By popular demand, we are ecstatic to announce that we are continuing the growth of our metaverse and expanding even further on the West Coast with the introduction of Alameda and Berkeley!
Upland has continued to experience MASSIVE growth and activity over the course of December! In just the past few days, we have seen record levels of Daily Active Users (159k), Daily Transaction Volume (354M UPX), as well as Daily Trading Volume (15.8k Trades).
As such, we are excited to announce that Alameda and Berkeley- two small cities that neighbor Oakland- will be swooping into the metaverse as an expansion of the city of Oakland on Wednesday, December 29th, at 8:00 AM PT! Please note that these cities will not exist as standalone cities but will be released as an addition to the city of Oakland.
Alameda & Berkeley Release Details
Alameda & Berkeley is currently planned to release on Wednesday, December 29th, at 8:00 AM PT. This release will be preceded by a stress test on Tuesday, December 28th, at 8:00 AM PT.
Roughly ~27% of properties in Alameda & Berkeley will be reserved under the “Fair Start Act” (FSA). Similar to the release of the Bronx, Alameda & Berkeley will be released in Vanilla mode, and all collections will be revealed approximately 1 week after the city launch.
City Information
Send Fees (Lo/Hi/Default): 10/50/20 UPX
Airport: None
Collections: 4-7 New Collections for Oakland
FSA Allocation: ~27%
Treasure Hunt Tier: 2
Note: As Alameda & Berkeley are additions to the city of Oakland, there will be no additional travel terminals.
Fun Facts About Alameda & Berkeley
Alameda wasn’t always an island! In 1902, the formerly marshy lowland attached to Oakland was converted into an island over the course of a 30 year long dredging project, which even increased Alameda’s land size by 2 ½ times!
In Alameda County alone, Berkeley is ranked number four in population behind Oakland, Fremont, and Hayward. Despite that, it is famous around the globe as a center for academic achievement, scientific exploration, free speech and the arts!
Berkeley's thriving cultural scene is home to hundreds of arts organizations, artists and performers. Creative spirit infuses Berkeley with everyday discoveries ranging from vibrant street art and public galleries, to major art presenters including the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Getting to Alameda & Berkeley
Players will need to travel to the city of Oakland first in order to explore Alameda and Berkeley. Once in the city of Oakland, players can send to properties in the expanded area but there will be no dedicated terminal for these cities.
Note: Travelroutes to Oakland will have boosted capacity for a few days prior to and during the release.
Alameda & Berkeley Release Schedule
Tuesday (12/28)
8:00 AM PT: Stress Test Begins in the “North Berkeley” neighborhood in Berkeley
Wednesday (12/29)
8:00 AM PT: Alameda & Berkeley release will begin by opening the “East End” neighborhood in Alameda in addition to the “Elmwood” neighborhood in Berkeley
~8:15 AM PT: Assuming platform stability, the remainder of Alameda & Berkeley will open for minting (minus certain excluded properties)
As you get ready to buy in Alameda and Berkeley, here are interesting locations in each city to scout out and scoop up before they are gone.
Berkeley
1. Berkeley Marina
Head over to The Berkeley Marina, which was initially part of the open waters of San Francisco Bay. Properties in the Marina include several restaurants, a hotel, and a yacht club. (One block south of University Avenue)
2. U.C. Berkeley Campus and University Ave
From notable alumni like Steve Wozniak, George Takei from Star Trek, John Cho, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, and many more, the University of Berkeley is a prestigious academic institution with beautifully landscaped grounds, historic architecture, and redwood forests. Look for property near the cross-campus walking paths that connect Downtown Berkeley, North Shattuck, and the Telegraph Avenue business districts.
3. Telegraph Avenue
It is in the midst of the historic downtown district of Oakland and is at the center of campus and community life. This section of Telegraph Avenue is home to many restaurants, bookstores, clothing shops, and street vendors.
4. Shattuck Avenue
Check out Shattuck Avenue at the core of Berkeley, forming the spine of the city's downtown. Properties along Shattuck include Cali's famous farm-to-table cuisine and a district with fantastic Berkeley restaurants and more.
Alameda
1. Downtown Alameda
Alameda is known for classy and beautiful houses, and downtown Alameda is no exception. It is centrally located and encompasses the Historic Park Street District. Properties include a large selection of restaurants and retail shops, including antique stores and consignment boutiques.
2. Pacific Pinball Museum
Check out Pacific Pinball Museum located right below the cross-section of Webster St and Haight Ave. It is one of Northern CA's most extraordinary places to be with over 100 machines from the 1930’s available for unlimited play. The location is surrounded by Coffee shops and Rustic Houses.
3. Shoreline Dr
Shoreline Drive currently serves Alameda, and almost a dozen apartments, condominiums, and retail. Definitely look for properties around the Robert Crown Memorial State Beach portion.
4. Alameda Theatre & Cineplex
Built-in 1932, this historic theater was constructed in the lavish and distinctive Art Deco and is best characterized by the beautiful and brightly lit blade-shaped sign out front, proclaiming up and down the block that is the center of Alameda.
5. Central Ave
Central Ave is where you can get away, with beaches near you filled with luxury tourism, resorts, and hotels to visit around. Look for properties along Central Ave, which runs right in the middle of the island, connecting the whole city, with beautiful houses if you are looking to scoop up multiple locations.
Note: The aforementioned locations are not indicative of current nor future collections for either city.
By popular demand, we're continuing our expansion efforts to keep up with our growing community of Uplanders, and we hope that these new cities will open up even MORE opportunities for you to snag some iconic properties and stake your claim in more parts of the Upland metaverse!
Thank you all for your support in the growth of the metaverse!
