Developers Behind Plan Seek To Pass Berkeley Height Limit

Developers behind a plan for a new apartment building in Berkeley, California, are pushing for a project taller than the city’s limits, Hoodline reports. The project, originally an 18-story residential tower, is now being promoted to 25 stories, making it Berkeley’s tallest building. Only the clock tower on the UC Berkeley campus would stand taller. The proposed residential site at 2190 Shattuck Avenue is currently home to a Walgreens store. The plan has been taken over by PGIM Real Estate. Its apartment units would jump from 274 to 326 units, including 33 units as affordable housing, which were not available in the original plan. The original developer’s plan was approved by the City Council in 2019. The new project calls for units ranging from studios to five bedrooms. It also calls for a smaller parking area — 51 spaces, down from the original 100, which is deemed accessible based on the site’s location near the downtown Bay Area Rapid Transit station. The new developer plans to seek approval of the record-height building by promoting the plan through a state housing law.