Walking Tour, 2025
- Sara Langer Rowley
- Sep 12
- 4 min read
What a Crowd!
On the morning of September 6, SASA welcomed more than 75 people to our Transit Month walking tour of the proposed San Antonio BART Station site. The City of Oakland’s General Plan Update team joined us as part of their outreach to better understand the neighborhoods they’re shaping. Thanks to the support of Seamless Bay Area, we confirmed what we already knew: our neighbors care deeply about this project, they show up, and yes—the promise of pizza at the end doesn’t hurt!
Why We're Here
Our keynote speaker, BART Director Victor Flores, set the tone for the day with inspiring words about the San Antonio Station. A longtime champion of this project, Victor reminded us that “it’s not impossible!” Achieving a new infill station requires agency buy-in, funding, and political persistence, but it’s also exactly the kind of project the community wants and deserves.
Kicking it Off
We gathered at Xochi, the Dog Café, a new neighborhood favorite known for its excellent coffee. Reverend James Polk opened the tour by sharing his perspective as a lifelong Oaklander and neighborhood advocate. He spoke about his work to make local streets safer—even before the tragic death of Dr. Marvin Boomer in a CHP police chase outside his home.
As the crowd assembled, we were honored to be joined by Councilmember Charlene Wang and her Chief of Staff, Michael Wimsatt, as well as representatives from Assemblymember Mia Bonta’s office, local activists, and more than 70 neighbors and friends.
Next stop: the Buddha Shrine
At our next stop, Laura Jerrard of Trees for Oakland (and part-time caretaker of the nationally recognized shrine) shared the story of how this corner was transformed—from an illegal dumping ground into a community landmark for the Vietnamese Buddhist community. She also highlighted the role of “traffic loops” in slowing cars and creating a safe gathering space, the same spot where neighbors now celebrate Halloween and host pancake breakfasts.
Historic Brooklyn
San Antonio was once the independent township of Brooklyn before being annexed by Oakland in 1885. Drawing on the research of historian Mitchell Schwarzer, Ben Matlaw and I shared how this was once a thriving community, supported by rail lines and a shipping wharf. But when industry shifted, the neighborhood was left vulnerable to neglect. Today, Little Saigon and other immigrant communities are the lifeblood of the area, sustaining shops, restaurants, and multigenerational homes.
Vantage Point Park
At Vantage Point Park, BART Director Victor Flores spoke about strategies for moving this station from idea to reality, against the backdrop of a BART train rolling by, perfectly timed. From the park’s vantage, the need for a walkable, people-centered gathering place was clear, especially with Brooklyn Basin just across the freeway.
The 16th Ave. Bridge
David Ralston of the Air Board spoke about the vision of green pedestrian bridges spanning I-880. With air quality in our neighborhood among the poorest in Oakland, adding trees and safe crossings isn’t just about mobility—it’s a public health priority.
Lao Market on International Blvd.
We spoke with Diana Lee, one of the family owners of the Lao Market on 17th Ave. She spoke about her struggles as a small, women-run business on a street plagued with traffic violence, illegal gambling dens, prostitution, and robberies. She spoke of the lack of resources when she did face those issues-- unresponsive police, poor foot traffic, and ineffective traffic calming efforts. Nonetheless, she has a loyal and robust customer base, and connections with her Lao community and other family-run businesses that provide support.
San Antonio Park
San Antonio Park is the jewel of our neighborhood, home to mature oaks, lively soccer games, and community-based groups like Trybe. Local activist Raymond Pisano spoke about the need for more resources—such as a community center to house vital programs—and shared how grassroots solutions like speed bumps and roundabouts have made streets safer.
The End of the Road
We wrapped up at 14th Avenue, where Christopher Tan introduced us to the traffic safety project currently underway. He shared the community’s vision for what comes next: clean, tree-lined sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and retail that connects Highland Hospital to the future station.
All good things must come to an end.
Over pizza from Rico at Philomena, it was clear how powerful it is to bring neighbors, city staff, transit advocates, local businesses, and community stewards into one conversation. Building a station requires persistence, coordination, and countless emails—but this event showed how much energy and vision already exist.
Big thanks to our planning crew, speakers, and helpers: Laura Jerrard, Anna Wong, Christopher Tan, Ben Matlaw, Victor Flores, Rev. James Polk, Diana Lee, Raymond Pisano.
And a special thank you to Seamless Bay Area and the City of Oakland General Plan update team for making this event possible.
For everyone who was able to attend, please know there were at least as many dearly interested, over scheduled neighbors who couldn’t. Thank you for all of your efforts!