Wayans bow out of Oakland port-area reuse project
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums on Friday released a list of 13 developers interested in developing a 108-acre parcel at a mothballed waterfront army base in West Oakland.
Conspicuously missing from the list are the Hollywood Wayans brothers, who had been proposing to build a movie studio and shopping center at the former Oakland Army Base, which closed in 1999.
The brothers said that conflicts with parcel neighbor, the Port of Oakland, led to the brothers' complete withdrawal from the project.
Wayans business associate Britten Shuford told the Associated Press that the city refused to provide assurances to the brothers that port activity would not block the Army base parcel's views of San Francisco Bay.
Port officials have said they plan to build a dividing wall on container storage property adjacent to the development site that could be up to 100 feet high.
Last year, the brother let an exclusive development deal for the military parcel lapse, though there was some speculation they might proposed a new project.
The Wayans' decision now clears the path for other developers to become involved in the site, city officials said.
City documents defined the parcel as 'a prime spot for commercial, light industrial, maritime and recreational activities.' Other portions of the former military property are being looked at for a 28-acre retail auto mall, a 15-acre maritime-related truck center, a five-acre truck dealership and a three-acre job training center.
The developers who responded to the city's January request for qualifications to develop the 108-acre site are:
' AMB/California Capital Group.
' Federal Development LLC.
' First Industrial Realty Trust Inc.
' Hillwood – A Perot Co.
' Jones Development Cos.
' M&L Commodities.
' Oakland Bay Partners.
' Oakland Film Center.
' PCC Logistics.
' ProLogis / Catellus.
' Prism Realty Corp.
' Triamid Galaxies.
' W&E Group Inc.