Until recently, I had known of Fruitvale as only a stop along the San Francisco BART line. I was not even aware that it was officially considered a neighborhood of Oakland. Online research of the area's recent news headlines resulted in several articles on criminal activity. However, it is not all bad news in the Fruitvale neighborhood as seen in the articles and web sites describing community leader’s attempts to revitalize the area with Farmer's markets, cultural festivals, and community programs.
After visiting the Fruitvale district in person, it became clear that it is an area in the midst of a transition. In many ways, the area is two very different neighborhoods in one, a flourishing business district and family centered community during the day and a place troubled with crime and gang activity at night.
Many people whom I spoke with in the Fruitvale neighborhood said that while they felt safe in the area during the day it was a different story at night. "I think this is the best BART area, a lot more shops than compared to the Pleasant Hill area,” said Declan Murthgh, who recently moved to the East Bay from Ireland. However, when I asked Murthgh if he felt safe walking around the area alone he told me "during the day I would. At night time, absolutely not considering what has happened in the last couple months."
Even those familiar with the area echoed a similar sentiment. "International is right when it starts to get shitty. There are a lot of shady looking characters,” said Blaine Bulklew. “I don't like to walk around there at night."
Some, such as AC Transit bus driver Chris Richer, questioned the neighborhood's safety in total. "I come here a bit because of my job as an AC transit driver. I would not on my own but I'm forced to because of my job. I don't think it's safe here."
For the Fruitvale neighborhood, the 2009-year got off to a rough start with the shooting of Oscar Grant by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle at the Fruitvale BART station.
The Oscar Grant shooting appears to still weigh heavily on the mind of many businesses in the neighborhood. Robert Raburn, the Executive Director of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, whose office is located in the Fruitvale Transit Village, remembered that “right after the shooting the police were scared to come into the neighborhood.”
For new business The Plug, a tattoo and piercing shop that opened early this year in the Fruitvale Transit Village, the Oscar Grant shooting came right before their shop opening. “We were just about to open when that happened, it was pretty intense,” said employee, Thaer Alhafhawi. According to the shop's tattoo artist, Mark Beccia the shop chose to postpone its opening due to the protests happening in the area. “When that happened it actually kind of disturbed me but the lease had been signed,” explained shop owner, Muhammed Salem.
I look forward to covering the Fruitvale area for the remainder of the semester. It should be an interesting year for this neighborhood given the current economic recession and the state’s limited budget.
