Category Archives: Real estate
Parker Place development wins council approval
Parker Place, a 155-unit development at Shattuck and Parker, won City Council approval last night after a long development tussle.
The project had originally been approved by both the Zoning Adjustments Board and the council in 2010, but a procedural error led to a lawsuit. It returned to the council last November, was the subject of a ZAB public hearing in December, and came back to the council for final approval last night.
Despite the approval, the developers expect opponents to pursue a lawsuit to delay or stop the project. Any suit would need to be filed within 30 days of formal notice of the project’s approval.
The project calls for two five-story mixed-use buildings at 2658 and 2660 Shattuck (both sides of Parker on Shattuck) and a three-story residential building at 2037 Parker. In addition to the 155 dwelling units, there is nearly 23,000 sq ft of commercial space on the ground floor. … Continue reading »
Up to $6,300 rebates available for home energy upgrades
Berkeley residents can claim rebates up to the value of $6,300 for implementing energy efficiency upgrades to their homes. And they can learn all about the what, where and how at a Berkeley Home Energy Efficiency Forum happening tomorrow, November 2nd, in Berkeley.
The City of Berkeley has partnered with Energy Upgrade California to offer the workshop as a one-stop shop for all Alameda County homeowners to find contractors, get information about the rebates and tax credits available and have all their questions answered.
Residents will get a chance to meet participating contractors who are trained and ready to work on their home, as well as homeowners who have already made energy improvements to their homes. … Continue reading »
William Wurster designed homes are still in demand
A new book and exhibition on the architecture of William Wurster, the co-founder, in 1959, of the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley, serves as a reminder of the desirability of the homes he designed. And Wurster homes do still come up for sale in Berkeley and the Bay Area with some regularity, so becoming an owner of one is not outside the bounds of possibility.
In fact, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone lived in a William Wurster designed home in Berkeley — until he sold it in September 2009 for $550,000, the same price he paid for it in 2006.
As one would expect, Stone tweeted the news that he was putting his home on the market, writing to his then 980,000 followers (now 1.7 million): ”We loved our Wurster cottage in Berkeley but it’s time to move – if you’re into architecture, check it out.” … Continue reading »
What Berkeley’s median home price buys you this fall
Berkeley is something of a law unto itself when it comes to home prices and the robustness of its real estate market. The presence of a world-class university in the the city bolsters property values to a certain extent. The inherent attraction of the place helps too.
The median home price for Berkeley in July was $644,500, up from $600,000 for the same time last year, according to DataQuick. This compares to $590,000 in Albany, $505,000 in Alameda, and $220,000 in Oakland. A total of 82 homes sold in Berkeley in July, 19 of them in the 94708 zip area.
So what does $644,500 get you in our fair city?
Well, you might prefer to have some cash in hand (assuming you have that median price money to begin with), and opt for the 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom Craftsman bungalow at 1735 Madera Street in the Monterey Market neighborhood, which is pending sale on an asking price of $629,000. Among its attributes: a 6,000+ sq ft lot, original details, a private rear deck and an 88/100 Walk Score. … Continue reading »
Most expensive house for sale in Berkeley ever?
While much attention is being paid to a beautifully restored Victorian that is up for sale for $2,500,000 over in north Berkeley, another grand home has quietly come on the market in a more elevated part of town — specifically in those hybrid 94705 hills where Berkeley zipcode meets Oakland taxes.
The asking price for the 8,500 sq ft home at 4975 Grizzly Peak Blvd is also elevated, at a not insubstantial $9,500,000. While this house is the absolute … Continue reading »
Will vacant storefronts tax improve business in Berkeley?
During the month of February, there were 11 vacant storefronts along the top stretch of Solano Avenue, giving the shopping district a slightly beleaguered air.
While the soft economy accounts for some of that vacant frontage, City Councilmember Jesse Arreguín suspects some landlords in Berkeley are keeping rents artificially high, making it difficult for small business owners to find suitable retail space.
