OAKLAND — Work has begun on the first phase of a new West Oakland neighborhood where hundreds of affordable homes will replace more than 200 parking spaces near a BART station.
At 1470 Fifth St., the development will feature 240 apartments next to the West Oakland station. As part of the first phase, 240 of 440 parking spaces will no longer be available.
As development continues on what is being called the Mandela Station neighborhood, more surface parking could be removed.
With a total projected cost of $178.5 million, according to documents on file with the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee, Pacific West Communities, which specializes in affordable housing, is building the low-cost apartment project.
The neighborhood, which will have easy access to region-wide train connections, has already been approved to include 762 residential units, 300,000 square feet of offices, and 53,000 square feet of ground-floor retail spaces.
The parking lot removals come as BART ridership numbers remain below the average weekday ridership levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Through the end of August, BART averaged about 193,900 riders every weekday, data shows. That is down 53% from the 408,300 riders per weekday in 2019.
Affordable apartment development at 1470 Fifth Street in West Oakland, a project that is part of the Mandela Station transit-oriented neighborhood, concept. (AO)
Mandela Station mixed-use transit-oriented neighborhood in Oakland, located next to the West Oakland BART station, concept. (JRDV Urban International)