For the last twelve days of 2025, SFYIMBY will continue our tradition of reflecting on the biggest stories we’ve covered each month across the region. October started with a controversial story we broke about developing the only commercial retail with housing on Bay Farm Island, Alameda. We then covered ribbon cutting events for affordable housing projects in Civic Center, Mission Bay, Potrero Hill, and West Oakland. In Berkeley, we documented demolition progress at 2140 University Avenue and 2300 Ellsworth Street, and lastly, plans for a new office tower in San Francisco were approved.
Preliminary Permits For Redevelopment of Harbor Bay Landing, Alameda
Harbor Bay Landing apartments, rendering by Woodley Architectural Group Inc
October 1st: Preliminary permits have been filed to replace the Harbor Bay Landing shopping center with over three hundred units at 867 Island Drive in Alameda, Alameda County. The project will remove the only shopping center in the city’s neighborhood on Bay Farm Island. The True Life Companies is the project applicant and developer.
Ribbon Cutting Held For Affordable Units at 400 China Basin Street in San Francisco
400 China Basin Street, image via China Basin
October 2nd: Last week, the new affordable development at 400 China Basin Street held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its completion. Construction had started for the eight-story multiunit complex in 2023, but delays pushed its opening date back from initial projections.
Renderings Revealed For 6801 Elvas Avenue, Sacramento
6801 Elvas Avenue aerial view, rendering by Architects Local
October 6th: New renderings have been revealed for a six-story student housing project at 6801 Elvas Avenue in East Sacramento. The project will create nearly six hundred beds across 165 units, offering housing close to the CSU Sacramento campus. Ibex Ventures is the project sponsor.
Demolition Underway For 2300 Ellsworth Street in Southside, Berkeley
2300 Ellsworth Street construction progress, image by author
October 9th: Demolition work is underway ahead of a seven-story apartment complex at 2300 Ellsworth Street in Southside, Berkeley. The project crews have retained two historic facades overlooking Bancroft Way, with most of the property now cleared for construction. Riaz Capital is the project developer.
Meeting Tomorrow For 23-Story Tower at 2029 University Avenue, Downtown Berkeley
2029 University Avenue student housing iteration, illustration by SDT Architects
October 15th: The Berkeley Design Review Committee is scheduled to review plans for a potential 23-story tower at 2029 University Avenue in Downtown Berkeley, Alameda County. The project developer, Laconia Development, has filed two similarly-sized variants for multi-family or student housing.
Reduced Plans For Senior Housing at 375 Laguna Honda Boulevard, San Francisco
375 Laguna Honda Boulevard, rendering by Herman Coliver Locus Architecture
October 16th: Updated plans have been filed for an affordable senior housing project at 375 Laguna Honda Boulevard in San Francisco. The latest application moves away from initial plans for a circular complex to a more typical podium complex and reduces the overall capacity from over two hundred units to 159 units. Mercy Housing is the project developer.
Grand Opening For Prescott Station at 2121 Wood Street, West Oakland
Prescott Station grand opening ribbon cutting with Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife and County Alameda Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, image by author
October 17th: New affordable housing has officially opened at 2121 Wood Street in West Oakland, Alameda County. The project team and local politicians gathered for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event at Prescott Station, a six-story apartment complex with over two hundred units and commercial retail space overlooking the Oakland Ballers ballpark. Turner Impact Capital was the project developer.
Grand Opening For The Kelsey Civic Center at 240 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
The Kelsey Civic Center ribbon cutting view, image courtesy the project team
October 22nd: The project team gathered late last week for the ceremonial grand opening of The Kelsey Civic Center at 240 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Doors are now open for the 112 units of affordable housing above a Disability Cultural Center. The development is a joint venture between Mercy Housing and The Kelsey.
University Hall Demolished For UC Berkeley Innovation Zone, Downtown Berkeley
2140 University Avenue construction progress, image by author
October 23rd: Crews have completed demolition of University Hall and its annex building at 2140 University Avenue in Downtown Berkeley, Alameda County. Our recent site visit shows the parcel is currently graded in preparation for the first of two phases to rise for the UC Berkeley Innovation Zone development, the six-story Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials.
Sophie Maxwell Affordable Housing Opens in Potrero Power Station, San Francisco
Sophie Maxwell Building with Station A visible in the background, image by Henrik Kam courtesy Dogpatch Power Station
October 24th: The grand opening ceremony has been held for Sophie Maxwell Building, a corten steel-clad eight-story affordable housing complex at 1212 Maryland Street in Potrero Power Station, San Francisco. Fifth Space, formerly Associate Capital, is responsible for the Potrero Power Station redevelopment. The first residents are expected to move in at the start of November.
41-Story Office Tower Approved For 530 Sansome Street, San Francisco
530 Sansome Street aerial view, rendering by SOM
October 28th: The city’s Board of Supervisors has granted approval for the proposed 41-story mixed-use tower and associated fire station at 447 Battery Street and 530 Sansome Street in San Francisco’s Financial District. The project is a public-private partnership between the city and Related California with plans for office space, hotel rooms, and a replacement for S.F. Fire Station No. 13.
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