Arreguín thinks that Berkeley could minimize the number of vacant storefronts by charging landlords a fee when buildings … Continue reading »
Will new restaurant break this spot’s unlucky streak?
The location isn’t exactly cursed. But it can be called unlucky.
In the past 14 years, there have been a total of five restaurants at 2826 Telegraph Avenue.
For 37 years, Casa de Eva ruled the roost. When it closed in 1997, Mazzini, the brainchild of Jim Maser of Café Fanny fame, came in. Lucio’s, Zax Tavern, and Maritime East followed in quick succession. Then came Locanda da Eva, which only lasted four months, shutting suddenly in November 2010.
Now two Pleasant Hill restaurateurs want to give the spot a chance, and they say that the location is actually blessed (with a lot of Berkeley history), not cursed. They believe that Francis K. Shattuck may once have owned the land under the building and praise the legendary Berkeley woodworking company Berkeley Mills for the exquisite interior.
“The building itself and the way it is set up is gorgeous,” said Trace Leighton, who runs Nibblers Eatery & Wine Bar in Pleasant Hill with her business and life partner, Daniel Clayton. “There is plenty of parking. It is an easy exit from the freeway and there are lots of people who live within walking distance. You can easily call any restaurant setting cursed if it has had a number of turnovers, but it really comes down to the people and what they do with it and how they do it.” … Continue reading »
Historical north Berkeley corner is renovated
Update, 04.10.11: Commenting on this story, several readers have mentioned Ninepatch, a store which served the community for 36 years in this building. Pam Zelnik, daughter of the store’s founder, sent in a photo of the shop, which you can find at the foot of the piece.
Update, 4:40pm: Because this story provoked a lively discussion about the architectural renovation under way for this building, we are publishing some additional photographs of the building in its pre-remodeling state, as well as some more renderings from the architect of what the finished result will be like. They can be found at the foot of the story…
The building at the corner of El Dorado Avenue and Sutter Street, near the entrance to the Northbrae Tunnel, has been through myriad incarnations. And now it is undergoing an overdue renovation with a new purpose in mind.
Berkeley architect David Trachtenberg is working with Kaufman Construction, another Berkeley business, to transform the neglected structure into a 7,900 sq ft office building with two retail spaces on the first floor. The $3.2 million re-build will create offices to house Tom Sawyer Software which is moving its headquarters to Berkeley from Oakland. There is no news yet on who will occupy the stores.
Lotus founder may yet build his Berkeley home
A group of north Berkeley residents who are trying to prevent Lotus founder and philanthropist Mitch Kapor and his wife from building a new home in the city lost their case which was heard in the Alameda County Superior Court early last month.
On Thursday, Judge Frank Roesch ruled against the Berkeley Hills Preservation (BHP) group whose attorney, Susan Brandt-Hawley, had argued that the city of Berkeley should not have given Kapor approval to build a 6,478 sq ft … Continue reading »
Measure R: Future direction of Berkeley’s downtown?
There’s no issue more contentious on the November 2 ballot than Measure R, the advisory measure that establishes a new downtown plan.
Measure R, placed on the ballot by the City Council after Berkeley residents collected enough signatures to force a previous downtown plan to a vote, sets new guidelines on growth and development in the downtown area.
With its call to permit five new high rises in an expanded downtown core, Measure R has either been touted as Berkeley’s environmentally-friendly solution to suburban sprawl and urban blight or accused of spurring the Manhattanization of Berkeley. And with the news that a company headed by Chicago developer Sam Zell has made the largest single donation to the Yes on R campaign (his Equity Residential company contributed $25,000) opponents contend they have discovered the smoking gun that proves that bad intentions (read profit) is the motivator behind Measure R.
As in all election measures that prompt an excess of hyperbole, many of these claims go too far. And each also holds a kernel of truth.
