Latest news: On October 17, 2024, BART Directors and staff celebrated the groundbreaking of Chinatown TOD Senior Housing with EBALDC and 300 other community members and leaders.
Related: Lake Merritt TOD construction begins in 2024; parking changes start June 1 (03/21/2024)
On September 13, 2018, the BART Board approved staff's recommendation to select the developer team comprised of the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) and Strada Investment Group, to advance transit-oriented development at the Lake Merritt station.
The plan proposed by the EBALDC/Strada (LMTOD LLC) joint venture calls for four new buildings on BART-owned lots at the Lake Merritt Station on the parking lot and the lot across from the station's plaza known as the MET site. The proposal features 557 units of housing, 35% of which would be affordable, and 500,000 square feet of commercial space for offices and shops.
The City of Oakland Design Review Committee and the Oakland City Council approved the Final Development Plans (FDP) in 2018 for Phase 1.1, Building B the Senior Affordable housing of 97 units.
In 2019 and 2020, the development team led a series of public engagements to shape aspects of the project design and station access. The team secured entitlements for Building B (senior affordable housing), and initiated entitlements for Building A (market rate housing). EBALDC has secured a variety of funding and intends to commence construction in Summer 2024.
Once construction commences for Phase I, the Lake Merritt BART parking lot will not be available for BART rider parking. Riders will be notified of lot closure several weeks in advance of closure. Station access by bus, walking, and biking will be maintained throughout construction.
The project is aligned with the Lake Merritt Specific Plan and BART’s Strategic Plan, which states, “In partnership with the communities BART serves, we will promote transit ridership and enhance the quality of life by encouraging and supporting transit-oriented development within walking distance of BART stations.”
Community Engagement
Prior to releasing the RFQ, BART hosted three stakeholder meetings to inform and refine the goals and objectives for the project, which are guided by existing documents including BART TOD policies and guidelines and the Lake Merritt Station Area Specific Plan. Information on the meetings, including stakeholer feedback is provided below.
Stakeholder Meeting #1
Presentations from the December 11th Stakeholder Committee Meeting, can be found below:
Economic and Market Conditions (EPS)
Goals & Objectives Brainstorm Boards
Stakeholder Comments on Objective Boards
Stakeholder Meeting #2
Materials from the January 29, 2018 Stakeholder Committee Meeting can be found below:
Stakeholder Comments on Draft Goals & Objectives
Stakeholder Meeting #3
Materials from the February 22, 2018 Stakeholder Committee Meeting can be found below:
Revised Draft Goals and Objectives with Highlighted Changes from Meeting #2
Stakeholder Comment Letters
Sign Up for Updates
For specific inquiries regarding transit-oriented development at Lake Merritt BART Station, please email [email protected]. You may also sign up for email updates from the Real Estate and Property Development Department, by registering for general BART emails and selecting "Transit-Oriented Development Projects."