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Albany's Commercial Areas
Small and Medium Sized Business
Solano Avenue is a pedestrian-oriented street featuring grocers, florists, and charming retail shops, and is particularly popular for its variety of restaurants. Typical of a small-town “Main Street,” Solano Avenue is a strong regional attraction and is visited by thousands of shoppers and strollers each year.
San Pablo Avenue is a well-traveled boulevard of medium-sized storefronts with high traffic counts and great retail potential. Possibilities for combining properties can be explored here. It is currently typified by low-scale, expansive land uses such as auto-related businesses and strip shopping centers.
Redevelopment Area
Eastshore Highway and Cleveland Avenues provide high visibility locations along Interstates 80 and 580. Larger retail, light manufacturing, warehousing and other industrial land uses are currently accommodated in this area. Excellent opportunity for retail use.
Local Market
With a population of 17,000 and 350,000 people living within a fifteen mile radius, Albany is part of a large regional retail market including Berkeley, Kensington and El Cerrito. Located at the juncture of Interstates 80 and 580, the City is traversed by major surface arteries connecting Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Albany's public transportation access includes regional bus system service and a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station on its northern border. Oakland International Airport is less than a half-hour away.
With a level of taxable sales per resident lower than most East Bay cities, Albany is a prime target for enterprising businesses. The involvement of residents in the development of Solano and San Pablo Avenues indicates strong local interest in better access to shops and services. With high incomes comparable to those found elsewhere in the East Bay, Albany residents comprise a potentially lucrative retail market.
The City of Albany is committed to serving business with lower development fees than surrounding cities and a friendly can-do attitude towards commercial improvement. City staff strive to employ an entrepreneurial spirit when assisting new businesses.
Demographic Information
City Profile and Demographic Information
Land Area: 1.7 Square Miles
County: Alameda
County Population: 1,443,741
CITY POPULATON
Total: 16,444 (2000 Census)
Median Age: 36.3
Male: 47%
Female: 53%
Population by age
17 & under: 23%
18-24: 7%
25-34: 18%
35-44: 17%
45-64: 24%
65 & Over: 11%
Population by ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White: 61%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 25%
African American: 4%
Hispanic/Latino: 8%
Native American/other: 4%
Population Characteristics
Median household income: $ 54,919 (2000)
Currently married: 51%
High School education or higher: 94%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 64%
Housing:
Median house value : $334,800 (2000)
Single family/duplexes: 4,493 (60%)
Total occupied housing units: 7,011
Owner occupied: 3,550
Rental units: 3,461
Education
Albany Unified School District, Superintendant Dr. William Wong
(2003 API Statewide Rank 2,3)
Albany High School: 10
Albany Middle School: 10
Cornell Elementary School: 9
Marin Elementary: 10
Ocean View Elementary: 10
Transportation
Highways: Interstates 80 and 580, California Route 123 (San Pablo Ave)
State Highway Conditions: (800) 427-7623
CalTrans highway/commute info: 286-4444
Bus: AC Transit: Alameda Contra Costa Transit District
Rail: BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit, 510-465-2278 (El Cerrito stop)
Air: Oakland International (14 miles south)
San Francisco International (22 miles west).
Business Resources
Albany Chamber of Commerce - (510) 525-1771
www.albanychamber.org
Solano Avenue Association - (510) 527-5358
www.solanoave.org
Economic Development Alliance for Business - (EDAB) - (510-272-3871)
Serving Alameda County and the East Bay
www.edab.org
Quality of Life
Community Services & Recreation
 The City of Albany's civic facilities include an award-winning Library/Community Center, the first Senior Center in Alameda County, a Teen Center, a Child Care Center, and City Hall.
The City boasts eight parks and playgrounds on 17.5 acres, including a "tot lot," picnic facilities, and lighted ball courts and sports fields. There is also a community swimming pool.
Albany has a year-round recreation program, conducting activities for young children, teens, and senior citizens. The recreation staff works with community groups to put on such annual events as the Solano Stroll, an annual mile-long celebration of food, fun and music which attracts over 50,000 people from throughout the Bay Area.
The Albany Waterfront is home to a portion of the newly created Eastshore State Park, the San Francisco Bay Trail, and one of the last sandy beaches to be found in the East Bay. The waterfront provides spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge to the many recreation users who frequent this area west of the I-80 freeway.
Regional Arts & Entertainment
Popular regional attractions include Albany’s own Golden Gate Fields racetrack; Oakland, home to basketball's Golden State Warriors, the Oakland Athletics baseball team, and the Oakland Raiders football team; and the world-famous city of San Francisco, only fifteen minutes away via the Bay Bridge. Next-door neighbor Berkeley provides theatre, symphony, and opera, and dozens of other performance venues.
Schools & Library/Community Center
 The Albany Unified School District provides high-quality education in four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. In addition, there is a popular continuing education program attended by thousands of adults yearly. Albany student test scores
at the middle and high school levels are among the highest in the state. (See City Profile for API scores). Local parent groups are actively involved in their children's education,
ensuring that it meets the high standards of academic rigor and attention to
diversity expected by our multicultural and highly educated community. The
community's commitment to education is demonstrated by its strong support at
the polls for tax increases to fund new school programs and facilities. In 2004, Albany residents approved, by 80%, a $13 million bond to fund school modernization improvements.
In the adjoining Community Center, the City of Albany offers art and
ceramics classes, community meetings, and a variety of recreational
activities. The art gallery is booked for months at a time, and often with local artists.
City Government
Albany is governed by a five-person Council, from which a
Mayor is selected. City Departments include the City Administrator, City
Clerk, Community Development & Environmental Resources, Finance &
Administrative Services, Fire & Emergency Medical Services, Police, and
Recreation & Community Services.
The City of Albany takes pride in providing a wide range of municipal
services within a sound financial framework, and has won awards of
excellence in financial reporting for the past three years.
The Police Department helps to maintain one of the lowest crime levels in
the Bay Area by providing comprehensive, timely response through community
policing. The Fire Department maintains a three minute response time for
fire and emergency medical service calls.
Business Start-Up Information
How To Get Started
- Contact the City Administrator's office (510-528-5710) for help in identifying a site for your business.
- Contact the Community Development & Environmental Resources Department (510-528-5760) to determine zoning requirements for the proposed use.
- Obtain building permits and other approvals from the Community Development & Environmental Resources and Fire Departments for proposed modifications to the site, including new construction, renovation, and signs.
- Obtain a business license application from the Finance & Administrative Services Department (510-528-5730).
Need More Information?
Stop by City Hall for Albany's small town, friendly, in-person assistance with your project.
Developers and business construction managers can obtain all required permits and forms at City Hall, 1000 San Pablo Avenue. City staff provide efficient and knowledgeable assistance to new businesses.
- Community Development Department, (510) 528-5760
- Building Permits & Inspections
- Conditional Use Permits & Design Review
- Fee Schedule Information
- Sidewalk/Sewer Repair
- Sign Permits
- Fire Department, (510) 528-5775
- Fire Inspections & Regulations
- Finance & Administrative Services, (510) 528-5730
- Local Business Resources
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