BERKELEY | Projects: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by JManc

Are they ever going to do anything about People's Park? I walked by there a few months ago and that area is in desperate need of a 20-story building. lol

It's been in a courtroom battle by NIMBYs.

Here is the latest:

UC Berkeley’s contentious People’s Park project gets boost as Newsom signs bill into law
Sarah Ravani
Sep. 8, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a state bill into law that amends California’s environmental law so housing projects no longer need to study the noise generated from future residents — a big win for UC Berkeley in its quest to build at the historic People’s Park.

AB1307, by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, whose district includes Berkeley, could allow the university’s controversial development to move forward. UC Berkeley, which provides housing for only 23% of its students, the lowest rate in the University of California system, has proposed a 148-unit complex for 1,111 students at People’s Park and a separate building with 125 beds.

A state appeals court ruled in February that UC officials did not adequately explore alternative student housing sites and had dismissed legitimate neighborhood concerns about “loud student parties” — dealing a win to neighborhood groups that had sued to block the construction.

...

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, who is running for state Senate, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that “Student noise is not ‘pollution.’

“We are committed to getting student housing and supportive housing at Peoples Park to provide housing security for students and our unhoused neighbors,” Arreguín wrote.

Opponents to the proposed project have said the university should look at other potential sites for housing and instead take care of the park as a historical landmark.

Harvey Smith, the president of the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group, which opposes the project, criticized Newsom’s signing of the bill Thursday and said it is disturbing that the legislation was allowed to move forward with “so little input.”

https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/...g-18355069.php

[tech12]

Speaking of 20 (or 28) story buildings:

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/permits-...-berkeley.html

Permits Filed for 1974 Shattuck Avenue, Downtown Berkeley







A new preliminary application has been filed for the potential tallest building in Downtown Berkeley, Alameda County. The project will bring nearly six hundred homes two blocks from the BART Station at 1974-1998 Shattuck Avenue. NX Ventures is the project developer.

The 317-foot-tall structure will yield around 411,610 square feet, with 394,700 square feet for housing and 16,920 square feet of retail space. Of the 599 apartments, there will be 489 studios and 110 two-bedroom units. Parking will be included for 154 cars and 284 bicycles.

The plan will create 58 affordable housing units for residents earning roughly half of the area’s median income. An additional $11 million will be contributed to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. By including affordable units, the developer is using Senate Bill 330 and the State Density Bonus to increase residential capacity and streamline approval.

Crowning the tower will be a rooftop restaurant and bar. The dining venue will be lined with an open-air terrace with views across the East Bay and to San Francisco.

[homebucket]

^ Good news.

And more on the upzoning here:

Illustrations Show Upzoning Effect On Southside, Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 6, 2023

Last month, the City of Berkeley approved rezoning the Southside neighborhood, opening up the potential for over 2,500 more units to be developed. The updated map has increased the allowed building height across the UC Berkeley-adjacent district and rezoned several blocks to allow the highest possible density. New illustrations from Studio KDA show how this could materialize on each block.

The most immediate change across the neighborhood was to designate eight full or partial blocks as Residential Southside Mixed-Use, or R-SMU zoning. Three blocks along Haste Street between Dana Street and Folton Street were rezoned from R-3 to R-S zoning. The updated rules shift the potential construction height on those three blocks from 35 to 55 feet under base zoning.

The illustrations shared by Studio KDA provide a glimpse of the dramatic visual change for a typical 50 x 135-foot lot. Before the rezoning, R-3 blocks could see a base zoning of three floors, with a density bonus to expand the overall square footage by covering more of the lot. Now, R-3 zoning could rise six floors. On top of that, the new R-S designation means the three blocks limited to three-story apartments could now rise eight stories.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/illustra...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

And some renderings:





https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/illustra...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

The specs for 2655 Shattuck Ave:
- 8 floors, 85 ft
- 95 units (46 studios, 4 1BR, 35 2BR, 10 3BR)
- 10 of the units will be affordable
- 1,870 sq ft for ground-level retail
- Parking for 40 cars and 54 bicycles

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hBsDAMqSespRVdCC6

Plans Revealed For 2655 Shattuck Avenue In South Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:30 AM ON DECEMBER 6, 2023

New plans have been filed for an eight-story mixed-use development at 2655 Shattuck Avenue in South Berkeley, Alameda County. The application is the latest in a series of proposals for the blocks between Berkeley Bowl and Downtown Berkeley. S.H. Kay LLC is listed as the property owner.

