Located at the foot of the Bay Bridge, Emeryville houses 9,100 people and provides employment for approximately 20,000. Although Emeryville is well known for its corporate giants, approximately 500 artists live and work in converted warehouse spaces.

Considered one of the “downtowns” of the East Bay, Emeryville has over 4 million square feet of office and approximately 1.5 million square feet of retail. Emeryville is home to three regional shopping centers - Bay Street, East Baybridge and Powell Street Plaza. Current stores include IKEA, Home Depot, Comp USA, the Apple Store, Ross, Circuit City, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Pottery Barn, Gap, and Banana Republic.

The international biotech company, Novartis Corporation, and Pixar Animation Studios, the producer of the popular movies Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Monsters Inc., and LeapFrog, the innovative toy makers, are also located in Emeryville. The City has development agreements with Novartis and Pixar which assures the continued growth of business in Emeryville.

Emeryville has four hotels which provide over 900 rooms to accommodate the business growth.

The City also has an aggressive housing program to create new housing units in proximity to business developments to reduce commuting. For those who do commute, the Emeryville Amtrak Station is one of the busiest train stations in the country, and is the San Francisco connection to the Capitol Corridor intercity rail service. The City also sponsors a free shuttle bus, Emery-Go-Round, that connects to BART and Amtrak and transports over 900,000 passengers annually.

Emeryville is constantly in the process of converting warehouse and manufacturing buildings into variable office, retail, or residential space. Historically, most of the land in Emeryville was industrial, but the City has been working with developers to redevelop properties to the most appropriate use that would most benefit the City's status as a prime player in the corporate real estate market.

Emeryville is a leader in Smart Growth policies and programs. Beyond its free citywide shuttle and vast experience in brownfield redevelopment, Emeryville won the APA California Chapter’s 2006 Planning Award for its innovative stormwater treatment guidelines and has successfully promoted citywide mixed-used development through its zoning ordinance. Emeryville is also home to numerous businesses recognized by the Alameda County Green Business Program and to two green residential developments.

With a proactive city staff, Emeryville offers businesses quick answers and a painless permit approval process. Its central location is an asset, with close proximity to the University of California at Berkeley, the Bay Bridge, and major employment and residential centers.

Contact Info:
Ignacio Dayrit
Project Coordinator
City of Emeryville
1333 Park Avenue
Emeryville, CA 94608
Phone: (510) 596-4356
Ignacio Dayrit, City of Emeryville