In response to the proposed development at the former Red Cross Blood Bank at 6230 Claremont Avenue, Rockridge residents have organized to raise concerns about the project’s scale, design, and approval process. The neighborhood group is calling themselves, Rockridge Neighbors for Sensible Housing; its motto is “Design to Belong – Build for Rockridge.”
Local resident Leila Gough, who lives on Auburn Avenue, is part of a steering committee leading community efforts opposing the current design, which she and other neighbors say is out of scale with the surrounding area (the proposed height is 82 feet 10 inches, reaching as high as 93 feet in certain areas).
“Our group supports new housing and believes a lower height would better reflect the scale of the surrounding homes, helping the building feel more integrated and welcoming while still allowing much-needed development to move forward,” says Gough. In the meantime, letters and public comments submitted by residents are being entered into the official public record.
Opponents of the current proposal note that pro-development groups, including East Bay YIMBY, have mobilized in support of the project and are expected to attend future planning meetings. They also point to inaccuracies in recent media coverage, particularly regarding the project’s height—stressing the importance of discussing the building in terms of total height in feet rather than number of stories. Design elements such as mezzanines are not being counted as full floors by the developers.
Community representatives recently met with Alex Schafran, a part-time housing staffer in Councilmember Zac Unger’s office. Residents were told that increased housing density near public transportation corridors is mandated under new state laws, limiting local officials’ ability to influence the project.
In response, Rockridge residents who believe the height is too tall for the surrounding area are encouraging other neighbors to attend meetings, sign the petition, and submit letters to city officials and local media. Residents will continue circulating informational flyers to local businesses, seeking volunteers to help with distribution, and are actively seeking referrals to a land-use attorney.
The project developer, Ellis Partners, is working in partnership with Spirit Living Group, who brings its experience in senior housing to the project.
For more information, to sign the petition (which has received over 600 signatures), and for letter-writing resources, visit: https://6230claremontseniorhousing.com/.
Update:
The Accela site has been updated, and on January 16, the city planning office told Ellis that its application was incomplete, and gave the developer 90 days to submit a complete application. After that, the full documents will be posted on the city’s Accela website, and the city will have 60 days to review and respond.
Editor’s Note: This article reflects concerns raised by Rockridge residents involved in the organizing effort.
