James Ingallinera, a tech entrepreneur, is calling for an executive order to fast-track the development of a new “AI city” on 512 acres of federal land located at Alameda Point.
This proposal, named “Frontier Valley,” has surprised local officials who have expressed a lack of communication about the project.
City officials were unaware of Ingallinera’s plans until they were made public, prompting Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft to refer to it as a “head-scratcher.”
In a post on June 15, Ingallinera appealed to President Donald Trump to declare a “national security emergency” to facilitate the transfer of the land from the Department of Veteran Affairs to the Department of Defense.
He argues that the project aims to accelerate advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence, asserting that the current regulatory environment in California is not supportive enough for such rapid development.
Ingallinera likened the initiative to the historical Manhattan Project, emphasizing the urgency to keep pace with global competitors, particularly China, in AI technology.
His ambitious plan involves constructing office and manufacturing spaces, housing for around 10,000 people, a waterfront park, and monuments honoring American pioneers.
However, the land at Alameda Point is already designated for other significant projects, including a medical clinic and a National Cemetery Columbarium for veterans, as planned by the VA.
Mayor Ashcraft underscored the need for the VA’s ongoing projects, emphasizing their importance to over 300,000 veterans and their families.
She reaffirmed the city’s commitment to supporting the cemetery and regional park developments on the site while noting concerns about the area’s vulnerability to sea level rise.
The 624-acre site, currently under VA jurisdiction, is also earmarked for a 158-acre open space park to be managed by the East Bay Regional Park District.
Ingallinera, in a recent op-ed for Pirate Wires, suggested that the federally owned nature reserve could be transformed into a special regulation district through executive order, effectively circumventing local governance and environmental restrictions.
He has even put forth a draft executive order that would invoke the National Emergencies Act, potentially exempting the site from protections under the Endangered Species Act.
As of now, no federal agency has confirmed receipt of a formal request to initiate this process, leaving many details of the proposal ambiguous.
AI expert Gary Marcus has expressed skepticism about the urgency of Ingallinera’s claims, stating that the hurdles to developing humanoid robotics lie more with unresolved software issues rather than bureaucratic delays.
Marcus noted that companies can advance their work without facing excessive red tape.
The proposal has drawn parallels to other controversial large-scale urban developments in California, prompting questions regarding the motivations of tech founders behind such initiatives.
Alameda Point already hosts various innovation-driven companies, such as Saildrone and Kairos Power, alongside existing residential and commercial projects.
Sarah Henry, a spokesperson for the city of Alameda, reiterated that there is no rational basis for declaring a national security emergency in this context.
Consequently, the city stands firmly in support of the established plans for the VA facility and the surrounding regional parks, which are poised to benefit Bay Area veterans.
Up to this point, neither Ingallinera nor any federal agency has responded to additional media inquiries regarding the proposal.
image source from：sfist
