The Lake Merritt BART station in Oakland serves over 14,000 riders daily from neighboring Chinatown and Laney College and nearby Jack London Square and Downtown. In 2017, BART elicited proposals to reimagine the city blocks above and beside the station for mixed-use development and as a new civic gateway to the neighborhood.

PYATOK worked with joint-venture developers Strada Investment Group and East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, the Chinatown community, and other project partners to articulate a high-density development including office and residential highrises, affordable and senior housing midrises, retail and commercial kitchen space, a community daycare, and a rich network of public outdoor spaces suitable for dining, markets, and festivals. Each building brings a unique design and sense of place in concert with an active ground-level experience to serve both commuters and new residents.

Project components were based on the design parameters and land use goals of the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan and the City of Oakland’s standards for quality, sustainable development. As an equitable approach to transit-oriented developments, project goals included increasing ridership, creating long-term value for BART while being an economic catalyst for the neighborhood, and delivering inclusive community benefits.

In May 2021, the Oakland Planning Commission unanimously approved the preliminary development plan, commending the project’s level of care, engagement approach, depth of affordability, and precedent-setting for BART TOD projects. Final approvals from the City and BART are expected before the end of the year, with Phase I groundbreaking projected for 2023.

Design Team

• PYATOK architecture + urban design
• Solomon Cordwell Buenz
• EinwillerKuehl Landscape Architecture
• Robin Chiang & Company