I like how this picture conveniently crops out the 3 tallest buildings in Oakland right down the street from the project. More detailed renderings are available here.

Looks great! Let's build it.

Compared to the enormous building they're considering in SF to subsidize a new transit hub, this doesn't seem too bad. I have a hard time seeing how this "dwarfs" the landscape, when it's surrounded by buildings nearly its size. Oakland's growing. Why not embrace the growth and fight for a good chunk of affordable units?

Becks, you said:

I have a hard time seeing how this "dwarfs" the landscape, when it's surrounded by buildings nearly its size.

The article is clear that “dwarfs” refers to, not “the landscape,” but rather the two adjacent historic apartment buildings, viz., the Regillus and the Bechtel Building.

There is something wrong with this picture: the Emerald Views is 42 stories tall, the building behind it and to its right, is 24 stories tall, 24 to 42 floors - almost twice as many. Yet the green 42 story structure appears to be hardly a few yards taller than the 24 story building. How could anyone reside in a building where every floor is squeezed into about half the height as the other structures commonly provide for head room? 427 feet high? Do the math. Or, carefully examine the picture. Compare the Emerald windows and floors with any other building in the picture. Line up those windows: two green windows and floors for every window and floor in ALL the other buildings in the picture! Hmm... OK... so let's say the tenants will be dwarves and midgets, who don't need tall ceilings. Fine. But admit it and quit attempting to fool everyone with Photoshop! And deal with the additional parking, traffic, pot holes, pollution, whipping wind, long shadows, vacancies, or the cause of so many plastic-wrapped, bankrupt, construction projects in this district. I don't buy it. If you do, please, take me up on the above examination and let's figure out how to get out of this "deal."

As someone who has dreamed of coming back to California for years and making Oaklands beautiful Regillus my home, I was dismayed to see the news regarding the Emerald Views project. Unfortunately for current condo owners interested in selling their Regillus property , I would never risk buying now that the project is a future possibility. I don't believe that I am alone in this sentiment. The project is an out-of-character eyesore to the immediate unique historic buildings and graceful, rare beauty of the Lakeside. There are many potential negative impacts on the Lakeside area with this project-including loss of value of neighboring properties, increased traffic impact, loss of sunlight with tall shadows created by the project etc... Excellent observation, Gwen, on the obvious attempt to disguise the true height of the proposed Emerald views project (See comment above). This type of deception hints at a probable culture of deception by the developers-scary what other lies may emerge. I say move this, and any other tall project (over 15 stories) to another site away from the Lakeside-perhaps in an underutilized site in the Downtown area where tall modern buildings belong. Does anyone have any recent news about the progress of the project?

Amazingly designed strong and impressive building!