Destination Auto Row

By Michael K. "Mike" Rich

A creative idea to help ensure adequate revenue for City services.

Here is a creative idea to retain auto row in Alameda: move the auto row into one or two of the old airplane hangars at Alameda Point. I think the hangars would make fantastic showrooms, and they are so large that you could fit four or five or six dealerships into one of them. It could be set up like a permanent auto show installation, perhaps including a museum component that would display vintage cars and small vintage airplanes. A test track could be built out in back of the hangars, which, combined with the museum component, would add to the uniqueness of the auto row and make it a destination for car shoppers. Currently, high-end auto makers including Lexus and Daimler-Chrysler have been using Alameda Point as a location for one-day test drive events, so the test track part of the idea is not pie-in-the-sky. This idea could be implemented at relatively low cost because the hangars are already there. While they would need some degree of modification and upgrading, no new structures would need to be built.

This new destination auto row could include a focus on fuel-efficient, hybrid, and demonstration vehicles such as electric and hydrogen fuel cell prototypes. Including this environmental component would not only add to the uniqueness of the project, but would also make Alameda the go-to auto row for those looking for high-mileage, low emission vehicles, and reflect an Alameda that respects and shows concern for the environment.

Finally, this idea would have the side benefit of freeing up space on the north end of Park Street that is the site of our current auto row. The freed up space could then be improved and beautified to make it more consistent with the rest of Park Street to create an expanded retail district.

Obviously, this idea would require buy-in from the public and the current auto row dealerships. I am not putting this out there to signal to the current dealerships in Alameda that they are not wanted; to the contrary, I think this would make auto row more viable over the long term. To my fellow citizens I would point out that I am not suggestion we create something that doesn't exist; we already have an auto row. I am suggesting that we can improve Park Street and at the same time retain an important source of tax revenue by creating a unique car shopping destination, at a relatively low cost and with minimal impacts to mitigate.