1888 MLK

Located on a triangular property with bustling city streets on all sides, the 1888 MLK in-fill development required a highly customized build plan to make efficient use of the irregular lot. Innovative modular techniques transform this parking island into 88 modern studio apartments in the heart of downtown Oakland.

The 1888 MLK building features angled bays to use every square foot of space available on the curving property. A majority of the build took place off-site in a volumetric manufacturing facility, where units are constructed without the many constraints of the small-footprint site. The studios sit on a one-story concrete podium that contains commercial units and five more studio apartments. An 88-space indoor bicycle parking area and landscaped rooftop deck add appeal for residents.

Owner CRC Development tapped Prefab Logic for modular product design and product management services for 1888 MLK. These services include customizing project plans to take maximum advantage of factory-built efficiency, assembling the volumetric manufacturing team, and otherwise ensuring a successful modular build from conception to completion.

Prefab Logic is also partnering with Oakland-based architecture firm Baran Studios for this urban in-fill project. The two shops are collaborating on 1414 MLK, a similar development transforming a narrow parking lot just a few blocks away—with Prefab Logic doing the preconstruction services.