Oakland’s Rockridge Tower Project Revised with Shorter Senior Housing, Expanded Retail

The formal application has been submitted for a significant dual-tower development at 5727 College Avenue in Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood. The project, proposed by Align Real Estate on behalf of property owner Albertsons, has been redesigned following community feedback. Key changes include a reduction in height by seven stories across the two towers and an increase in ground-floor retail space, including a potential 13,000-square-foot grocery store facing BART.

The complex is now envisioned to be 306 feet tall, totaling 745,600 square feet. It will feature 372 residences, comprising 340 independent living units, 12 assisted living units, and 20 memory care units, alongside 18,800 square feet of retail. Parking for 263 cars and 60 bicycles is also planned. The application invokes California's Assembly Bill 130, Senate Bill 330, and the State Density Bonus Law to streamline the approval process. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz with landscape architecture by Gates Studio, the project incorporates a three-story podium with natural stone and fluted terracotta, contrasting with streamlined glassy towers. This development exemplifies how developers are adapting to local input while leveraging state legislation to advance substantial infill housing and retail in transit-accessible urban areas.