New renderings have been shared with YIMBY for the proposed eight-story residential infill at 2298 Durant Avenue in Southside, Berkeley. Zoning permits were filed yesterday morning for the project, which plans to bring several dozen homes to a corner lot by UC Berkeley. Valiance Capital is responsible for the application.
2298 Durant Avenue northeast view, rendering by Studio KDA
2298 Durant Avenue east view, rendering by Studio KDA
The 91-foot-tall structure will yield around 79,500 square feet for 65 units. The team will dedicate five units that are affordable to very low-income households so that they can benefit from the State Density Bonus program. The complex will require the merger of two lots along Ellsworth.
Studio KDA is responsible for the design. New renderings shared with YIMBY show a dark grey corner building with a ground-level courtyard facing Ellsworth Street. The brick-clad structure will feature minimalist decorative gold-colored metalwork rising from the Durant Avenue sidewalk to the parapet.
2298 Durant Avenue, rendering by Studio KDA
2298 Durant Avenue western facade, rendering by Studio KDA
2298 Durant Avenue east facade elevation, rendering by Studio KDA
The small corner lot is located along Durant Avenue and Ellsworth Street, a block from Bancroft Way and the UC Berkeley Campus. Future residents will be half a mile from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station and two blocks away from the popular Telegraph Avenue commercial thoroughfare.
2298 Durant Avenue, image via Google Street View
Valiance shared the following comment with YIMBY: “Valiance is committed to building the best student-oriented housing communities and living experiences in the southside district, where all the major university dormitories, Greek life, and most vibrant retail are located – and one block away from the #1 Public University in the nation.”
The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be shared.
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Just as another ‘Darth Vader’ building is proposed, I get an email update on how Google is providing a “heat resilience tool” – so – what’s with the lets make our buildings as dark and heat absorbing as possible?
Is this an architect driven color selecttion? If so – poor choice – or, better yet – unclear on concept
The fact that two-story housing is being demolished for 8-story is proof that Berkeley truly has the correct vision.
And – ever notice how buildings in the sun-drenched Mediterranean are predominantly
all white. I wonder why? Well, it could be the traditional whitewash – which actually isn’t a bad choice given the lack of air conditioning people there haven’t had for the last 2000 or so years and learned to live with keeping their homes cooler in hot summers. Haven’t noticed many dark all black buildings there.
Should have been twenty story tall, Berkeley needs to stop talking about diversity and provide affordable or free housing for people of color, LBGTQ++, homeless and newly arrived immigrant.
Another dark, brooding, depressing building. Is this a trend? I am sure this building will fit right in.
A lighter more varied form might make it more neighborly. The somber gray brown color might be a gesture to Berkeley’s brown shingle heritage (?). Eight stories seems to be the compromise height for many new private residential buildings near campus. Six stories, lowish, eight-plus stories — NIMBY alert.