A recent Zoning Worksheet application has been filed and subsequently withdrawn for 2040 Telegraph Avenue in Downtown Oakland. Both applications are mixed-use buildings with housing, either for a 27-story tower with lab space or a 43-story high-rise with offices and a theater. The project is on the same block as the city-owned and landmarked Paramount Theater.
The first option for 2040 Telegraph Avenue is a 27-story tower with biotech laboratories and housing. Lab spaces often require generous ceiling heights, so this iteration may not be significantly shorter than the office option. The second option considers a 43-story tower that includes housing, offices, and a prospective theater.
2040 Telegraph Avenue, image by Google Street View
The application was filed by David Gill of David Gill Architects. The Oakland-based firm was established in 2000, though its public portfolio does not shed much light on a potential design of the tower. The portfolio includes interiors and small houses, while the largest project is an unbuilt three-unit complex in the Mission District. Gill describes the firm’s approach to design as prioritizing “a simpler and more present experience, a less complicated architecture, brings wellness. Light and shadow, materiality and quietude, bring understanding.” It is possible that Gill will be the interior architect for 2040 Telegraph Avenue in collaboration with a design architect.
City staff have shared with YIMBY that in the worksheet withdrawal, Gill wrote that “the owner would prefer to withdraw. We’ll start a new application when we’ve resolved the changes they want to make. Thanks for understanding.”
The vacant property had been home to the Lost and Found beer garden from 2014 to 2020. Along with the adjacent Paramount Theater, the prospective tower will be next door to Forma, a 24-story apartment tower developed by Holland Partner Group. For transit, the 19th Street BART Station is one block away. While the application appears fanciful now, given the extremely limited information from the owner and architecture firm, the location is right for high-density construction.
2040 Telegraph Avenue, image by Google Satellite
As of the time of publication, Gill has yet to respond to a request for comment. The Berkeley-based property owner of 2040 Telegraph Avenue, T21 M1 LLC, purchased the property from Trilateral LLC in 2019 for $8 million.
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oakland needs 100 more of these! build up not out!
Doesn’t sound like the developer has the experience to do this. Hopefully, he partners with people who can get this done.
That plot is just begging for a highrise.
Berkeley and Oakland have a golden opportunity to draw urban density away from SF due to SF’s self-inflicted failures. Make it happen.
San Francisco needs highrises just as much as Berkeley and Oakland if not more. So their situations aren’t much different and these Bay Area cities should build together instead of making it a competition
City governance in SF has collapsed to such an extent that SF has become infamous at an international level.
Yes, all three should build more, but a lot of people with options are opting to move out of SF in droves.
Except Oakland is even more of a hot mess than SF
Another totally devoid of character and flat out ugly building. I really want to support a new housing opportunity, but the lack of outdoor space (i.e. private balconies) and true architectural DESIGN leave me unsupportive. We deserve and should DEMAND better. Many great architects have built here and with beautiful results. Why obscure our beautiful views with borg cubes?
Why in the hell would we want to beat SF on “urban density”, which is nothing more than a non local money grubbing developers scam? Rents are dropping because vacancy rates are high. What does that tell you?
How about a solid 5-7 story residential building with a nod to the Paramount Theater and a high-rise for the lot across the street? I think Lane Partners had proposed a tower there.
There are so many huge empty lots on that section of Telegraph it seems like a poor development choice to build right next to another tower and block everyones views in both buildings. I would think that some of those empty lots could be purchased at a reasonable price given the number available and the lack of much short to medium term prospects for development on this scale.
Agreed
To the sfyimby.com administrator, Your posts are always informative and well-explained.