| Bay Farm Island | |
| Local Name: | --> |
| Sobriquet: | Asparagus Island |
| Image Alt: | An aerial view of an island surrounded by water. |
| Pushpin Map: | United States San Francisco Bay Area#USA California#USA |
| Location: | Northern California |
| Waterbody: | San Leandro Bay |
| Total Islands: | 1 |
| Length Ft: | --> |
| Width Ft: | --> |
| Coastline Ft: | --> |
| Country: | United States |
| Country Admin Divisions Title: | State |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 1: | County |
| Country Admin Divisions 1: | Alameda |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 2: | City |
| Country Admin Divisions 2: | Alameda |
Bay Farm Island is a district of the city of Alameda, California, though it is separated from the rest of the city on Alameda Island by an estuary of San Leandro Bay. Its ZIP code is 94502. The location was originally an island in San Francisco Bay, but due to land reclamation it has become a peninsula and is now connected to the mainland of Oakland and Oakland International Airport. Marshes and other areas of the island were also reclaimed.[1]
Prior to 20th century development, Bay Farm Island was farmland with asparagus being the principal crop,[2] thus it was also formerly known as Asparagus Island. In addition, the area was the site of large oyster beds which regularly supplied restaurants in nearby San Francisco.[3]
Bay Farm is home to the 36-hole Chuck Corica Golf Complex, office and retail complexes, and several housing developments. There is a chain of lagoons as well as several community parks including Shoreline Park. Four elementary schools serve the island: Bay Farm Elementary, Chinese Christian School, Coastline Christian School, and Amelia Earhart Elementary. Bay Farm was the home of the headquarters of the Oakland Raiders when the team was in Oakland from 1995 until 2020.
A greenbelt is also present which encompasses the perimeter of the peninsula.
The largest development on Bay Farm is named "Harbor Bay Isle", generally bounded to the north and west portion of the island by Island Drive and Mecartney Road. Harbor Bay Isle is divided into seven villages; six villages cover twenty homeowner's associations in each of the residential subdivisions, and one village covers commercial interests, including the Harbor Bay business park.[4] Harbor Bay Isle excludes the three southern townhome developments, Islandia, Casitas, and Garden Isle, as well as the single-family homes to the east of Island Drive. Much of the development is built on reclaimed land.
See main article: Southern Crossing (California).
Bay Farm was proposed as a site for the eastern end of another bridge from San Francisco across San Francisco Bay. The so-called Southern Crossing was first conceptualized in the 1940s and canceled in 1958.[5]
There are three elementary schools on Bay Farm Island: Bay Farm Elementary, Coastline Christian Schools (formerly Chinese Christian Schools), and Amelia Earhart Elementary. The latter is named for aviator Amelia Earhart, who started many of her flights from the nearby Oakland Airport.
AC Transit provides local bus service in addition to express commuter "Transbay" service to the Transbay Terminal in Downtown San Francisco. In the weekday mornings and afternoons there are student only bus rides from neighborhoods on Bay Farm Island to various local schools.[6]
The free Harbor Bay Business Park Shuttle[7] connects the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal with the Harbor Bay Business Park and Oakland Coliseum station.
In addition, the Harbor Bay Ferry provides commuter (rush hour) service to the San Francisco Ferry Building.[8]