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• About the Downtown

Housing | Commercial Space | Public Transportation | History
Demographics | Public & Private Investment | Useful Phone Numbers

Housing

Downtown is the site for Berkeley's fastest growing housing market. Hundreds of new units are now available in this prime location  next to the Downtown Berkeley BART station and the UC Berkeley campus. At your doorstep or just around the corner you will find the best of Berkeley's dining, cultural, entertainment and shopping options. Imagine living next door to the finest facilities in town like the YMCA, Central Public Library, Civic Center, and the Farmers' Market. Downtown living is back in style and offers all the convenience and attractions of urban life.

Commercial Space

For a full listing on available Downtown commercial and office space please visit www.locateinberkeley.com. And if you are a high tech company please visit our partner website www.berkeleystartupcluster.org.

Click below to see an informal list of brokers, property managers, and developers who can help you buy or lease Downtown Berkeley commercial properties. We encourage you to their web sites or call to learn about resources available properties. If you don't find what you are looking for, please call our office for additional help.

List of Commercial Property Managers

Public Transportation

BART's Berkeley Station and Transit Plaza is Downtown's transit hub. Over ten thousand people per day exit the BART station making it the second busiest in the system. Downtown is also well served by AC Transit, private taxis, UC Shuttle buses, and the Lawrence Berkeley Labs Shuttle. City leaders are prioritizing the improvement of public transit (see Transit and Parking).

History

The commercial life of Downtown Berkeley began in 1876 when Francis Kittredge Shattuck, one of the founding landowners of Berkeley, persuaded Southern Pacific to run a spur line through his property, terminating at what is now Berkeley Square and Shattuck Square. Rail access provided impetus for new commercial growth. When Berkeley was incorporated in 1878, Shattuck Avenue was already established as its main street at Berkeley Station. While the pioneer buildings from this period no longer exist, the layout of the Downtown street grid dates from this period. The Downtown buildings that we know today were the result of construction from the period beginning in 1903 when the Key System electric trains were established on Shattuck Avenue. You will notice that few buildings have been restored intact - in many cases the street-level facades have been altered. It is often useful to lift your gaze to the upper stories to fully capture the flavor and spirit of Berkeley's original "Main Street" architecture. For more details on architectural history, see the Downtown's Architectural Walking Tour.

Downtown Demograhics

Downtown Berkeley is approximately thirty square blocks characterized by high foot traffic, proximity to UC Berkeley campus, access to public transportation, and architecture with substantial historic character. The area is a restaurant, theater, and entertainment mecca. More than 100 restaurants serve cuisine from over 15 countries. The Berkeley Repertory Theatre packs the house nightly with a sophisticated and regional clientele ? over 160,000 annually.

Berkeley has the densest urban population in the East Bay and Downtown lies right in the center. Around 49,000 residents (of Berkeley's 105,000) live within a one mile radius of Downtown. The daytime population also includes roughly 23,000 office workers, 30,000 UC Berkeley Students, 11,000 UC Berkeley faculty, and 3,000 Berkeley High Students. The central district's residential population is growing. Three housing projects currently under construction will house hundreds of new residents who seek the convenience of transit oriented development. The developments are all located within one block of the Berkeley BART station. Downtown Berkeley is well positioned to increasingly draw on all of these populations as a customer base.

Public and Private Investment

In recent years, over $150 million in public and private investment has been changing the face of Downtown. Renovations have brought some of our finest historic buildings back to life. The Oxcent Group converted the once dilapidated Center Street into the elegant Restaurant Row - creating a classy gateway between BART and the UC campus. Aldar Investment beautifully restored the Francis K. Shattuck building and attracted top tenants such as the Downtown Restaurant (a fine brasserie serving seafood and jazz) in the pivotal ground floor corner location. The City of Berkeley has invested over $5.5 million into the Addison Street Arts District which has leveraged over $25 million in private investment - raised mainly through capital campaigns. Dedicated arts groups have raised millions of dollars to build out their new venues in the Arts District. And the art will spill out onto the streets when the Addison Street sidewalks become home for poetry panels and public art. Outside of the Arts District, construction projects include residential and office mixed use developments and the renovation of our most beloved institution - the Berkeley Public Library, For a list of all current construction projects, please see our Downtown Developments Spreadsheet .

Useful Phone Numbers