Project
The Oakland City Planning Department approved a lot split for the 4.65-acre vacant parcel at The Ridge Shopping Center (5050 Broadway at Pleasant Valley) on March 10, 2025. This should facilitate future development for mixed uses, including a significant housing component.
Site group: Rockridge Shopping Center / The Ridge site
5100 Broadway (Shops at the Ridge / Rockridge Shopping Center)
The Rockridge Shopping Center (including a CVS building) was sold by Safeway to Terramar, a southern California shopping center development company, which plans redevelopment. Nobody from Terramar attended the RCPC meeting and the management transition has slowed the project's initiation.
Work on this large Terramar project was supposed to start in spring but has not yet. With three large construction projects surrounding the Broadway/Pleasant Valley/51st Street intersection, RCPC warns this will be a challenging intersection in 2016.
The CVS store is now history. Phase I construction will include a new Safeway, Chase Bank, a restaurant next to the quarry pond, and a retail building. Construction could begin as early as mid-July. RCPC and PANIL hope to meet soon with Terramar to discuss protecting nearby neighbors during construction.
With the CVS store demolished, phase I construction could begin as early as mid-July. The development will include the new Safeway, Chase Bank, a restaurant next to the quarry pond, and a retail building. RCPC and PANIL hope to meet with Terramar soon about protecting nearby neighbors during construction.
Construction of the new Safeway-anchored Shops at the Ridge shopping center is underway. Developer Terramar Properties met with community representatives in October to introduce their local management team and discuss plans. Phase 1 (Safeway, Chase Bank, Boston Market restaurant) expected to open next summer.
Construction is well underway on the Shops at the Ridge; two design changes noted from approved plans: the building south/west of Safeway is now one story rather than two (no parking above), resulting in two separate parking structures instead of one. Phase 1 (Safeway, Chase, Boston Market) expected to open next summer.
Phase 2 of the Shops at the Ridge commercial redevelopment, planned by TRC, Inc. (a Southern California developer), was stalled after demolition of the old Chase Bank building was halted by the discovery of asbestos mixed into the concrete roof deck. Phase 2 called for two- and three-story retail buildings with structured parking and a shopping street. The City was not happy about the stalled condition and warned it could levy fines.
TRC, Inc.'s Phase 2 expansion of Shops at the Ridge remained stalled. TRC had promised a revised plan by early summer 2018 but there had been no word. The Land Use Committee discussed the problems and prospects for retail at that center and along College Avenue, noting that some rethinking of strategy might be needed given competition from online retailers.
TRC, Inc., the master-lease holder for Shops at the Ridge, reported examining options for phase 2 build-out of the vacant northeast corner site, concluding only a mixed-use project with residential units would be financially viable. The plan envisions four four-story buildings with retail on the ground level, apartments in three buildings, and office space in the fourth. An interim single-story retail use via recycled shipping containers (similar to SteelCraft in San Diego) was also proposed.
Phase II of the Shops at the Ridge (formerly Rockridge Shopping Center) has been stalled due to asbestos discovered on cables in the former bank building, whose demolition was completed in spring 2019. Developer TRC Inc. is now pursuing a mixed-use retail/office/residential project, but the property owner (a family company) remains opposed to residential use. The site has become an eyesore. RCPC Land Use Committee voted 6-0 to send a letter to the City to address the blighted conditions.
The RCPC Board authorized sending a letter to the City (with copy to developer TRC) pointing out the blighted conditions at the area set aside for Phase II of Shops at the Ridge, and asking the City to take steps to address and remedy the situation.
The 'Phase 2' area of the Shops at the Ridge project has rubble, trash, and weeds over most of the area. RCPC notified the City of Oakland about the blighted condition and planned a follow-up letter demanding further remedial action.
The blighted Phase 2 area of the Shops at the Ridge project continues to be monitored by RCPC. The March Land Use Committee agenda includes further updates on the situation.
Phase 1 of Shops at the Ridge is complete but Phase 2 has stalled. Developer TRC has not responded to Emerald Fund's outreach. Referenced in the context of the CCA campus EIR traffic analysis.
