Coliseum Industrial

As the name indicates, this is the “neighborhood” near the Coliseum made up of warehouses for the most part. Metal works and storage facilities call this place home but not many people. This has to be the least populated area of Oakland, with barely 500 people per square mile. Actually, given the look of this place you will probably be surprised that even that many live there. It really does look like one of those classic run-down sort of industrial areas.

The neighborhood centers around the 880 Freeway and the railroad tracks that carry so much cargo to and fro. You will also find a lot of spots where there are lots filled with the rusting odds and ends of the difficult to identify machinery. Most of the neighborhood, especially north of 66th is made up of square, non-descript warehouses.

The Coliseum itself is a bit of a landmark for the Oakland. It is the storied stadium where the Oakland Raiders have long played (except for that little relocation to Los Angeles during the 80’s and 90’s). It is a good old fashioned field, but Al Davis is on the look out for better facilities and rumors of an impending move are a yearly feature in the newspapers. I would say more, but I have to admit that the only time I have seen the Raiders play was down in LA Coliseum. Raiders’ games are infamous for their drunken brawls in the stands.

The Athletics also play at the Coliseum, and the indoor facility next door—Oracle arena—features basketball games. (Oracle is a Bay Area software company.)

You don’t get too much violence in this area other than at the Raiders’ games—largely because there is little here to attract anyone to just hang around. Overall, it is pretty ugly here, but every city needs an area where the dirty work of industry gets done.