Studio KDA is responsible for the design. Floor plans show the development will create a five-story and an eight-story building connected by a narrow hall. Residents will enter the building through a gated courtyard facing Derby Street. The first floor will include a game room, study room, and gardens. The top three floors facing Shattuck Avenue will have ten townhome-style duplexes accessible from a seventh-floor hallway.

The developer has filed a pre-application under Senate Bill 330 to receive a streamlined approval process. Ten units will be designated as affordable to very low-income households to qualify for SB330 and use the State Density Bonus program. As a result, the allowed residential capacity increases from 64 units across four floors to 95 units across eight floors.

The proposed 85-foot tall structure yields 96,300 square feet with 82,710 square feet for housing, 1,870 square feet for ground-level retail, and 8,780 square feet for parking. Unit sizes will vary with 46 studios, four one-bedrooms, 35 two-bedrooms, and ten three-bedrooms. Parking will be included for 54 bicycles and 40 cars.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/plans-re...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Small project, but nice mixed use infill that can/should be replicated in large volumes across the East Bay.

The specs for 2614 Telegraph Ave:
- 4 floors, 50 ft
- 19 units
- ? sq ft for ground-level retail

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RB4cBf4VuoSPNgXH6

Preliminary Application Filed For 2614 Telegraph Avenue In Berkeley



BY: YIMBY TEAM 4:30 AM ON DECEMBER 8, 2023

A preliminary application has been filed seeking the approval of a mixed-use project at 2614 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. The project proposal includes the development of a four-story mixed-use building offering residential and retail spaces. Plans call for the demolition of a commercial building on the site.

Avenue T Property LLC is listed as the owner. Gunkel Architecture is responsible for the designs.

The property site is a parcel spanning an area of 0.22 acres. The building on the site is a two-story student housing building built in 1918. The mixed-use is proposed to offer three stories of residential use along with commercial and retail spaces on the ground floor. The building will provide housing for students. A total of 19 units will be designed and the units will be without density bonus. The building façade will rise to a height of 50 feet.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

And the renderings:









https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

The specs for 2109 Virginia St:
- 7 floors, ? ft
- 132 units
- 1,750 sq ft for ground-level retail
- Parking for 93 cars

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9KCxUQ2XY9RhEHxt5

New Plans Surface For 2109 Virginia Street In North Berkeley

BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 14, 2023

New plans have been filed for a seven-story apartment complex at 2109 Virginia Street in North Berkeley, Alameda County. The proposal will replace the existing commercial structure with 132 homes. AKR Property Management is the property owner.

Limited information has been published about the project so far. The pre-application describes the proposal as a seven-story mixed-use complex with 84,800 square feet of housing, 1,750 square feet of retail, and parking for 93 cars. Demolition will be required for the existing building, an attractive but non-landmarked two-story commercial building wrapped with a timber frame and stucco exterior along the second floor.

Trachtenberg Architects is the project applicant. The Berkeley-based firm has been responsible for many of the most significant proposals across the city, including two of the three tallest towers expected to rise at 1974 Shattuck Avenue and 2190 Shattuck Avenue in Downtown Berkeley.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-plan...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by homebucket

The specs for 2100 Milvia St:
- 8 floors, 95 ft
- 201 units (105 studios, 96 2BR)
- 13 of the units will be affordable
- 4,000 sq ft for retail
- Parking for 9 cars and 86 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/2HfdBrbmkRwhS5as9

https://sfyimby.com/2023/08/new-rend...-berkeley.html

An update on this one.

