Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBD

Ambassador Program
One of the districts most valuable assets is its 6-day a week Ambassador Program. The Ambassador
Program consists of both Hospitality & Maintenance Ambassadors whose duties include: providing
pedestrian & motorist assistance, umbrella escorts, grafti and vandalism cleanup, daily maintenance of
sidewalks and gutters, removal of abandoned news racks and parking meters, district landscaping and
more. Their presence on the streets, in their brightly colored orange and blue shirts, welcomes visitors
and assists residents and local employees alike.
The CBD staf has worked closely with my ofce to address pressing concerns that afect the quality
of life in Downtown and Uptown, from Snow Park maintenance and beautication, to the coordinated
security eforts in the City Center area. Creating a walkable and friendly downtown is essential to our
continued economic development eforts. Oakland City Councilmember, Pat Kernighan, District 2
Both the Maintenance and Hospitality teams work daily to improve the overall look and feel of the
Districts and this program has resulted in the creation of more thirty full time Ambassador jobs in the
District. The CBDs have also developed a very successful summer program providing paid internships for
young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. Some of these internships have led to full time employment
opportunities. In total, the CBDs have hosted over seventy interns who have completed over 10,000 paid
internship hours since the launch of our Ambassador Program in 2009.
For Ambassador Assistance call 510.898.8592
Mon-Wed: 7am-9pm Thu-Fri: 7am-12:30am Sat: 12:30pm-12:30am
For Maintenance Assistance call 510.600.8714
Mon-Fri: 6:30am-3:30pm Sat: 8am-3:30pm
In case of emergency, call 911 when using a landline
Call 510.777.3211 when using a cell phone
OPD Non-Emergency Number 510.777.3333
Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs:
Green Businesses and Sustainability
In the Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland Community Benet Districts, being green isnt just a trend; its
a way of life. In fact, Oakland is consistently ranked as one of the most green and sustainable cities in the U.S.,
with many of the highest prole green businesses calling the districts home. Within the boundaries of the two,
jointly managed CBDs are 11 LEED Certied buildings and well over 50 businesses recognized by the Bay Area
Green Business Program. The CBDs are deeply invested in growing the green economy by attracting sustainable
businesses and organizations to the downtown corridor and spreading the word that Oakland is committed to
attracting and expanding businesses with an environmental product or service.
Organizations that already reside here include:
Green for All works in collaboration with business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to
increase quality jobs and opportunities in the green industry. Greenforall.org
Integral Group specializes in the design of simple, elegant, cost-efective systems for high-performance
buildings. They provide a full range of building system design, sustainability consulting and energy
analysis services. Located in thirteen ofces across North America, along with an international network
of afliates, their passion for sustainable design runs deep. Integralgroup.com
The Sustainable Business Alliance is a business association committed to building a vibrant community
of locally-owned, sustainably-minded businesses in the East Bay because they know that shopping
locally-owned and independent not only preserves our unique Oakland avor, but is better for the
economy and environment. Sustainablebusinessalliance.org
Vigilent, Inc. is the leader in dynamic cooling management systems, an essential solution for data center
infrastructure management (DCIM). Vigilent is committed to green energy solutions that reduce and
inform energy use, making for a more sustainable planet. Vigilent.com
GreenBiz provides clear, concise, accurate, and balanced information, resources, and learning
opportunities to help companies of all sizes and sectors integrate environmental responsibility into their
operations in a manner that supports protable business practices. Greenbiz.com
Build It Green works with building and real estate professionals, local and state governments, and
homeowners to increase awareness and adoption of green building practices. Builditgreen.org
In addition to attracting green businesses to the districts, the CBDs also work to advance the citywide goal of zero
waste by the year 2020 through the implementation of various programs and projects. Since 2012, the districts
have installed 21 solar-powered Big Belly Trash Compactors on high trafc street corners. These Big Bellys hold
more trash than standard garbage cans, ofer appropriate recycling options and utilize technology that digitally
alerts staf when the trash compactor needs to be emptied, saving precious time and resources. Our Maintenance
Ambassadors work 6 days a week to collect garbage in the public rights of way, keeping it out of our parks, public
spaces and waterways and they coordinate with city agencies to ensure that cigarette butts and other micro-trash
are diverted from entering the storm drains.
The new garbage cans have much more capacity than standard trash receptacles and having them has reduced
the number of overowing trash cans in downtown, efectively reducing the amount of trash entering the storm
drains. They are helping to keep Oakland clean and beautiful! says Rebecca Tuden, Watershed Specialist with the
City of Oaklands Public Works Agency.
Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt/Uptown District Associations
388 19th Street, Oakland, CA 94612 510.238.1122
Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs:
Growing Nightlife and Entertainment Districts
The Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland Community Benet Districts are home to many unique eateries,
bars, and world-class entertainment venues. In fact, our districts boast more than 130 restaurants and cafes, over
30 bars and two of the most iconic theaters on the west coast: The Paramount Theatre and The Fox Theater.
