MLK Housing
Year 2018 | Oakland, California
A 15-Unit Residential Project Located on 39th Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Oakland, California.
The project site comprises three parcels located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and 39th Street. The largest parcel at the corner is currently vacant, while the other two adjacent parcels are occupied by single-family homes slated for demolition. The current zoning for the three parcels is CN-3 (Neighborhood Center Mixed-Use), with varying height restrictions for the corner parcel and the parcels currently occupied by the two existing homes.
Land Use:
The proposed project includes distinct components:
• Ground Level Commercial Space: Facing Martin Luther King Jr. Way, a commercial space aligns with the street’s commercial character.
• Underground Parking: Accessible from 39th Street, the parking facility fulfills all project parking requirements.
• Senior Housing: 34 units are located in the tallest building on the corner parcel.
• Residential Units: 23 units are distributed within a segmented building replacing the two existing houses.
Design Strategies:
The entire project is conceived as a celebration and revitalization of the MLK Way corridor, combining commercial uses to energize the street level with residential units on the upper levels. Independent access is provided for both residential buildings (senior housing and affordable residential units), with separate lobbies and vertical circulation, while equitable access to the garage is maintained.
Understanding the City of Oakland's commitment to preserving civic, community, and neighborhood identity, the proposal includes demolishing the two non-historic existing homes. These will be replaced with a building set back 10 feet from the property line, offering an opportunity to articulate the building mass to echo the scale of the original homes while contrasting with the taller corner building. The project incorporates several trellises and pergolas to support vine growth, softening the presence of the proposed structure and celebrating sustainability principles.