The RCPC Land Use Committee discussed the continued blighted condition of the vacant lot at Broadway and Pleasant Valley (former Safeway and parking lot site). TRC, the master tenant, is exploring fallback options including a car dealership, big box retail store, or drive-through fast food restaurants, as the site sits idle due to a standoff between TRC and the property owner. RCPC recommended coordinating with neighboring association PANIL and involving Councilmembers to pressure the City and owner for action.
The RCPC Land Use Committee reported a standoff between master tenant TRC (which wants to develop with housing, office, and retail) and the property owner (who opposes any residential use). TRC's fallback position is an auto dealership, big box retail, or drive-through fast food. Multiple Rockridge News readers submitted comments strenuously opposing these fallback uses. The committee voted unanimously to recommend RCPC board open discussions with TRC, Councilmember Kalb, City staff, and the property owner to find a feasible plan.
A letter to the editor calls for the City of Oakland to prepare a Specific Plan for the dormant Ridge Phase 2 shopping plaza site at 51st and Broadway, which has sat vacant under an outdated Safeway master lease. Writer urges a community advisory process, EIR, and range of options including affordable housing and varying density.
RCPC formally surveys neighbors about what should be developed on the large vacant parcel at the Ridge Shopping Plaza at 51st and Broadway. This represents active RCPC engagement in shaping the site's future, with a public survey link distributed.
RCPC conducted a community survey asking residents what should be developed on the large vacant parcel at the Ridge Shopping Plaza at 51st and Broadway. The survey closed in November/December 2021.
RCPC published results of its community survey on the vacant Ridge Shopping Plaza parcel. Housing was the top preference (over 60% first choice, 3.5x more popular than small-scale retail), with auto dealerships, fast food, and big-box retail least preferred.
Over 200 residents and three neighborhood groups (UBA, RCPC, PANIL) launched a petition demanding cleanup and development of the four-acre former Safeway site at Broadway and Pleasant Valley Road. The article states the current leaseholder (TRC) shows no interest in developing housing, while the site owner has neglected the parcel since Phase I of Shops at the Ridge was completed.
RCPC issued a correction to the February 2022 article, clarifying that the leaseholder TRC has repeatedly tried to get the site's owner (a San Francisco corporation) to pursue a mixed-use development with substantial housing including affordable housing, but the owner has been the obstacle — not TRC.
Vacant shopping center site listed as an 'opportunity site' in Oakland's Housing Element, studied by UC Berkeley Urban Studies students for potential redevelopment. Student proposals included mixed-use urban farming/housing and a public-space/pedestrian-safety redesign of Broadway. No formal development application had been filed; site has been vacant since 2016.
The large vacant lot at the Rockridge Shopping Center (Shops at the Ridge, 5100 Broadway) is identified as a housing opportunity site in RCPC's Community Vision Plan. A letter to the editor details obstacles: a subsurface PERC plume from a former dry cleaner, and a long-term lease prohibiting residential buildings whose owner has been unwilling to remove the restriction.
The Oakland City Planning Department approved a lot split for the 4.65-acre vacant parcel at The Ridge Shopping Center (5050 Broadway at Pleasant Valley) on March 10, 2025. This should facilitate future development for mixed uses, including a significant housing component.
“After completion of Phase I, demolition of the remaining old bank buildings, including Chase Bank, began in preparation for constructing Phase 2, which would include two- and three-story retail buildings with structured parking and a shopping street. At that point, asbestos was discovered mixed in the concrete of the roof deck of the Chase Building.”2017_11 - Town Hall Reports, page 12
“Ranelletti was very clear that the City was not happy about the site being left in its current condition. He said that if the project remained stalled, the City could and would begin levying fines for maintaining a public nuisance and could eventually sue TRC to force the Chase Building's safe demolition.”2017_11 - Town Hall Reports, page 12
“he noted the City, and many in the community, have long supported including housing in the project, but the property's owner (not TRC but an absentee corporate owner with an out-of-state mailbox address) has consistently refused to consider any residential use on the site.”2017_11 - Town Hall Reports, page 12
“TRC has proposed as a fallback position either an auto dealership, big box retail, or drive-through fast food businesses. Several Rockridge News readers submitted comments strenuously opposing this.”2021_06 - RCPC Land Use Committee Update, June 2021
“TRC would like to develop the site with a mixture of housing, office, and retail space. The owner has been dead-set against allowing any residential use.”2021_06 - RCPC Land Use Committee Update, June 2021