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The American Steel Warehouse
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Arts & Entertainment Art Galleries Shopping Art Galleries Venues & Event Spaces, Art Galleries [Edit]
1960 Mandela PkwyOakland, CA 94607
Neighborhood: West Oakland
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Sara R. said: "Galleria Scola is wonderful. The people who work there are knowledgeable, helpful and do a great job. They also tactfully ask what your price range is so that they are making suggestions that are within your price range because we…" read more »
4 reviews for The American Steel Warehouse
4 reviews in English
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Review from Markus N.
7/29/2011 2 photos
Near the corner of the renaissance yesterday looms. A pair of buildings, blue whales, in a sea of grays. The fading green wall of Pacific Pipe hides the cavern holding a fleet of buses, it's neighbor edifice to the south protects the hidden city.
Since the deconstruction of the Cypress and the planting of Mandela's median West Oakland's potential glowed obvious for even those most immune to possibility. Pacific Pipe and American Steel, anchors to the past, stood seemingly obvious as places where skyscrapers could be planted. Or townhomes. Or maybe a little big box retail. The land and it's post-industrial structural reminder was closely held, waiting for this possibility to make somebody fabulously wealthy. The economic fate of the community around seemed tied to the disappearance of the past and the advent of some higher, better use.
(needle scratches slowly across vinyl)
Stop.
Adaptive reuse. The abandonment of a common notion that the past must be obliterated to make way for the future. History no longer as an impediment, as a distraction, but as relevant ink from which a more meaningful (read important, thoughtful, enduring) next chapter will be writ.
Inside the walls of what was traditionally viewed with numbered days is a paradigm-changer. Inside American Steel is a beehive of stunningly interesting people. Artists working in metal, glass, machines. Small businesses inventing alternative open space, compost, a different kind of battery. A pretty girl on the flying trapeze (she leases a beam to fly from). Space where on occasion people gather to celebrate this or that in an unconventional way (search 3 Tons of Sand). Galleries.
Save American Steel. Reinvent Pacific Pipe. Clearly, tomorrow should turn around a pivot made by these whales as they stand today. This land isn't fallow and need not be replanted. These buildings, and the incredible individuals inside American Steel, should instead be watered, their tendrils growing into the parcels around. As it is from this that the fruit of a more natural and beautiful West Oakland will grow.
If you like cities, if you're a fan of fascinating people doing fascinating things, if history trips your trigger - put American Steel on your watch list. Next time an event is advertised (by whisper) - go. -
Review from August E.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My studio has been broken into three times in just over a year. Every time, I get the same response: "Sorry about that, but we are not responsible, protect yourself". Many of the tenants there would tell you the same. Urban renewal comes at a price, but they want YOU to bear it.
The building is porous, wide open, and dangerous. The crack heads all know it too. They came back again yesterday because they know the building is very quiet because almost every tenant is at Burning Man. They scored big and for them, the building is a buffet of larceny and even armed robbery of an artists while in his very own studio within the building. Security cameras, etc are nothing. They have no uniformed (even a T shirt) security or other presence at any time, even nights, for a building in a war zone that is 6 acres under one roof.
If you are a single female, work late at night, or have anything of value in your studio you are INSANE to rent there unless you are just as dangerous as the armed addicts that scale studio walls for your possessions or install barbed wire around your space (as some have done). Unless you create giant art that two dudes can't hump to recycling, you could be next.
What really sucks is I know it takes time to create a community that self relies for security, but WHY? We pay rent. Do I have to arm myself to be there? I am not taking the 'we need to bond together and protect ourselves' crap any more. Those pretty pictures you see here are long gone displays. None of that has been here for more than a year. Urban, cool, interesting space? Yes. But it might as well be in the street.
They will see this, and then then the stink eye will really start. They are already distant, aloof and unapproachable, it will be worse until they finally boot me or I find a different spot. That might be a while because just last night, they came over the studio walls and got my laptop and my rent money....AGAIN.... although it was out of sight, in a locked drawer. They tossed everything I have in the studio to find it. Apparently the noise was no problem and time was on their side.
Make good choices people. -
Review from MC B.
San Francisco, CA
7/18/2011
22' clearance bridge cranes!!! Amazing community. Elbow room.
Small businesses, artists, hobbyists all in two warehouses at one address. One a former steel yard inside three city blocks of building which is still dusty but cleaner every time the little street sweeper is run, and one fairly clean building taking up the fourth block. Great for workspace when your garage is too small or you feel too lonely to work alone. I think there is still a 10,000 sf space available but probably no more than one anymore. Smallest spaces are around 500sf. Love my neighbors! -
Review from Casey S.
9/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I love hanging out here with my friends in the dirt and grime.
