Revised plans have been filed for Brooklyn Basin Parcel E in Oakland, Alameda County. The updated application looks to reduce the overall capacity of the future seven-story senior housing complex from 191 to 175 units. Signature Development Group is responsible for the application, and Spokane-based SRM Development is listed as the project developer.
Brooklyn Basin Parcel E lobby view, rendering by Urbal Architecture
Brooklyn Basin Parcel E podium-top amenity space, rendering by Urbal Architecture
The roughly 85-foot-tall structure is now expected to yield around 216,000 square feet, including roughly 130,200 square feet for housing, 31,000 square feet of shared amenities, and 14,010 square feet for parking, utilizing stackers for a space-efficient 108-car garage. Resident sizes will vary with 23 memory-care units, 27 studios, 87 one-bedrooms, and 38 two-bedrooms.
Urbal Architecture is responsible for the design. The updated illustrations show that the overall design has been tweaked, but the aesthetic remains very similar. The podium-style apartment complex will feature an L-shaped residential level above a triangular parcel. The two-story podium will add several units with stoops overlooking Shoreline Park.
Previous design for Brooklyn Basin Parcel E, rendering by Urbal Architecture
Brooklyn Basin masterplan, with Parcel E just south of Parcel E, illustration via Brooklyn Basin development team
The 1.2-acre property is at the southwestern edge of the master plan along 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue. The Brooklyn Basin master plan is about 15 minutes from the Lake Merritt BART Station on foot for regional transit, with AC Transit bus stops along the Embarcadero.
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Brooklyn Basin should have been taller so it could have reached a critical mass of a real community to support it’s own grocery store and other basic amenities since it’s such a geographic island. Per an AI search, it’s expected population is 6,000–9,000 when fully built out. I would have gone for closer to 15K with a Vancouver-style supertower complex.
100%.
They could have staggered a series of 1K unit towers closer to the freeway, with some ground floor retail strategically among 2-3 of the buildings to create a central square and destination, and then had a massive park space closer to the water for recreation. Would have been awesome.
Agree, it’s too bad the developer hasn’t built any of the approved high-rises. I guess they just don’t pencil out relative to cheaper wood over concrete podium construction.
Yea I think this development has fallen victim to the same forces at play all over the Bay Area, super high costs and (more specifically to Oakland) falling rents for new units. Probably just can’t make high rises pencil out. Wish we could crack that code, Oakland is doing a lot to streamline permitting but seems like there is a lot more we could do to lower costs for projects like this.
Totally agree. Seven-story heights throughout create monotony.
Staggering the buildings makes sense, but going taller isn’t the answer. What matters more is creating a balanced, multi-community neighborhood rather than concentrating a single demographic in one project. A monoculture—especially in a location like this—won’t generate the level of activity, energy, or economic vitality the area needs.
Brooklyn Basin already has a lot going for it. With thoughtful design, mixed tenancy, and consistent activation, it can become a lively, inclusive waterfront neighborhood—not just more buildings or a single-use development.
Don’t settle so easily!
~d