This edition of our Emeryville Bi-Weekly Newsletter contains six stories relevant to Emeryville aggregated from around the web including:
- The recently completed BayView project being seized by its lender
- The kickoff of a Caltrans “reimagining” project to explore dismantling the I-980 freeway
- The hiring away of Emeryville’s Police Captain to another community
- A profile of a historic Italian social club in North Oakland
- Emeryville making a list of “Best Places to Retire” in California
- Insights from recently laid-off Pixar employees in the wake of the massive box office success of Inside Out 2
Laid-Off Pixar Employees Dish Dirt On Inside Out 2 Production
Video game and entertainment media-focused website IGN recently published an interview with ten laid-off Pixar employees. In May, Pixar laid off 175 employees, or roughly 14% of their workforce.
These layoffs were announced following the disappointing results of 2022’s Lightyear and 2023’s Elemental, both impacted by sluggish theater sales and Hollywood strikes.
Pixar regained its footing with 2024’s Inside Out 2, breaking box office records by grossing over 1.6 Billion. But despite this success, these layoffs proceeded as planned, denying these employees “the spoils of this victory.”
These Pixar employees dish the dirt on tensions during film production, an “unprecedented crunch” to meet the production deadline, and an internal push to avoid LGBTQ+ themes in the storyline.
BayView Apartments Seized by Lender
Some troubling news for Emeryville’s rental market. The recently completed 186-unit BayView Apartments has been “seized” by its lender.
The project dragged on for nearly a decade until it was finally completed last year.
The complex, owned by an affiliate of Amcal Housing, was forfeited to its lender, an affiliate of CIM Group. The transaction was described as the equivalent of a “fast-track foreclosure process.”
Also notable is that the value of the property has declined by 7% since its completion according to records. The declining value of this property and others in the city and county is feared to impact property taxes that are needed to fund critical services in the city and county.
This 92-year-old private club might be the most Italian place to eat in Oakland
SF Gate recently profiled the historic Fratellanza Club which is a 92-year-old Italian men’s club on 66th Street in North Oakland.
Longtime club member and renowned pizza chef Tony Gemignani cooks annually at the club and expresses concern for the club’s future as its core membership ages and younger members are not stepping up to maintain the legacy of the historic institution.
Caltrans Begins “Reimagining I-980” Study
Under pressure from the community, Caltrans has kicked off a study to explore the possibility of dismantling and replacing Interstate I-980. 980 offers a convenient connection between Highway 24 and I-880 for Oakland to Contra Costa county commuters.
The contentious freeway, constructed between 1968 and 1985, split West Oakland from the downtown corridor taking over 500 homes with it. Some activists see its potential dismantling as a form of racial justice.
The idea had been bandied about for over a decade but finally received some funding as part of President Biden’s 2021 infrastructure bill.
Caltrans will begin by soliciting feedback from the community through surveys and in-person meetings.
The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by November 2025.
City of Anderson Selects EPD Captain Oliver Collins as their new Chief
Emeryville Police Captain Oliver Collins has been hired away by the Shasta County city of Anderson. Collins, hired by former EPD Chief Jennifer Tejada in 2016, was selected among 24 applicants for the position.
Filling in in the interim as Captain will be Fred Dauer who is among the longest-standing officers on the force and well respected.
Dauer will likely be among the top candidates to be considered by EPD Chief Jeff Jennings should Dauer opt to pursue the position.
Emeryville named among Top-10 best places to retire in California
A recent LA Times piece named Emeryville as one of the top 10 best places to retire in California. The Times ranked 367 California cities in what was admittedly a subjective ranking.
The four main criteria for the ranking were a combination of climate, health and wellness, recreation, and affordability.
Emeryville ranked 9th on the list earning high marks for its climate, proximity to parks, transit and shopping. Cons outlined included being frequently overcast and a higher cost of living.