In a significant move towards revitalizing Oakland’s downtown area, elected officials and economic boosters gathered on Monday in an empty lot near 22nd and Broadway to announce the Northlake Project. This initiative represents a public-private partnership between the city and local businesses and property owners, targeting the Uptown district, which encompasses the blocks between 19th and 27th Streets and Broadway to Lake Merritt.
The project aims to enhance neighborhood security, provide street ambassadors, undertake beautification efforts, improve street lighting, and discover new uses for underutilized properties. Real estate investor Isaac Abid, who announced the endeavor last year, emphasized that part of Northlake’s objective is to reshape perceptions of Oakland, creating a welcoming environment for visitors amidst recent challenges, particularly concerning crime.
“We understand the city of Oakland has budget constraints, we understand the resource constraints, and we understand coming out of that is going to take time,” said Abid. He added that the project will rely entirely on private investments from local corporations, property owners, nonprofits, and other charitable organizations, aiming to raise crucial capital for the initiative.
Unlike conventional business improvement districts, funding for Northlake will come exclusively from private sources. The exact amount of money Northlake intends to raise remains unclear; however, Abid mentioned last year that the first target was to gather around $4 million from property owners in the neighborhood.
A press release indicates that Northlake will benefit from the involvement of wealthy partners, including Holland Partners, a prominent real estate company, and PG&E, which relocated its headquarters to the old Kaiser Center building in 2022. Abid also acknowledged the efforts of his wife, Puja Abid, and Warren Logan, who works for the lobbying firm Progress Public Affairs and previously ran for District 3 City Council last year. Both have been instrumental as the “quarterbacks” of this project.
Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins and Councilmember Carroll Fife, who represents the Northlake district, both hailed the public-private partnership as a model for increasing foot traffic in downtown and enhancing the city’s appeal to businesses and visitors alike. “I am encouraging everyone who thinks that somehow there’s this doom loop we should be buying into, no, you are the energy, you are the battery, and you are the essence that makes Oakland what it is,” Fife stated during the event.
Northlake is intended to supplement the services already being rendered by the Uptown Downtown Business Improvement District. Steve Snider, a member of the BID, expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with Abid and his team, viewing Northlake as a potential blueprint for fostering smaller neighborhoods throughout the broader downtown area.
Abid has emerged as a significant player in the political landscape of Oakland. He gained prominence after spearheading a committee aimed at supporting the recall of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. A different committee he created called Revitalize East Bay initially funded the price recall but later shifted its focus and invested heavily in various local races last year.
This year’s special election has seen Revitalize play a crucial role, contributing $267,000 to a separate PAC that backs Loren Taylor’s mayoral candidacy. Additionally, Revitalize has donated $22,500 to the Black Action Alliance, an organization that portrayed itself as an advocacy group for Black Oaklanders and recently facilitated voter outreach to support Taylor.
Unlike other political committees involved in Oakland’s special election, Revitalize has not disclosed its funding sources. Some opponents of Taylor have speculated that Revitalize might be financed by Philip Dreyfuss, a hedge fund executive from Piedmont who contributed a significant portion of the committee’s funds last year.
Moreover, Revitalize also allocated $25,000 to Empower Oakland, an organization founded by Taylor in 2023 that interviews and endorses candidates in local elections. Abid is part of Empower’s endorsement committee, which is backing Taylor for mayor.
image source from：https://oaklandside.org/2025/04/14/oakland-real-estate-investors-pour-money-into-uptown-project/
