Trader Joe’s Senior Housing Project
Having recently learned the details of the proposal to replace Trader Joe’s with two residential towers, RCPC was shocked at the magnitude of its potential impact and disappointed that the developer chose not to engage with the community before submitting its application to the city. RCPC supports the creation of new housing in our neighborhood, and recognizes that higher density can be appropriate at sites located directly adjacent to transit. However, with one of the two high rises at 31 stories, the proposed project exceeds current zoning by more than 20 stories, and eliminates Trader Joe’s, a vital part of the community in the process. Trader Joe’s is the only affordable grocery option in the neighborhood and the first unionized Trader Joe’s in the country.
Align Real Estate, the project sponsor, has stated that they are committed to preserving the “vitality of the corridor,” and RCPC shares that vision. The quality and character of College Avenue as a contiguous, interactive public environment is essential, and improvements to all adjacent streetscapes, including the placement and height of the development's taller components, are crucial to helping this project become a respectful neighbor. We urge Align Real Estate to pursue a project that better respects Rockridge’s scale, provides affordable housing, and retains Trader Joe’s as a foundational, street-level use.
RCPC will actively engage in the public review of this project to the fullest extent allowed by the Oakland zoning code and state laws. We welcome the opportunity to meet with Align Real Estate to discuss its proposal before the entitlement process begins in earnest.
See the following references for more information:
A Zoning Worksheet has been opened by the developer on the Oakland Planning Department website. The link takes you to details of the Trader Joe’s project. Click the ‘Record Info’ tab, then ‘Attachments’, to see the attached documents, which provide more detail.