Building Purchased by Park District to Serve as New Public Safety Headquarters, Meet Growing Administrative Needs
On March 29, The East Bay Regional Park District closed escrow on a newly acquired building at 2955 Peralta Oaks Court in Oakland directly across from the District’s current administrative headquarters. The Park District’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of the 4-acre property at its March 5 meeting for fair market value. The purchase price was $14.4 million.
“The property will serve as the new headquarters for Public Safety, including the District’s Police, Fire, and Lifeguarding services, and provide additional administrative office space,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “
Since 2010, the Park District has been publicly searching for affordable and adequate space to relocate its Public Safety headquarters and house its growing workforce. The Park District’s Public Safety headquarters is currently located in an antiquated, inadequate Cold War era Nike Missile building at Lake Chabot Regional Park which does not meet up-to-date structural safety requirements for essential services facilities.
The 2955 Peralta Oaks Court building is directly across the street from the Park District’s main headquarters at 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, creating a single administrative campus that will enhance operational effectiveness and improve efficiencies – saving money in the long-run.
The District headquarters at 2950 Peralta Oaks Court is at full capacity and can no longer efficiently accommodate current staff. The new building will help accommodate the Park District’s administrative staff.
The newly purchased 67,571-square-foot office building was previously owned and operated by the State of California Compensation Insurance Fund. It was purchased at fair market value from Unity Schools, who purchased the property with plans to transform it into a private charter school. The plans for a charter school did not move forward. In addition to the office space, the building includes 36,765 square feet of garage space to house police and fire vehicles as well as other EBRPD needs.
The Park District has been publicly setting aside funds for a future Public Safety headquarters since 2010 when the Park District first began searching for an updated facility. The building will need renovation to meet seismic and Public Safety standards. Cost estimates are still being developed.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional parks system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor
(510) 544-2217
dmason@ebparks.org
