Oakland: 42-story condo

[oaktown]

I think this is a great development for Oakland, however I am a bit skeptical of it's proximity to Lake Merritt. I would have to agree somewhat with Nancy Nadel on having this development moved closer to Broadway.

Here's the latest from the Chron.:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...sn=001&sc=1000

[Frisco_Zig]

Why are you skeptical? Is it because the physical location or the the backlash potential?

How far is this from the Bart station? Also I always though Lake Merrit has a number of older luxury high rises. Is the issue simply the height? It also seems to have something to do with some donated space that some want 100% for public use

Seems like an interesting project though I can't say I know Oakland well enough to really comment myself

I did see on the news last night the same old anti growth, class-warfare types who were not very coherent with their arguments against though this could just be the news picking weirdos

[oaktown]

The question is really two fold. Scale and proximity to the lake. The project would be double the height of any of the surrounding buildings. The second would be having a building of that size so close to the lake that it would create a canyon effect and take away from the parkland and create too much shadow.

Now, that being said, I had a look at the site the other day and it does look far enough away from the lake and the plan calls for park and street improvements. I like it and hope it moves forward.

[Frisco_Zig]

Interesting

I recall another proposal in Oakland for the tallest commercial building that seemed to die out

these come and they go it seems

[Reminiscence]

Seems to me the biggest problem here is the actual location of the tower, on a somewhat historic park. Even though Oakland has a history of passing on skyscraper proposals, I dont think this tower would face as much oposition had it been proposed at another location.

[dimondpark]

I think this one has teeth if they can move it away from the lake. There's a lot of development going on around Grand Av/B'way/Telegraph including the massive uptown project..a taller tower around there wouldnt ruffle so many feathers.

From the article.

But the project already has its foes. Preservationists and residents who live near the parcel at 222 19th St. say the building is too tall for the neighborhood and it would require bulldozing a historic garden.

"It's drawing a lot of attention because one of the best things Oakland has is the lake," said Mike Bowman, whose fourth-floor apartment overlooks both the lake and the historic Schilling Gardens. "Every morning, people run and walk around the lake.... If this and other buildings like it go up ... the lake will be a pond in the center of tall buildings."

O'Keeffe also believes Lake Merritt is Oakland's jewel, but that's why it's such a good location for luxury condominiums. It would attract new residents with disposable incomes to spend money at restaurants and stores and provide more eyes on the street to help fight crime.

He and his partner, Roy Guinnane, plan to build new paths, landscaping and lighting at the adjacent Snow Park as well as a cafe and restaurant and spa in the tower, which would be open to the public.

Councilwoman Nancy Nadel, whose district includes the western side of Lake Merritt, said she believes the tower might be better located on Broadway. Preservationists hope O'Keeffe will be willing to do a land swap to locate the high-rise away from the lake's edge.

Nadel said the city's general plan provides no height restrictions on the lake's western edge. In September, city planners are expected to propose guidelines, which would then go to zoning officials and the City Council.

"What's driving my interest is establishing some controls on building heights around the Lake," Nadel said. "The community felt there needed to be some guidance that allows some height, preferably not right against the lake, something that protects the view corridors and prevents shadows onto the lake."

off topic but what the hay,
That 8 Orchids development on B'way next to 880 looks like the exterior is near complete. Wonder how much the units will run?

[oaktown]

They had a public meeting concerning this project the other night and I found a good overview with site plans included. Actually the more I find out about this the more I like it.

Here's the link:
http://novometro.com/news_details.php?news_id=2285

[J_Taylor]

I got a laugh out of this from the linked artical.

Another claimed “We don’t need more rich people in Oakland,” and that bringing higher-income residents into the neighborhood would increase crime.

[CHapp]

A funny one indeed.

I've got an idea: confiscate all wealth, and presto, we've got the crime problem licked!

Thanks for linking the article, oaktown. From this picture

http://www.novometro.com/content_ima...ghtSkyline.jpg

it looks to me like the proposed Emerald Views tower would improve the Lake Merritt skyline considerably.

[BTinSF]

Tower developer hopes to command luxury prices

The developer of a 42-story Oakland condo tower plans to price his units at the luxury end of the market.

Dave O'Keefe, the developer, said the units would sell for around $700 per square foot, with units close to the top of the building commanding a premium that could push their price close to $1.2 million.

The cheapest units would be 600-square-foot studios in the building's lower floors.

O'Keefe is still trying to win city approval for his tower, which at 457 feet is taller than any tower in the city. The current tallest, the Ordway building, rises 404 feet.

O'Keefe did not originally plan a mixed-use project but is now proposing a 90-square-foot coffee shop on the ground floor with outdoor seating. Though a rooftop restaurant was mentioned in a brochure distributed at a community meeting, O'Keefe said such a restaurant is not yet in the cards.

"We did throw that around ... but right now it's not part of the design," O'Keefe said.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfranci...n1.html?page=2

[jaded]

Isn't it time for some normal but nice condos in Oakland near downtown? I/ve been looking around at the new developments: Il Piemonte, Broadway Grand, stuff around Jack London. Some were nice, some had a fatal flw, many felt overpriced. The bargain in Oakland: Temescal Station. These are the only condos I've seen that seem worth it.