The Gull's Call - Apr/May/Jun 2025

As the Community of Harbor Bay Isle celebrates its 50-ish anniversary this year, it's refreshing to see that no matter how much things may change, from the farms and vacant land that Young-Il remembers, to all of the new buildings and modernization that comes with development, some things never change, like the flowing waters of the lagoon and nearby bay to the peaceful, lush surroundings of a neighborhood community tucked away in its own little corner of Alameda.

CoverStory Harbor Bay's First Family - 47 Years Later by Jacqui Galvez Vasquez T HE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1988 ISSUE OF THE GULL’S Call introduced everyone to the Kim Family, the first family to move into Harbor Bay Isle in 1978. Before deciding to buy in Baywood Village, Young-Il and Suki Kim lived across the street at the Casitas townhome development for 10 years. Mr. Kim retells the story of how the decision came about to purchase the model home. “It was just all vacant land,“ he remembers. “My oldest daughter Mimi had viewed the model home and convinced us to buy because of the room at the top which had its own bathroom. Mimi knew it would be hers,” chuckled Mr. Kim. And the rest is history. He settled in Harbor Bay because of the beautiful architecture of his home, the excellent schools in the area, and the closeness to nature that surrounded them. Forty-seven years later, the Kims still call Harbor Bay home. Their family is more spread out now and larger with the addition of spouses and grandchildren. Laying claim to points up and down the West Coast, oldest daughter Mimi lives in Santa Monica, middle son Laurence calls Alameda home, and youngest daughter Claudine is based on Vashon Island, Washington. Young-Il remarried in 2007, with KangHee Ryu, whom he met in Korea in 1989. After spending eight years in France, she relocated to the United States. KangHee remembers first coming to Alameda. “The whole area is so beautiful and peaceful, I never want to leave,” says Ms. Ryu. Her fondness of the water and for nature was satisfied here, and then some.

Below is the original article, published in 1988. The first family to buy a home in the Community of Harbor Bay Isle ten years ago, was the Kim family, consisting of Young-Il Kim, his wife Suki, and three children, Laurence, Mimi and Claudine. Kim is now back in Korea, but his wife recalls how they were cordially greeted by the Alameda Mayor, Chuck Corica, Councilman Charles Tillman, and Developer Ron Cowan, when they took possession of their home in 1978. The home, on Holly Oak Lane, was the largest model available in the Baywood Village project. It was called a five-split-level and had four bedrooms. The Baywood Village homes were then priced at $87,000 up. The Kims met while attending UC Berkeley. Both had come over from Korea. He was an architect. She was working for Bank of America. Mimi, their oldest daughter, is a graduate of UC Berkeley and plans to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Son, Laurence, has just completed his sophomore year at UC Irvine and will continue on at UC Berkeley this fall. Youngest daughter, Claudine, is still making plans. Three years ago, Mrs. Kim bought Lafayette Bridal, a wedding shop in Lafayette. “We’ve been very happy here,” she says. “I am very proud to be a part of this community.” Photo from 1988: First family to move into Harbor Bay Isle was the Kim Family. Seated are Claudine and Mother, Suki Kim. Standing behind them are Mimi and Laurence.

2025: 47 years later, Young-Il Kim still enjoys his original home in Baywood Village with wife, KangHee Ryu.

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