- Oakland
- Downtown Oakland
Oakstop
Oakstop uses commercial real estate as a platform for economic development and community empowerment.
We design and structure projects to help our partners gain the experience needed to find agency in whatever path they choose, be it ownership or a long-term lease.
There are many ways to secure space. Traditional approaches include leasing or buying properties. Other ways include partnering with agencies who serve the same audiences, or communities, such as schools, faith communities, and recreation centers.
There also may be occasional opportunities to work with developers to activate or program ground floor space, ideally on a long-term basis, or to create and operate community-based arts and cultural facilities within larger developments.
We work with our arts partners to understand and evaluate possible solutions to secure properties for long-term community control. We design and structure projects to provide our partners with flexibility and options for the future, including the potential for ownership.
Most often, our real estate projects grow out of the relationships that have been developed and cultivated by our community engagement work, and the project support and services we provide our partners are typically holistic and deep.
We define success as the realization of the community’s desires and outcomes, and CAST’s role and scope is determined based on what’s best for the project. In some cases, this means introducing and connecting our partners to information and/or support from our network of community development organizations that work with artists, arts and cultural organizations.
Below is one example of how you might prepare for and engage with CAST to realize the goal of an affordable long-term facility that supports and makes possible your mission, vision, and program.
Before we can get started, you need to have a solid grasp on your:
We can help you with a preliminary exploration to determine if your project is possible, like supporting you with:
We advise you through seller negotiations and the due diligence process to manage risk and get the most affordable deal.
We connect you to our network of design and construction professionals and internal resources to design a space that will meet your needs and priorities for programming and comply with all applicable building and zoning codes.
We manage the construction team, facilitate effective communication and decision-making, and stay closely engaged throughout the build out to keep the project on schedule and on budget.
The pathway to stability begins and ends with our partners taking the lead. In the middle of the process, CAST exists to work with you to figure out how to best wrap a building around your program.
To come to the table ready to engage with CAST, we recommend working closely with partners like Community Vision who offer financial management and real estate guidance to nonprofits and social enterprises to determine those essential needs, especially if you’re a newer organization that’s still figuring out its capacity.
CounterPulse design meeting. Photo by Kegan Marling
If you’re considering a space for your project but are unsure if it will work for your needs, we can help you with preliminary exploration, including:
Community and economic development sectors have developed a number of financing tools for bridging the gap between what community organizations can afford and what it costs to secure space. We use philanthropic support and financing tools like New Markets Tax Credits, bonds, and program-related investments to bring costs down.
When the tools don’t exist, we build them, in partnership with artists, policymakers, and developers.
CAST is not a licensed real estate broker, but we are deeply involved in the network of professionals who seek to activate the unique spaces that work well for arts and cultural uses.
Already have a broker and found a space that could work? We can advise you through seller negotiations and the due diligence process to manage risk so you get the most affordable deal.
Noonan Building artists attend a planning workshop facilitated by CAST and Jensen Architects.
Dreaming Spaces demonstrates CAST’s commitment to inclusive, welcoming, and accessible community engagement to dream and create spaces for artists and arts organizations. Our real estate team works with our community engagement team to create a process for artists and community stakeholders to provide meaningful input that inform project plans, programs, designs, and ongoing operations and governance.
We connect you with design and construction professionals appropriate for your project to customize the space for your intended use and comply with state and local regulations and requirements. We can also manage the design and construction teams, schedule, and budget.
Oakstop uses commercial real estate as a platform for economic development and community empowerment.
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