Alameda Point - What's Up With That?

Alameda Point is one of the more accessible and popular night photography locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. The former Alameda Naval Air Station was turned over to the city of Alameda in 1997. With the exception of the airstrip, most of the 700-acre parcel is open to the public. It contains a mixture of housing, warehouses, abandoned hangers, a sports club, the D.O.T. Ready Reserve Force, and even the decommissioned aircraft carrier the USS Hornet. It is also the site where Adam and Jamie from the TV show Mythbusters perform many of their experiments.

(Photo by Andy Frazer)

Whenever I shoot at Alameda Point, I always wonder why it's still around (not that I'm complaining, or anything... I'm just wondering about this). The land is worth a mint, and I know the city of Alameda has plans to develop the waterfront and build shops, hotels, restaurants and marina. But why isn't the development moving forward?

Yesterday, the San Jose Mercury News ran a great article titled "Disputes, snags mark decade since base closure" explaining the history of the transfer of the land from the Navy to the city, along with all of the problems along the way. It's actually quite interesting because the problems stem from a change in presidential administrations; the city breaking their contract with the Navy; and the always-in-the-news cost of toxic waste cleanup.

Hopefully, Alameda Point will be around for a few more years.