Oakland’s Henry J. Kaiser Center Closer to Renovation

Orton Development is currently the frontrunner to revamp the historic, 215,000-square-foot Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland. The developer plans to put $52 million into renovations of the center.

Orton’s plan for reviving the facility, which has been vacant for a decade, still needs Oakland City Council approval, and it will come up for a vote next month. Part of the plan includes renovating the 25,000-square-foot theater in the building to have about 100 concerts per year. Office space and other uses are also part of the plan for Kaiser.

Orton renovated Richmond’s Ford Assembly Plant, making it a mixed-use space with offices, a restaurant and a public area and is also at work converting San Francisco’s Pier 70 into offices.

So far Orton has beat out Creative Development Partners’ $150-million plan to turn the center into a sports venue and event space with a nearby hotel.