New development permits have been filed for the adaptive reuse project at 111 Fairmount Avenue in Oakland. The site looks to partially demolish the historic church used by the Oakland Peace Center and replace a large portion of the property with new units of affordable housing. The Oakland Peace Center is partnering with The Unity Council for the completion of the project.
The planned project will only demolish the church’s rear building areas and parking lot, choosing to preserve the historic building entry and incorporate it into the new apartment complex. The recessed main building will rise a total of six stories, falling just short of the existing church’s bell tower in height. Earlier plans for the building show a split-level design, allowing the building to naturally follow the slope of the hill.
111 Fairmount Avenue facade elevations, illustration by SmithGroup
The most recent development permits indicate plans for 91 new units on site, reducing the total from a projected 94 units specified in their previous application. The sizes of the units will vary from one to three bedrooms. 100 percent of the units are to be leased as affordable housing. Despite the unit reduction, the building’s total scale requires the developers to rely on the State Density Bonus law to streamline the process.
SmithGroup is responsible for the building’s layout and design. The exterior of both levels will feature some articulation and vertical board siding. Facade materials will include metal, wood-like cement panels, and smooth stucco. The upper building’s exterior color scheme is designed to integrate with the preserved church’s providing a degree of continuity. Meanwhile, the lower portion of the structure will be offset in color, providing depth and contrast.
111 Fairmount Avenue, rendering by SmithGroup
111 Fairmount Avenue aerial view, rendering by SmithGroup
Of the preserved building portion, the First Christian Church was designed by W.H. Weeks and completed in 1928. Plans for the site would retain the Mission Revival-style church facade overlooking Fairmount Avenue, shortening the hall while retaining a dome-capped bell tower. The scheme includes a new colonnade in the front, complementing the historic facade while establishing a cloistered community open space next to the lobby entrance.
The roughly 1.35-acre site is located along Fairmount Avenue within the Oakland Avenue / Harrison Street neighborhood. Future residents will be just a block away from a grocery store along the transit-rich Broadway thoroughfare, and a few blocks from the Northgate Waverly neighborhood. Future tenants’ transportation needs will be met by the inclusion of 40 vehicle parking spaces and 28 bicycle spaces.
111 Fairmount Avenue Current Site, image via Google Street View
111 Fairmount Avenue Site Location, image via ArcGIS Online
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