The City of Berkeley has approved plans for a six-story residential building at 2136 San Pablo Avenue in Southwest Berkeley, Alameda County. The project could bring over a hundred homes to a low-rise crop of structures next to George Florence Park. Irvine-based Allrise Capital is the property owner and applicant.
The 70-foot tall structure will yield around 93,280 square feet, including 79,600 square feet for housing, 2,500 square feet for ground-level commercial space, and 740 square feet for mechanical uses. The garage floor area is not specified. Parking will be included for 50 cars and 72 bicycles.
2136 San Pablo Avenue street view, rendering by Trachtenberg Architects
The development will provide various unit types, including three special live/work units, five ground-level loft apartments, 41 studios, 71 one-bedrooms, and five two-bedrooms. Ten apartments will be deed-restricted as affordable to very low-income households. Including below-market-rate housing has allowed the developer to get waivers related to project height and density.
Trachtenberg Architects is responsible for the design. Illustrations show the design takes great care with its relationship to George Florence Park, a small neighborhood open space surrounded by single-family homes. The western exposure will be stepped, with gable roofing and stoops contributing to domestic styling. In contrast, the structure will make the most of its mid-rise height overlooking San Pablo Avenue.
2136 San Pablo Avenue aerial view, rendering by Trachtenberg Architects
Facade materials include cast-in-place concrete, corrugated metal, smooth metal siding, and stucco. Thomas Baak and Associates will oversee the landscape architecture. The firm will oversee several tree planters and the stoops at ground level, as well as a shared podium-level courtyard.
Allrise Capital is an Irvine-based investment fund involved in real estate, venture capital, cryptocurrency, and UK-based EMOV Group oil and gas company assets. The firm purchased a portfolio of several projects across Berkeley and San Francisco in late 2020, including at 598 Bryant Street and 650 Harrison Street in SoMa. The company has since partnered with N17 to reveal high-rise plans for both sites that use state laws to maximize density.
2136 San Pablo Avenue lobby entry, rendering by Trachtenberg Architects
2136 San Pablo Avenue, image by Google Street View
The property is expected to rise next to 2198 San Pablo Avenue, a fully entitled seven-story proposal owned by Allrise and designed by Trachtenberg.
The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be established.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Woohoo!