Construction crews are moving fast for the future 11-story affordable housing complex at 1523 Harrison Street in Downtown Oakland, Alameda County. The foundation was finished in June, with steel and concrete already going vertical. Local developer oWow and San Diego-based Community HousingWorks have formed a joint venture for the development.
1523 Harrison Street, rendering by oWow
1523 Harrison Street foundation complete, image by Andrew Campbell Nelson
Crews are currently working on the concrete and steel podium that will house the two-story garage. The nine subsequent residential levels will be built with mass timber. Speaking with YIMBY, Danny Haber, CEO and co-founder of oWow, emphasized that modular construction has enabled the project to be built at a far lower cost than traditional construction, with the developer currently estimating construction costs at about $245 per square foot once complete.
Once topped out, the 107-foot-tall structure is expected to yield around 195,400 square feet, including 164,800 square feet of housing and 30,500 square feet for the garage. The complex will contain 284 units, offering 61 for very-low-income households and 220 for low-income households. The remaining three apartments will be for on-site property managers. Parking will be provided for 105 cars and 86 bicycles. Unit sizes will include 63 efficiency units, 203 one-bedroom units, and 18 two-bedroom units.
1523 Harrison Street construction update, image by Andrew Campbell Nelson
1523 Harrison Street outdated 10-story iteration, rendering by oWow
oWow is also responsible for the design, with civil engineering by CaliChi. Illustrations show a similar aesthetic approach to the firm’s recently opened nextdoor project, 1510 Webster Street, including facade articulation and a flat roof. The exterior will be clad in white-and-blue laminate rainscreen panels.
The property is bound by Harrison Street, Webster Street, 15th Street, and 17th Street. Future residents will be just a six-minute walk from the 19th Street BART Station and a couple of minutes away from Lake Merritt.
1523 Harrison Street foundation, image by Andrew Campbell Nelson
Crews are expecting to top out the structure as early as September, with completion by December 2027.
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$245 per sq ft is amazing