Urban Art
200 Second Street, Oakland, Calif.
David Baker Partners
The newest resident in Oakland’s Jack London Square neighborhood makes a great first impression. Amid-rise luxury building with 70 condominiums and four live/work units on just under a half acre, it proves that high density and great visual impact aren’t mutually exclusive. Almost a full city block in length, the massing of the six-story project is broken up with colorful, boxy bays and generous glazing. The bold, modern look further enhances the once-gritty, now rapidly revitalizing community.
The team at David Baker + Partners Architects stacked the embedded parking at offset levels to allow a higher first level with space for corner retail (currently the sales office), the live/work units, and a landscaped entry courtyard.
The light-filled, steel-frame building features a dramatic glass staircase and murals by local artists in the double-height elevator lobby. The private spaces are as cool as the public areas, as each sophisticated unit lives like a loft. Expansive windows allow views of the city or the bay, and many of the units feature a deck, balcony, or private garden patio.
A variety of floor plans provide plenty of options for a diverse buyer demographic. Prices range from $380,000 for a junior one-bedroom/one bath, up to $750,000 for the deluxe three-bedroom units.
Although there’s parking, the building is public transitoriented. Residents can walk to nearby Amtrak and BART trains, local bus lines, or even hop a commuter ferry over to San Francisco.
Award: PROJECT Grand for best attached housing project—over 4 stories; Builder: Cannon Constructors, San Francisco; Developer: Metrovation, Oakland, Calif.; Architect: David Baker + Partners Architects, San Francisco
