About the Oakland Office Space Market
The city of Oakland has long been known for its diverse neighborhoods, boutique shops, ethnic restaurants, and easy-going residents. Recent years have seen a boom in the number of small businesses and large organizations calling Oakland home. A few of these companies include: IAC Search & Media (Ask.com), Kaiser Permanente, Clorox, Clear Channel Outdoor, and BART. Oakland has evolved as a desirable location due to its proximity to freeway access, mass transit, and as an alternative to the highly priced San Francisco market.
As demand for office space has increased, developers have sought to increase the supply of available office space. Shorenstein Company's sleek new skyscraper at 555 City Center and Brandywine’s Center 21 are two of the visible examples of this trend. Office space in Oakland’s historic buildings is also becoming increasingly desirable, as space in buildings such as 2201 Broadway and the I. Magnin Building have been renovated and expanded.
Which Oakland Sub-Market Fits Your Needs?
The Oakland area is split into 6 main markets. These markets are called Oakland Downtown (inclusive of Lake Merritt and City Center), Jack London Square, Oakland North, Oakland West, Oakland Airport and Oakland South.
Downtown is the business hub of Oakland and where many of the area’s larger tenants are located, therefore the rent will be the priciest. BART runs right through the main artery of Downtown providing great public transportation access from all over the Bay Area. Freeway access is also readily available with highways 580, 880 and 980 lining the East, South and West sides of the Downtown market. Amenities are endless in the Downtown area with everything you need from restaurants to fitness clubs, it’s all there.
The Jack London Square area begins south of Highway 880 and continues south to the water’s edge. This area has been crucial to the 10K initiative, and a number of converted warehouse spaces now serve as offices. Most of these spaces are in architecturally appealing brick and timber buildings with more square feet for your dollar than in Downtown. From the heart of Jack London, BART is a short walk away and freeway access is readily available. There are many options for lunch from the waterfront to the newly gentrified Warehouse District a couple of blocks away.
Oakland North, Oakland West, Oakland Airport and Oakland South do not have as many office availabilities or class A and B buildings as Downtown or Jack London Square but can still be great resources for finding your business's first, small office space.
