Preliminary plans have been revealed for a potential mixed-use skyscraper at 5727 College Avenue across from the Rockridge BART Station in Oakland. The 31-story proposal looks to replace a Trader Joe’s grocery store and associated surface parking with a high-rise senior living facility. Align Real Estate is the project applicant, working with the property owner, Albertsons.
5727 College Avenue corner view, rendering by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
The applicant is invoking Assembly Bill 130 CEQA exemption, Senate Bill 35, SB 330, and the State Density Bonus Law to streamline the approval process and increase residential capacity. The proposal utilizes the height waiver to propose two towers rising from the shared podium. The tallest portion would rise 352 feet above College Avenue, while the shorter section would rise 294 feet above Miles Avenue. The whole complex might create 415 dwelling units with three different unit types. This includes 371 independent living apartments, 18 assisted living units, and 26 memory care units.
David Balducci, co-founder of Align Real Estate, said in a press release about the project, “This project is about helping seniors stay in the neighborhoods they call home… By placing senior housing near transit, services, and shops, we’re giving older adults the opportunity to age in place with dignity and independence, while also freeing up family homes for the next generation. In turn, this will reduce pressure on families and the healthcare system while strengthening the long-term vitality of the Rockridge corridor.”
The complex is expected to yield around 782,050 square feet, including 703,700 square feet of housing, 78,340 square feet of parking, and 5,950 square feet for ground-level retail. Plans call for around 75,980 square feet of amenities spread across the podium and towers. The fourth floor would become the community hub, including the main dining room, fitness center, library, swimming pool, and an expansive podium-top terrace.
5727 College Avenue view of the green terracotta framing over the sidewalk, rendering by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
5727 College Avenue seen from Oak Grove Avenue, rendering by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Solomon Cordwell Buenz is responsible for the design. The proposal features two glassy towers with irregular floor plates rising from a podium. The curved high-rise apartments reflecting the sky will contrast with the podium, which will be covered in more visually heavy materials like glazed green terracotta, natural wood, and stone panels.
The ground floor will feature a diversity of street-facing uses to improve the pedestrian experience. Overlooking College Avenue will be the main entrance for residents, a cafe, and a corner cafe. Miles Avenue will feature a landscaped pathway connecting to a secondary lobby and a community auditorium. Five units will include patios and private stoops along Oak Grove Avenue. Vehicular access to the podium garage will be provided along both Miles Avenue and Oak Grove Avenue.
5727 College Avenue evening view from across Miles Avenue, rendering by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
5727 College Avenue podium detail view, rendering by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
This is now the sixth proposal to replace a grocery store as part of a potentially transformative collaboration between Align Real Estate and Albertsons, the parent company of Safeway. However, this is the first project not to include a Safeway, and the only one that wouldn’t replace an active grocery store. Albertsons is the property owner at 5727 College Avenue, but does not operate the Trader Joe’s.
5727 College Avenue vertical cross-section, illustration by Solomon Cordwell Buenz
5727 College Avenue, image via Google Street View outlined approximately by YIMBY
The 1.5-acre site is just a few blocks away from a Safeway at the corner of College Avenue and Claremont Avenue. Demolition of the existing commercial structure would be required, though a timeline has not been provided.
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A little surprised the ground level isn’t proposed to be used as a new grocery store.
Wow, I can’t believe no one ever thought of that!
“As of this week, no closing date for the grocer has been provided, though a person with insight into the project’s development timeline said Trader Joe’s would likely remain open for several years, unless the grocer decides to shutter sooner. Because a nonprofit will be operating the planned retirement community, maintaining a commercial lease with Trader Joe’s would create “complexities,” the individual said.”
Good. 31 storys.
This is the right mindset.
Build it. Right next to transit. Surface parking lots have no business being next to transit. The Trader Joe’s can find another home and housing for an aging population is desperately needed. Please don’t let the NIMBYs downsize this or scuttle it because the site is currently a grocery store.
Plenty of vacant CVS and Walgreens shells to take over these days, at bargain deals.
Unfortunately, RR residents would oppose this even if they kept TJ’s and the buildings were smaller. They are already up in arms about a midrise senior living complex planned for Claremont Ave, and they have delayed the CCA Campus redevelopment by many years. This is already hundreds of homes for thousands of people. Rockridge has other smaller food markets and safeway, and not far from whole foods and another safeway. The residents could build their own TJ’s privately if they diverted a few years of PTA funding and private school donations, honestly.
Hopefully, the housing reforms will streamline reactionary local input out of the process. Time’s up – we’re building density near BART now. The rest of the flatlands are done with wealthy districts’ moral posturing and blatantly opposing any solution to our housing crisis. It’s time they do their part and not expect us to shoulder all the displacement and dysfunction.
We love this for Oakland. Wish they could find a way to retain the ground floor grocery store though.
Haha, @MK, remember when the Rockridge residents were bothered by an 8-story proposal from Ellis Partners?
Bet they come back with something smaller and everyone will breathe easy. This is nice to see. Oakland deserves some nice developments like this. Good for Align and good for the long-term health of the neighborhood and City.
I could totally see a similiar situation to the outer sunset where a massive building is proposed and they slowly downscale it. But RR residents will oppose no matter what plan is proposed. TJ’s is just one understandable excuse in a neighborhood where residents have had no shortage of selfish and racist excuses ever since it was heavily segregated (and funcitonally still is, especially economically).
But I really hope they do build this one, 31 stories would be excellent. I know my aging father would consider moving there for walkability and BART access if it happened.
Senior housing is one thing, but assisted living and memory care in a high rise on that site? I envision an evacuation nightmareduring an emergency. What are they thinking? Oh wait, they’re not! Also, disappointed as another poster mentioned, no grocery store on the ground level. Poorly thought out plan IMHO.