Projects as Principal

Adeline Place, Emeryville.  Placeworks LLC was selected by the City of Emeryville to redevelop a Redevelopment Agency-owned site at the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and MacArthur Blvd.  The Adeline Place project consists of 36 for-sale residential units over parking with 2500 square feet of retail at the street edge.  The retail space is for-sale and is intended for community-serving uses.  Parking lifts are used to meet code parking requirements for this 14,000 square foot site.  Thirteen of the residential units are designated to be below market rate.  Construction photos can be seen here.  Please see the Adeline Place website.

Ninth Avenue Terminal Reuse, Oakland.  Placeworks LLC is a partner in a proposal to reuse the historic Ninth Avenue Terminal.  The proposal for this waterfront building includes a Vintner's Hall -- a collective of urban wineries and tasting room -- as well as a restaurant and water-oriented recreation.  Please click here to see an article in the S.F. Chronicle regarding this project.  Here is a press release regarding reducing wine's carbon footprint.

Octavia Sites M&N, San Francisco.  Placeworks is a member of the team selected by the Mayor's Office of the City of San Francisco to redevelop two narrow (18'x120') sites adjacent to the newly upgraded Octavia Boulevard.  Please click here to see an article in the S.F. Chronicle regarding three Octavia Boulevard sites, including this project.

The Flatiron, Emeryville. Placeworks LLC was selected by the City of Emeryville to redevelop a high-visibility site that was previously occupied by a liquor store.  Entitlements for the project have been obtained and construction is currently underway for a Lanesplitter restaurant.  

Adams Street Development Project, St. Helena.  A joint venture of Placeworks LLC and EAH, Inc. of San Rafael was designated by the City of St. Helena to work with the community to develop plans for 5.6 acres of City-owned land.  The land is two blocks from Main Street and has wonderful views of Mt. St. Helena and adjacent vineyards.  A significant component of affordable housing is intended for the site.  Conservation of potable water and of community character is critical at this site.

Projects as Development Manager

StopWaste.Org Main Office.  Placeworks LLC was the development manager for StopWaste’s new main office in downtown Oakland.  As the agency responsible for reducing the waste stream from construction activities in Alameda County, StopWaste is a leader in recycling and sustainable development.  An existing 14,000 square foot vacant building near BART was seismically retrofitted and renovated, using innovative technologies and emphasizing recycled materials.  The building uses 42% less energy than Title 24 standards, using a mechanical system that is less expensive than typical package A/C units.  StopWaste took occupancy of the building in March 2007.  This project achieved LEED Platinum designation, a first for a renovation project in Northern California.  Client: StopWaste.Org.  For more on this project, please see 1537webster.pdf, our final LEED scorecard, or this YouTube video.

Entitlements for Jack London Square were granted by a unanimous vote of Oakland’s City Council in June, 2004 following a two-year entitlement effort.  The work included preparation of an EIR and a development agreement with the City, ground lease and purchase agreements with the Port of Oakland, presentations to BCDC and the State Lands Commission, and extensive work with the community.  A total of nine sites were granted a 15-year vested entitlement to accomplish a phased, mixed use renovation of Jack London Square.  Stuart Rickard was project manager for these entitlements.  Client: Ellis Partners LLC.

Restoration of 66 Franklin involves the renovation of a 93,000 square foot former Haslett Warehouse building that was built in 1926.  This building, on Oakland’s waterfront in Jack London Square, had suffered from numerous modifications in the past including demolition of an entire wing of the building to make way for the Webster Tube to Alameda.  In 1959, the building was clad in a combination of stucco and corrugated sheet metal.  The restoration reveals and repairs the historic concrete façade and installs new windows to match the steel sash windows that were removed.  Stuart Rickard’s role was to address schematic design and the design/build contractor’s scope in order to meet the owner’s budget.  Client: Ellis Partners LLC.

Above: before renovation; below: renovation complete.

Retail Buildings at The Crossings, Paso Robles, CA.  Stuart Rickard was construction manager for three buildings in this retail center: a stand-alone Petco store, a retail pad building containing Starbucks and Quizno’s, and a 10,000 square foot spec retail strip building.  Client: Ellis Partners LLC.

EmeryTech Phase II, Emeryville, CA.  Placeworks LLC managed conversion of the former Andronico's warehouse to office space.  The former Andronico's retail space is now Charles Chocolates.  Client: Ellis Partners LLC.

Coliseum Business Center, Oakland, CA.  Placeworks LLC managed conversion of the former Mothers Cookies facility to a seismically-upgraded, multi-tenant, food-oriented complex.  Client: Ellis Partners LLC.

Valley Center Business Park, Palm Desert, CA.  Stuart Rickard was responsible for creating a site plan, investment offering, and entitlement strategy for “Valley Center” industrial condominium project in Palm Desert.  This project is now under construction.  Client: Jerry Williams.