The Concord Planning Commission is scheduled to review plans for an apartment complex at 1650 Ashbury Drive in Concord, Contra Costa County. If approved, Ashbury Apartments could bring 183 apartments to the center of the city, including several affordable units. Maracor Development is the project applicant.
1650 Ashbury Drive updated design overlooking Ashbury, rendering by AO
1650 Ashbury Drive, rendering by AO circa 2022
The property is currently owned by the Church of the Nazarene. The religious center was built in 1983, but damaged by fire in May of 2021. In collaboration with the church, Maracor started pursuing plans to develop the site, initially with a 313-unit affordable rental project. The team rescinded the project in early 2022 due to changes in the state bond structure, according to Maracor.
The current plans first surfaced in mid-2022, using Senate Bill 330 to streamline the approval process. The State Density Bonus allows the developer to increase residential capacity and reduce the parking requirements. Of the 183 apartments, 20 will be designated as affordable to very low-income households. The 88-foot-tall structure will yield approximately 209,011 square feet, with 116,940 square feet for housing and parking for 93 cars and 60 bicycles. There will be 24 studios, 79 one-bedrooms, and 80 two-bedrooms.
1650 Ashbury Drive latest design, rendering by AO
1650 Ashbury Drive podium-top courtyard, rendering by AO circa 2022
Orange County-based AO, formerly known as Architects Orange, is responsible for the design. The application describes the design as an ‘Italiante style’ of architecture broken up into three horizontal sections. The massing will be carved out by two courtyards facing Ashbury Street. Additional articulation will visually break apart the aesthetic facade in accordance with building code guidelines.
Future residents will be ten minutes from the city’s BART Station on foot. The city’s main commercial thoroughfare, dominated by strip malls along Willow Pass, is just seven minutes away on foot, and the historic downtown area surrounding Todos Santos Plaza is just half a mile away.
1650 Ashbury Drive, image via Google Satellite
The meeting is scheduled to start tomorrow, August 21st, starting at 6:30 PM. The event is scheduled to occur in-person at 1950 Parkside Drive. Participation will be restricted to in-person attendants, though the event will be live-streamed on Zoom. For more information about how to attend and participate, visit the city website here.
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Prices please.
Prices please