Uber Reportedly Putting Oakland Building Up For Sale
OAKLAND (KCBS) – After much fanfare over a plan to take over the old Sears building in the Uptown district of Oakland, Uber is now reportedly looking to sell the building.
The Uber announcement put the brakes on the planned expansion in Oakland. Instead it's planning to consolidate and move all of its workers to the new Mission Bay campus in San Francisco.
In a statement, Uber said, "As we look to strengthen our financial position so we can better serve riders and drivers for the long term, we're exploring several options for Uptown Station, including a sale."
Uber announced in 2015 at Oakland City Hall they would bring thousands of jobs to Oakland.
The San Francisco Business Times reports Uber has put the building on Broadway up for sale for $123 Million.
Up to 3,000 workers were supposed to move into the Oakland location. Major renovations are underway.
But, the Times reports those plans have been scaled back, with much of the building's space being rented out.
While no Oakland City leaders were available for comment Friday, plenty of area business owners talked.
"Certainly disappointed and frustrated," said restaurant owner David King. "We were going to start doing lunch Monday to Friday."
But other people said they were glad Uber isn't coming.
"They weren't invested in the community or Oakland," Christi Vaughn with Lost and Found Beer Garden.
"Real estate is such a hot commodity in this area anyway that it's going to be filled no matter what," said Connor Tracy, a server at a neighborhood restaurant. "I rather it be filled by somebody a little heartless than Uber."
Some critics say Uber would have further gentrified the city.
"It's a temporary sigh of relief for Oakland. We know the tech economy hasn't lifted all boats," said Orson Aguilar, "President of the Greenlining Institute. A lot of the working families in Oakland unfortunately weren't going to get the high paying jobs from Uber."
