Palo Alto, CA – The City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board recently recognized Town & Country Village with an award for its contribution to the community and built environment.  The Architectural Review Board specifically cited the renovated site work, landscaping, and public areas in the award.  Awards are given every 5 years and are selected from nearly 100 nominees.  Ellis Partners acquired the center in 2004 and has completed major renovations and a significant re-tenanting since that time including the addition of a new Trader Joe’s.

Oakland, CA – Sungevity and Ellis Partners LLC today announced that the solar startup will relocate its headquarters to Oakland’s Jack London Square.  Sungevity, a leading online solar provider, will occupy 19,000 square feet in the historic 66 Franklin building.  The move comes in response to the company’s rapid growth and increased demand for Sungevity’s unique process.“This is a tremendous location for us to continue our expansion,” said Sungevity co-founder and president, Danny Kennedy.  “We’re now within easy reach of all the Bay Area’s business centers and every imaginable form of transportation.  We’re delighted to bring our headquarters to Jack …

Oakland, CA – Holiday shopping has never been this much fun. For two nights this December, Jack London Square will offer a mall-ternative on the Oakland waterfront. On December 10th and 11th, the soon-to-open Jack London Market will host “Holiday Buy Night,” a festive night market featuring 75 local vendors, delicious foods, live entertainment, and activities for the whole family. Running from 5PM to 10PM, the event will celebrate all things Oakland with local artisans and merchants showcasing their wares. Holiday Buy Night follows the wildly popular Full Moon Buy Night event held this October.“This is a community that knows the importance of buying …

What:Jack London Square Lights Up for the Holidays, featuring:    – Interactive palm tree light show with text message controls    – “Dancing Trees” costumed dancers    – Live performance of scenes from “A Christmas Carol”    – Floats from the America’s Children’s Holiday Parade    – Costumed cartoon characters from favorite children’s programs    – Live music from Oakland Homegrown Jazz Band    – Donations accepted for Alameda County Food Bank, Toys for Tots, and Mayor      Dellums’ Community Toy DriveWhen:December 4, 2009 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMLighting of the palm trees ceremony begins at 6:00 PMWhere:Jack London Square, Broadway at Embarcadero, OaklandWho:Oakland City Officials; Miss California, Kristy …

Oakland, CA – With the Bay Bridge closed indefinitely, ferry service from Jack London Square to San Francisco and beyond will provide an easy and enjoyable transportation alternative for commuters.  As is the case throughout the year, validated parking in Jack London Square is free to ferry riders.To further ease the troubled commute, Jack London Square will offer free ice skating to ferry riders through October 31st.  Commuters need only to present the stub of their ferry ticket to receive free skate rentals and admission to Jack London Square’s outdoor skating rink.  Set beneath a grove of palm trees at …

Oakland, CA – In the September issue of Diablo Magazine, reporter Ethan Fletcher caught up with Rick Hackett, co-owner with wife Meredith Melville, of Bocanova, Jack London Square’s latest upscale restaurant to open.Tell me a little about the “Pan American cuisine” concept for the restaurant?I wanted to draw inspiration mainly from South America, Latin America, and Mexico, but I wanted to include North America and California, but to heighten the spice level a little bit. Not real spicy, I can’t eat real spicy food, but this is a different kind of spice from these peppers that just give you some heat …

Oakland, CA – Palm trees and ice skating aren’t often mentioned in the same breath.  For the month of October, however, visitors to Jack London Square will see this unusual combination side by side. Throughout the month, Jack London Square will offer ice skating on the Oakland waterfront beneath a grove of swaying palms.  For each skater, Jack London Square will make a contribution to Alameda County Meals on Wheels.“Outdoor skating is a wonderful tradition that gives families a chance to exercise and enjoy the fresh air.  Why should it be limited to just the holiday season?” said Jim Ellis, Managing …

Oakland, CA – A new restaurant, Bocanova, with its unique “Pan-American kitchen” created by Rick Hackett, executive chef at San Francisco’s popular MarketBar, and his wife and front-of-the-house partner, Meredith Melville, opened September 1st. Bringing new life to a 1926-vintage ice warehouse, Bocanova will feature dishes inspired by the cuisines of South, Central, and North America showcasing their Mediterranean roots and featuring great Northern California raw ingredients, many of them sources from small sustainable farms. Specialties might include fried Petrale Sole tacos, Yucatan seafood stew, slow-roasted heirloom beans with chorizo, Sea of Cortez scallops with Brazilian curry sauce, organic rotisserie …

Oakland, CA – Crisp autumn air and the light of the full moon glinting off the waves will set the stage for a night of fun in Jack London Square this October.  In the festive tradition of Italian village fairs, the German holiday market, and the Moroccan bazaar, Jack London Square will host Full Moon Buy Night, a night market held on the evening of October 1st.  Running from 5:30PM to 9:30PM, the event will celebrate all things Oakland.  The market will feature local artisans and merchants selling their wares, accompanied by live music, strolling entertainers, ice skating, and delicious …

Oakland, CA – Better known for his fiction, Jack London was also a newspaperman who took reporting to heights better described as art.  It’s only appropriate that a new gallery celebrating the connections between art and journalism be housed in the Square that bears his name.  art@theOakbook is a gallery space from the creators of the Oakbook magazine.  “Oakland Cooks,” an exhibition documenting Oakland’s kitchens opens at art@theOakbook on Friday August 28th and runs through October.“We’re working to construct more than just buildings here in Jack London Square,” said Jim Ellis, managing principal of Ellis Partners LLC which, along with …