Major housing development begins at West Oakland BART station, eliminating commuter parking
West Oakland BART station parking lot will lose as many as 240 spaces to make way for new housing, some of which will be considered, "affordable."
OAKLAND, Calif. - A major apartment construction project is taking root in the parking lot at the West Oakland BART station, leaving commuters who rely on the lot to avoid driving across the Bay Bridge with fewer parking options.
New affordable housing units
What we know:
The overall project is a complex of 762 residential units, which includes 240 affordable housing units. The affordable units are scheduled to be built first.
"It's a wonderful project to not only include affordable housing, but 700-plus housing units right there right next to a BART station," said Alicia Trost, BART Chief Public Information Officer. "And today is the day that we are closing off even more of the parking lot because the developer is ready to come in and start construction."
The project is being phased in. The first phase removes 240 of the lot's 440 spaces, leaving 200 available spots. Eventually, those remaining 200 spaces will be removed, eliminating parking at the location entirely.
West Oakland BART station parking lot will lose as many as 240 spaces to make way for new housing, some of which will be considered, "affordable."
Less BART station parking spaces
"What people need to know is that there's 200 parking spots left and they're first-come, first-served," Trost said.
Commuters often drive long distances to reach the lot to avoid crossing the Bay Bridge.
"What's happening is people are passing other BART stations, they're driving to West Oakland, passing up other BART stations that have plenty of parking because they want that awesome experience at West Oakland with the trains coming so frequently," Trost said.
Commuters react
What they're saying:
Local commuters shared mixed reactions regarding the trade-off between housing and parking access.
"It's great to have more housing by transit, but I also feel they should supplement the parking; like maybe build a garage or something," said BART commuter Darren Harper.
BART commuter Julia Moloysheva noted the lot's regional importance. "This parking is not for those who live here. This parking is for people who live in the whole Bay Area, and this is a really important spot to have it here," Moloysheva said.
Other commuters voiced concerns about rental prices and whether the housing will fit local budgets.
"What's the real word for affordable? Because if it's going to make somewhere where there will be places to live where they actually pay their rent and they can buy groceries, that would be great for the community. Realistically, I don't think it's going to be the most affordable," said commuter Adriana Jones.
Commuter Vivid Nunez echoed those concerns about area costs. "Everything needs to be affordable for people who are making minimum wage or around that area because everything is getting pricier here in the Bay Area. It's getting too crazy," Nunez said.
West Oakland BART station parking lot will lose as many as 240 spaces to make way for new housing, some of which will be considered, "affordable."
Previous problems with arson
Development in the immediate vicinity carries a history of risk. In June 2012, an under-construction, five-story senior apartment complex designed for affordable housing was destroyed by arson just two months before its scheduled opening. The intense blaze damaged adjacent BART tracks located across the street from the West Oakland station.