Preliminary permits have been filed for yet another project that could reshape the Downtown Berkeley skyline. Earlier this week, plans surfaced for a 23-story apartment tower at 2029 University Avenue, making it the fifth or sixth tallest project in the city’s pipeline. Walnut Creek-based Laconia Development is the project developer.
Details about the project remain limited to a single passage published by the city’s planning department. The pre-application invokes Senate Bill 330 to streamline the approval process for the 23-story development, with 240 apartments above a 29-car garage.
The plan includes 36 units of affordable housing, split with half for very low-income households and half for moderate-income households. The project invokes the State Density Bonus to increase residential capacity above base zoning. Additional density may have been achieved through Assembly Bill 1287 by stacking the density bonuses for the two different housing types.
2029 University Avenue, image via Google Street View
Demolition will be required for an existing two-story commercial structure. The square property is located on a busy block bound by Berkeley Way, Milvia Street, Shattuck Avenue, and University Avenue. On the block, the city has seen two major projects open up in the last few years at 2012 Berkeley Way and 2067 University Avenue. At the corner of University and Shattuck, plans are moving for what could become the tallest building in the city, developed by NX Ventures.
If built today, the proposal would be the tallest in the city, which is currently the 186-foot tall Chase Building. Within the city’s pipeline, 2029 University Avenue is expected to be the fifth or sixth tallest project in the pipeline, surpassed by 1998 Shattuck Avenue, 2128 Oxford Street, 2190 Shattuck Avenue, 2200 Bancroft Way, and potentially 2115 Kittredge Street. The overall height for the latter project has yet to be confirmed, but with plans for 23 floors, the development will likely match or exceed the height of 2029 University Avenue.
Elsewhere in the city, Laconia Development has pursued plans for a 219-unit development at 2015 Blake Street.
The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be shared. San Francisco-based Mohammad E. Talai & Kokab S Trust is listed as the property owner. The project team has yet to reply to a request for comment.
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Tremendous credit to Berkeley, as just about the only city that is truly doing enough to increase supply to meet demand.
Oakland carried that title the last decade. But Berkeley is quickly speeding up.
Pro housing. Pro density. Pro people. Berkeley doesn’t stop breaking past anti housing zoning laws. Absolutely amazing. Hope they help pave the way for California to repeal anti housing zoning altogether. You wanna build housing? Go for it.
15 years ago I would never have imagined Berkeley to be doing what they’re doing. Hopefully these projects will pencil at some point and get built. Oakland had it going on, then pandemic and it all went to hell. Hopefully Oakland can come back, it’s a beautiful city.