Urban Study and Design
West Oakland has a storied history as the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad, but following a 1989 earthquake that left its 16th Street Station damaged and decommissioned, this transit-oriented neighborhood found itself cut off from transit. The historic structure of the station remains, and is the focus of a proposal to address a chronic lack of nutritious food within a gentrifying community. Starting with the station, and branching outward to convert leftover vacant lots into productive, small-scale farms, the plan reimagines the station as a food network hub and a catalyst for healthier growth. Food byproducts aid in remediating industry-contaminated soils while nurturing produce that can begin to replenish the neighborhood nutritionally and financially.