Popular Rockridge Trader Joe's could be replaced by senior housing

Popular Rockridge Trader Joe's could be replaced by senior housing

A major new development proposal could drastically reshape the skyline of Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, and displace a popular Trader Joe's.

OAKLAND, Calif. - A major new development proposal could drastically reshape the skyline of Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, and displace a popular Trader Joe's.

Replace Trader Joe's

What we know:

Proposal by Align Real Estate to Oakland to turn Trader Joe's into senior housing at 5727 College Ave. 

Align Real Estate submitted a 36-page application to the city of Oakland on Wednesday detailing plans to replace the heavily used grocery store and its adjacent parking lot at 5727 College Avenue with two residential towers, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.  

The proposed buildings would stand 25 and 30 stories tall, situated near Highway 24 and the Rockridge BART station, plans submitted to the city show.

The land is currently owned by Albertsons, the parent company of Safeway.

Senior housing

Dig deeper:

According to the preliminary application filed with the city, the project would create 415 units of senior housing. 

The facility is expected to offer both assisted living and memory care services, managed by a non-profit organization that has not yet been named. 

The tower plans do not include any ground-floor retail space.

Proposal by Align Real Estate to Oakland to turn Trader Joe's into senior housing at 5727 College Ave. 

What they're saying:

Caitlin Robinson, who was jogging by Trader Joe's on Thursday morning, acknowledged that change is hard.

"Anytime things look different, that can be off-putting," she said. "But in general, we do need more housing. Maybe there's some sort of balance we can find with that?"

Rick Crawford said for him, the height of the towers is not the issue. For him, the issue seems to be fewer grocery stores. 

Waivers

Because the project focuses on dense housing near public transit, the developer stated they believe the project qualifies for several waivers under recent California state laws. 

These incentives would allow the towers to far exceed the neighborhood's existing 95-foot height limit and potentially allow the developer to forgo a standard environmental quality review.

Zac Unger, the city councilmember representing the Rockridge neighborhood, said he and many of his constituents were surprised by the height and density of the proposed towers, and are disappointed about the elimination of the Trader Joe's grocery store. 

"This is all happening under State Senate Bill 330, which is relatively new and takes a lot of decision-making power out of the hands of local officials," said Unger. "I want to be very clear. I have zero interest in letting this developer cut corners. I have no interest in giving them any kind of freebies or giveaways. And I am going to work with our planners and city attorneys to make sure that we hold them to the precise letter of the law."

SB 330, also called the "Housing Crisis Act of 2019," was sponsored by former Berkeley state Sen. Nancy Skinner. It helps fast-track housing developments by allowing developers to avoid administrative delays if the plans meet city zoning laws. 

In an interview with KTVU on Thursday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said the city will have to review all the relevant laws and waivers. 

"We have to make sure whether it proceeds or not — that we comply with all the requirements," she said. "We've got to do the due diligence, we've got to engage the community, and there's a process that must be engaged in."

In a statement sent to KTVU, The Rockridge Community Planning Council urged the developer to engage with the community and find a way to maintain the Trader Joe's store at its current site: 

"The RCPC was shocked at the magnitude of its potential impact and disappointed that the developer chose not to engage with the community before submitting their 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."