Assistance needed on process to open Oakland business

[daniels...@aol.com]

Hi Keira and Greg;

Thank you for your offer to assist our newest Dimond business owner, Lovkesh Karwal (2216/ 2218 Macarthur Blvd) in moving forward with opening and beginning operations. I understand  the economic climate of Oakland makes prioritizing difficult but hope that you can sympathize with business owners struggling with renovations, inspections, and permits, all weighting on the need to open in a timely manner. Mr. Karwal details his immediate needs and recent progress below.

The current delays Mr. Karwal is facing involves conflicting information between Health and City, that has impacted readiness for a long awaited fire inspection. This comes after a series of prior delays involving PG&E (12/11/09 email included at bottom**) as well as the City and County and is now jeopardizing this new business.

Members of the 22X NCPC and the Dimond Improvement Association have given many hours to beautify Dimond, reach out to entrepreneurs, and work directly with business owners to enhance and develop the commercial district. The City's Planning process has been very helpful to assure prospective businesses fit the commercial mix and are operated by an engaged owner, however, the obstacles to making facility upgrades and obtaining prompt inspections (by the City) and beverage permits ( via OPD) have been a hindrance to new business in the district and to the community achieving it's vision for the Dimond commercial area.

I ask that you find a creative solution allowing Mr. Karwal to open in the coming week, as the difficulty to obtain extended credit necessitates prompt action.

Thank you for your efforts in this matter, and please keep us informed as to how our associations can assist in developing effective processes,

-Daniel Swafford, Chair
Dimond Improvement Association
"Involvement Builds Community"
Join Us! http://www.dimondnews.org

Co-Chair
22x Neighborhood Coalition for Positive Change (NCPC)
Oakland22x.org

cell: (510) 452-7392

Mr. Karwal's request:

We are working with our fire specialist for Ansul system plans for Little Caesars.
My concern is the Ansul system permit for Little Caesars will take the same time of two or three more weeks.  I am afraid that I'll be in more trouble financially if I wait another two-three weeks.
I am hereby requesting  if city officials can help me open my resturant and give me 30 days to  get  Ansul  system and  any corrections. I will work on of all the critical and must have items before opening the resturant. Opening restaurant will ease the cash flow crunch.

Mr. Karwal's current status:

Our plumbing, electrical and mechanical inspections are approved by the city.
Two major inspections, fire and health, are pending.
Once the fire and health inspections are done, final building inspection will be done.

Based on the approved plans, we have two Type 1 hoods with fire Ansul system- one in Dimond Kitchen side and other one in Little Caesars side.

1) For Dimond kitchen side, my contractor installed the  Type 1 hood and sub  contractor fire specialist is working on Ansul fire system. The Ansul system permit(no # P09-0162) was submitted to the city by  our subcontractor on Feb  3rd and corrections were submitted on Feb 9. Today I went to check the status of plan. Since the fire dept was open for two days only last week, permits were still not ready. I paid the $670.00 fees for expedite services and receptionist told me that inspector S. CHANEY-WILLIAMSON(Ph: 510-238-2391) will be calling us soon. I hope to get this permit approved soon that we can go through the final fire inspection.

2) Various inspectors did not go by approved city plans and told us to modify the things  based on their inspections.  For example, plumbing inspector changed the regular grease trap into a big dipper grease cleaning system  resulting in addition of $9200.00 for me.  We were ok with the changes based on inspection and changed accordingly.
Similarly, we complied with all the other changes. Based on the feedback, it was mentioned to us that Little Caesars side did not need the type 1 hood and Ansul system because the pizza oven did not have direct fire. My contractor installed Type 2. Mechanical and other related inspections were approved. Our intentions were not to save money, it just happened in flow of these inspections.

In the pre-final inspection last week, county health inspector Mr. Ho Kwan gave a list of all the corrections. We are working on all the corrections as most of them are  relatively simple.  One of the big correction is that hood to be type 1 as approved by plan. Mr Ho Kwan just wanted to go by the submitted plans. Since I personally did not want more delays, we ordered the new Type 1 hood. We received the new hood yesterday and we are installing the hood today. Technically, we don't need Ansul system for this hood as there is no direct fire involved. But since Ansul system is in the approved plans, inspector may give a correction again.

