Earlier this year, while researching the first law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty (Oakland Police Offer Richard B. Richardson in 1867), Jim learned that Richardson was buried in an unmarked grave.
He and another retired cop have been researching all officers killed in the line of duty and where they are buried. A total of eight are in unmarked graves.
They are determined to change that and have launched the Alameda County Heroes Grave Project to recognize them properly They have a goal of putting a marker on each grave.
Notably, that’s currently not an issue. Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward and the Bras and Mattos Monument Co. provide their services free for families of public safety officers who have died in the line of duty.
I heard Jim’s presentation at the Bay Counties Peace Officers Association earlier this year. The organization is more than 80 years old and has evolved into senior law enforcement officials from Alameda and Contra Costa Counties plus plenty of retired peace officers.
Sunset Development Co., owners of Bishop Ranch, continues to hit home runs in the leasing game.
Sunset and an investment partner bought the huge former AT&T headquarters building (2 million square feet) a couple of years ago. AT&T moved its operations into half of the building, leaving 1 millions square feet vacant. Sunset renovated the common area of the huge building to bring in a variety of restaurants and update the conference center.
The company now has leased 75 percent of the building including the latest deal with GE Digital for an additional 100,000 square feet. It will have 340,000 square feet in Bishop Ranch.
GE has been running lots of television commercials touting its move from an industrial firm to a digital one that makes huge equipment. The San Ramon GE division is leading that charge with more than 1,700 employees in San Ramon after moving there in 2011.
Alexander Mehran Jr. told the San Francisco Business Times that space in the park is now 90 percent leased.
Mehran also announced this week that Sunset has signed the key anchor tenant, The Loft City Center, a 42,000-square foot entertainment center, that is scheduled to open in 2018. It will feature a 10-screen, 800-seat movie theater plus a bar, restaurant and café, according to the San Francisco Business Times. The Loft already is operating two of these concepts in San Diego area.
It will anchor the 300,000-square-foot City Center retail development that will include 75 stores, restaurants and a public park.
“We were looking for more than just a movie theatre,” said Mehran, Jr., president and COO of Sunset. “So we’re very excited about bringing The Lot to the Bay Area. They have the vision, the resources, and the team to execute something very special."
