Trammell Crow Residential breaks ground on Alexan Webster, a vibrant mixed-use destination that includes luxury apartment homes, retail, parking, jobs and art
OAKLAND, Calif. – International award-winning firm KTGY Architecture + Planning and San Francisco Bay Area office of Trammell Crow Residential (TCR) July 19, 2017 celebrated the groundbreaking of the redevelopment of the parking lot between Webster Street and Valdez Street at 23rd Street, into a vibrant mixed-use destination that includes luxury apartment homes, retail, parking, jobs and art. The Alexan Webster enjoys a central location with its close proximity to Lake Merritt and the thriving Uptown Oakland with amenities such as Whole Foods, restaurants and shops. The Cathedral of Oakland, employers and the 19th BART station are also nearby.
Designed by KTGY, this 1.42-acre redevelopment project represents a unique public/private partnership between the city and TCR and is a culmination of more than four years of planning. The new $135 million sustainable development located at 2330 Webster Street will feature a 234-unit mixed-use luxury apartment community with 15,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving street-front retail. The design also includes a parking garage with 242 public city stalls as well as unbundled parking for the Alexan Webster residents.
“This development takes an under-used piece of property and creatively redevelops it providing essential housing, retail and art elements that benefit Oakland without displacing anyone living or working in the area,” said City of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.
“The Alexan fills a void in the city’s urban fabric by creating an active project frontage on both Valdez Street and Webster Street. The project wraps around an existing auto body shop and the former Hawker Fare restaurant at the corner of 23rd and Webster,” said Jessica Musick, associate principal in KTGY’s Oakland office. “The existing structures create an opportunity for unique architectural language along each street frontage.”
Alexan Webster enjoys a central location with its close proximity to Lake Merritt and the thriving Uptown Oakland with amenities such as Whole Foods, restaurants and shops. Courtesy of KTGY Architecture + Planning
The design includes approximately 5,000 square feet of indoor amenity and leasing space, as well as a lap pool, which is rather unique for an apartment community, and a cool rooftop deck that capitalizes on the dramatic views of Lake Merritt, the Oakland hills and downtown Oakland. Additionally, the Alexan Webster will feature an art installation on the rooftop deck adjacent to the amenity area.
According to Musick, the project team commissioned artist Tom Fruin to create an iconic outdoor sculpture overlooking the rooftop lounge. The sculpture can be illuminated at night and seen from the ground as well as throughout the neighborhood. “It is a stained-glass element that is fitting with the architecture of the building and contributes to the ambiance of the rooftop lounge and greater neighborhood,” Musick commented.
The new apartment community will feature a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes ranging in size from 610 sq. ft. to 1,160 sq. ft. The well-appointed, energy-efficient apartment homes will come with a full-size washer and dryer, gourmet-style kitchen with a waterfall countertop and gas range, plus large picture windows and high-end designer fixtures and finishes. In addition to the lap pool, the community amenities will also include a community center, concierge, rooftop lounge, business center, 24-hour fitness center, outdoor kitchen, bicycle repair center and storage, and a pet spa. The apartment homes on the penthouse level enjoy higher ceilings throughout the units and other upscale finishes.
Bruce Dorfman, Trammell Crow Residential’s Senior Managing Director of the Northern California division, notes that TCR is excited to play an important role in adding to the vibrancy of this walkable district, which is just a few blocks from a BART station and offers easy access to the Alameda-Contra Costa (AC) Transit bus route and I-580. Walkscore.com gives the Alexan Webster a Walk Score of 98 out of 100. “This location is a ‘Walker’s Paradise’ reducing the need for a car,” Dorfman reported.
“In addition to the outstanding location, we are positioning the Alexan Webster to provide residents with better amenities and nicer finishes than what is currently being built today. Plus, the Alexan Webster will feature inclusionary housing to help ease the high demand for affordable housing,” said Dorfman. As part of the agreement with the City of Oakland, Alexan Webster will designate 15% of its units as affordable to households earning between 50%, 80%, and 120% of the area’s median income.
“I am pleased that the developer has made a commitment to provide a mix of market rate and affordable housing that allows us to maintain economic diversity in Oakland – these are the types of developments we want and need,” said Lynette Gibson McElhaney, a member of the Oakland City Council representing District 3.
Completion is slated for summer 2019.
Trammell Crow Residential
Trammell Crow Residential was founded in 1977 to develop, construct and asset manage multi-family rental communities. Since inception, TCR has developed over 240,000 multi-family units in most major markets across the country. Currently, the company owns over 19,000 apartment units nationwide with an additional 3,700 new units planned for construction later this year. For more information, please visit TCR.com.
About KTGY Architecture + Planning
Celebrating 25 years, KTGY Architecture + Planning is an international award-winning full-service architecture and planning firm delivering innovation, artistry and attention to detail across multiple offices and studios, ensuring that clients and communities get the best the firm has to offer no matter the building type or location. KTGY’s architects and planners combine big picture opportunities, leading-edge sustainable practices and impeccable design standards to help create developments of enduring value. KTGY serves clients worldwide from offices located in Chicago, Denver, Irvine, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pune and Tysons. Visit www.KTGY.com.
