A Kaleidoscope Oakland

Haven't figured right way to do pics. Tribune Tower Atop. Marriott Flatiron Next, Followed by City Center Jewels and then . . .


This is the City Hall building that I see each day exiting Bart. Note the Clock on top! (Frank Ogaza Plaza) The two new towers above are part of the Federal Building and to the right is the eating area/park of the Oakland City Center. There's so much and it is so diversified. No more Whitebread SLO stuff for me!

There are those who think that Oakland is a dangerous place, the ghetto, but I am dazzled by its diversity and the architecture. In particular the area where I work, which has been undergoing major renovations since the 1980s. I lived in San Francisco in the mid 70s, but never ventured to the East Bay. I was fearful too. 'Let me deal with the prostitutes and the gay clientele of SF,' I reasoned. I had lived in NYC for the previous 3 years and having been a fledgling actress/singer, this was my comfort zone.
Forty years after the fact I find myself in a brand new job - social services - smack dab in the heart of Oakland's City Center. As I take the escalator up from my Bart station, (Oakland City Center 12 Street Station) I see a glistening white City Hall, ornate, with a clock that tells me I am 15 minutes early! (Those who know me are incredulous.) Generally, the 7:45 sunlight welcomes me, along with the numerous homeless brothers and sisters, who continue to 'Occupy Oakland' or at least Frank Ogawa Plaza.
They are alive. After freezing their rear ends all night, they're animated, laughing, carrying on. One or two might still be cocooned in their sleeping bags with the top zipped tight, shopping bags with a few personal items. The guy who owns the Sankofa Cafe/Gallery always has his little white Honda parked outside his shop in the plaza, under a cemented in tree. This is a plaza and his is the only car I ever see here. He seems to host political meetings later in the afternoon, and there are many signs on his shop "Tax Wall Street" and "We are the 99%". I told him I wanted his parking pass and he laughed.
The police have cleaned out Ogawa Plaza several times since I began in December. It seems to happen on the weekends, and I have yet to get into a true 60's mode. Occasionally, on my way home, there are rallies going on that I lend an ear to. Miniature purple teepees erected on the ground- about 6 inches tall - are the other reminder of Occupy's summer-fall presence.
Two guys are rinsing down the pavement, and they have little motorized carts for transporting the trash to parts unknown. This pathway leads me to the State of California Building, sister to the jewel of the Federal Building. 1515 Clay Street is the address where I work. The building is glass and steel, like all of the renovations here. As you can see, this is not what comes to mind when someone says 'Oakland'. Until you look across the street at the parking garage, which surely was erected in 1960.
I have a mandated hour for lunch. Since I have to stay til 5 pm, and I bring my lunch, I like to walk during the noontime hour. Yesterday, as I toodled around, I looked up and saw what appeared to be an illusion. It was a tall modern building, rather one side of a building, with windows, just waiting for another three sides to materialize. The wall reflected sunlit circles from the taller building standing next to it. So, I walked over to 11th and Broadway to find the Oakland Convention Center at the bottom of this structure, which did have three other sides and was - a Marriott Hotel. Well, being a Marriott was a bit of a disappointment, but I suppose it can't be any worse than another architectural marvel being - the Clorox Building. How had I never noticed this new age flatiron? None of the people at my office seemed to be aware of it either. As I looked for pictures to do justice to my vision, I found there is a pool underneath. That piques my interest and I wonder if there is a way for me to crash it during a summertime lunch hour?
Can't seem to upload the Marriot image in this spot. It's the first one atop ---


What is so very fascinating about Oakland is the older buildings in the midst of all this. The Chronicle is a beautiful building, ornate and old, but vacant. There is the Tribune building, equally symbolic of another era. I am not sure that either of these papers exist anymore. These older ones remind me of my hometown Dayton, Ohio. Even though I haven't been to Dayton in years, and it suffers the same economic blight as Detroit, these remnants could be living there now. That makes it feel comfortable.
And one last pix the Clorox Building