The proposal is using California's density bonus and other laws to sidestep potential local opposition.
A San Francisco-based developer known for grocery-to-housing conversions filed an application to redevelop an Oakland commercial center anchored by a Trader Joe's into a 415-unit senior housing project.
According to an article in The Real Deal, the proposal calls for multiple 31- and 25-story buildings on a site near the Rockridge BART station. "While Align’s plans in San Francisco have included the redevelopment of several Safeway stores with additional housing, the development firm isn’t planning to replace the Trader Joe’s with another grocery store, despite the site being owned by Safeway parent company Albertsons." The Trader Joe's is expected to remain open for several years if the project is approved.
The developer, Align, filed the application under several California housing laws including its density bonus program and a law that exempts certain projects from environmental review. "That strategy could prove critical in a neighborhood where large-scale development has historically faced resistance and where the city has faced lagging housing production."
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