Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva, several Council Members and other officials will join developer-owner Blake|Griggs Properties for a ribbon-cutting at the region’s newest transit-oriented development (TOD) housing, the 178-unit Vaya Apartments at 1800 Lacassie Ave. in Walnut Creek.
Located across the street from the Walnut Creek BART station and close to the Lesher Center for the Arts, café/retailers and downtown, Vaya opened earlier this summer and continues leasing.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 am.
Im sorry, but that has got to be one of the ugliest buildings outside of Soviet era Siberia.
But the housing is needed.
Yes. Not for me but I’m sure the gerbils who move in there will be very happy.
Rodents do not rent apartments. PEOPLE do.
Surely no one in our fine enclave would be so boorish as to metaphorically liken humans who choose to make their homes in luxury condos to vermin.
I grant that SOME of the PEOPLE who move in may have pet gerbils, but the building’s aesthetic will have no effect whatsoever on such pets’ happiness.
Hereby nominate Nicoles comment on your facebook page for comment of the week.
Noted.
We used to build such pretty things. I’m not sure when this approach became stylish – or if it has. Does anyone actually like the look of it? Besides the Planning Commission?
Not exactly inexpensive housing either. that’s a house payment for many people.
I’ll be honest. I don’t care what it looks like, nor do I care what the rent is. Unless you live in the neighborhood, or you’re looking to rent an apartment in the building, why would you care?
I agree with Danielle. While I’d have selected a less conspicuous aesthetic, the design is of no concern whatsoever to a anyone besides the owner and prospective tenants.
That’s an awful lot of money to live at a BART station. We’ll just have to wait and see who thinks otherwise right?
The initial asking rent for a 2 BR topped $4,200, close to the top of the range for luxe 2/2 apartments in downtown WC and Lamorinda. The current asking rent is closer to $3,600, which is quite reasonable for a modern, transit accessible home in an excellent school district within about a half hour of downtown SF. A couple with one child would need to pay twice that plus private school tuition for a new 2/2 in SF.
Each unit has a floor, ceiling, walls, a roof to keep the rain out. I fully support the concept. The color needs some work.
Rents are unaffordable for most people now– in that it consumes a disproportionately larger share of take home pay than ever before. This is another reason why home ownership rates are in decline in the US– it is virtually impossible for a couple to save up enough money to make the down-payment — without a little help from mommy & daddy — or, in many cases the trust-fund. That’ll work for a few percent of the people looking. The building is pretty ugly– looks like cheap plastic facia– like the kind that burned in that London fire a few years back, but who knows…
Not for me but if someone else likes it and has the money whose to argue?
Is this an accepted approach in architecture today? Are there any architects here who care to argue for or against this building?
Is there any availability? Photos of the inside?
Units are advertised on Craigslist. Fairly banal and utilitarian with some colorful flare and a few luxe finishes. Listings have undergone multiple asking rent reductions, even gross of concessions.