Located on an approximately half-acre portion of an existing 1.5-acre BART-owned and operated surface parking lot within El Cerrito’s Downtown District, the public-private partnership of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), the City of El Cerrito and Related California are developing the first phase of a multi-phase, mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.  

This first phase will be a six-story, 70-unit, 100% affordable housing development for low-income individuals and families. The U-shaped building will be partially constructed utilizing off-site modular construction for all residential units. The ground floor will offer two wings of common areas and resident amenities, including a landscaped courtyard with a barbecue area, seating and children’s play areas.  The west wing will include a large community room with a communal kitchen, seating and tables for residents, special events, and recreation. There will also be a secured bicycle storage room for residents with a repair station along the Ohlone Greenway multi-use pathway. The east wing will include offices for on-site property management staff and a resident services coordinator, package lockers and a shared laundry room. The parking garage will include up to 29 mechanized and non-mechanized parking spaces.  All units will be ADA adaptable with 15% of units including mobility features and 10% of units including communications features. The building will be 100% electric.

When fully developed, the El Cerrito Plaza BART master plan will transform approximately 6.5-acres of underutilized surface parking lots into a mixed-use, mixed-income transit-oriented community with 743 new homes across six housing phases, a 22,000 square foot public plaza spanning along Fairmount Avenue from Liberty Street to the BART station, a potential 20,000 square foot public library, up to 2,100 square feet of commercial space, and a new BART parking garage with 145 spaces. 47% of the total units within the master plan will be reserved for lower-income households.  Related will advance three (3) affordable phases totaling 233 units up to 60% AMI, Holliday Development, LLC will advance two (2) market-rate phases with 392 units, and the joint venture of Related and Holliday will develop one phase of 118 units of missing middle housing at 80% AMI.