Located less than one mile from the Oakland MacArthur BART station at 3706 San Pablo Avenue, Estrella Vista offers 87 affordable residential units. The building’s architectural character blends contemporary design with timeless historic references to fit the context. Architectural designers wanted to celebrate the special character and history of Emeryville and took inspiration from the city’s industrial beginnings incorporating the use of brick patterns on the facade. The first two levels of this six-story building are type-I construction and contain a two-story parking garage, 6,600 square feet of ground floor retail and two-story liner townhome style units. This podium structure is topped by four-levels of type-V construction and the remaining residential units and amenity spaces are located here. The intent was to design the residences around a series of outdoor spaces geared to serve families at different life stages. The design features four main outdoor areas. A large, central courtyard that offers play equipment for children while the Zen Garden and Adult Overlook offer space for young adults and parents to retreat. All courtyards are elevated above street level and provide safe places for families to gather. The new residential community also provides an outdoor sky deck space at the sixth level with views to Downtown Oakland and San Francisco. Estrella Vista also incorporates environmentally “green” features such as photovoltaic solar panels, a solar water heating system, low-flow plumbing fixtures, energy-efficient appliances and lighting, water-efficient landscaping, and an emphasis on recycled materials. Additionally, the new community includes electric vehicle charging stations and a bicycle storage area. Other community features include a community room, computer learning center, fitness center and on-site laundry facilities.
