OAKLAND, CA—The proposed 1261 Harrison is one of Oakland's only mixed-use vertical communities to include commercial space as well as market-rate housing and affordable housing onsite, and at 440 feet and 36 stories in height, it would be Oakland's tallest building. Earlier this week, Pinnacle RED Group announced submittal of plans to the city for the mixed-use building with a dual-tower look.

The single structure will be half residential and half commercial space, offering 185 units of market-rate and affordable housing, 120,000 square feet of class-A office space and 12,000 square feet of commercial/retail space including an “locavore” market hall with regionally sourced food and maker entrepreneurs.

“1261 Harrison Street will be a transformational live/work/shop/play mixed-use property in the fast-changing downtown-City Center area,” said Fred Daven, senior vice president for Pinnacle RED. “This transit-oriented development just two blocks from BART will bring economic vitality to complement existing Chinatown and nearby businesses, and includes a pedestrian-friendly streetscape and community spaces for daytime and evening enjoyment.”

The building's vertical mixed-use community is expected to be an attraction to building occupants and a benefit to the surrounding neighborhood. The developers plan to engage local artists via public and private commissions, including the key 13th and Harrison corner to reflect 1261 Harrison's positioning at the Gateway to Chinatown.

“We want 1261 Harrison to be a thriving, enjoyable place to be, with all the elements of urban life and commerce that people like about cities and downtowns,” said Ronnie Turner, a development manager for Pinnacle RED. “It all comes together at the ground level. The public market will have a mix of retailers, including some we expect from within downtown, drawing people in from 13th Street and flowing through the building to a unique pedestrian alleyway for relaxing, dining or events. The team has also designed extensive sidewalk and streetscape improvements to enhance walkability, accommodate bikes and add connectivity to Chinatown, Broadway and Lake Merritt.”

Through a density bonus program that adds height to accommodate below-market-rate housing, 1261 Harrison will achieve an onsite mix of an economically diverse community. A single, grand concourse-style lobby brings visitors to both the office and residential elevators, as well as access to an innovative automated underground parking garage.

“We strove for a distinctive design by breaking up the building's mass so that it appears as two towers, but is really one structure,” said Mark Donahue of Lowney Architecture.

Upon completion, 1261 Harrison is estimated to bring more than 400 office workers downtown, nearly 100 onsite retail and property management personnel, some 360 new residents in the condominiums, and hundreds of daily shoppers to its retail and public spaces. The two-year construction effort will generate approximately 600 to 700 jobs as well.

Metrovo Group is handling the office leasing.

“1261 Harrison is a true mixed-use asset comprised of office, residential and retail components. Oakland is in need of class-A office space and this project offers a great opportunity for a company to take advantage of a blank canvas to mold into a workspace that attracts and retains current and future employees,” Shawn Jones, CEO, founder of Metrovo Group, tells GlobeSt.com. “The project will have class-A office space sandwiched between a food hall on the ground floor and for sale condominium units above, creating a vibrant atmosphere of live/work/play. 1261 Harrison is a walker's paradise with its convenient location two blocks from the 12th Street/City Center BART Station, one block from bus rapid transit, direct access to local and Transbay AC Transit bus lines as well as current and planned bike thoroughfares.”

The East Bay is the most populated region in the Bay Area with access to a highly skilled workforce.

Specifically, Oakland's downtown is known for its food scene and urban amenities.

“Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the country and we see that as a major attraction for businesses and companies that reflect that same diversity within their company culture,” Jones tells GlobeSt.com.

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True Mixed-Use Project in the Works

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