Title
Recommendation to Approve Jennifer Ott, City Manager, Andrew Thomas, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director, Len Aslanian, Assistant City Attorney, and John McManus, Broker, as Real Property Negotiators for Building 39, Located at 950 West Tower Avenue, Alameda, CA [Pyka, Inc.]. (Base Reuse and Economic Development 29061822)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is recommending that City Council designate City Manager Jennifer Ott, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director Andrew Thomas, Assistant City Attorney Len Aslanian, and Cushman & Wakefield Broker John McManus, as the real property negotiators for Building 39, located at 950 West Tower Avenue, Alameda (Premises), which will allow them to meet with City Council in closed session to discuss price and terms related to a lease for the Premises in a manner compliant with all applicable laws and to represent the City of Alameda (City) in negotiations with a public or private party.
BACKGROUND
Building 39 is located in Alameda Point’s Adaptive Reuse Area and is a hangar consisting of approximately 106,000 square feet. On October 21, 2022, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Building 39, and subsequently received three (3) responsive bids. A panel comprised of representatives and stakeholders of Alameda’s commercial real estate, business and government sectors examined each proposal and recommends that City Council select Pyka, Inc. (Pyka) for Building 39. Pyka develops autonomous electric aircraft technologies, and proposes to use Building 39 for administrative/office space, research and development, prototyping and testing, manufacturing, light assembly and warehouse.
Staff is recommending that City Council designate City Manager Jennifer Ott, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director Andrew Thomas, Assistant City Attorney Len Aslanian, and Cushman & Wakefield Broker John McManus as the real property negotiators for Building 39, which will allow them to meet with City Council in closed session to discuss price and terms of a lease the Premises in a manner compliant with all applicable laws and to represent the City in negotiations with a public or private party.
DISCUSSION
Under Government Code section 54956.8, Title 5, Division 2, Part 1, Chapter 9, City Council must identify, in an open and public session, the real property negotiators for negotiation of the price and terms concerning real property, such as the Premises. Staff recommends that the negotiators for negotiations related to the Premises include Jennifer Ott, City Manager, Andrew Thomas, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director, Len Aslanian, Assistant City Attorney, and John McManus, Cushman & Wakefield. This will allow those individuals to negotiate on the City’s behalf, based on direction provided by City Council.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve Jennifer Ott, Andrew Thomas, Len Aslanian, and John McManus as real property negotiators for the Premises.
• Identify other staff as negotiators.
• Choose not to negotiate terms related to occupancy of the Premises, and thus do not identify negotiators.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from the approval of real property negotiators.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve Jennifer Ott, City Manager, Andrew Thomas, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director, Len Aslanian, Assistant City Attorney, and John McManus, Cushman & Wakefield Broker, as Real Property Negotiators for Building 39, located at 950 West Tower Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Interim Base Reuse and Economic Development Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director