California Construction News staff writer
Oakland broke ground recently on the new Lincoln Square Recreation Center, a project that will replace the aging facility with a two-story building that also will serve as the city’s first resilience hub.
The project will be delivered by Shah Kawasaki Architects and Amoroso Construction. Funding comes from local, state and federal sources, including Proposition 68, community resilience grants, Measure KK, Measure U, federal funding and community contributions.
Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2028.
The new 22,000-square-foot recreation center will be built at Lincoln Square Park and include community gathering spaces, multipurpose classrooms, a gymnasium, offices, a rooftop garden and expanded park amenities. The project also will add shaded courtyards, expand the tree canopy and renovate the park’s basketball courts.
The facility is designed to serve residents both as a recreation center and as an emergency resource during climate-related disasters.
During normal operations, the center will host recreation programs, community events and emergency preparedness activities. During emergencies, it can provide clean air during wildfire smoke events, air conditioning during heat waves, backup power, charging stations, refrigeration for medications and access to emergency information.
“Today is an important day for Oakland, as we celebrate a vision that generations of Chinatown residents have championed,” said Mayor Barbara Lee. “The new Lincoln Recreation Center will be a place for our youth to learn, families to gather, older adults to stay active and neighbors to find support during times of need.
“The city’s investment reflects our commitment to building stronger, healthier and more resilient communities.”
The project is the culmination of years of community advocacy led by Friends of Lincoln Square Park and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network to expand recreational opportunities in Chinatown. The existing recreation center, built in the late 1970s, no longer meets the neighborhood’s demand for programs and services, city officials said.
“After decades of community advocacy, and the Lincoln Recreation Center falling into significant disrepair, we are finally making the investment Chinatown has long deserved,” said Oakland District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang. “As Oakland’s first resilience hub, Lincoln will be the city’s frontline of disaster preparedness and a place the community can enjoy every day.”
