Oakland, CA – The Plaza outside the new Jack London Market will receive a special delivery this week when 20 massive new palm trees (each palm measures 35′ tall and weighs 20,000 pounds) will make an appearance on Oakland’s waterfront.  The trees will be delivered Tuesday through Friday at a rate of 5 per day.  The Canary Island Date Palms will form a “grove” at the foot of Webster Street in the soon-to-be-complete Jack London Plaza outside the Jack London Market.

Jack London Square is poised to become the East Bay’s newest center of gravity for culture, cuisine and commerce.  The Square is undergoing a three hundred million dollar, one million square foot redevelopment that includes restaurants, entertainment, new parking facilities and Class A office space.  The new Jack London Square will enhance the Oakland waterfront and celebrate the adventurous spirit of its residents.  A signature feature of the project will be five stands of palm trees positioned at the termination of the grid of Oakland city streets and marking the water’s edge.

The centerpiece of the redevelopment project will be on the 170,000 square foot Jack London Market, scheduled to open in Spring 2009.  The market will be the largest of its kind on the West Coast, housing small businesses selling fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and specialty products with an emphasis on local and sustainable practices.  In addition to the public market, the building will house 100,000 square feet of Class A office space.

Changes have already begun to appear in the Square.  Joie de Vivre Hospitality has recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation of the Waterfront Hotel which now houses a revival of the famous Miss Pearl’s Jam House, a destination restaurant headed by local culinary icon Joey Altman.  As the redevelopment continues, ever more surprises and attractions will appear on Oakland’s waterfront.