OAKLAND — A big housing development that would produce hundreds of homes in Oakland on the site of a shuttered college campus is pushing ahead with a report about the project’s impact on the environment.
The development is being proposed at the former site of California College of The Arts at 5200 Broadway, city documents show.
The project would consist primarily of 448 residential units in two buildings and involve the demolition of 10 out of 12 buildings on the site to accommodate the housing.
Treadwell Mansion and its adjacent Carriage House, at 5212 Broadway, would be preserved and incorporated into the future mixed-use development, according to the project plans.
The two historic buildings, the mansion and carriage house, were built around 1875 for John Treadwell and James Treadwell, co-owners of the Tesla Coal Mine in the Livermore area.
“Treadwell Mansion and Carriage House would be repurposed for commercial and community use,” according to a post related to the planning documents.
Emerald Fund and Equity Community Builders have teamed up to lead a real estate alliance that is working to develop the project, the Oakland planning documents show.
The arts college campus became empty when the educational institution exited the site to move to San Francisco in 2022.
Although Emerald Fund and Equity Community Builders are steering the project through the development process, the arts college still owns the property, Alameda County real estate records show.
The latest major event in a years-long endeavor to craft a future for the choice site in northern Oakland is the formal completion of a draft environmental impact report.
Besides the housing itself, the developers also envision an array of benefits for the community if the project is built.
“A campus that will be open to the public for the first time” and “1.5 acres of publicly accessible open space featuring historic Macky Lawn and a meandering landscape through redwood groves, heritage oaks, mature species and historic art installations” are among the items listed on a website for the project.
The developers also intend to repurpose an array of historic components on the property. The revamp is expected to include renovation of the historic Broadway Wall, Broadway Stairs, Broadway Gate, the mansion (now known as Macky Hall), the carriage house and Macky Lawn. Direct views from the Broadway sidewalk will also be created.
Emerald Fund and Equity Community Builders have been working on the project for five years, according to the project’s website. The developers have also conducted dozens of community meetings to gather feedback from the public.
“The resulting proposed project is a finely crafted vision that will create a new chapter in the storied history of the 5212 Broadway site,” the project’s website states. “It will open up the former campus to the community while combining historic preservation, community spaces, recreational opportunities, commercial office space and much-needed, abundant housing.”