News + Events

Event - October 3, 2012

Grand Opening: Merritt Crossing

Merritt Crossing, located in downtown Oakland’s Chinatown, celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 3, 2012.

The building’s 70 apartments (55 one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and 5 studio units) are home to 82 adults age 55 and older with low income; half of whom, at the time of initial occupancy, were either homeless or at high risk of homelessness, living with HIV/AIDS, or challenged by mental illness.

The brightly colored property was designed by Letty Maytum Stacy Architects (who also worked with Nibbi on Madison Apartments in Oakland), and was developed by AHA (Affordable Housing Associates).

Targeting LEED Platinum certification and earning the distinction of being the first affordable housing building in California to achieve Energy Star certification under the multi-family high-rise rating system, Merritt Crossing has already garnered several awards for its sustainable design and construction. The project recently received the AIA East Bay 2012 Design Honor Award, has Bay-Friendly Landscape certification, is expected to achieve more than 200 points in the GreenPoint program, and will be a featured project at the 2012 Greenbuild (held this year in San Francisco).

Merritt Crossing’s green features include:

  • Greenscreen facade panels
  • High-efficiency lighting
  • Residential unit filtered air ventilation system
  • Thermally-broken windows
  • Parking lifts for reduced parking garage footprint
  • High-slag-content concrete for lower embodied energy
  • Linoleum and recycled-content flooring
  • Dirt- and fade-resistant Swiss Pearl siding
  • Generous window areas for apartments and common areas
  • Residential balconies
  • Formaldehyde-free cabinets and wall panels
  • Miniature persimmon orchard
  • Community garden containers
  • Retention planters for storm water management
  • Low-flow plumbing fixtures
  • Electricity provided by rooftop PV panels
  • Hot water produced by rooftop PV panels
  • Water-efficient landscaping an irrigation
  • Native plants

 

(L-R) Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, AHA Executive Director Susan Friedland,