New Permits Activity For 2100 Milvia Street, Downtown Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:30 AM ON DECEMBER 14, 2023

The Design Review and Zoning permits have been filed for the proposed eight-story apartment complex at 2100 Milvia Street in Downtown Berkeley, Alameda County. The proposal aims to replace the existing three-story commercial building with 201 homes and retail in the city’s heart. 4Terra Investments is the project applicant.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-perm...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by homebucket

The specs:
- 14 floors, 150 ft
- 105 units (105 studios)
- 11 of the units will be affordable
- 830 sq ft for retail
- Parking for 0 cars and 42 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/i9okyzukWPu8BgCT7

https://sfyimby.com/2023/07/14-story...-berkeley.html

An update on this one with new renderings. Specs are the same.

New Renderings & Permit Activity For 2109 Milvia Street In Downtown Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 15, 2023

New renderings have been published alongside the pre-application filing for 2109 Milvia Street in Downtown Berkeley, Alameda County. The 14-story infill will bring 105 new studios close to BART and the UC Berkeley campus. NX Ventures is responsible for the application.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-rend...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

And the renderings:









https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-rend...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by homebucket

The specs:
- 89 ft, 8 floors
- 155 units (147 studios, 7 1BR)
- 16 of the units will be affordable
- 1,600 sq ft for ground level retail
- Parking for 0 cars and 60 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/oBaX3ucfbhk4rA9z9

https://sfyimby.com/2023/05/renderin...-berkeley.html

An update on this one with updated specs.

The specs for 2733 San Pablo Ave:
- 89 ft, 8 floors
- 152 units
- 16 of the units will be affordable
- 1,540 sq ft for ground level retail
- Parking for 0 cars and 60 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/oBaX3ucfbhk4rA9z9

Preliminary Application For 2733 San Pablo Avenue In Southwest Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 16, 2023

The SB-330 pre-application has been submitted for an eight-story apartment complex at 2733 San Pablo Avenue in Southwest Berkeley, Alameda County. The filing is one of several preliminary proposals filed across Berkeley that could build over eighteen hundred homes. A Martinez-based family trust is listed as the property owner.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

And another one on the way for San Pablo Ave.

The specs for 2601 San Pablo Ave:
- 89 ft, 8 floors
- 223 units
- ~24 of the units will be affordable
- 1,960 sq ft for ground level retail

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NVtEJcVohMHhko1J8

Preliminary Permits Filed For 2601 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 18, 2023

NX Ventures has submitted the preliminary application for an eight-story infill at 2601 San Pablo Avenue in Southwest Berkeley, Alameda County. The developer plans to use Senate Bill 330 to expedite the approval process and use the State Density Bonus to increase the residential capacity to over two hundred homes. Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design.

The 89-foot tall structure will create 123,940 square feet, with 121,990 square feet for housing and 1960 square feet for retail. Updated plans state the project will contain 223 units, down from previous plans for 242 apartments with studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, and a six-bedroom apartment. Parking will be included for cars and bicycles. Approximately two dozen homes will be designated as affordable.

Illustrations show a familiar contemporary infill design by the Berkeley-based architecture firm, including their shift from rust-tone to light-grey insulated metal panels. Facade materials will include insulated metal panels, thermowood or wood impression tiles, and a large mural at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and Parker Street to be painted on metal.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by homebucket

This one is an interesting floor plan, with the high numbers of rooms per unit. Probably aimed towards students and young professionals living together, more so than large families.

The specs:
- 89 ft, 8 floors
- 48 units (28 4BR, 13 5BR, 7 6BR)
- 5 of the units will be affordable
- 2,810 sq ft for ground level live/work units
- Parking for 0 cars and 175 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/S5n2FkUkuC7ZeYzt9

https://sfyimby.com/2023/05/renderin...-berkeley.html

An update on this one with new renderings.

