The city and the Alameda Redevelopment and Reuse Authority wantto convert the 770-acres property into a multi-use project thatwould include affordable housing, commercial, R&D/businesspark, water-oriented activities and recreational facilities. "It'swhere most of our city's growth will take place in the future,"says Alameda Mayor Ralph Appezato. "Situated on the bay, withoutstanding view of San Francisco, it's some of the finest realestate in the Bay Area."

Alameda, which consists of a main island just offshore fromOakland and directly across the bay from San Francisco, plus thetip of a peninsula attached to the mainland near Oakland Airport,Coast Guard Island and Ballena Isle, is accessible by four bridges,two tunnels, two ferry terminals to San Francisco and a water taxito Oakland.

The city is home to charming neighborhoods of Victorianarchitecture, two historic downtowns and marinas. In the late1980s, the 205-acre Marina Village mixed-use project was developedwith 1.1 million-sf of office space, a 125,000-sf retail shoppingcenter, 178 town homes and a marina. In addition, the peninsulaportion of the city, named "Bay Farm Island," consists of morerecent residential development, the Harbor Bay Business Park and a36-hole municipal golf course.