| Fruitvale | |
|---|---|
| — Neighborhood of Oakland — | |
| Location of Fruitvale in Oakland | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Alameda |
| City | Oakland |
Fruitvale (formerly, Brays and Fruit Vale) is a neighborhood in east Oakland, California, in the United States. It is located about two miles southeast of Lake Merritt and is home to Oakland's largest Latino population, with Latinos comprising 49.5% of Fruitvale's population [1]. Fruitvale's ZIP code is 94601. It lies at an elevation of 49 feet (15 m).
The name (originally Fruit Vale) comes from the many fruit orchards (largely apricot and cherry) which dominated the area in the late 19th century. After the 1906 earthquake, the onslaught of refugees from San Francisco caused a population boom, and the unincorporated neighborhood was annexed into the City of Oakland by 1909.
The Fruitvale shopping district is located along International Boulevard (formerly East 14th Street), from Fruitvale Avenue to 38th Avenue and is one of the major commercial areas of Oakland. The area is home to many Latino businesses and hosts several annual cultural events, including a Cinco de Mayo parade and a Dia De Los Muertos festival. Before the 1970s the area had the Montgomery Wards West Coast distribution center and retail store located on the downtown Oakland side, roughly opposite East Oakland Hospital, both on E 14th St. On the San Leandro side, to the south, was the Fruitvale Theater. In between, around 35th Avenue and E 14th St., were the Foodvale Market, a two story department store, the post office, and a number of other businesses. St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church and High School were (and are) a block or two east of E 14th St. north of 35th Avenue.
During and following WW II significant numbers of African-Americans immigrated to Oakland and located in the old part of town, West Oakland. This was followed by the "urban renewal" and the construction of the Nimitz freeway, bulldozing much of West Oakland. There was then a movement of the dispossessed residents to East Oakland. Fruitvale was in the middle extent of East Oakland, and remained mainly White into the 1980s-90's, when it began to attract Latino residents. African-Americans had either relocated to the outer East Oakland area south of Fruitvale roughly between 73d Avenue and the San Leandro line, or moved out of the city altogether to outer Bay Area suburbs. Presently, Fruitvale is predominantly Latino, and is the cultural landmark for the city's Latino population
The Fruitvale BART station is located near the center of the shopping district, at the corner of 33d Avenue and East 12th Street.
In 2004, the Unity Council opened the Fruitvale Transit Village. The "Fruitvale Village" has become a model of transit oriented development, showcasing a mixture of retail and housing integrated with public transportation.
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The subsection of the neighborhood adjacent to the Oakland Estuary is called Jingletown, also called "JT" by East Oakland natives.[1] The history of Jingletown begins with its name, originating from a habit of nearby mill workers, largely males of Portuguese and Azorean background, who would jingle the coins from a week's work in their pockets as they walked to display their prosperity. In 1998, the neighborhood became home to an award-winning affordable housing project that has helped to revitalize the community.[2] In 2003 a building boom began, with several local developers installing hundreds of market rate condos, lofts and townhomes by the Estuary waterfront. The neighborhood remains home to many working artists who live and work in converted lofts. The neighborhood is also home to the Institute of Mosaic Art, and you can see many beautiful mosaics displayed on buildings sprinkled throughout the neighborhood.
Grupo TACA operates an Oakland-area TACA Satellite in Suite 130 at 3411 East 12th Street in Fruitvale Village.[3]
Oakland Unified School District operates district public schools.
In addition Oakland Charter Academy, a member school of Amethod Public Schools, is located in Fruitvale.[4]
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