On May 23, the City of Alameda and its private partner, Alameda Point Partners, LLC, (APP) celebrated the first phase of a $1 billion mixed-use, transit-oriented waterfront development at the gateway to Alameda Point. The 68-acre development is located on the former Naval Air Station Alameda, which closed more than 20 years ago. 

Projected to cost $500 million, the first phase of the project consists of 673 housing units, including 130 units of affordable housing for low and very-low income households, and an additional 310 units affordable to middle-income households. The site will also offer eight acres of parks and open space, and nearly 100,000 square feet of resident-serving retail, dining and maker spaces. Space for community events and gatherings are also planned. 

Major infrastructure improvements on the 30-acre phase one project include new water, sewer, electrical and gas lines, newly paved streets with bike and transit lanes and bulkhead improvements on Seaplane Lagoon for a new ferry terminal. 

“The Bay Area is in tremendous need of additional housing at all levels of affordability: market rate, workforce and affordable,” said Stephanie Hill, Vice President of Development for Trammell Crow Residential’s Northern California division. “One of the mandates for this development is to build 25 percent of the residential units for affordable and below-market-rate housing. This is higher than most cities require in the Bay Area.”

Eden Housing will develop a total of 130 affordable housing units in phase one on a two-acre parcel at the corner of Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway and Orion Street. Eden Housing’s homes will be targeted at extremely low, very-low, low and moderate-income households, which will be constructed in two buildings. One will be a “family” building with 70 units, while the second will be a building for seniors with 60 units.   

Plans indicate residents will have convenient access to a variety of urban amenities including bus rapid transit, the future ferry terminal, parks, a secondary school, grocery store and pharmacy.     
The 68-acre master plan development will create 800 residential units and up to 600,000 square feet of commercial space, 15 acres of parks and public open space and new transportation services and facilities.

“Where once stood former Navy facilities and heavy industrial equipment, there will be a vibrant mixed-use community complete with apartments, townhomes, parks and space for restaurants, retail, makers and office users,” said Acting City Manager Liz Warmerdam. “APP is making a considerable investment in transit infrastructure and creating transit options for residents and the businesses at Alameda Point including the new ferry terminal with service to San Francisco beginning in early 2020.” According to developers, Alamedans are expected to be able to reach San Francisco in 20 minutes from the new ferry terminal.

APP is scheduled to move forward with the transfer of approximately 20 acres from the city in 2019 for the project’s second phase. The timing of the third phase, which is slated to include a hotel and additional commercial space, will be a function of the Navy’s completion of its remediation activities before the remaining property is turned over to APP.      

Completion of new infrastructure for phase one is expected within the next two years, with vertical construction of the new buildings commencing by year end. The first residential units are projected to be completed in the second half of 2019. The project will create approximately 2,500 direct construction jobs over its lifetime and serve as the catalyst for thousands of future jobs.

Each member of the Alameda City Council and the acting City Manager spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony, as well as Bruce Dorfman, senior managing director, Trammell Crow Residential and managing partner, APP; Jennifer Ott, director of base reuse and transportation for the City of Alameda; and Linda Mandolini, president, Eden Housing.

For more information about the individual members of APP, visit their websites listed below. 

• www.tcr.com
• www.crowholdings.com
• www.srmernst.com
• www.madisonmarquette.com
• www.edenhousing.org
• www.cypressequity.com