The updated specs:
- 8 floors, 84 ft
- 52 units (4 studios, 30 4BR, 13 5BR, 5 6BR)
- 6 of the units will be affordable
- 2,900 sq ft for ground level live/work units
- Parking for 0 cars and 79 bicycles

The site:
https://goo.gl/maps/S5n2FkUkuC7ZeYzt9

New Renderings For 2587 Telegraph Avenue In Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:30 AM ON DECEMBER 19, 2023

New renderings have been published for the eight-story apartment infill at 2587 Telegraph Avenue in Southside, Berkeley. The illustrations provide lifelike views of the mid-rise apartments that may replace a low-slung commercial structure along the busy Telegraph Avenue thoroughfare with over two hundred bedrooms. Gilbane Development Company is the project developer.

...


Residential amenities include lounges, ground-level open space, study rooms, fitness centers, and two rooftop decks. The decks will be distinguished by the direction they look. An east-facing ‘sunrise’ deck will be designed for quieter activities, while the west-facing ‘sunset’ deck will encourage more active socializing and entertainment. The project will not include any public art on-site. Instead, the developer will pay an in-lieu fee of roughly $139,000 to contribute to the city-wide art fund.

...

KTGY is the project architect. Facade materials include metal panels, masonry veneer, plaster, and oversized windows. The following passage was published by the architecture firm describing the building: The front façade design is comprised of four projecting bays with private balconies in the recessed carve-outs. The ground floor entry is also carved out to create a defined entryway, set back from the public right of way, to accentuate the residential and commercial entrances to the building…The alternating pattern of projecting bays and recessed balconies adds visual interest to the building and significantly breaks up the massing with this volumetric articulation.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-rend...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

And the renderings:









https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/new-rend...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

The specs for 1899 Oxford St:
- 7 floors
- 168 units
- 3,420 sq ft for retail

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YJmzwpxcUURjqj8Z8

Preliminary Permit For 1899 Oxford Street In North Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON DECEMBER 22, 2023

Project plans have been published for a seven-story infill at 1899 Oxford Street in North Berkeley, Alameda County. The project will create over a hundred homes on the northwest corner of the UC Berkeley Campus and ten minutes on foot from Downtown Berkeley BART. Berkland Foundation is listed as the property owner.

The previous plans had 120 units across eight floors, including 15 affordable apartments. While the developer is now seeking a shorter seven-story build, the residential capacity has increased to 168 units. The structure will yield around 68,290 square feet, including 3,420 square feet for a new commercial space. The application hopes to use the density bonus, associated waivers, and concessions.

Like many urban infills populating Berkeley’s development pipeline, Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design. Illustrations for the previous plan show a boxed urban infill clad with bare white panels, framed windows, and a mural over Hearst Avenue. The ground level will have curtain-wall retail glass and dark grey metal panels.

https://sfyimby.com/2023/12/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

The specs for 2720 San Pablo Ave:
- 7 floors, 78 ft
- 96 units (96 studios)
- 10 of the units will be affordable
- 1,240 sq ft for retail
- Parking for 0 cars and 46 bicycles

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XDCNenz15zdzTaA68

Updated Permits Filed For 2720 San Pablo Avenue, Southwest Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON JANUARY 3, 2024

Updated preliminary permits have been filed for 2720 San Pablo Avenue in Southwest Berkeley. The new plans have increased the unit count while shrinking the building height from eight to seven stories. NX Ventures is responsible for the application.

...

Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design. The exterior will be clad with white and dark grey metal panels, as well as decorative screens. A projecting cornice will cap the building.

NX Ventures is pursuing nine separate projects across Berkeley, including the potential tallest building in the city at 1974 Shattuck Avenue. The increased capacity for 2720 San Pablo Avenue means the firm could now build 1,880 units.

The 0.22-acre property is at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and Pardee Street, positioned between a single-family housing neighborhood and an industrial neighborhood with retail and apartments. Residents will be close to the Ashby Plaza retail center and three blocks from San Pablo Park.

The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be established.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/01/updated-...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

The specs for 1581 University Ave:
- 8 floors, 89 ft
- 156 units (123 studios, 13 1BR, 20 2BR)
- 16 of the units will be affordable
- 5,300 sq ft for retail
- Parking for 30 cars and 67 bicycles

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/joyLJfGEGvLvGRsP9

Preliminary Application For 1581 University Avenue In Central Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON JANUARY 4, 2024

Preliminary plans have been filed for a new eight-story mixed-use infill at 1581 University Avenue in Central Berkeley, Alameda County. The project will replace two commercial buildings and a surface parking lot with over a hundred homes and retail. Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design. Illustrations show the structure divided by three double-height open-air lounges. The rear of the building will have three setbacks to provide more light and air for the rear yard and neighboring single-story homes.

