Alameda Sun: ‘Block 9’ Heads Before Planning, April 3, 2018

Excerpt:

On Monday, April 9, Alameda Point’s Site A, Block 9 will get a reprise at the Planning Board. The intersection of Orion Street and West Atlantic Avenue approximately defines the block’s southeast corner.

The board approved the project’s design review last December with the stipulation that Cypress Equity Investment iron out a few details. These included a second look at the project’s front elevation facing West Atlantic Avenue; the interior courtyard; the building’s roof deck and common room; and the landscape plan.

Cypress informed the city that its design team refined the four areas, “The design team has continued to improve the West Atlantic Elevation to create more visual interest and cohesion in the design,” stated Assistant Community Development Director Andrew Thomas in his report to the Planning Board.

The elevation will include a variety of recesses, balconies and sun shades, which will provide deep shadow lines and visual interest. Among the changes to the plan, Cypress’ team enhanced the elevation with transom windows to take better advantage of the additional ceiling height and cut down on the visual heaviness of the taller parapet above.