Pyatok Architects

A “sen” (lotus flower in Vietnamese) is blooming at the edge of Oakland’s Little Saigon / Eastlake neighborhood - a very thoughtful contribution to the Sen Lake apartments underway by Bay Area muralist Nora Bruhn!

Developed by , , and Jordan Real Estate Investments at East 12th Street and 2nd Avenue, Sen Lake will soon provide 91 affordable rental homes for individuals and families with low incomes, including 25% of apartments set aside for those exiting homelessness or who were formerly homeless, with access to supportive services to help residents maintain stable housing.

International Blvd in East Oakland is going to get a lot of attention this - with a number of project milestones brought to us by & SAHA with Flicker’s opening, with 2700’s groundbreaking, and & with a tour of Ancora Place!

We’re excited to lead on Friday the sold-out AIA East Bay in-construction building tour of the Clara E Chan Lee Residences at Lake Merritt/Chinatown BART! The 7-story, 97-home affordable senior housing project was developed by EBALDC and built by Cahill Contractors, the first phase of the larger station TOD planned after 10 years of conversations with hundreds of residents & stakeholders. Here are some pics from the top-floor resident terrace from the recent topping out ceremony - quite the view!

As part of Lake Merritt / Chinatown BART TOD’s phase 1 topping out ceremony this week, announced the project’s name: Clara E Chan Lee Residences! The 97-home affordable senior project is thus dedicated to the first Chinese American woman to register to vote (in 1911 at a nearby Alameda County courthouse) - a fitting commemoration for this new home for elders and new gateway to Oakland’s Chinatown!

The latest transit-oriented development has broken ground at El Cerrito Plaza station. In 2027 a half-acre of surface parking will be 70 affordable homes steps away from transit, shopping, schools, and open space…the first of 5 phases totaling 750 homes!

Topping out expected this month!

Via :

OAKLAND - Concrete is nearly topping out for the affordable senior housing project rising over the Lake Merritt BART Station in Downtown Oakland, Alameda County. Once complete, the 8-story apartment complex is expected to add 97 units above the transit hub and across from the Laney College campus. East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation is responsible for the development.

The 85-foot-tall structure will yield 82,360 square feet, with 3,240 square feet of ground-floor commercial space for food services. Unit sizes will include 22 studios, 70 one-bedrooms, and 5 two-bedrooms. Residents will have long-term parking for 49 bicycles, with commercial space for 6 bicycles. Of the 97 affordable units, 44 will be reserved for seniors at risk of homelessness. On-site facilities will give residents direct access to healthcare and social services. Amenities will include a community room, a computer room, a rooftop lounge, and a garden.

PYATOK is responsible for the design. The structure conforms to a triangular lot with the narrow corner pointing toward Fallon Street. Renderings show that this corner will feature a raised parapet and a covered, double-height open space, creating a dramatic focal point. The sheltered gathering space will cover a stairwell leading pedestrians into the landscaped paseo that is expected to run between the senior housing and a proposed 28-story apartment tower. Facade installation has not yet started but is expected to include brick veneer, fiber-cement panels, composite wood, and plaster.

The affordable senior housing complex is the first of the four-building Lake Merritt BART Station master plan to start construction. The transit-oriented development is a joint venture with EBALDC and Strada Investment Group. The proposal includes two affordable housing buildings, a residential high-rise, and an office tower. The 2022-approved plans include nearly half a million square feet of commercial space and 557 apartments, of which 233 units would be affordable. However, updated information about the timeline for the rest of the master plan has not been shared.

Photos by

We’re very excited to see Cypress Point in Coastside San Mateo County break ground! It’s been a long time coming for this much needed affordable community.

Via :
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🛠️Exciting milestone: Cypress Point in San Mateo County officially closed construction financing!

We’re creating 100% affordable homes on a long-vacant site in unincorporated Moss Beach, realizing the vision of late San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley. 52 of the 71 homes will have a preference for people who live/work in the Coastside area and 18 will be designated for farmworker families. 🏡🌳

🙌Thanks to the many partners who made this closing possible!
(AHF)
(Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program, Multifamily Housing Program)

Wishing You a Happy New Year!

2025 has been a challenging year in many ways. We continue to navigate large forces acting against the general public interest (including the development of permanent supportive housing), and other ongoing headwinds for the completion of needed sustainable, highly livable communities.

However, we’re very proud of the tremendous community-focused projects we’ve carried forward this year, including the completion of five affordable housing projects (512 homes), the ongoing construction of four multifamily projects (558 homes), five groundbreakings (281 homes), the imminent groundbreakings of three more projects (157 homes), and the incorporation of community wellness and health services – new and renewed community-focused projects spanning the Bay Area, from Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, El Cerrito, and San Francisco to Pleasanton, Castro Valley, Walnut Creek, Santa Rosa, Larkspur, and Moss Beach.

Four PYATOK projects received six awards this year: Ancora Place (Oakland), Wilton Court (Palo Alto), Hinoki (Seattle), and Flicker (Oakland). Principal Adrianne Steichen was elevated to FAIA and received AIASF’s inaugural Marsha Maytum, FAIA, Citizen Architect Award. We also welcomed three new colleagues – Isabella Espinoza, Vi Mayrena, and Domingo Cuevas – and hosted six interns, including three from area high schools.

THANK YOU to our many collaborative partners for making this important work possible, and for sharing our belief that the best communities come about through strong communication, responsive design, and an open-minded, engaged, design team.

All the best to on advancing his Housing Boom Act through Congress. We were happy to support a tour last week of local and state electeds through Flicker Bird Homes in East Oakland (by & ), demonstrating what’s possible for community-supportive affordable housing!

Via .gallod5:
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Welcoming U.S. SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF to Oakland’s Native American Health Center 3050 Development Project site (FLICKER) that will feature 19 new dental operatories, 76 affordable housing units, and a cultural center. U.S. SENATOR SCHIFF represents California and is advocating for more affordable housing in the U.S.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