Building our economy

By Sandre R. Swanson

Promoting Economic Development, Jobs and the Environment Military Base Conversion: A Major Jobs Project Investing in Oakland

Working with Congresswoman Lee, Sandré managed the successful effort to secure Congressional authorization for a 252 million dollar dredging project for the Port of Oakland. The "50 Foot Dredging Project" will deepen our port's harbor to accommodate the latest generation of container vessels. This new shipping capacity for Oakland's seaport will generate 8,800 additional jobs, $1.9 billion of increased annual business revenue and 62 million dollars of increased annual local tax revenue. Sandré and his colleagues also assisted in negotiating an agreement to use the resulting dredge material for wetland restoration, habitat enhancement and upland use within the San Francisco Bay which is setting a new national environmental standard for reuse of dredged material.

Military Base Conversion: A Major Jobs Project

Sandré has served as Vice-Chairman and member of the Alameda Reuse Authority and the Oakland Base Reuse Authority, agencies charged with converting closed military bases in our county to successful civilian reuse. Today these bases are building new homes, growing businesses and creating jobs

Congressman Dellums, who served as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, assigned Sandré to head his national planning process for finding successful reuse strategies for military bases scheduled for closure. Sandré spearheaded the military base conversion effort for Alameda County and was the architect of the cross-jurisdictional memberships on the local reuse authorities. His efforts resulted in greater cooperation and faster reuse.

Sandré managed the Congressional oversight of more than 50 million dollars in federal conversion planning and clean-up monies for the cities of Oakland and Alameda.Working with Congressman Dellums, Sandré managed the successful transfer of Naval Fleet Industrial Supply Center to the cities of Alameda and Oakland.

Today, in Alameda 87 acres of that land has been cleaned up and have under construction 485 new homes. Oakland uses their share of that land to create two new marine terminals and for the creation of Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, which provides open space for recreation and learning.

Investing in Oakland

The Oakland Federal Building was built in 1993. The effort to bring the federal building to Oakland took more than a decade and Sandré was assigned to head this project for Congressman Dellums office. This very important project that required great team work from many local partners which the Congressional office insisted, included labor. Sandré helped win this very important two hundred million dollar project for Oakland and today the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building is the work place for many federal employees and its twin towers represent an impressive gateway to our city. As Chairman of the Alameda County Retirement Board Sandré led the successful effort to purchase and not continue to lease a building in downtown Oakland. That building now serves as the permanent home for Alameda County retirees. The building has also been a very successful investment for our County pension fund.