Foundation work is underway for the first phase of the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station transit-oriented development in El Cerrito, Contra Costa County. Crews are currently working on the six-story affordable housing complex at 515 Richmond Street, designed by PYATOK. The master plan is a joint venture with Holliday Development, Related California, and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates.
515 Richmond Street, image by author
El Cerrito Plaza site map
The six-story structure is expected to yield around 88,450 square feet, including 59,800 square feet of housing, 5,300 square feet of amenities, and 12,400 square feet for the ground-floor garage. Apartment sizes will vary with 30 one-bedrooms, 20 two-bedrooms, and 20 three-bedrooms. Parking will be included for 35 cars and 106 bicycles.
Full build-out of the El Cerrito BART Plaza TOD is expected to include 743 apartments across six structures as well as a new public library and a 145-car public garage for BART riders. Approximately half of the units will be deed-restricted as affordable. Residential parking will be included for roughly 260 cars and 1,100 bicycles.
El Cerrito Plaza Parcel A South, rendering via BART Board of Directors project presentation
El Cerrito Plaza site and area context map
PYATOK is responsible for the design. Illustrations show the complex wrapped with horizontal board siding, concrete, and stucco cladding.
The building is rising on a small parcel at the corner of Richmond Street, Central Avenue, and the Ohlone Greenway. The site is across from the BART Station and two blocks from the grocery-store-anchored El Cerrito Plaza shopping center.
Construction is expected to finish in late 2027.
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These BART projects are fantastic. Such a universal win for all parties. In other news, pretty grim situation that “downtown El Cerrito” is a shopping plaza / parking lot. Next up: build a ton of buildings over that parking lot and make it a somewhat more palatable walking zone a la Santana Row.
El Cerrito’s downtown is more reflective of San Pablo Ave. That parking lot is certainly busy, but I spend most of my time at the businesses along the strip.
But overall, this area is nothing but car-centricity. So many parking lots, so many auto shops, several gas stations, and way too many drive-thrus. There’s even some road diets potentially.
It’s a shame that local planners back in the day didn’t create a proper retail corridor for El Cerrito a la Solano Ave in Albany. Another example: Danville has it, San Ramon doesn’t. San Pablo is a major thoroughfare and not ideal for walkable retail. El Cerrito’s best bet at this point is to take El Cerrito Plaza and attempt to make it a central square type gathering place, with mixed use…perhaps with a park, an outdoor amphitheatre…anything…