The West Oakland station is central to the BART system with direct train access to every BART station during peak. The site is an attractive location for both residents and businesses because of its proximity to San Francisco, downtown Oakland and easy access to East Bay cities via 80, 580 and 880 freeways. The West Oakland BART station is 7 minutes from the San Francisco Financial district, downtown Oakland is only a 3 minute ride and Walnut Creek is 26 minutes to the east. It meets the criteria for being designated as a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) which is generally defined as a mixed-use residential and commercial area designed to maximize access to public transportation and incorporates features to encourage transit ridership and other travel by bicycle, foot or car.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) contracted China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) to structure a public-private partnership to develop a mixed-use project on the existing West Oakland BART station parking area, a 5.5 acre site. The proposed project is part of BART’s overall plan to increase ridership and boost revenue, promote reverse commutes and contribute to the vibrancy of the area.

To better materialize the site’s transformation, CHEC has selected a team of local and diverse specialists in real estate development, architectural and engineering design, project management, government and community outreach, local business participation, economic planning, transit oriented development, grants, landscaping and other specialties.

But prior to penning a design, the team knows it is important to first listen to what the community visions for the West Oakland BART location. A series of focused discussions on how the site can be used to gain understanding of stakeholder input and integrating community feedback into development plans. Meeting information, updates and other development activity is available on Facebook and here, on the project website.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED...