OAKLAND | Projects: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

[38 Geary]

And the renderings:







https://sfyimby.com/2024/06/updated-perm...ng-at-2125-telegraph-avenue-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by unpermitted_variance

1523 Harrison

https://sfyimby.com/2023/04/new-rendering-for-taller-1523-harrison-street-in-downtown-oakland.html


New render:




Old render:





Now 25 floors with 361 units; previously 20 floors with 269 units. No heights provided. This is right next door to oWoW's under construction 19-story mass timber project. Nice to see them going all in on this area, as it's a corner of downtown that has great potential but is somewhat underdeveloped. I like the new tower design; it's not stunning but it's not trying too hard to "break up the massing" and the blue accents look nice.

This one gets another height bump, now up to 28 floors, 290 ft, and up to 496 units!

As well as a new render, and of course, it's own thread.

New thread: OAKLAND | 1523 Harrison Street | 290 FT | 28 FLOORS



https://sfyimby.com/2024/06/28-story-plans-for-1523-harrison-street-downtown-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

New thread: OAKLAND | 5295 College Avenue | 170 FT | 15 FLOORS



https://sfyimby.com/2024/07/plans-for-housing-revealed-at-5295-college-avenue-oakland.html

[unpermitted_variance]

Love to see more density in Rockridge (I have been wanting to move there, but there are hardly any rentals). Unfortunately, this would propose to tear down some of the most interesting historic buildings in the neighborhood, which makes it hard to be a fan of the project.

[BobbyMucho]

Originally Posted by unpermitted_variance

Love to see more density in Rockridge (I have been wanting to move there, but there are hardly any rentals). Unfortunately, this would propose to tear down some of the most interesting historic buildings in the neighborhood, which makes it hard to be a fan of the project.

Not to mention this design already looks dated and doesn't do much to compliment the oddly shaped lot.

[38 Geary]

These are fair criticisms, and I know everyone here wants to have original world-class designs, but Oakland, and the Bay Area in general is unfortunately so far behind in housing stock that anything is an improvement over what we currently have, which is nowhere near enough. If you let perfect get in the way of better, nothing will ever get accomplished. I say let us infill with generic towers so we at least have something before we start talking about actually having something nice.

[HoltC]

Affordable Housing Under Construction at 801 Pine Street, West Oakland


https://sfyimby.com/2024/09/affordable-h...ion-at-801-pine-street-west-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

The specs for 51 9th St (Building B):
- 7 floors, 85 ft
- 97 units (22 studios, 70 1BR, 5 2BR)
- All of the units will be affordable for seniors
- 3,240 sq ft for ground floor retail
- Parking for 49 bicycles

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zixhud2GYYBxi8wZA

Construction Starts for Lake Merritt Affordable Senior Housing, Oakland



By: Andrew Nelson 5:00 am on October 22, 2024

Construction has started for the Chinatown TOD Senior Housing complex within the Lake Merritt BART Station redevelopment in Downtown Oakland, Alameda County. The project is expected to be the first of four buildings to activate two BART-owned blocks with a mix of residential and commercial real estate. East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation is responsible for the development.

...

PYATOK is responsible for the design. The slab-like structure will extend along 8th Street from Fallon Street to Oak Street. Articulation and a mix of exterior materials will carve out sections of the form to make the complex appear like several structures. The facade will be clad with brick veneer, fiber cement panels, composite wood, and plaster.

The Lake Merritt BART Station masterplan spans two entire city blocks surrounding the transit station. Phase one is expected to see the senior housing and a potential 28-story residential tower replace surface parking and bus shelter. Phase Two will replace the four-story Metro Center office building bound by 7th Street, 8th Street, Oak Street, and Madison Street. Current plans for phase two include a 19-story office tower and a 100-unit affordable family housing complex.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/10/construction...t-affordable-senior-housing-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

Finally, over 4 years later.

02.03.26
Portions of West Oakland Station parking lot to temporarily close Feb. 10 through Feb. 17 ahead of TOD construction

BART and our development partners, Mandela Station Partners LLC, are excited to start construction on the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) project at West Oakland Station this year. The TOD project, also known as Mandela Station, will include 762 new residential units, including 240 affordable units, retail and office space, a new bike station, improved bikeways, streetscape improvements, enhanced walking access to the station, and a new BART plaza. Phase 1 is currently scheduled to start in mid-2026 with the construction of 240 affordable housing units on the southwest portion of the station parking lot (labeled T1 in the above rendering).

As part of the required pre-construction activities, soil testing will take place Tuesday, February 10, through Tuesday, February 17, and will require temporary closures of portions of the BART parking lot. The West Oakland parking lot consists of nearly 440 parking spaces, and no more than 60 parking spaces will be taken offline at a time for soil testing. Given the high demand for parking at West Oakland Station, we encourage those who park there to plan ahead and arrive earlier, consider parking at another BART station, or consider biking or taking transit to the station.

https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2026/news20260203-0

Originally Posted by homebucket

Some updated renderings on this mixed use development. There's also an additional 1600 units of housing across 4 other projects proposed within a block of this site as well.

T1 - Residential with ground floor retail
320 FT |30 Floors
522 units | 125 car parking

T2- 1.7 acres of plaza and open space

T3 - Residential with ground floor retail
80 FT | 7 Floors
240 units

T4 - Office and life sciences building and ground floor retail
156 FT | 10 Floors
300,000 sq ft

https://sfyimby.com/2022/01/detailed-rendering-for-mandela-station-at-west-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

I think the BART press release got it wrong. If they're building the 240 unit affordable building first, then it should be T3, which is the southwest portion of the station parking lot.

The T3 building will be the project’s affordable mixed-income residential structure. The property will rise seven floors to be 80 feet tall and include 240 affordable family units and 16,000 square feet of retail.

https://sfyimby.com/2022/01/detailed-rendering-for-mandela-station-at-west-oakland.html

[unpermitted_variance]

Align (team behind all the Safeway redevelopment proposals) is coming for the Rockridge Trader Joes:



https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/housing-towers-trader-joes-oakland-22199857.php

2 towers, 25 and 31 stories, senior housing. Existing Trader Joe's would not be replaced as part of this proposal, which seems likely to increase the controversy that this would already stir. I do most of my grocery shopping there so I certainly hope they could at least relocate nearby.

[38 Geary]

^ I'm surprised they would not want to rebuild the TJ's on the ground floor, as in most if not all of the similar Safeway proposals. Mixed use developments that feature high density residential on top of grocery stores would seem like no brainers.

[38 Geary]

New thread: OAKLAND | 5727 College Avenue | FT | 31 + 25 FLOORS

[HoltC]

Crane is up. Construction underway on the 11-story, 284-unit affordable mass timber project.

-
Photo: Charles Holt

https://sfyimby.com/2026/04/recent-land-...-at-1523-harrison-street-in-oakland.html

By: Gabriel Clark-Clough

[HoltC]

2125 Telegraph Ave | The Eliza | 8-Story Senior Housing | Uptown Oakland

Construction update 5/26/2026



Photo: Charles Holt

https://sfyimby.com/2024/06/updated-perm...ng-at-2125-telegraph-avenue-oakland.html

[38 Geary]

^ Very nice, thanks for the updates!

[38 Geary]

This one should be underway soon. Should really be 2-4x taller.

The specs for 1470 5th St (Mandela Station T3):
- 6 floors, 75 ft
- 240 units (59 studios, 137 1BR, 34 2BR, 11 3BR)
- 12,850 sq ft for retail
- Parking for 50 cars and 158 bicycles

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/emK52sGH3WntmiUr8

Building Permits Issued For West Oakland BART Affordable Housing



By: Andrew Nelson 5:00 am on September 8, 2026

Building permits have been issued for the six-story affordable housing infill at 1470 5th Street near the West Oakland BART Station in Alameda County. The proposal will replace surface parking with 240 apartments, with work expected to start as early as next Monday, September 14th. Keystone Development Group is responsible for the application on behalf of the joint venture, Mandela Station Affordable LP.

Full build-out for the West Oakland transit-oriented development is expected to produce three structures across four lots, producing 762 apartments, 300,000 square feet of office space, retail, and a public park below the elevated BART Station. The recently issued permits call for the 240-unit affordable housing component on parcel T3.

...

AO is responsible for the design. Previously shared renderings show the podium-style building clad with a collage-like facade, setbacks, and a four-story townhome-like massing overlooking Chester Street. The northern facade overlooking the train station will be a noise barrier wall, providing an opportunity for mural artwork overlooking the platforms.

https://sfyimby.com/2026/09/building-permits-issued-for-west-oakland-bart-affordable-housing.html

[38 Geary]

And the renderings:









https://sfyimby.com/2026/09/building-permits-issued-for-west-oakland-bart-affordable-housing.html