Texas developer plans nearly 500 units in Oakland but locals want to save historic coffee shop – San Jose 1/10
Texas developer plans nearly 500 units in Oakland but locals want to save historic coffee shop
Sep 17, 2015
A Texas developer has filed plans for its first two Oakland housing projects totaling nearly 500 units, but some local residents are worried that one project will destroy the historic Biff’s coffee shop.
The Hanover Co., based in Houston, has filed plans with the city to build 256 residential units and 33,000 square feet of retail at 2630 Broadway, the site of the former Biff’s coffee shop, built in 1963. Separately, the Hanover Co. has filed a pre-application for 230 residential units and 23,000 square feet of retail at 2412-2460 Valdez St., which is currently a parking lot.
Scott Youdall, development partner at the Hanover Co., confirmed the applications but declined to comment further. It would be the first projects in Oakland for the Hanover Co., which is also working on a site in San Jose’s Japantown.
The Biff’s site is part of Oakland’s Broadway-Valdez Specific Plan, which calls for more retail and housing in a part of the city that is currently used predominantly for auto dealerships. Other developers in the area include a partnership between Blackstone and CityView, and Wood Partners.
Two real estate brokers familiar with the property said that Hanover was in contract to acquire it from current owner Steve Simi, who has been using the parking lot of the property as a showcase for a car dealership, but the deal hasn’t closed yet.
Locals are concerned that the new housing plan would replace the Biff’s coffee shop, which is an example of mid-1900s style “Googie” architecture inspired by the space age. The building was originally built by Standard Oil, now a part of Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX), but has been vacant for decades.
Some residents are calling for a new restaurant and renovation of the building. The Hanover Co.’s plans for new housing filed with the city appear to occupy the entire parcel, but designs could change.
“They’re going to have a fight on their hands,” said Joyce Roy, a retired architect and advocate for Biff’s revival. “There’s lots of places where you can build housing where you don’t have to tear down something special.”
Locals have also found a potential savior for the historic building: W.W. “Biff” Naylor, whose father, Tiny Naylor, previously operated the Biff’s coffee shop. Naylor is CEO of Du-par’s, a restaurant operator with five California locations and one in Las Vegas. “I’d love to come back and operate it,” said Naylor, who said he would pay rent for around $20,000 per month. “I think there is a chance.”
Naylor last met with the Hanover Co. about a month ago, and he’s awaiting the developer’s next move.
Leal Charonnat, a local architect, said that just having new housing on the site would be a lost opportunity for the city. “It’s missing the point of economic development” he said. “This was a 24-7 restaurant for over 35 years that served all of Oakland.”
Charonnat also dislikes the mid-rise design for the residential building, nothing that many of the residents wouldn’t have exterior views. He supports a residential tower on the site that would preserve the current building.
“What you want here on this corner is something that will draw people regionally,” he said.
