The Launch | Alameda, CA

Along Clement Avenue, between Schiller and Alameda Marina Drive, a stretch of Alameda's waterfront edge waited for its next chapter. As part of the Alameda Master Plan, Pacific Development set out to turn this site into a place where hundreds of households could live close to the marina and the Bay Trail.

The ambition was considerable: 360 multifamily homes, from studios to two-bedroom units, plus eight separate work/live units, all supported by 416 off-street parking spaces and bike parking. Delivering that program meant coordinating Type IA, IIIA and VA construction in a single project while keeping the shoreline within reach of the street. BDE Architecture guided the design toward an answer that organizes the building around four interior courtyards and an amenity bar, threaded by a double-height, twenty-foot-wide pedestrian corridor linking Clement Avenue to the Bay Trail.

Completed in 2023, The Launch gives residents courtyards with a pool, spa, dog runs, kitchenettes, fire pits and lounge seating, along with roof decks with BBQ and fire pits, a fitness room, a club room and an on-site leasing office. Most of all, it connects a new community to the marina amenities beyond.

Address: 1777 Clement Ave, Alameda, CA 94501

Client: Pacific Development

Number of Units: 360

Construction Types: IA, IIIA, and VA

Year Completed: 2023

Photographer: Steven J Magner Photography

Modern multi-story building with a mix of white, brown, and tan panels, large windows, and a covered walkway at the entrance. There are street lamps and a few plants outside, with a clear blue sky above.
Modern multi-story building with a white and tan patterned facade, large windows, and an archway entrance, under a blue sky with some clouds.
Modern outdoor walkway with planters containing flowers and small trees, shaded by a building structure, overlooking a marina with boats and distant hills.
Modern residential area with trees, benches, and a colorful mural, under a partly cloudy sky.
A courtyard between modern apartment buildings with landscaped greenery, seating areas, and a paved walkway under a clear blue sky.
Modern interior of a lounge with large floor-to-ceiling windows, a blue sofa, yellow armchairs, and round coffee tables, illuminated by circular pendant lights.
View of a swimming pool with lounge chairs, behind which is a modern multi-story apartment building with balconies and windows under a clear sky.
Apartment complex with a courtyard featuring plants, trees, outdoor seating, and a shaded pergola. Modern multi-story buildings with large windows and balconies are visible against a clear blue sky.
A rooftop terrace with outdoor furniture, including chairs and a table with a glass top, overlooking a city skyline with a bay and sailboats. The terrace has a decorative metal pergola providing shade with patterned cutouts, and there are plans and s