Gilbane Adds Floors to Historic Theater Project in Berkeley

Gilbane wants to add eight stories to an apartment tower above a century-old Berkeley movie palace converted to a live theater, but with larger units for more college students.

The Rhode Island-based developer led by Thomas Gilbane has revised its plans to build a 23-story, 148-unit highrise atop the shuttered California Theatre at 2113-2115 Kittredge Street, a half block west of the UC Berkeley campus, SFYimby reported.

Two years ago, Gilbane proposed a 15-story tower with 214 units, which would have preserved the historic facade and marque of the landmark movie theater.

Then Gilbane tweaked its plans for an 18-story, 211-unit tower, while maintaining the 325-seat performing arts stage.

Gilbane adds eight-stories to historic theater redevelopment in Berkeley — Rendering of plans for 2113-2115 Kittredge Street, Berkeley (Studio KDA)

Now the developer will employ a state density bonus from Assembly Bill 1287 to add more height, but adding bigger apartments to pack in groups of prospective college students, according to SFYimby

The student-oriented project, designed by Studio KDA of Berkeley, would set aside 24 units as affordable housing, split between very low-income and moderate-income households.

The historic theater sits on a third of an acre, between Shattuck Avenue and Oxford Street, near a BART Station and AC Transit bus stops. A cost and timeline for its redevelopment was not disclosed.

The Art Deco theater, known locally as “The Cal,” was owned as of 2022 by the descendants of real estate investor John Muldoon, who built the theater with his business partner in 1914, according to city records.

It opened as the T&D Theater, then was remodeled in 1928 as the New Fox California Theatre. It was remodeled again in 1952 and turned into a triplex before it was acquired by Landmark Theatres in 1994.

The 13,000-square-foot California Theatre was shuttered during the pandemic, closing for good in March 2020.

Two years ago, a group of 140 Berkeley residents petitioned the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to give The Cal landmark status, which would have prevented its redevelopment. But the commission awarded landmark status to just the facade and marquee, opening the door for the Gilbane project.

Downtown Berkeley is growing taller faster than any other Bay Area city hub. As of last year, six buildings between 16 and 28 stories are proposed in Berkeley’s central core, including redevelopment of its historic movie theaters.

Berkeley-based NX Ventures plans to build a 28-story, 317-foot tower at 1998 Shattuck Avenue, while Georgia-based Landmark Properties plans to build a 25-story, 268-foot tower at 2190 Shattuck. The tallest building in Berkeley is now the 186-foot Chase Building at 2150 Shattuck.

One project approved by the city in July is The Hub, a 285-foot-tall transit-oriented development next to UC Berkeley.

Core Spaces, a Chicago-based student housing developer led by Marc Lifshin, got the nod to build a 26-story, 456-unit student housing tower at 2128 Oxford Street, across the street from the lower side of campus.

— Dana Bartholomew