Whether you are seeking a fne dining experience (Flora, Duende, Desco, Ozumo, or Pican) or casual dining (Hawker
Fare, Spice Monkey, Tamarindo, Tribune Tavern, or Pho 84), Uptown and Downtown Oakland have endless dining
options to choose from for your night on the town. Theres good reason Oakland was ranked Americas most
exciting city by Movoto in 2012 and named the 5th most desirable destination to visit in 2012 by The New York
Times. Great food, outstanding music venues and a thriving arts culture make Oakland the place to be.
This is an exciting time in Downtown & Uptown Oakland - and the CBDs are proud to play a role in the ongoing
growth and revitalization happening in Oakland. Since the CBDs launched in 2009 over 120 storefront vacancies
have been lled with fabulous new restaurants, bars, galleries, cafs and independent retail outlets. These businesses,
along with the CBDs fabulous and highly respected Safety and Maintenance Ambassador Program, are helping to
create a world class entertainment and hospitality district.
The momentum in this city is undeniable, says Steve Snider the District Manager of both CBDs. There has been
an explosion of vibrancy and activity that is helping propel Oakland into the spotlight both locally and nationally.
From the amazingly popular Frist Friday Art Murmur gallery crawl to the regularly sold out shows at the Fox and
the Paramount, Downtown & Uptown Oakland have become the Bay Areas hottest new destinations for high
quality nightlife and entertainment. The momentum is only building as more and more vacancies are lled with
vibrant businesses and more people are deciding to choose to live in a city that provides these amenities and
promotes a culture of walkable urbanism.
Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt/Uptown District Associations
388 19th Street, Oakland, CA 94612 510.238.1122
Non-prot Organizations within the
Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs
Non-prot organizations have deep roots in Oakland, promoting environmental and social responsibility,
opportunities for youth, and education equality. The Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs
are proud to be home to many inuential non-prot organizations whose ideals complement the mission
and vision of our jointly managed districts. We are pleased to include within our boundaries, as just a
small representative sample, the following prominent and respected organizations:
Girls Incorporated of Alameda County is a nonprot organization with a mission to inspire
all girls to be strong, smart and bold. Girls Inc. ofers academic enrichment activities,
skill-building programs, and counseling services to girls and their families. Girlsinc-alameda.org
Kapor Center for Social Impact relentlessly pursues creative strategies that will leverage
information technology for positive social impact. They primarily work with underrepresented
communities, focusing on gap-closing endeavors. Kaporcenter.org
Childrens Hospital and Research Center Foundation is a not-for-prot public benet
corporation dedicated to bringing health and well-being to children through philanthropic and
volunteer support for UCSF Beniof Childrens Hospital Oakland. Chofoundation.org
Youth Radio is an award-winning media production company that trains diverse young people
in digital media and technology. Partnering with industry professionals, students learn to
produce marketable media for massive audiences while bringing youth perspectives to issues
of public concern. Youthradio.org
YMCA of the East Bay is a diverse organization of women, men and children joined together
by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and
fostering a sense of social responsibility. Oakland.ymcaeastbay.org
Downtown Oakland is a great place for non-prots because it is the only community I have ever seen
place equal value on non-prots and for-prot organizations/companies. Downtown Oakland not
only welcomes, but also genuinely wants, community based organizations to be here, and provides
the support necessary to ensure our ability to thrive alongside commercial business, said Maeven
McGovern, Community Arts Manager at Youth Radio.
Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt/Uptown District Associations
388 19th Street, Oakland, CA 94612 510.238.1122
Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs:
Exciting Retail Shopping Destination
The Lake Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland CBDs are home to many locally owned, independent
retail shops and galleries, with over 80 such establishments in our districts.
The proprietors of these businesses are driven by a passion for what they do, and care about the quality
of the products we purchase and consume because they realize that our individual success is directly
tied to theirs. Shopping locally-owned and independent not only preserves our unique Oakland avor,
but its good for the economy and environment.
Our burgeoning retail scene ofers customers a one of a kind shopping experience that is authentically
Oakland. When in town for business or pleasure, or just on your lunch break, be sure to experience one
of the great clothing stores in the Uptown, such as Harper Greer (43 Grand Avenue) and OwlnWood (45
Grand Avenue) for womens clothing, or Two Jacks Denim (2355 Broadway) for raw denim and urban
menswear.
If you happen to be riding the Free B Shuttle downtown along the Broadway corridor, stop in at
Oaklandish (1734 Broadway) for local apparel and accessories that celebrate local love and original
Oakland charm, or the Betti Ono Gallery (1427 Broadway) for a unique arts and media experience.
Continue your tour of Oaklands exciting retail oferings in historic Old Oakland by visiting Marion and
Roses Workshop (461 9th Street) for ne goods for the home, or Umamimart (815 Broadway) for
Japanese kitchen, table and barware.
You can nd the complete Uptown/Downtown Shopping Guide online at downtownoakland.org.
Happy shopping!
Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt/Uptown District Associations
388 19th Street, Oakland, CA 94612 510.238.1122