9exe CuTive summary |
BUSINESS SECTORS TARGETED
FOR GROWTH
The following are the six industry sectors identified for future growth:
1. Life Sciences.
a
lameda features a rapidly growing
cluster of life science businesses. The City has an
opportunity to grow existing firms and attract new
ones. The corresponding strategies focus on:
•
m
arketing
a
lameda’s advantages for life
sciences businesses to compete for a greater
share of the region’s growth in this sector,
• r
emoving regulatory barriers to growth, and
• d
eepening the network of local and regional
businesses and investors in
a
lameda
2. Clean T
ech/ Green Tech/ High Tech. Clean tech,
green tech, and high tech businesses research,
develop, and/or produce products that enhance
environmental sustainability and advance
technological innovation. This industry includes
software and computer technology, alternative
energy, and other advanced manufacturing and
high tech businesses.
a
lameda is positioned to
capture a share of the growth in the clean tech /
green tech / high tech industry, due to its central
location within the
e
ast
b
ay region, which has
a strong hub of these industries. The following
strategies establish a multi-pronged approach for:
•
a
ttracting startups,
• i
ncreasing workforce preparedness, and
• Heightening awar
eness of
a
lameda and
integration within the larger regional clean tech,
green tech, and high tech industries.
3. Blue T
ech and Maritime.
a
s a waterfront
community with access to the bay and estuary,
a
lameda is a competitive location for businesses
in the maritime and “blue tech” industries.
This includes industrial/commercial maritime
businesses that provide ship building and repair,
recreational marinas, and “blue tech” research and
development, engineering, software, and advanced
manufacturing.
a
lameda should actively prioritize
and pursue opportunities to support its existing
maritime and blue tech businesses, recognizing that
they are a core component of
a
lameda’s economy
and community identity.
s
ome of the suggested
strategies include:
• Cr
eating and implementing an action plan for
job growth in the maritime sector,
• r
eviewing waterfront land use and zoning
regulations to preserve these uses, and
• i
ncreasing workforce preparedness for
occupations in these sectors.
4. Retail and Restaurants.
The market for retailing
is rapidly changing, as consumer preferences have
shifted to more online shopping and delivery
services.
a
t the same time, consumers are
committing a greater share of their spending on
experiential retail (dining, personal services, and
fitness), offering new opportunities for businesses to
incorporate more interactive experiences into their
stores. The proposed strategies include:
•
s
upporting existing shopping and dining districts
by working with private property owners and
business associations to improve retail spaces
and the public realm,
•
r
ecruiting and retaining tenants,
• a
ssisting with marketing, and
• Pr
oviding technical assistance to businesses.
Exhibit 5 - Excerpt from Economic Development Strategic Plan 10 | ALAMEDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
5. T ourism and Hospitality. a lameda’s visitor
destinations include museums, food and beverage
manufacturing at
s
pirits
a
lley, and recreational
activities/venues, especially on the waterfront. The
City’s hotel properties generate transient occupancy
tax revenue, an very important funding source for
a
lameda. The strategies concentrate on:
• Pr
omoting a unified image of
a
lameda’s
destinations,
• f
acilitating hotel growth,
• i
mproving access to destinations, and
• e
xploring opportunities and funding sources to
grow new destinations.
6. Artists and Small Manufactur
ers—
a
lameda has
an established community of artists, “makers,” and
small manufacturers, many specializing in the food
and beverage sector, drawn to
a
lameda’s “funky”
environment and historic buildings. The strategies
include:
•
f
acilitating the process for artists and new
businesses to find space and for existing
businesses to expand their facilities,
• Pursuing funding to impr
ove infrastructure at
a
lameda Point for existing artists and small
manufacturers, and
• e
nhancing opportunities for local artists and
makers to showcase their work.
CRITICAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT
INDUSTRY SECTORS
The EDSP also highlights the need for the City to
implement essential services – including transportation, housing, workforce development, and supportive
regulatory policies – that would enable Alameda to
achieve its economic development goals.