Former crime-ridden West Oakland liquor store to become community center

OAKLAND (KRON) – A former liquor store, once the hub for drugs and crime, will soon be a destination for young people learning how to make it in the music business.

It is part of a major neighborhood makeover.

San Pablo Avenue between 34th and 35th streets is ground zero for SPARC, the San Pablo Area Revitalization Collaborative in West Oakland.

The Oakland landmark California Hotel is SPARC’s revitalization centerpiece.

“The California hotel was built and opened in 1930,” Associate Director of Neighborhood Collaborations at East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation Romi Hall said. “The historical significance is that it was the only space in Oakland at the time that African-Americans could stay and perform.”