...

The 0.6-acre parcel is located by the Sacramento Street and University Avenue intersection, two blocks from Ohlone Park and just eight minutes from the North Berkeley BART Station. Demolition will be required for two commercial structures occupied by the Three Stone Hearth grocery store and the Himalayan Flavors restaurant.

Trachtenberg Architects is filing the application on behalf of the property owners, the Hon Family Trust. The trust is being administered by trustees Gary Thon-Lon Hon and Nichole Ying Lin Hon. The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be established.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/01/prelimin...-berkeley.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by JManc

Are they ever going to do anything about People's Park? I walked by there a few months ago and that area is in desperate need of a 20-story building. lol

An update:

Police converge on People’s Park at UC Berkeley in attempt to wall off for construction
Construction of a student-housing complex at the site is delayed until the California Supreme Court rules on an appeal

By KATIE LAUER | klauer@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group and AUSTIN TURNER | aturner@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: January 4, 2024 at 8:14 a.m. | UPDATED: January 4, 2024 at 9:16 a.m.

BERKELEY — An overnight move by UC Berkeley to wall off historic People’s Park in preparation for a long-term construction project was met with a heated swarm of protesters early Thursday morning, beginning another chapter in a saga of litigation.

Shortly after midnight, hundreds of law enforcement officials outfitted in riot gear were deployed by the university, California Highway Patrol and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to start pushing out activists occupying the 2.8-acre park. Dozens of double-stacked cargo shipping containers were used to barricade the streets surrounding the park, clearing the way for UC Berkeley’s latest attempt to advance its controversial student housing project slated for the historic open space known for unofficially serving as an outdoor home for an unhoused population.

Activists occupied the park Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, after they were tipped off to the university’s plans. Protesters sat atop the single-story building in the middle of the park known as the “kitchen” and chanted at police and officials.

At least six people were arrested for trespassing or refusing to follow dispersal orders, and some were taken to Santa Rita Jail, according to university officials and community members Thursday morning.

...

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ said this decision was necessary because “some of the project’s opponents previously resorted to violence and vandalism,” according to a statement issued around 2 a.m. Thursday. She cited support for the $312 million project–which promises to house 1,100 students and roughly 100 currently homeless people who regularly camp at People’s Park, as well as maintain 60% of the property as open space–from students, community members, unhoused advocates and elected officials in Berkeley, as well as state legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

https://www.siliconvalley.com/2024/0...t-uc-berkeley/

[homebucket]

Another one from Trachtenberg. Hopefully Bear Basics can move back into that retail space after construction is finished.

The specs for 2350-2360 Telegraph Ave:
- 8 floors, ? ft
- 48 units
- 2 of the units will be affordable
- 17,110 sq ft for retail

The site:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wY3o4KEKm6rph2TS6

Renderings Published For 2350-2360 Telegraph Avenue In Southside, Berkeley



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:00 AM ON JANUARY 8, 2024

A new rendering has been published for an eight-story mixed-use infill at 2350 and 2360 Telegraph Avenue in Southside, Berkeley. The plans would replace the three-story Bear Basics clothing store and a single-story retail store with 48 apartments. Kick-Axe Properties is responsible for the application.

The eight-story infill will create 77,640 square feet, including 17,110 square feet of commercial area. Of the 48 apartments, two will be designated as affordable to very low-income households.

Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design. The rendering shared by the San Francisco Business Times shows a single-story bare concrete podium capped by a stepped apartment block rising from six floors along Telegraph to eight stories tall along the rear. Prominent angled balconies will wrap around each floor, with the illustration showing the balconies and rooftop decks furnished with greenery. The rendering shows the building capped by a gabled roof.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/01/renderin...-berkeley.html