Making space for live music in Oakland

An all-ages show at the Electric Banana in North Oakland, courtesy of Oyo Ellis.

Oakland was once home to a bunch of live music venues, many of which hosted all-ages shows. Those venues have long since closed—a loss not just for local musicians, but for the community as a whole.

Oyo Ellis (left) in front of the Electric Banana

Ahead of this month’s Let’s Talk community conversation on live music in Oakland, we’re looking back at three notable Oakland venues with Oyo Ellis, OPDC Facilities Manager and long-time member of Pittsburgh’s music scene, to inspire a conversation about how we might support all-ages entertainment here in the future.

Courtesy of Steve Bodner via electricbananaclub.net

The Electric Banana (3887 Bigelow Blvd.)

Active: 1977-1999

The Electric Banana began as a disco club in 1977, but “caught the first wave of punk going into the ‘80s,” says Ellis. The club had all-ages shows on Wednesdays and Sundays, with some bands even playing twice on the same day to accommodate younger audiences.

Graffiti (4615 Baum Blvd.)

Active: 1982-2000

“Graffiti was specifically a performance venue that was notable for hosting bands that would eventually break out,” says Ellis. When Green Day came through following the release of their Grammy-winning album Dookie, “there were little kids with their parents there!”

Club Laga (3609 Forbes Ave.)

Active: 1996-2004

3609 Forbes was home to a number of clubs including the Attic and the Upstage Lounge. “Laga was the last of an era,” says Ellis, who worked the door for six years. It could hold several hundred people and played host to all-ages shows with music ranging from underground rap to rock, punk, and metal.

New POGOH stations in Oakland

Behold! Three brand new POGOH stations have touched down in Oakland, along with expanded docking at six existing stations.

With the conclusion of the Spin e-scooter pilot program, POGOH bikes have become an even more important multi-modal resource, particularly for returning students.

Follow POGOH’s Instagram for updates, including a possible fourth new station at TCS Hall and Forbes.

How we’re connecting Oakland neighbors with food

OPDC community engagement staff have been working collaboratively with local organizations to address food insecurity since the beginning of the pandemic. For the past two years, we have been delivering supplies directly to residents’ doorsteps to address accessibility gaps.

In October, we began to change our delivery model to a bi-weekly “market” offering a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, packaged grains, dairy and eggs, and baked goods, available outside of 2520 Wadsworth Street, part of the Oakland Affordable Living development in West Oakland.

“With the Market, we’ve flipped the model,” says Sam Gallagher, Community Engagement Specialist at OPDC. “Instead of spending most of our time packaging food and knocking doors for individual orders, we can focus on connections with and among residents, who can access food resources on their own.”

Here’s how it works. On the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, members of OPDC’s community engagement team stock the Market with supplies from Community Human Services (CHS) on Lawn Street. First-time visitors fill out a form from CHS while all visitors sign in with OPDC between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Laura, an Oakland Affordable Living tenant who has volunteered with Market set-up in the past, says “the Market is a real convenience. Given that I’m handicapped, I can’t go to the store. I have to order and have it delivered. The market offers us a nice variety.” 

Illene, another tenant with mobility challenges, echoed Laura’s sentiment. “Some people don’t go out. I would have to have my grandson take me or call ACCESS to get to a food pantry.”

By extending the reach of the CHS food pantry, Gallagher explains, “we’re building on what CHS are able to do. This allows us to ensure Oakland residents in need have access to food, especially those who can’t get to the pantry.”

David Friedman, Social Worker at OPDC, says that “on the whole, we encourage people to go to CHS directly. They can pick exactly what they want and have more options.”

On off weeks for the Market, West Oakland residents have other options for food resources—for example, nearby Friendship Church offers food on the third Thursday of the month. “We schedule the Market that way so that if people need additional support, they’re able to get it,” says Friedman.

Do you know someone in need of food? OPDC created food resource maps to connect residents with providers in our area.

Here’s how we improve the way Oakland moves

Making it easier, safer, and more enjoyable to get around is major goal of the Oakland Plan.

We spoke with Mavis Rainey, Executive Director of Oakland Transportation Management Association (OTMA), about two mobility initiatives that could affect how you get around.

Scooter Legislation (SB 692)

Oakland has been a hotspot for Spin scooters since the state government approved a pilot program in July 2021—students accounted for 33% of users in 2022. As part of a multi-modal lifestyle, scooters replace car trips, see peak usage during hours when public transit is limited, and provide last mile connectivity.

At the same time, the program has been dogged by resident concerns over operational speeds, haphazard parking, and accessibility for those with disabilities.

“We have to be careful when we introduce a program that it’s not at the sacrifice of another population,” says Rainey.

Now, amid budgetary and legislative wrangling in Harrisburg, the Spin pilot has expired and is on indefinite pause. The city seeks to reauthorize the program, calling scooters a “critical mode of transportation.”

Integrated Mobility Study

Scooters play a role in the larger transportation system, which is the focus of an upcoming OTMA study. “We know from the Oakland Plan Existing Conditions Report that we have gaps,” says Rainey.

The state-funded study will look at everything from walking, biking, personal car, on demand services, public transit, institutional shuttles, ADA accessibility, etc. to understand how and why people use them.

OTMA is planning a website where residents can access the study and provide feedback, and public engagement meetings to collect feedback in person.

Join Let’s Talk: Oakland Mobility Projects on July 19 for a community conversation on these topics with Mavis Rainey. Contact OTMA with your feedback.

Community Service Hubs in Oakland: What’s Next?

Herron Hill Laboratory Building (left); Frazier Field House (right)

It’s been one year since the City Planning Commission adopted The Oakland Plan, a 10-year roadmap for our neighborhood’s future—and plans are moving forward to make some of its programs and projects a reality.

One thing that emerged from the nearly two-year planning process was the need for community service hubs. Oakland doesn’t offer much in the way of “third spaces” that could support community programming. The Plan’s vision is for hubs that provide space for programs and resources like Wi-Fi, senior care, child care, and other services.

The Oakland Plan identified three city-owned facilities that could be adapted or rehabbed for the purpose: Frazier Field House in South Oakland, the Herron Hill Pumping Station auxiliary building in North Oakland, and OPDC’s headquarters in Central Oakland.

A historical photo of Frazier Field House (click to expand)

All three have a rich history and a history of adaptive re-use. Frazier Field House was built in the 1950s to support the teams using the adjacent athletic fields. Today, it hosts community meetings and after-school programming for neighborhood kids. It is also adjacent to Frazier Farms, a thriving community garden.

The Herron Hill Pumping Station, a historic landmark built in the 1890s, is still a PWSA asset—but the auxiliary building and green space behind it is no longer needed by the authority. Kathy Gallagher, president of Bellefield Area Citizens Association, says that restoring the site for use as a community hub “addresses preservation as well as community building.”

OPDC’s offices are located in the former Central Oakland police station, a building the city also used as a community center. With some thoughtful upgrades, the space could be made available for that purpose again!

We’re collecting feedback to inform the Department of City Planning process. Comment on this blog, write to 294 Semple, email questions@opdc.org, or call Andrea Boykowycz at 412.621.7863 x217.