 

Thank you very much,
Regards,
Lovkesh

-----Original Message-----
From: Timothy Chapman <timothy...@gmail.com>
To: Williams, Keira L. <KWil...@oaklandnet.com>
Cc: Owen Li <owen...@yahoo.com>; stank...@yahoo.com; Julie Johnson <juliem...@yahoo.com>; Marilyn Miller <himom...@sbcglobal.net>; Daniel Swafford <daniels...@aol.com>; spa...@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 3:06 pm
Subject: Re: FW: Please Answer Phone Message for Gregory Hunter

Hi Keira,

I am CCing the members of the DIA/22X NCPC Economic Development Committee who gave Lovkesh community input about what the neighborhood would like to see at his site on MacArthur. Please keep us informed of how we can support him as he opens the business.

Here is the contact info for Mr Karwal

Lovkesh Karwal
 lka...@hotmail.com
408-497-5984

The Dimond Kitchen and the Dimond Little Caesar's are on one site and will have these addresses

Dimond Kitchen
2216 Macarthur Blvd

Little Caesars Pizza
2218 Macarthur Blvd


On Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 1:04 PM, Williams, Keira L. <KWil...@oaklandnet.com > wrote:

Hi Tim,

 

I'd be glad to work with the Little Caesars owner, and any others, and see what I can do to help him get through the bureaucracy.  Please forward his contact info to me.  Thanks. 

 

Keira

 

Helping Oakland shops, restaurant s, arts and entertainment businesses
and retail brokers and developers find information, locations and money

Keira Williams | Retail Specialist
City of Oakland | Business Development Services
250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315 | Oakland, CA 94612
510 238 3853 | kwil...@oaklandnet.com | www.business2oakland.com

 

---

From: Garza, Shelly
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 12:44 PM
To: Williams, Keira L.
Subject: Please Answer Phone Message for Gregory Hunter

Hi Keira,

 

Gregory asked that I forward the following phone message to you:

 

1)                 FROM:  Timothy Chapman – Cell (510) 530-6665 / Email:  Timothy...@gmail.com  (Prefers to be contacted through email)

OF:  Diamond Association

0A

RE:  An owner is trying to open a Little Ceasars and a sit down restaurant at 2216 McArthur.  The owner is dismayed – PG&E delayed him for a month, which recently got resolved.  He's also been delayed by City and County inspectors due to bureaucracy – things like changing the type of facet handles.  If he is not able to open very soon, the owner is looking at bankruptcy. This is a time sensitive matter.  Is there anyone willing to help?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Stacey Hogan

(Currently filling in as Gregory Hunter's Executive Assistant)

 

Executive Assistant to Gregory Hunter

Economic Development & Redevelopment  

250 Frank Ogawa Plaza Suite 5313

510-238-3625

sga...@oaklandnet.com

 

"Live life without fear, confront all obstacles and know that you can overcome them."

---

** Past correspondence regarding delay by PG&E

Sent: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:26 pm
Subject: PG&E instalati on at , 2216 MacArthur, the Little Caesar’s Dimond Kitchen

Dear Ms. Latigue,

I am writing on behalf of the Dimond Improvement Association (DIA) and the 22x NCPC Economic Development Committee in regard to the proposed PG&E installation at the Little Caesar’s Dimond Kitchen, 2216 MacArthur Boulevard. The Board of the DIA and NCPC committee would like to encourage PG&E to expedite the underground electrical upgrade and gas installation at 2216 MacArthur. The members of both community organizations would greatly appreciate your assistance in working with the appropriate PG&E personnel and Lovkesh Karwal, owner, to perform the  services required for the opening of an anticipated new business in the Dimond business district.

Community volunteers working through the DIA and NCPC contributed a substantial amount of time during the planning phase for the Little Caesar’s Dimond Kitchen, working closely with Mr. Karwal to create a unique dining establishment. We reached agreements on a customized dine-in menu, local hiring practices an d living wages, litter abatement, and community contributions and involvement in the merchants association. The prompt opening of the Little Caesar’s Dimond Kitchen will be an valued addition to the food services mix in the district and offer an immediate return to the economy  of this small shopping area.

Please see what headway you can make in granting an exception to the  moratorium  on the  ground work for this area and build on the contributions of many area residents to help open a new, engaged business in the Dimond District.

Feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance in this process, and thank you in advance for your help with this matter.

Sincerely,
Daniel

-Daniel Swafford, Chair
Dimond Improvement Association
"Involvement Builds Community"
Join Us! http://www.dimondnews.org

Co-Chair
22x Neighborhood Coalition for Positive Change (NCPC)
Oakland22x.org

cell: (510) 452-7392

 

---

Looking for work? Get job alerts, employment information, career advice and job-seeking tools at AOL Find a Job.