Here is Berkeleyside’s attempt to examine the most controversial aspects of Measure R:
What Measure R means: It is important to note that Measure R is an advisory measure meant to provide general guidelines. If it passes, the City Council would then direct staff to draw up a detailed downtown plan, which the City Council would then adopt or reject after a series of public hearings. There would be additional time for residents of Berkeley to express their opinions about the plan.
If Measure R fails, the city can continue to operate under its existing plan, adopted in 1990. Or the council could try and adopt a new plan on its own.
What opponents of Measure R say: They contend that the measure is too vague to adopt.
What supporters of Measure R say: This is a set of policy guidelines meant to give the council direction. The City Council will follow those directions as they move forward to write the actual plan.
Height limits
Under the current downtown plan adopted in 1990, the area defined as “downtown” is centered around the Berkeley Bart station. It permits construction of buildings up to 65 feet. If a developer uses the city’s “cultural bonus” provision and adds a performing space on the ground floor of a building, he or she can build up to 89 feet. If a developer also uses the “state density bonus” by making 35% of its residential units “affordable,” he or she can build up to 117 feet. The Arpeggio building on Center Street is an example of a structure that used both the bonuses.
Under Measure R, the area defined as “downtown” will be expanded to run from Hearst to Dwight streets and from MLK to Oxford/Fulton streets. Buildings in this core area will generally have a 60-foot height limit, with some exceptions. Developers can apply for a permit to build to 75 feet on Shattuck between Hearst and Haste, and on University from Oxford to Milvia. However, developers building to this height will waive their right to apply for extra height under the “state density bonus,” The cultural bonus will be eliminated.
Under Measure R, the city will also permit the construction of five high rises in the downtown core. Three of these can be 180 feet high (height of the Great Western Building or about 15 stories high) and must be located within a one-block radius of the downtown BART station. Two must be residential towers and one must be a hotel. The city will also permit development of two towers of 120 feet. (These would be about 10 stories high). These could be either residential or office space.
What supporters of Measure R say: Increasing the density of the downtown core is the most environmentally friendly position. It will bring people downtown to live, reduce suburban sprawl, and get them out of their cars. The new condos will attract empty nesters and affluent professionals, which will in turn attract new retail.
Opponents of Measure R say: The new high rises won’t solve Berkeley’s housing supply problems because it only encourages housing for the rich. There is already enough student housing downtown, and a city economic feasibility study suggests that new condos would have to sell in the $700,000 to $1 million range to be economically feasible for developers. This is too expensive for average people.
Supporters of Measure R say: To build the 180-foot buildings, the measure requires developers either to set aside 20% of their units as affordable or pay into a city housing trust.
Opponents of Measure R say: The expanded definition of the downtown core, coupled with the possibility of building five high rises, will push tall buildings into new areas. They won’t be clustered around the downtown BART station. Sam Zell’s Equity Residential, for instance, has applied for a permit to create 200 units of housing in six buildings on University Avenue between Shattuck and Walnut. The project will be known as Acheson Commons.
Currently, the height limit in that area is 60 feet. If Measure R is adopted, Equity Residential could apply to build one of the 120-foot towers, bringing a high rise to a new area of the city, according to Susan Cerny, a board member of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association and an opponent of Measure R. That’s why Sam Zell has donated so generously to the Yes on R campaign, said Cerny. If it passes, the value of his real estate will increase significantly, she said.
Measure R does not specify where any of the 120-foot high rises can and should be built, according to Matt Taecker, a principal planner for the city. If passed by the voters, that detail will be determined by the City Council. However, the EIR prepared for the May 2010 version of the downtown area plan does extend the possible location of 120-foot high rises to Hearst Street, so Cerny appears to be correct in stating that Equity Residential could probably try to build a tower, said Taecker. But it wouldn’t be the first high rise north of University. UC Berkeley is already building the 100-foot Helios Building nearby on Berkeley Way. The 180-foot high rises would be restricted to within a one-block area around BART.
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