Uptown. Oaksterdam. Whatever you call it, the Oakland community that stretched along Telegraph and Broadway between 17th and 27th Streets is suddenly abuzz with Bay Area bohos, drawn in large part by affordable rents and a thriving art scene. "It's a raw, urban, edgy spot that's really coming into its own," says Kevin Slagle, owner of the local gallery Ego Park. "It might not be much on the surface, but once you explore, you find all these amazing places and creative people."

Art isn't all the neighborhood is known for. Uptown was a thriving black business district in the Art Deco era and a hotbed of Black Panther activity in the sixties. The countercultural leanings persist today: until recently, the 1700 block of Telegraph was home to three medical marijuana clubs. But where urban pioneers go, condos and Whole Foods soon follow. The city has shut down the pot clubs, and already, San Francisco-style development battles are erupting as neighbors struggle to attract more residents without sacrificing the community's underdog character. Nobody here minded going Uptown. Going upsclae is another matter.

EYE CANDY
After two difficult moves, the 21 Grand gallery found a home in what is rumored to be a former meth lab and chop shop. The space mixes visual arts with live performance, including a recent series of creepy short films accompanied by improvised music. 416 25th St., 510-444-7263.

Kevin Slagle fixed up a 1,000-square-foot warehouse as his own art studio, but somehow it morphed into Ego Park, a gallery devoted to Oakland's emerging artists. Hours are spotty, but openings attract big crowds. 494 23rd St., 510-823-8045.

The newsest addition to the scene, 33 Grand, is a working artists' studio and a storefront gallery with exhibits like "Spatial Oddities," which featured life-size deer made of soap and a quilt of licorice. 33. W. Grand Ave., 510-866-9501.

SHOP FRONTS
Rock Paper Scissors may sell DIY bric-a-brac like deconstructed T-shirts and duct tape wallets, but the real draw is its inventive craft workshops. (Underwear-making party, anyone?) Ensconced in a historic 1910 building, here's one local fave that won't be razed for condos. 2278 Telegraph Ave., 510-238-9171.

HANGOUTS
When Uptown's artists and activists need to caffeinate, they hunker down at the shabby-chic Mama Buzz Café. "It's a place for people to collaborate and dream up big ideas," says co-owner Jen Loy. It's also the unofficial headquarters of Loy's Kitchen Sink, a magazine perhaps more renowned for its raging warehouse parties than anything else. 2318 Telegraph Ave., 510-465-4073.

Named after a stray dog, Luka's Taproom "is Oakland," says one regular. "Everyone is there, a full cross section." Here's why: gourmet fare from ex-Oliveto chef Jacob Alioto, rotating DJs, and a poolroom with the funkiest jukebox around. 2221 Broadway, 510-451-4677.

Café Van Kleef mixes stiff drinks, live jazz, and a Paris-meets-flea-market decor (with artifacts from the owner's world travels), drawing suits and hipsters alike. 1621 Telegraph Ave.,

Decorated with Christmas lights and vintage Barbies (bartender Lance Hill calls it "redneck feng shui"), the Stork Club is a mainstay on the band circuit. 2330 Telegraph Ave., 510-444-6174.

WHAT IT COSTS
...to rent: $795 a month for a two-bedroom apartment at 526 21st St.
...to buy: $499,000 for a new 1,000-square-foot loft at 425 28th St.

THE TALK
More than 1,000 housing units are being built in Uptown, and Oakland has shown little patience for those standing in the way of new construction. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in support of eminent domain, the city ousted two family-owned businesses to make way for apartments.

After moving into a loft in the old Sears Building, Mayor Jerry Brown launched a neighborhood cleanup campaign. Two nearby buildings have been condemned, and residents say more police officers have appeared on the streets. Property values, at least, are safer. 2633 Telegraph Ave.

ONLY HERE
Buy one of the many candy-colored accordions lining the walls of Smythe's Accordion Center, and you're ready for the bimonthly Punk Rock Accordian workshops. Customers include amateur circus freaks, local bands like Polkacide, and Norteña musicians who come in for repairs before gigs. 416 25th St., 510-268-4084.