department expects shortly to re-align and simplify all classifications of city employ- ment. This also will add to the efficiency of the department and of our entire admin- istrative employment situation.

I wish also to commend the Civil Service Board majority and Colonel Mader upon the practical character of the questions propounded in examinations. Common sense principles are now applied, with the result that those examined feel that the new board is operating with complete justice to all. This is particularly felt by the Police and Fire Departments whose confidence in civil service has been largely re-established through changes made. When Colonel Anderson became City Commissioner, I trans- ferred John P. Irish from the Library Board to fill the unexpired term.

PARK DEPARTMENT

During the past year the Park Department, under leadership of the Park Board aud Lee S. Kerfoot, superintendent of parks, has continued to render the highest of service to the people. Vital, though not necessarily extensive, improvements have been made in the zoo, and in the fire control system of Sequoia Park in the hills. In addition to this the Park Department has now completed all payments on lands bought during the past four or five years on the "purchase-option" plan.

Expansion Vital to Growing City

Several smaller tracts of land contiguous or adjacent to Sequoia Park are now in process of condemnation by the city. Acquisition of these few acres will smooth out the Sequoia Park boundaries and make more manifest the park limits. I favor the continued expansion of our park system.

At the present time that portion of Sequoia Park in the rear of the Joaquin Miller estate is bounded on the north by Palo Seco Creek. The boundary runs along the bottom of this creek for nearly a mile. Thus, this long, narrow strip includes only

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

one hank of Palo Seco Creek and allows the other bank with its hundreds of native redwoods still in private hands and liable at any time to subdivision. In my estima- tion the city should control both banks of this canyon if the park in future is to be of any value at all to the people of Oakland. This I have already stated in writing to the Park Board with my urgent recommendation that immediate steps be taken to purchase such land on the north bank of Palo Seco Creek as will complete city ownership of the entire stream and the redwoods adjacent thereto as far down as the present western bonndary of Sequoia Park.

At the same time I would again urge the extension of Sequoia Park to the north and east. A large proportion of the land area in these directions likewise has a growth of native redwoods which for the sake of future generations we of today should not allow to be destroyed. The land at this time can be purchased at a cost not prohibitive and it is my plan in the near future to recommend the acquisition of these additional groves.

Board Changes

There have been two changes in the Park Board during the past year. Colonel Anderson resigned in order to accept my appointment to the Civil Service Board. In his place I appointed Mr. Jacob H. Lesser. Mr. Thomas F. Watson, prominent busi- ness man and well known citizen, I appointed to fill another vacancy. I am happy to see that the new members are taking a most active interest in park affairs. Their business experience of long standing in the City of Oakland will render their presence on the board most valuable.

Purchases and Improvements Made

Major achievements in this department during 1929 are:

Purchase of three-quarters of an acre adjoining Sequoia Park .... $ 2,600.00 Final payment on Leona Heights Park. 5,788.50

Final payment on Sanhorn Park 7,555.00

Improvements in Sequoia Park (water mains, etc.) 662.97 Improvements in Lakeside Park. 447.09

Improvements in Sanborn Park (comfort station, bridge, horseshoe court and water mains). 1,885.71

Improvements in Brookdale Park (water mains, grading, planting of lawns, construction of walks and curbs, comfort station and horseshoe court) 6,939.14

Improvements in Dimond Park (tennis court, walks and rock wall along creek)

3,028.37

Improvements in Elmhurst Park (tennis court)

1,752.84

Improvements in Zoo (new cages and purchase of elephant)

3,736.18

Improvements in Peralta Park (new lawn and grading).

1,660.24

Improvements in swimming pool (fences, bleachers, and sand beach, rock work, equipment, etc.) 6,936.68

Purchase of concrete mixer .. 321.70

$44,314.42

Besides the above a contract has been let for the construction of a concession building in connection with the swimming pool in Dimond Park. This may or may not be completed during the present calendar year.

Dimond Swimming Pool Gift of Lions Club

The Lions Club of Oakland during the year constructed a swimming pool in Dimond Park and presented it, through the Park Department, to the city. The approxi- mate cost to the club was $18,000, and the facility is modernly equipped in every way with particular emphasis upon the devices for maintaining purity of the water itself. Since the opening day the pool has been in daily use.

I take this opportunity of thanking the Lions Club and of congratulating its mem- bers upon their public spiritedness. Far too few of our Oakland organizations and of our citizens of great wealth have made contributions to their city's esthetic or

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

recreative adjuncts. I hope that other organizations and other individuals take this action of the Oakland Lions as an example to follow. There are many facilities, not only swimming pools, which the people of Oakland would welcome but for which the city government, holding in trust the taxpayers' funds, cannot appropriate money.

Lake Merritt Embankment

It is with pleasure, finally, that 1 report that the stone embankment on the shore of Lake Merritt from the vicinity of the Oak Street boathouse to the northern end of the western arm of Lake Merritt has been completed. The expense was practically limited to labor. The rock itself came from the vicinity of the Oakland Zoo in Sequoia Park so that erection of this wall gave double value to the city. More land has been leveled in the vicinity of the zoo, which will make that facility more adapt- ahle to expansion.

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Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1930, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1928 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 1624

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1624