MacArthur Boulevard Redevelopment Plan
THE "LAUREL VILLAGE" IN OAKLAND
A new One-Way Couplet system with targeted redevelopment nodes between 35th Avenue and High Street.
A re-visioning exercise for "The Laurel" commercial district along MacArthur Boulevard near I-580 in Oakland, CA. This busy, mostly single-use retail strip between High Street and 35th Avenue is a perfect candidate for targeted mixed-use redevelopment, and smart solutions for unsafe traffic circulation. Currently a 4-lane, two-way arterial, MacArthur handles a high number of trips, thereby fueling the success of the retail district. But unfortunately, the high traffic counts and narrow R.OW. make for a pedestrian and bicycle un-friendly realm. "The Laurel" stands to capitalize on a great opportunity comprised of new circulation patterns, targeted redevelopment nodes, and added public open spaces.
Aerial photo of existing conditions of the Laurel Community along MacArthur at I-580, between 35th Avenue and High Street.
A re-visioning exercise for "The Laurel" commercial district along MacArthur Boulevard near I-580 in Oakland, CA. This busy, mostly single-use retail strip between High Street and 35th Avenue is a perfect candidate for targeted mixed-use redevelopment, and smart solutions for unsafe traffic circulation. Currently a 4-lane, two-way arterial, MacArthur handles a high number of trips, thereby fueling the success of the retail district. But unfortunately, the high traffic counts and narrow R.OW. make for a pedestrian and bicycle un-friendly realm. "The Laurel" stands to capitalize on a great opportunity comprised of new circulation patterns, targeted redevelopment nodes, and added public open spaces.
The “Laurel Gateway”: An iconic arrival point at the entrance to the Laurel Village. A rich combination of a proposed community center, a public park, and new commercial development. At this spot, MacArthur Boulevard is reconfigured as a one-way couplet system with parallel Redding Avenue, providing for a safer public realm with abundantly wider sidewalks, two lanes of traffic (one-way), on-street parking, and a protected bicycle lane along the curb and away from traffic.
The Laurel Theater: A Targeted Redevelopment Node at Brown Avenue. The existing structure was once a movie theater, and is once again, ideal for adaptive re-use. A cultural center for live performances, lectures, and movies, with an outdoor gathering space at the corner, this re-envisioned node will help activate and enliven the new mixed-use Village.
Project: The Laurel Village
Location: Oakland, California
Program: Reconfigured circulation, Targeted
Year: 2015