FREMONT, CA—New housing properties are helping address the Bay Area's housing shortage including last week's opening of the 185-unit Artist Walk apartment community. Located in Fremont's historic Centerville District at 3888 Artist Walk Common at Fremont Blvd., the project is a block from the ACE train station, 2 miles from BART and accessible to Interstate 880, the Dumbarton Bridge and Silicon Valley.

Artist Walk is a rare mixed-use community of housing, walkable shops and restaurants. Rents for the market-rate housing units start at approximately $2,300 per month. The apartments are already 60% pre-leased and eight retailers have signed up for the ground-floor commercial spaces that line a public-paseo and walking street.

The transit-oriented project was led by Danville-based Blake|Griggs Properties, a private real estate investment, development and services company.

“Opening of Artist Walk is a great day for Fremont in adding the most important milestone to the resurgence of and the realization of the city's vision for the Centerville district,” Brad Blake founder/principal of Blake|Griggs Properties tells GlobeSt.com. “Bringing hundreds of new residents and new restaurants and services to the area will help to revitalize Centerville and bring more activity to the neighboring businesses. It's been a long road from when we started over 10 years ago, but we're thrilled to see its completion.”

The residences include one- and two-bedroom apartments. Amenities include a public courtyard, water fountain and a 1,900-square-foot private community room available to residents for art exhibits and meeting space. The apartments feature in-unit washer/dryers, 9-foot ceilings and private balconies. Residents also have access to a business center, clubhouse, pool, pet spa and bicycle maintenance room.

Among the retailers now set to open in the 30,000 square feet of commercial space are Bun Appetit bakery, Orange Theory Fitness, Rapid Fire Pizza, Asian restaurant and a Mediterranean restaurant among others, according to Ryan McNamara, development director for Blake|Griggs Properties.

“The apartment leasing is also going very well,” said McNamara. “Artist Walk offers beautiful new apartment homes with retail space along activated plazas, bringing new energy to the popular historic Centerville district. We designed the amenities and lifestyle at Artist Walk to provide a respite when you get home, yet close to employment centers, shopping, entertainment, shoreline parks, the East Bay hills and more.”

Artist Walk is a joint venture development of Blake|Griggs and JD Capital. Financing was provided by PCCP LLC. Design is by BDE Architecture and Architects Orange. The general contractor is Western National Builders.

The transit-oriented project was led by Danville-based Blake|Griggs Properties, a private real estate investment, development and services company.

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