MacArthur Boulevard Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Urban Design Plan
Oakland’s Community and Economic Development Agency’s Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Program requested Arnold Mammarella and Alexandra Martynetz develop an urban design plan to restore commercial viability along MacArthur Boulevard. After consulting with City departments and local property owners, the recommendation was to focus on a blighted 3-block area that had the potential of becoming a retail node and district gateway. The design concept for the Eastmont Commercial District creates a holistic urban design plan dealing with physical plan features that when implement would foster main street style retail functioning. A strong visual identity was created to guide the appearance to facade and public improvements.
The urban design plan provides a graphically detailed direction for revitalization by:
• Making integrated land use and public improvement decisions that resolve access, parking, public space amenity, and retail functioning needs.
• Illustrating how façade and building renovations and site reuse planning can create a vital pedestrian setting.
• Varying in function and layout from block-to-block to enhance idiosyncratic neighborhood qualities.
• Using the Art Moderne style to reinforce the district character and unify public improvements.
• Outlining street, public parking, sidewalk and other public improvements such as street trees, lighting, street furniture, public art, district entry markers, and signage.
In addition to design concept, land use, and phasing plans, a series of six before and after street perspectives showed how buildings or sections of the district could be effectively revitalized with public improvements and façade renovations. The plan received enthusiastic community support, formed a model for other small retail nodes along the lengthy boulevard, and helped the City obtain a federal grant for MacArthur Boulevard.
