Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) - West Oakland

Project Description

In February 2019, the development team, led by Strategic Urban Development Alliance (SUDA), secured entitlements from the City of Oakland for a mixed-use transit-oriented development project on BART property, consisting of 382,460 square feet of office space, 762 residential units (240 of which will be affordable), and 75,000 square feet of retail space on approximately 5 acres. Later that year, MacFarlane Partners joined the development team, creating Mandela Station Partners, LLC (MSP). Mandela Station, the name given this visionary development, will be located on both sides of the West Oakland BART Station on what is today the station's main parking lot. The proposal focuses on greatly enhancing the station’s connection with the community by creating welcoming public places, active street frontages that prioritize the pedestrian experience and integrating the community focus on the arts.

On June 11, 2020 the BART Board approved the West Oakland TOD Project. View the BART Notice of Determination ​(pdf).

Employment Focus

BART is working with the development team to ensure office is a significant component of the development in order to encourage travel patterns on the BART system that will help ease crowded trains at the peak travel times.

Affordable Housing

BART’s Board of Directors approved an affordable housing policy in 2016, requiring a minimum of 20% of units produced through BART TOD projects be affordable.

The proposed 240 unit affordable housing component of the West Oakland Station is still under development constitutes 31% of the total number of residential units proposed as part of this transit-oriented development.  Given the Bay Area’s high cost of housing and living, affordable housing located at transit stations is a regional priority as identified in Plan Bay Area, the region’s Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.

Community Engagement

The development team has organized a Community Advisory Committee that has been meeting since 2016.  In addition, the development team has hosted several meetings open to all interested community members.  For more information on how to get involved and to receive project updates contact the development team visit the project website.

Project Status

The current project schedule calls for construction to begin in the near future.

West  Oakland.