PRESS RELEASE: Frank G. Mar Preservation
For Immediate Release: October 21, 2022
Media Contact: Vicki Shu, Director of Resource Development & Communications — vshu@ebaldc.org; 510-606-1812
EBALDC Celebrates Preservation of Award-Winning Frank G. Mar Community Housing in Oakland Chinatown
Oakland, CA – Today, the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) thanks our residents at Frank G. Mar Community Housing with a grand re-opening party to mark the end of our extensive rehabilitation and preservation project that started during the pandemic. Located in the heart of Oakland Chinatown at 283 13th Street, the building represents EBALDC’s first new construction development, completed in 1990. Award-winning for its innovative complex of commercial and residential units with community spaces, Frank G. Mar Community Housing (Mar) has continued to serve as the template for all EBALDC’s affordable housing projects. With the recent renovation, it is also now up-to-date with the latest seismic, energy, and ADA improvements, as well as modernization and beautification of public spaces.
Frank G. Mar Courtyard
“Today, we celebrate EBALDC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of our very first built affordable housing and commercial complex, a pioneering design that was a model for many urban developers,” said Ted Dang, EBALDC Founder and Board Member. “The restoration of Frank G. Mar Community Housing is a testament to our Healthy Neighborhood Approach where our residents and commercial tenants are our first priority. Yes, we are a property developer, but once completed and residents move into their new home or open a business, our focus shifts to building relationships ensuring that our communities are healthy, flourishing, and will endure over time.”
Frank G Mar ADA Updates and New Appliances
Indeed, Healthy Housing served as the foundation of the rehab project. Between EBALDC’s professional expertise and resident feedback, the project focused on three priority areas: clean and breathable air, social well-being, and safety. To that end, the Frank G. Mar Community Housing renovation incorporates ADA safety improvements, elevator modernization, seismic structural work, energy upgrades to building systems and unit appliances, and new finishes in the complex’s lobby, community room, and interior courtyard. In addition, residents participated in creative community workshops with the design team to inform the new community room and courtyard improvements. Residents also partnered with the California College of the Arts to reflect what they love about living at Mar in a series of new courtyard murals. Local artist Cece Carpio created custom interior murals to also reflect these themes.
Resident Engagement for Courtyard and Community Space Re-design
San Chuan Cheng, a 10-year resident at Frank G. Mar Community Housing, said, “The many rehab projects greatly improve all residents’ lives; we continue to feel safe and welcome in our home. I especially appreciated the opportunity to participate in the design process for our community room and courtyard.”
Frank G. Mar Lobby
“EBALDC is in the business of preserving affordability in perpetuity for all our properties. Without continued investments through recapitalization, renovations, and other tools, affordable housing properties like Frank G. Mar Community Housing are at risk of conversion to market rate.” commented Capri Roth, Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development. “Certainly, the construction work came at an inconvenient time during the pandemic. We know it was a difficult period for our residents but through persistent and thorough collaborative communication between project staff, the property management team, and the residents, the construction was completed in a timely manner. We thank the residents for their participation in the rehab process and their patience during construction. With this rehab completed, Frank G. Mar Community Housing will continue to serve Oakland Chinatown for many years.”
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About Frank G. Mar Community Housing
Frank G. Mar Community Housing is named after Reverend Frank G. Mar, one of EBALDC’s founders. For 20 years, he served as pastor of the Chinese Presbyterian Church and helped to establish many social service agencies that continue to benefit the community.
Winner of the World Habitat Award in 1991, among other awards, the Frank G. Mar Community Housing complex was acknowledged as “… an excellent example of how to contain urban sprawl … High levels of energy efficiency have been designed into the project and cross subsidy from the commercial activities helps ensure affordable rents for low-income residents … It also provides a model for urban community living, reintroducing traditional patterns of living and social interaction within the modern city setting … it is in urgent need of replication both within the United States and beyond.”
It was one of the earliest projects to receive a Housing Development Action Grant (HODAG) totaling $6 million. The architect was Donald McDonald (designer of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge) and the project’s collaborator was the newly-formed BRIDGE Housing Corporation, led by noted Affordable Housing and Urban Policy leader, Don Terner.