Over the past several years, the Richmond shoreline has undergone significant revitalization, whereby miles of shoreline along the San Francisco Bay have been infused with new life.
The proposed Spinnaker Gate community by Toll Brothers will introduce 269 new luxury condominiums to Richmond’s beautiful Marina Bay. Illustration by J. Bullock & Associates
Published: August, 2006
Over the past several years, the Richmond shoreline has undergone significant revitalization, whereby miles of shoreline along the San Francisco Bay have been infused with new life. As a critical piece of this renewed community, Spinnaker Gate at Marina Bay, a proposed upscale condominium community by luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers, will create not only new housing opportunities in this coveted area, but will also bring significant funds to inner city redevelopment and public open space along the shoreline.
Spinnaker Gate at Marina Bay, proposed as a part of Richmond’s Marina Bay master planned community, is located immediately adjacent to Lucretia W. Edwards Shoreline Park and the Bay Trail, and east of the Historic Ford Assembly Plant. The community will provide new homeowners with striking views of the San Francisco Bay and the dazzling city skyline beyond the bay. Proposed to be built with 269 new homes averaging over 1,600 square feet, Spinnaker Gate will offer residential parking in a one-level parking garage. The one-, two- and three-bedroom residences include spacious nine-foot ceilings and stylish granite slab countertops. Residents can enjoy balmy Bay weather on large outdoor terraces or cozy up during winter months in front of a
gas fireplace.
The proposed Spinnaker Gate community will reflect Toll Brothers’ nationwide reputation for a high standard of luxury with landmark architecture and a variety of floor plan options. Recreation opportunities found at Spinnaker Gate will offer buyers the chance to exercise, socialize or relax, right within the community itself. Two spas, a pool and a state-of-the-art exercise facility will allow homeowners to rejuvenate. Outdoor fireplace lounge areas, and a stunning clubhouse with full kitchen and library, inspire social visits and casual get-togethers.
The benefits to homeowners are just the beginning. Due to the successful partnership between Toll Brothers and the City of Richmond, millions of dollars of community benefits will result from the proposed development of Spinnaker Gate. These benefits include funds designated for major redevelopment projects such as City Hall and Macdonald Avenue, schools, affordable housing, fire department fees, and the City’s improvement of streets, parks and public buildings.
Both shoreline and inner city redevelopment will receive a revenue boost, and in terms of numbers, the benefits are impressive. Three million dollars in one-time fees and $1.25 million in annually occurring revenues until the year 2024 will be used to support four redevelopment projects in the inner city of Richmond: 12th Street, the City Hall and City Center structural and seismic upgrade, the revitalization of Macdonald Avenue, and the Metro Walk Transit Village around the Richmond BART station.
Input from city residents has been invaluable to shaping the proposed Spinnaker Gate community. This partnership will allow Spinnaker Gate to provide numerous city improvements and allow for citizens of Richmond to ensure the City grows in a way that benefits residents and businesses, says Tony Craig, Senior Project Manager for Toll Brothers.
As proposed, Spinnaker Gate will provide an exceptional, publicly accessible, open-space park area along the Richmond shoreline for all Richmond residents to enjoy. The Bay Trail, a planned 400-mile continuous network of hiking and biking trails, provides further recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, and the public marina at Marina Bay provides 750 boat slips and a boat ramp with easy access for a sunny day out on the bay.
The beautiful and historically unique atmosphere of Richmond’s Marina Bay remains in easy proximity to I-80 and I-580, with nearby access to the Intermodal Transit System of Richmond, which includes BART, Amtrak and AC Transit bus service. Is is also within half a mile from the proposed Richmond/San Francisco Ferry.
According to Steve Duran, Director of Community & Economic Development: This project, along with Signature Properties’ Anchor Cove development, represents the beginning of a transformation which will create a transit-oriented residential and retail hub anchored by ferry service from Richmond to San Francisco and other Bay Area destinations.
The proposed Spinnaker Gate, as the result of a cooperative partnership between Toll Brothers and the City of Richmond, would be implemented with long-term benefits to Richmond residents in mind, and this type of forward-looking development is paramount to ensuring that a growing Richmond continues to reward its residents for generations to come.
For more information on development within the City of Richmond, please contact Alan Wolken, Deputy Director of Richmond’s Community
Redevelopment Agency, at (510) 307-8140.
View of the San Francisco City skyline from Richmond’s Marina Bay. Photo by John Beson
Spinnaker Gate, as proposed, will include two spas, a pool and exercise facility, a clubhouse with full kitchen and library, outdoor fireplace lounging areas, and a residential parking garage. Illustration by J. Bullock & Associates
